Dell Optiplex 755 as HTPC

Hexen

I recently got an old Dell Optiplex 755 for free. It's the desktop model and, while the case is quite small, it's probably not ideal size for a HTPC. Still, it was free and it is relatively small and quiet.

Specs

The chip in it is an old Pentium core 2 duo E2180.

The motherboard is some kind of BTX form, apparently and it won't take full height cards.

I've ordered a secondhand E8400 to replace the current CPU and a passively cooled, low-power GPU, the Sapphire Ultimate HD 6570.

It has 2gb of DDR2 ram (4 x 512mb sticks).

Although it has a licence for a 32 bit version of Windows Vista (business edition I think), currently it's running Windows XP Pro. I intend to install Windows 7 64-bit on it and then run XBMC.

From what I can gather although the tech is obviously outdated it should be more than sufficient to operate as a media centre. Am I correct in thinking this? Does the RAM need to be upgraded? If, down the road, I also installed a DVB-S2 Tuner card in one of the PCI slots would the CPU be able to handle it?

Access

I have a dell optiplex GX620 desktop (half height/smaller unit case)

It has Win XP SP3, CPU is Pentium D 3.40GHz, 80GB HD and 2GB Ram + USB Wifi and a 1GB Radeon HD 5450 DDR3 passive Graphics Card (HDMI out to tv)

All runs fine with latest XBMC... no problems except one...

When the CPU usage gets high... mainly during menu flicking on covers etc. it causes the cpu fan to rev up high enough for me to think that it is about to take off up a runaway!

Might change the entire setup one day, but for now it will do.

Thats my only issue... go for it i say... it will bring life back into an old pc.

Hexen

Thanks - it's reassuring to hear that

I like the idea of recycling old PCs on the cheap. It just seems such a waste to chuck out perfectly functioning hardware.

Access

Agree with you on that.

The only other thing that drives me slightly mad about using the old pc too (and its prob just me...) is the power the pc consumes.

On a plug in power meter it shows up anything from 100 to 200 watts in general use... the newer small form factor pcs are way below that. But thats just me!

Some thing you might end up going for too is a decent remote... there is a thread somewhere on here... i have the MCE VRC-1100 remote (about €14 delivered from ebay) and its great.

Good luck with it and if you get stuck on something, the forum here is good as is the forum over at XBMC.org

Hexen

Well, in regard to the difference in power usage between an old and new system and while lower powered is certainly better, unless you're running it all day the difference is likely to be only a few cent a day, maybe 30 euro a year, no?

Would a remote like that work with xbmc running under Windows?

Thanks for the offer to help - no doubt I'll be taking you up on that at some point - I do think both this forum, the pc buidling forum and the satellite forum and have some very knowledgeable contributors who have posted really excellent material.

Access

Hexen wrote: »

Would a remote like that work with xbmc running under Windows?

Yep... just plug and play.