HTPC Starting Out: Recommended setup?

campers

We have the luxury of owning sweet F-A in terms of hardware, so we can set up a modest HTPC kit from scratch...

These are our contraints (ie, stuff we already have)

1. A Samsung SMT-H3110 Virgin V+ STB, with 1 HDMI out, 2 Scart out and 1 optical audio out (just moved to the UK)
2. 5.1 amp and speakers with analogue input (cinch) only.
3. Dell OptiPlex 620 (expandable, but limited to VGA-out for now)
4. Laptops with Nvidia GF 8400GM, DVI out.
5. Creative USB X-Fi SoundBlaster to output 5.1 analogue rca to amp

Stuff we're are considering buying:

1. Samsung LE32B550 32" Full HDTV
2. OR, any 1080p 28"+ LCD with/without tuner

Problems we've encountered:

1. The receiver/amp has no optical audio-in, and would require an external Teufel decoder to get 5.1 from either HDTV or V+ (or just settle for 2-channel stereo)
2. The OptiPlex needs an overhaul (RAM, HDD, GPU with HDMI-out) and may not be worth upgrading.

We could settle for analogue stereo from the V+ box, while playing DVDs/movies through a laptop with the Creative SB to get 5.1 out.

Or we could invest in either of these HTPC NetOps:

• Acer Aspire Revo R3600 Desktop PC, or
• ASUS Eee Box B206

As neither of these have optical drives, we'd still need an external USB DVD player...

Does anyone see a simple/desirable way to bring all these odds 'n' ends together?

The ultimate aim is to have an afforable HDPC interfacing with our 5.1 amp, and a large 1080p LCD panel. Accommodating the V+ box is secondary.

kaisersose77

for the htpc, i'd go for this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ASrock-ION-330-Nettop-PC-Computer-2GB-RAM-320gb-HDD_W0QQitemZ360183904602QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_DesktopPCs?hash=item53dca2395a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

its more powerful than the 2 you've listed, plus it has a dvd burner and price wise its cheaper. I bought mine from the seller above on ebay. Best value htpc around atm and it only uses about 30 watts which is an lot less than non atom htpcs that people build.


and then install this software:
http://xbmc.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCSQFt1vHfw

FrankGrimes

kaisersose77 wrote: »

for the htpc, i'd go for this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ASrock-ION-330-Nettop-PC-Computer-2GB-RAM-320gb-HDD_W0QQitemZ360183904602QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_DesktopPCs?hash=item53dca2395a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

its more powerful than the 2 you've listed, plus it has a dvd burner and price wise its cheaper. I bought mine from the seller above on ebay. Best value htpc around atm and it only uses about 30 watts which is an lot less than non atom htpcs that people build.


and then install this software:
http://xbmc.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCSQFt1vHfw

That's a very interesting looking machine right there. I have a friend looking to get a low-cost HTPC setup and that may well fit the bill.

How would you suggest going about getting it setup to take either NTL analog cable or digital cable via one or 2 STBs?

Would it be possible to upgrade it to play Bluray discs and/or playback at least 720p files from the hard-drive (either by modifying this one or by going for a slightly more expensive model)?

Would there be much difficulty in opening it up to replace the (2.5" I'm guessing) HDD with a 1.5TB drive if needed down the road?

Thanks for any pointers.

Wcool

I have that Revo shown in the clip. It has a 160gb 2.5" disk + 2 Gb + NVidia ION graphics set, running the same as in the clip - XBMC Aeon skin - on Linux Ubuntu. Bought a IR + Wireless keyboard, total cost 250 euro.

FrankGrimes wrote: »

How would you suggest going about getting it setup to take either NTL analog cable or digital cable via one or 2 STBs?

It won't unless you find a USB stick that can take an analog feed, I don't know enough about digital TV.

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Would it be possible to upgrade it to play Bluray discs and/or playback at least 720p files from the hard-drive (either by modifying this one or by going for a slightly more expensive model)?

Would there be much difficulty in opening it up to replace the (2.5" I'm guessing) HDD with a 1.5TB drive if needed down the road?

The Revo easily plays 720p and 1080p even (less CPU then a divx movie, really!!) but it's an utterly small box with room for just a laptop disk and wireless. So the BlueRay disk has to be external. and no room for a 3.5 disk.

For me it fitted the bill as I can't remember the last time I recorded TV and BlueRay is way too expensive. I just connect it to my LAN to play files.

So if you need those option, you should go for Kaisersose's option. The one there on Ebay already has a case (no support for 3.5" disks) but if you look around, they also have other options. Another option is Zotac ION motherboards. These are motherboards starting at 120 euro, but you will have to do all yourself.

@Campers
Not sure what to say about your components that you have handy there, the Dell is not really suitable as a HTPC and it could be loud and too big.
And you still need to buy stuff to make it work.

If you don't need recording per se, you might try to get more information on this: http://www.xtreamer.net/
It supposedly plays everything, and you just buy an external BR USB drive.

pts

I would be very interested in using an ASRock ION 330 as a htpc. However I'd like to get the one with Blu Ray, like the one at: http://cgi.ebay.ie/ASRock-ION-330-BD-ION330-NetTop-500GB-4GB-Blu-ray-Combo_W0QQitemZ160354905611QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDesktop_PCs?hash=item2555e5ae0b&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177#ht_6128wt_1167
then install Ubuntu and xbmc.
Would any one have any recommendations/suggestions/ideas etc on this kind of setup?

From what I understand it seems to be hard to upgrade (for example if I wanted to get a Tv Card) due to space, and the sound isn't as good as Blu Ray is capable of producing, but other than that I can't see any major downsides.

Any feedback would be much appreciated as this is far from my area of expertise.

GUIGuy

I got a blu-Ray one about a week ago. It's nice enough, there is 'some' fan noise, and if you're using it as a PC it might irritate a little... but when I'm watching DVDs I don't notice.

I use as a home server too so it's great value.

Now on to my real issue! I installed Windows 7 32 bit on it. First of all I connected via VGA and component to my Samsung TV. Perfect sound and pin sharp display... but I normally connect my xbox via component. So I tried HDMI instead. The sound takes maybe a second or so to start when windows starts, so it's half way into the login chime... not a big issue. But there is terrible overscan at 1920x1080, switch down to 720 and all is ok. The Samsung TVsdoes allow you scale the image but I never can get it quite right. It's not pixel perfect as it is via VGA or DVI.

I've read a bit about it and I think I need nvidia driver updates and some users say that Windows 7 64bit does not have the problem (the atom 330 is a 64bit processor). Some say this is a common Samsung problem... so if neither of these work I might just use the xbox via HDMI and the ASROCK via VGA/component.

I'll keep you informed over the week.

I'm also interested to try linux on it or OSX... later though I just want to get a pixel perfect blu-ray via hdmi first!

beanian

I'm looking to switch from my WDTV to a HTPC.I like the lookm if the ASRock ION 330.
Does it run quiet? Also how smooth is 1080p playback?

Regards,
Ian

pts

I got mine a few days ago from the ebay link in my last post (it has 4Gb RAM, 500Gb HDD, unlike the "normal" ones which have 2Gb RAM and 320Gb HDD)

I installed Ubuntu and XBMC as outlined at: http://xbmc.org/forum/showthread.php?t=54705. I've now got a full Ubuntu desktop which I can boot into, but I've got it set up to boot straight into XBMC. I haven't had time to fully tweak it yet. So far I'm very happy with it though. It is fairly quite, wouldn't notice it when watching DVDs anyway. Haven't got around to trying it on HD content yet though. Will report back when I've had time to tinker with it.