Zotac H55-ITX WIFI / Origen AE M10 HTPC Build

mikejasonsmith · 7 Apr 2010 at 19:49

Thanks...i3 530 it is...any other tips for when i build this thing?

mremulator · 7 Apr 2010 at 20:25

mikejasonsmith said:
Thanks...i3 530 it is...any other tips for when i build this thing?

I would go for something like a Scythe Shuriken Rev.B CPU cooler, however, the stock cooler is also fine. Shame it will not fit in my M10(only by 6mm).

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-027-SY&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=1395

Also an SSD and ATI 5*** GPU are both a bit of a must IMHO.

mikejasonsmith · 7 Apr 2010 at 22:41

would i really need gpu? imusing it as a media server and to run office for the girlfriend?

mremulator · 8 Apr 2010 at 18:17

mikejasonsmith said:
would i really need gpu? imusing it as a media server and to run office for the girlfriend?

It depends really. 23.976Hz (Blu-ray) does not work properly with the Intel GPU at the moment. You will not be able to use any post-processing (shaders) with Media Player Classic Home Cinema without dropping frames for example. You can pick up an HD 5570 for under £70, which I can heartily recommend. I personally prefer MPC HC with sharpen complex enabled & 23.976Hz for watching BD rips & MKV's.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-226-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

It's a killer HTPC card for the money IMHO.

mikejasonsmith · 8 Apr 2010 at 19:49

Cheers mate...you have really helped a lot...

domyboy · 12 Apr 2010 at 13:03

Is the fan on the ATI 5570 loud? I'm thinking of building a similar setup but unsure if it will be quite. I'm not a fan of noisy HTPC's (pun not intended)

mremulator · 12 Apr 2010 at 20:27

domyboy said:
Is the fan on the ATI 5570 loud? I'm thinking of building a similar setup but unsure if it will be quite. I'm not a fan of noisy HTPC's (pun not intended)

Honestly can't hear it, in fact I would go as far to say it's virtually silent.

Guardsmon · 13 Apr 2010 at 10:32

mikejasonsmith said:
Thanks for that Mremulator. Just looked at the qnap and it does look good but i think i may need more than 8tb ie the 4x2tb that this affords....any suggestions??

Bought a QNAP TS-439U for work 2 weeks ago. 4x2TB with redundant PSU to sport over the freestanding one. Works a treat. If we need more we can just buy another caddie and run them as iSCSI

Think this works in the free standing version as well.

mremulator · 13 Apr 2010 at 15:41

Guardsmon said:
Bought a QNAP TS-439U for work 2 weeks ago. 4x2TB with redundant PSU to sport over the freestanding one. Works a treat. If we need more we can just buy another caddie and run them as iSCSI

Think this works in the free standing version as well.

Fantastic piece of kit eh? Does exactly what it says on the tin... and then some.

SimonR · 13 Apr 2010 at 21:04

mremulator based on your build I have bitten the bullet and ordered myself an Origen AE M10 case and a Zotac Ionitx-F-E Atom board. As no one could guarantee that the case would ship with a slot loading DVD Rom I emailed Origen in Korea. Origen have offered to sell to me direct, so I have ordered one from them (at massive savings) I have calculated my import duty and Tax and I think I am still £60 better off if I have to pay them.

Anyway I will post the build when all the parts arrive

Mushii

mremulator · 14 Apr 2010 at 09:43

SimonR said:
mremulator based on your build I have bitten the bullet and ordered myself an Origen AE M10 case and a Zotac Ionitx-F-E Atom board. As no one could guarantee that the case would ship with a slot loading DVD Rom I emailed Origen in Korea. Origen have offered to sell to me direct, so I have ordered one from them (at massive savings) I have calculated my import duty and Tax and I think I am still £60 better off if I have to pay them.

Anyway I will post the build when all the parts arrive

Mushii

Cool, could you let me have your contact details at Origen perhaps? I have another build coming up. mrmul8r*ntlworld.com (replace star with @).

SimonR · 28 Apr 2010 at 17:05

Well, due to an inconsiderate volcano, my case was delayed in transit. When it finally landed in the UK, it sat in customs for 3 days, which unfortunately meant it got hit with customs charges, but nowhere near what I expected (£25), which means that I have saved approx. £100 ordering it direct. Anyway courier is set to deliver it tomorrow, now that I have paid my customs charges so I will begin my build blog shortly after.

I appreciate mremulator has blogged his build and it is similar, but this may be of interest to those who wish to use the Atom Platform to build a media centre.

Mushii

mremulator · 9 May 2010 at 11:00

*Update* Sleep issue is fixed with latest BIOS (Zotac H55-ITX) if using PCI-E graphics card... yay.

HighlandeR · 9 May 2010 at 14:27

mremulator said:
It depends really. 23.976Hz (Blu-ray) does not work properly with the Intel GPU at the moment. You will not be able to use any post-processing (shaders) with Media Player Classic Home Cinema without dropping frames for example. You can pick up an HD 5570 for under £70, which I can heartily recommend. I personally prefer MPC HC with sharpen complex enabled & 23.976Hz for watching BD rips & MKV's.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-226-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1699

It's a killer HTPC card for the money IMHO.

I noticed this recently with my onboard intel gpu also, just got hdmi working but sadly no options under MPC-HC for sharpen.

Would you really need a 5550 or 5570 just too enable shaders under mpchc ?

I do love your setup its very nice, ive been considering going such a route but I feel having too many boxes is to much so may just get one decent low powered Q8300 rigg with lots of hdd upgrade space like 8+ slots, and a mobo with 8 satas+ and just have a download/file server/htpc all in one box runnin 24/7.

And then maybe a boxee box to compliment it

I think would work out far cheaper and could still use that money too put onto some much needed 2tb storage drives.

mremulator · 9 May 2010 at 18:07

HighlandeR said:
I noticed this recently with my onboard intel gpu also, just got hdmi working but sadly no options under MPC-HC for sharpen.

Would you really need a 5550 or 5570 just too enable shaders under mpchc ?

I do love your setup its very nice, ive been considering going such a route but I feel having too many boxes is to much so may just get one decent low powered Q8300 rigg with lots of hdd upgrade space like 8+ slots, and a mobo with 8 satas+ and just have a download/file server/htpc all in one box runnin 24/7.

And then maybe a boxee box to compliment it

I think would work out far cheaper and could still use that money too put onto some much needed 2tb storage drives.

Afraid so, the Intel GPU just hasn't got enough grunt. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, even the Radeon HS5450 isn't powerful enough. HD 5570 minimum for 1080p & Sharpen Complex for example in MPC HC with DVXA enabled.

With regards to MPC HC shaders, go to View - Options - Output and make sure you are using EVR Custom Pres. or EVR Sync.

Destination · 9 May 2010 at 21:23

What sort of wattage are we looking at for the op system?

hamehax · 21 May 2010 at 21:04

Hey mremulator!
Could you make a shopping basket prints screen of this build because I've been looking around to build a High end HTPC which looks the business and you've really struck the nail on the head with this one!

hamehax · 22 May 2010 at 08:11

Also do you think I could squeeze in a SSD?

SimonR · 22 May 2010 at 10:35

You will struggle to get a HD and an SSD into the case. Oh and you willneed a Zalman fan mate for the case fan. It runs at full speed and is a little noisy (not so much the noise of air over the grill)

Mushii

Xelene · 25 May 2010 at 18:40

What outputs does the 5570 have? I'm after plugging it into the telly and would prefer HDMI. Does it have enough grunt to play stuff like say Mass Effect 2 @ 720p?

I do like the case, but £330 for one and compromising on performance too far has me in two minds. My PS3 does a fairly good job at the Media Centre part.