Hi everyone,
I've been reading this great forum for a while and now my plans on building a HTPC with XBMC get more concrete. Currently a PS3 acts as my main media player. Content is streamend from my PC or NAS-server using PS3 Mediaserver. This solution worked quite well so far, but there are some limitations I want to overcome with the new HTPC
- PS3 can get quite noisy when on for longer and has a relatively high power consumption
- often I need to let mediaserver transcode a movie in order to get it playing properly on the PS3
- unstable forward/backward skipping in movies and uncomfortable audio language switching
- no real library with metadata for comfortable browsing
- PS3 mediaserver has some problems handling large itunes libraries
So when looking form the other side the new HTPC should satisfy following criteria
- Noiseless or at least very silent
- Power efficient
- Play SD and HD content in various formats (avi, xvid, x264, DVD)
- 3D playback is not required yet as my plasma TV has no 3D support
- Upscale content to 1080p in a quality similar to the PS3 or better
- Play web content from youtube etc.
- Bitstream HD audio over HDMI
I put together some possible builds.
Build 1:
- CPU: Intel i3 2120 or Intel i3 3220 or Pentium G620
- Mainboard: Intel DQ77KB (with integrated power supply)
- RAM: 4 GB DDR3 SO-DIMM
- SSD: 64 GB crucial m4 or Samsumg 830
- Case: Streacom FC8 Evo black
- external 19 V power adaptor
Build 2:
- Mainboard: Asrock H77M-ITX or B75M-ITX
- RAM: 4GB DDR 3
- Streacom 150W PicoPSU
rest is the same as in build 1
Build 3:
- CPU: AMD Llano A6-3500
- Mainboard: Asrock A75M-ITX or Gigabyte GA-A75N
- RAM: 4 GB DDR3 1600
- SSD: 64 GB crucial m4 or Samsumg 830
- Case: Streacom FC8 Evo black
- Streacom 150W PicoPSU
Of course I still got some open questions regarding those builds and I hope you can give me some advice which would be the right for me.
1. Which CPU to choose? AMD or Intel? When Intel which one of the listed?
2. Do the mentioned Mainboards fit in the FC8 evo? Streacom doesn't have a compatibility list on their page yet.
3. Go with the cheaper, non-passive FC7 instead?
4. Other build alternatives or ready-to-use boxes (Zotac, Acer, Lenovo etc.)
Thanks
Michael
I've been reading this great forum for a while and now my plans on building a HTPC with XBMC get more concrete. Currently a PS3 acts as my main media player. Content is streamend from my PC or NAS-server using PS3 Mediaserver. This solution worked quite well so far, but there are some limitations I want to overcome with the new HTPC
- PS3 can get quite noisy when on for longer and has a relatively high power consumption
- often I need to let mediaserver transcode a movie in order to get it playing properly on the PS3
- unstable forward/backward skipping in movies and uncomfortable audio language switching
- no real library with metadata for comfortable browsing
- PS3 mediaserver has some problems handling large itunes libraries
So when looking form the other side the new HTPC should satisfy following criteria
- Noiseless or at least very silent
- Power efficient
- Play SD and HD content in various formats (avi, xvid, x264, DVD)
- 3D playback is not required yet as my plasma TV has no 3D support
- Upscale content to 1080p in a quality similar to the PS3 or better
- Play web content from youtube etc.
- Bitstream HD audio over HDMI
I put together some possible builds.
Build 1:
- CPU: Intel i3 2120 or Intel i3 3220 or Pentium G620
- Mainboard: Intel DQ77KB (with integrated power supply)
- RAM: 4 GB DDR3 SO-DIMM
- SSD: 64 GB crucial m4 or Samsumg 830
- Case: Streacom FC8 Evo black
- external 19 V power adaptor
Build 2:
- Mainboard: Asrock H77M-ITX or B75M-ITX
- RAM: 4GB DDR 3
- Streacom 150W PicoPSU
rest is the same as in build 1
Build 3:
- CPU: AMD Llano A6-3500
- Mainboard: Asrock A75M-ITX or Gigabyte GA-A75N
- RAM: 4 GB DDR3 1600
- SSD: 64 GB crucial m4 or Samsumg 830
- Case: Streacom FC8 Evo black
- Streacom 150W PicoPSU
Of course I still got some open questions regarding those builds and I hope you can give me some advice which would be the right for me.
1. Which CPU to choose? AMD or Intel? When Intel which one of the listed?
2. Do the mentioned Mainboards fit in the FC8 evo? Streacom doesn't have a compatibility list on their page yet.
3. Go with the cheaper, non-passive FC7 instead?
4. Other build alternatives or ready-to-use boxes (Zotac, Acer, Lenovo etc.)
Thanks
Michael