Please help me spec a HTPC

JonoB

JonoB

JonoB

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19 Nov 2004
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248
I have been using an old Dell Optiplex (small form factor) with Windows 7 Media Center as an HTPC for the last few years. We use the HTPC almost entirely for recording live TV, with a bit of music, photos, etc. Its worked really well, but its showing its age, and has got too slow.

I am considering a Intel NUC or Gigabyte Brix running OpenElec/LibreElec. I am quite familiar with building PCs, but I've been out the game for a while and I'm not sure on what specs and parts I should be getting. I guess that I need some RAM (8 or 16GB?), an SSD drive and a USB TV Tuner card (for the UK, so must be able to handle freeview). Ability to record more than one channel at a time would be awesome.

Our TV is a 1080p. We don't have any plans to go 4k in the near future, but if the cost is not too high, I may future proof the HTPC now. I have a NAS drive already, so that can be used for all recordings.

Thanks for any suggestions that you can provide!
 
that spec would be fine for a HTPC.

otherwise, mini itx build but the dell might use there own form factor bits and pieces. might be worth building your own.

i created one using the cheap AM1 form factor. i got the 5350 apu, mini itx board, SSD and 8 gig of ram. used a antec isk 300 sff case. it was a really nice quiet system and streamed wonderfully. cost was well under £200 for a good basic htpc. i also built a more powerful one suing a antec isk600 case, looks the nuts with a mini GPU for gaming. good choices available for cheap minit itx htpc builds
 
is it running on an ssd? that might be all you need to get it up to speed.

I too have built an AM1 miti ITX machine for HTPC use and it worked very well.
Athlon 5350, 4gb 1600 ram running win 10 from a small ssd.
it's recently been retired and re-purposed as a home server.
 
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