Spec Me A HTPC (i think)

Assassin_012

Assassin_012

Assassin_012

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23 Mar 2010
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730
hi,

basically i want a reasonable setup (not sure if this is called an HTPC) which allows me to do basically anything from listening to music, watching movies to streaming the internet (like YouTube)

after trying out XBMC on my PC, i was stunned by how it looks. and its a must have!

ive did some research and many people said getting the Acer Revo with XBMC on windows 7 is the best choice...and will play 1080p.

well..i def want this setup to be future proof. but not sure how much it would cost overall. maybe a decently cheap setup could do?

so, the TV. i want a decent TV obviously, but there are so many makes and i dont know where to start =/

the media player, or nettop (i think) ...which is the Acer Revo. but not exactly sure on which model is the best choice. or is there better?
il be playing files like .MKV .RMVB .AVI etc. (mostly asian movies xD)


so the budget:
TV - depends really on size.
MEdia/Nettop - max around £200

just to let you know. this is the first time im ever doing this so im a bit of a noobie. not exactly sure on the prices of these products. but correctly me if i get things wrong xD.

the reason i want this is because it may be worth the point. instead of spending a small amount on a WDTV for films. whereas if i could get this, i feel its more beneficial in life and il use it more.

anyways please help out xD

feel free to mention any other hardware, as it may help =)

Thanks
 
plenty of spec's on here for building your htpc, find a case you are happy with then start from there. For just running XBMC a basic system will do fine.
 
Worth pointing out that I had the same thought as you when I started looking at HTPC.

You think with a fully fledged computer you're going to use it for everything under the sun. For me this wasn't the case. I found trying to get comfy with a keyboard and mouse a complete pain. So I never used the mouse, and hardly used the keyboard - only used my remote.

With the remote you then end up only using XBMC.

When I realised I was only using XBMC I moved to a jailbroken Apple TV2 with XBMC installed and never looked back.

For £90 you get a almost instant on, tiny, silent box with a really nice remote and a device that plays everything under the sun.

ATV2 has a youtube app natively so that also gets some use by myself.

Worth looking at depending on how often you find yourself outside XBMC.

P.S. One limitation from your requirements is that the ATV2, although it can play 1080p content, only outputs at 720p.
 
An HTPC guarantees you'll be able to play anything just by downloading the latest MPC-HC or codecs. These media boxes for which people are constantly waiting for updates and firmware revisions, sound like a nightmare to me. That said if you're not going to play games, then a media streamer might suit you.
 
Can totaly agree with Robbie G. Speaking from experience with countless media streamers, when they only support half the codec you need it's a pain in the backside!

Saying that, I've not had a single file XBMC can't play on the ATV2.

XBMC is easily updated once Jailbroken as well so don't consider it, and never has been, an problem.
 
I have to admit I really like the simplicity of basic XBMC, but I've not yet managed to use the stock version, either Windows or Linux as my only player, as I found occasionally there are files it really just doesn't like (juddering, dropped frames or artifacts etc when other players have no issues), it seems the video decoding and output engine is one of the next points of call for a revamp due to this; I don't think the built in CPU decoding is even multi-threaded at the moment, there was a hack in an older version, but as its no longer compatible with FFMPEG, it' not in Dharma,and unfortunately being multi-platform, it's built around FFMPEG, rather than the more windows orientated (and perhaps better in some ways) FFDShow or similar.

Windows+MPC-HC /w CCCP is probably more reliable. The hardware in the ION is also quite underpowered, and it'll have no chance if the recent slow shift towards Hi10p gains momentum, so unless your budget is extreme, much as it has some very good points, I'd look elsewhere - you mention futureproofing in your OP, and the Ion isn't that, infact right now, no hardware accelleration is (as the current chips only support 8bit which is the current standard), so you need to consider the possibility of a CPU with enough oomph to do the decoding by itself.

Currently I'm using a custom HTPC, with Win7, XBMC (one of the DSPlayer builds not standard) and controlling it via my Android phone. This works reasonably well over the vast majority of files, but still isn't perfect. Luckily the dual playback engines means I can get around the largest brunt of issues :)

Edit:
I notice you mention around £200 on the media box. I'd consider looking down the second hand route to see if you could perhaps get a semi decent setup :)
 
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Yep, the systems running set to support WOL and has an SSD so boots in under 30 seconds which is more than tolerable IMO (The machine runs a reasonably bare install just patched up now and then; I've stripped it down to a no GUI boot, and to use XBMC rather than explorer as a shell as its slightly faster and makes it a little more seamless)

I'm using the official android XBMC remote. It's not perfect (they're still slowly adding requested features, like android keyboard support which is apparently due errr...next) but it works reasonably well.

You might occasionally find yourself having to force close the xbmc remote on your phone as occasionally it gets stuck sending millions of repeat button presses to the machine, but its usually fine.
 
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Alexrose1uk said:
I have to admit I really like the simplicity of basic XBMC, but I've not yet managed to use the stock version, either Windows or Linux as my only player, as I found occasionally there are files it really just doesn't like (juddering, dropped frames or artifacts etc when other players have no issues), it seems the video decoding and output engine is one of the next points of call for a revamp due to this; I don't think the built in CPU decoding is even multi-threaded at the moment, there was a hack in an older version, but as its no longer compatible with FFMPEG, it' not in Dharma,and unfortunately being multi-platform, it's built around FFMPEG, rather than the more windows orientated (and perhaps better in some ways) FFDShow or similar.

Windows+MPC-HC /w CCCP is probably more reliable. The hardware in the ION is also quite underpowered, and it'll have no chance if the recent slow shift towards Hi10p gains momentum, so unless your budget is extreme, much as it has some very good points, I'd look elsewhere - you mention futureproofing in your OP, and the Ion isn't that, infact right now, no hardware accelleration is (as the current chips only support 8bit which is the current standard), so you need to consider the possibility of a CPU with enough oomph to do the decoding by itself.

Currently I'm using a custom HTPC, with Win7, XBMC (one of the DSPlayer builds not standard) and controlling it via my Android phone. This works reasonably well over the vast majority of files, but still isn't perfect. Luckily the dual playback engines means I can get around the largest brunt of issues :)

Edit:
I notice you mention around £200 on the media box. I'd consider looking down the second hand route to see if you could perhaps get a semi decent setup :)
Click to expand...

so basically, this isnt really the best time to get an HTPC?
since i want it to be future proof =/
or should i just get an ATV or WDTV like others have said? until later for any release of some better media/nettop?

PS: im starting my first year at uni like in sept. im not really sure if i should be get this xD
 
More that if you want to buy consider something with more oomph, perhaps 2nd hand, as if hi10 takes off you'll be using cpu. I don't believe there are any hardware decoders that are 10bit capable expected for a while, certainly not this year if I understand correctly, I just wouldn't go down the ion 'has to be hardware decoded' route.

Media boxes have their place, they are brilliantly simplistic, but a pain in the behind when something doesn't work or isn't supported 100%. If you watch subtitled media they also typically cant support advanced subs. They are cheap though, but you have to keep in mind the lack of upgrade or update path on them.
I actually had a wdtv live before my htpc. I sometimes miss the plug and play aspect but not the limitations.
 
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I'm looking at the AMD Fusion chipset at the moment, as it looks like a fantastic little bit of kit. Assassin, the Zotac ZBox AD03 (with bluray player) or 2 (without) looks great. AD02 is within your budget but no bluray.
 
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Alexrose1uk said:
Yep, the systems running set to support WOL and has an SSD so boots in under 30 seconds which is more than tolerable IMO (The machine runs a reasonably bare install just patched up now and then; I've stripped it down to a no GUI boot, and to use XBMC rather than explorer as a shell as its slightly faster and makes it a little more seamless)

I'm using the official android XBMC remote. It's not perfect (they're still slowly adding requested features, like android keyboard support which is apparently due errr...next) but it works reasonably well.

You might occasionally find yourself having to force close the xbmc remote on your phone as occasionally it gets stuck sending millions of repeat button presses to the machine, but its usually fine.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that. It sounds like a good way to do it, just need to figure out how to get wake on LAN working via the Virgin Superhub :/. I'll be playing games like FIFA, Tiger Woods, GTA and Tennis on it too...have you managed to get the games running as another folder in XBMC?

Sorry for the hijack OP, but I reckon it's pertinent! Ish!
 
Robbie G said:
Thank you for that. It sounds like a good way to do it, just need to figure out how to get wake on LAN working via the Virgin Superhub :/. I'll be playing games like FIFA, Tiger Woods, GTA and Tennis on it too...have you managed to get the games running as another folder in XBMC?

Sorry for the hijack OP, but I reckon it's pertinent! Ish!
Click to expand...

Think I got away with something then as when I signed up to VM I got the D-Link/separate cable modem. The D-link router is pretty nifty.
 
Robbie G said:
Thank you for that. It sounds like a good way to do it, just need to figure out how to get wake on LAN working via the Virgin Superhub :/. I'll be playing games like FIFA, Tiger Woods, GTA and Tennis on it too...have you managed to get the games running as another folder in XBMC?

Sorry for the hijack OP, but I reckon it's pertinent! Ish!
Click to expand...

Tbh, I just setup WOL on the machine itself (active at BIOS and driver level) and on the remote; never even touched the router, so perhaps I've been lucky! The PC is running via ethernet, the phone via wireless to the router.

I've not routed any other programmes through the HTPC/XBMC, as it's a pure media build. (low speed/passive cooling etc)

Almost silent though :)
 
platypus said:
I'm looking at the AMD Fusion chipset at the moment, as it looks like a fantastic little bit of kit. Assassin, the Zotac ZBox AD03 (with bluray player) or 2 (without) looks great. AD02 is within your budget but no bluray.
Click to expand...

well i dont need bluray...so the Zotac ZBox AD02 will do.

checked around online about it...looks pretty gd. good reviews too

but for around £180....u sure its worth the money? compared to ATV2 and WDTV 1080p?
 
The Zotac Zbox is similar to the Revo, although a bit more powerful; it still suffers the same limitations when it comes to futureproofing however, although it'd undoubtedly fare better than the Revo there.

Here's a review on the actual performance of the CPU it's based around incase you're interested:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4023/the-brazos-performance-preview-amd-e350-benchmarked/1

BTW, also realised we've almost completely missed your request on TVs, all I'll say here is the current Panny range are rated well across the board, both LCD and Plasma.
 
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Personally, I'm looking at a htpc (using media center with media browser add on) at the mo too, I looked at an amd fusion mitx setup and was just a little concerned it might not cope with some of the anime mkv's (new h264 hi10 encoding) I have so am edging towards a tri-core (a6-3500) or the base quad (a6-3600) llano mitx setup instead. It's not all out yet but it should only be about £50 more than the e350 fusion chips which I think is fine for the extra grunt in cpu and gpu, although admittedly use more power at 65w tdp.

Rough estimate with case, hard drive, os and blu ray came it around £400 all in iirc which in my view isn't bad for a mitx rig.
 
Robbie G said:
Thank you for that. It sounds like a good way to do it, just need to figure out how to get wake on LAN working via the Virgin Superhub :/
Click to expand...

You don't need to do anything to get WOL working with the Superhub, unless you're trying to wake the machine from outside the network.

I'm using a Revo with Ubuntu/XBMC and have a Virgin Superhub myself. No problems at all waking it from my phone or my desktop machines.
 
I'm going to chime in here blowing the trumpet of the boxee box.
It has been fantastic for me and plays every file format under the sun, it's not cheap at £200 but it is well supported and comes with a very nifty qwerty remote, and an absolutely beautiful interface, check out version 1.2 for screenshots. You can now even use it as an AirPlay target for media from your iPhone or iPad ( if you have one)
 
Assassin_012 said:
but for around £180....u sure its worth the money? compared to ATV2 and WDTV 1080p?
Click to expand...

Yes, because with it being a PC you've got the ability to add extra codecs etc as they're needed. You're not stuck waiting for someone else to write/convert them.

I've just built a system using a ZOTAC Zbox AD02. (£169) I stuck an OCZ Vertex SSD (£60) in there and 8gb DDR3 (£42).

It's mounted on the VESA mount holes on the back of TV, runs Win7 x64 with XBMC on top.It outclasses the Revo 3x00 series.

bZUZq.jpg


It has so far handled everything I've thrown at it.

I don't shut it down, I just suspend it to S3 sleep. It is then woken using an MCE remote (£15);

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4guTQEpqylA

I considered a boxee box, but wanted something can browse the web / play flash movies on other streaming sites.
 
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