SFF HTPC - Cheapest possible?

MiSJAH

MiSJAH

MiSJAH

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Joined
30 Nov 2013
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UK
Hi All,

I want to buy/build a small form factor pc to play 4k content on my TV.

Storage will be network attached.

What's the most effective, low cost way of doing this?

Cheers.
 
Not sure if the Pi 3 will do 4K (some reports suggest it might, but not brilliantly!)

I did see a news report somewhere stating that the Rock64 would support 4K so might be worth looking into that?
 
StevieP said:
Not sure if the Pi 3 will do 4K (some reports suggest it might, but not brilliantly!)

I did see a news report somewhere stating that the Rock64 would support 4K so might be worth looking into that?
Click to expand...

Do you know if the Pi or Rock would read from network storage for media rather than onboard storage?
 
I don't have one but I can't imagine for a second that it wouldn't!

I've got an Intel NUC connected via ethernet and have no issues streaming media from my network storage!
 
What NUC do you have Stevie please im currently looking at one for my tv. Don't want nothing fancy maybe powerful enough for 4k in future and been a plex player not server as i have the server already and for Kodi and MusicBee i have an android box but it lacks for things like Media i use kodi for plex but don't like plex for my own music its great for Films since knowing that my Dali Kubic One soundbar offers 24/96 via its USB its time to ditch the Android box
 
Rpi 3 here, running Kodi (but not 4k).

It reads from network storage with zero issues. It just works.


NUC is what I would suggest, works really well (I use one in the for media/music and browsing while working on the car/prototyping circuits in the lab)
Mine is old (4+ years at least), overkill (I7, 16gb ram, 256gb storage, passive Akasa case so no moving parts/better for dusty environment) but works perfectly. Two screens, 1080p.

Have used it on the 4k tv and again, it worked perfectly.
 
Steveocee said:
***Apologies, my meaning was to install plex server onto the device serving the content as well.
Click to expand...

I've been keeping an eye on the WD refurb store. Looking at anything from a 8-24TB NAS depending on price. Is there an easy way to work out if the NAS will run Plex? Will it need some aspect of GPU power?

Apologies for dumb questions, I'm new to this and fed up with HDMI cables strewn across the living room.
 
MiSJAH said:
Hi All,

I want to buy/build a small form factor pc to play 4k content on my TV.

Storage will be network attached.

What's the most effective, low cost way of doing this?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Amazon Fire TV.

Living room, we use one for 4k content playback.. Kodi on the Fire, plays from the Synology NAS, plus we get the amazon prime, BBC, netflix 4k content, All looks good.

Not expensive.

Is playing back 4k content from the network your only requirement? What else do you do with living room tv?
 
I have Plex on my Minix Neo u1 Android box but wanted a dedicated music player really i love plex for movies and Android really lacks for Music players ok for phones but finding something for my Android box is where im struggling my Soundbar outputs 24/96 via its USB at the moment using it via optical for TV i know a nuc would be great but how is windows 10 at the moment for Audio i know there has been probs with windows 10 and Audio
 
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