Hey guys, because Im trying not to overthink this, I'm using these suggestions on the mobo/cpu/vid card

http://lifehacker.com/5745937/roll-a-powerful-media-htpc-for-less-than-500

regarding a new box. However, I'm trying to do this as inexpensively as possible and am going to try and scour craigslist/ebay for the pieces. I've already found a used i3-330M (2.13Ghz 3mb cache) for $45. LH is recommending the 540 (3.06Ghz, 4mb cache) and it is at $120 on newegg. I'm thinking I wouldn't see a bit of difference for just playing back anything I'd think of. Any thoughts about this?

Actually, while we are at it, any thoughts on the cheapest mobo/cpu/memory combo that will play 1080p content at the typical bitrates I might encounter (either via streamed netflix or a BD disc). I'm thinking that most of the power needed for the decode is going to be in the video card anyway, right?

[Edited on February 1, 2011 at 9:49 PM. Reason : .]

2/1/2011 9:46:21 PM

the i3 will be insanely more than you need already.

Any board with an integrated ATI or nVidia video chipset + HDMI output should be fine.

Use http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=eaabc29036740ed4c40ff84adee79a38&t=940972 for specific board and combo recommendations. If you can score an i3 for that cheap though I would definitely go with an intel setup. Ram and hard drives are super cheap right now too. You should be able to get out under $500 easily if you don't need cable card tuners.

2/1/2011 10:03:40 PM

Quote :

"^^did you try plugging it in, then booting up your computer? did you try Fn+F8 on the keyboard to switch monitors?"

yeh, I tried that. nothing and I discovered that, for some reason, when I connect the TV, my computer detects 2 monitors on my notebook display; not an external display.

anyways, I'm going to try a dock with DVI out from work and if that functions, I think I can find one for cheap

2/1/2011 10:20:41 PM

^Uh, so does it not work to enable the "2nd monitor" that pops up?

2/1/2011 10:23:43 PM

it's detecting the second monitor as my notebook's monitor, in effect thinking the one monitor is two monitors

2/1/2011 10:58:23 PM

Thanks for that link Tyler. I ended up getting case/mobo/cpu/memory/hdd for $286 shipped. If anything, that will be enough to get me playing with things and if it turns out it can't do the HD like I'd like I can just as well get another GPU.

2/2/2011 10:33:33 PM

anyone have or have used the patriot box office (PCMPBO25)?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822219002

i'm thinking about picking one of these up for $35 and am wondering if it's worth it...i have a spare wireless-N usb adapter, but i was wondering if it will support a USB bluetooth or RF mouse/keyboard set

2/4/2011 3:31:59 PM

SOLD OUT

2/4/2011 4:03:16 PM

I have a friend with one. I went with the Segate FAT+ for $50 when it was on sale. I think they're very similar. I know with my FAT+ only Wireless USB adapters with the Realtek firmware work, like this:

http://www.meritline.com/airlink101-awll6075-golden-n-wireless-mini-usb-adapter---p-38742.aspx
Goes on sale for <$10 sometimes.

I don't think it supports USB mouse/keyboard sets, but you can check here:
http://www.patriotmem.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3329

2/4/2011 4:04:48 PM

ok, dock + DVI-HDMI works!

but I can't get any resolution (including the tv's native (1024x768) to match the screen size.

help?

2/4/2011 5:25:26 PM

well shit. VLC keep crashing when trying to open mp4s. WMP12 won't play them and I can't find a reputable (or don't know if a site is reputable) source.

?

2/4/2011 6:59:07 PM

you could always try mpc

2/4/2011 7:25:21 PM

^couldn't play anything.

is there a good all in one media center for music + video (mp4, iso, 3GPP, mov, wmv) that also does libraries?

2/5/2011 3:12:05 PM

yeah its called windows media center

2/5/2011 3:31:38 PM

wmc doesn't play ISOs natively. would rather have than then another program to mount a drive then go through wmc

or 3gpp

or mp4

[Edited on February 5, 2011 at 3:53 PM. Reason : .]

2/5/2011 3:44:20 PM

xbmc? mediaportal?

2/5/2011 4:32:03 PM

well I found a work around for ISOs and WMC. still can't get mp4s to play

2/5/2011 5:03:00 PM

How can I turn my windows 7 HTPC into a DVR of sorts? I'm running an i3 proc. Been using WMC for most of my media management, but open to other software.

I dont have cable, but would like to be able to record stuff I can get Over The Air with an antenna.

What's a good bang for the buck video card to use for this?

My current setup:
LITE-ON Black 24X DVD+R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106334

Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320&cm_re=caviar_black-_-22-136-320-_-Product

Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W Continuous power
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033

A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211364

nMEDIAPC Black Aluminum / Acrylic / Steel HTPC 5000B Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204035

Intel Core i3-530 Clarkdale 2.93GHz LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Model
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115222

GIGABYTE GA-H55M-S2H LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128420&cm_re=GIGABYTE_GA-H55M-S2H-_-13-128-420-_-Product


[Edited on February 9, 2011 at 9:40 AM. Reason : .]

2/9/2011 9:37:16 AM

Quote :

"What's a good bang for the buck video card to use for this?"

HDHomeRun, networked TV tuner that allows any computer on your network to watch and record TV via WMC
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815345001 or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815327005

^and why not go with a Blu-ray drive?

[Edited on February 9, 2011 at 11:04 AM. Reason : ,]

2/9/2011 11:01:57 AM

Haha, I actually ordered a BluRay drive this morning!

I was running a little low on funds at the time of the initial build. Figured that would be an easy upgrade later on.

Is there a big difference between those two models? I'm inclined to go for the 1/2 price one unless there's a good reason to pay 2x as much for the 2nd one.

[Edited on February 9, 2011 at 11:27 AM. Reason : .]

2/9/2011 11:23:35 AM

looks like its number of tuners. cheaper one has 1 tuner 2x price one has 2 tuners. Dual tuners means you can record/watch multiple channels at once. With a single tuner you can either watch or record, not both at the same time. With a dual tuner you can watch one channel while recording another channel or watch 2 channels or record 2 channels.

Also, looks like they're gonna come out with a cable card version of the HDHomeRun some time this year. that could be cool


[Edited on February 9, 2011 at 11:33 AM. Reason : a]

2/9/2011 11:32:45 AM

Ahh. Yeah, I think the dual tuner model is worth the price.

2/9/2011 11:36:10 AM

I finally got around to crawling around in my attic to run a line to the box. It's just been sitting on my desk for a couple weeks. Installed XBMC, very slick. Installed the remote control Android app and makes the whole setup that much more awesome. I should have done this years ago.

2/19/2011 10:27:24 PM

Installed my HDhomerun the other day. This thing is awesome! Perfect integration with WMC7

2/21/2011 10:15:52 AM

http://promotions.newegg.com/neemail/mar-0-2011/Coupon03/index-landing.html?nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL030311&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL030311-_-EMC-030311-Index-_-Header-_-ClickHere


Huge 10% off sale on all desktop memory, CD Burners, blu ray drives, all external, notebook and NAS drives, Corsair power supplies, and more. 48 hour sale.

3/3/2011 9:55:27 AM

What is yall's suggestion for the best bang for your buck remote for a htpc? The cheaper the better. Thanks in adance

3/31/2011 11:24:13 AM

you can probably find it on eBay for less, but pretty common HTPC remote for <$40:

http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Multimedia-Remote-with-Keyboard/dp/B0036VO67I

if you have a harmony, i used my harmony + MCE IR receiver and it worked great...

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 12:09 PM. Reason : .]

4/1/2011 12:08:32 PM

If you have an Android device and use XBMC, I recommend this app: https://market.android.com/details?id=org.xbmc.android.remote&feature=search_result It works well, quite responsive, and free!

Also, I use Remote Droid: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.joshsera&feature=search_result Turns your device into a trackpad/virtual keyboard.

Before this I was using a wireless KB/mouse setup. Only con that I can think of is you can't control anything other than the PC itself, if you're looking for a more all-in-one solution.

4/1/2011 12:57:15 PM

^ yea thats what I will be using but need a remote for the gf. She doesnt have a smart phone yet. haha maybe she can use a wired mouse until she gets an android in a few months.

4/1/2011 4:05:41 PM

damn I'd hate to use a phone as a remote. Having friends over and shit and them having to ask for your phone to control the tv. I mean sure as a secondary remote but I'd prefer something like one of the nicer Logitech Harmony's. They work nicely with XBMC and the buttons are much more specialized than a touch screen phone.

4/1/2011 4:56:36 PM

so I just got the logitech harmony 680 off of slickdeals. Do I need a separate receiver to hook it up to my pc? Anything cool things I can do with this remote?

4/5/2011 12:21:10 PM

To control an MCE machine with a Harmony remote, you need an IR receiver that connects to your computer. People commonly use the IR receiver that comes with most MCE remotes for this purpose.

Dont upgrade the firmware on that remote. There is a user on avsforum.com that said it deactivated the green button. WTF http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1138237&highlight=harmony+680

4/5/2011 1:03:21 PM

I use the Gyration windows media center remote. Its pretty cool because, in addition to controlling all your AV components, it has a gyroscope to sense hand movement and move the mouse around on-screen. After a few minutes of trying it you'll be a pro at navigating the mouse (has buttons for right and left clicking). It has an LCD screen which is used to control iTunes and has a very similar interface to the iPod.

I was unable to get the link off their webpage. I'm not sure if the model has been discontinued but it has dropped drastically in price over the last year. I'd look into it.

4/5/2011 1:07:36 PM

I know for a fact the tigerdirect/compusa on capitol blvd has the air gyration remote on their shelf if anyone is interested.

4/5/2011 1:13:18 PM

Looking to sync across 3 different computers and 4 physical drives. I was using Mozy until they jacked up the rates. I'd just switch to a different cloud provider but with 512 going out it takes months to back up all my shit (300GB). So I'm just going to roll my own and have it mirrored in 3 places.

Is Windows Sync the tool for this is or is there something else out there? The last time I asked this (2/09) I got a host of batch script replies. Not terribly interested in that if possible.

4/9/2011 1:48:09 PM

Playing with SyncToy at the moment.

4/9/2011 2:24:11 PM

Yes Windows Live sync is the tool for this.

4/9/2011 3:33:14 PM

Grabbing the new ZOTAC AMD E-350 PC for ~$220 in about 2 weeks when Amazon gets stocked. Going to install it behind our tv upstairs.

Deciding between XBMC and MediaPortal at the moment and will probably go with the one that will allow shared data files the best. Boxee sucks for large collections imo, so not going that route.

Mediaportal has Moving Pictures which is the best movie plugin out of any HTPC app I've seen, so that's a plus. Also, it has MP-TVSeries, which is a great tv series plugin, too. Any good equivalents with XBMC?

4/21/2011 10:31:10 PM

Wow that thing looks appealing. I'm leaning towards something like that myself. What type of remote are you getting for it?

4/22/2011 9:20:40 AM

^^The scrapers for XBMC have improved quite a bit over the last year or so...whenever it was that I was on a Moving Pictures/MP-TVSeries kick. Check these threads out.

http://lifehacker.com/#!5536963/the-ultimate-start-to-finish-guide-to-your-xbmc-media-center
http://lifehacker.com/#!5505849/how-to-whip-your-movie-and-tv-show-art-into-shape-for-xbmc-and-boxee

http://www.ainer.org/
For XBMC + Sickbeard +SABnzb integration.

4/23/2011 5:46:43 PM

can someone answer a quick tv mounting question? my TV/manual doesn't list VESA compatibility; however, a quick measure shows the mounting holes to be 15"H x 12"V thus about 400x300)... is this a typical/compatible dimension for mounts? all I see on vesa stuff is symmetric mounts....

4/24/2011 7:40:23 PM

I believe my TV was 400x400, but the mount I used it wouldn't have mattered if they were not the same dimensions in height and width. as long as neither numbers exceeds the maximum VESA dimensions of the mount, you should be fine.

i used a monoprice mount, this one (or something very similar):
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082806&p_id=3337&seq=1&format=2

4/25/2011 3:40:52 AM

thanks, that's what I figured. looking at:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082806&p_id=4926&seq=1&format=3#specification

4/25/2011 7:11:13 AM

HDHomeRun PRIME now available for preorder:

http://www.hdhomerun.com/products/hdhomerun/prime/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815345006

5/14/2011 2:34:29 PM

Is there any quantitative way of determine if your machine has the horsepower to decode certain media formats/bitrates? I've got an i3 based machine and I swear the playback is ever so subtly jerky. My wife doesn't notice it, my Dad didn't notice it, but I'm pretty sure I can see it. I'd love to be able to run some sort of test peice of software and have it report what the box is capable of doing to confirm my perceptions...and then I'll go get a dedicated GPU to fix this. I'll probably get the GPU anyway but if there is something else related to the playback that isn't GPU fixable then I'm not trying to waste that money.

[Edited on June 26, 2011 at 12:28 PM. Reason : .]

6/26/2011 12:28:04 PM

So I finally got my HTPC running perfectly and the damn thing got struck by lightning. The power supply was fried so I switched it out for another and now it will not boot. I tried booting from a windows 7 cd and ubuntu but no luck. The Bios load fine it just will not get past the windows loading screen. Im assuming the motherboard or RAM is fried but I do not want to order a new one and find out it is something else. Does anyone have any suggestions for narrowing down what is messed up?

7/18/2011 7:07:28 PM

RMA every part you can, and buy a surge protector to prevent this from happening again.

It's not worth your time to troubleshoot each component.

7/18/2011 8:12:08 PM

Yeah I am a moron I had a surge protector right beside thinking it was plugged into it but I was wrong. This HTPC is made of almost all old parts so theres not much I can return. I finally got it to boot from a cd by using only one stick of RAM. It will not boot from my harddrive but the drive seems fine (everything on it plays fine in ubuntu). So I am going to use the windows cd to repair the installation. Problem now is that the damn thing wont show in the repair menu. Any ideas?

7/18/2011 8:38:31 PM

http://www.hardware-revolution.com/budget-htpc-august-2011/

Some good stuff on there. Uses:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157247

9/11/2011 9:33:04 PM

Who wouldn't want a 135TB system as part of their ultimate HTPC system? lol

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/90634-how-to-build-your-own-135tb-raid6-storage-pod-for-7384

9/11/2011 9:35:37 PM