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ARCTIC MC001-N ~ MultiMedia Barebone PC - €114.95 Delivered. [Amazon.de]

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Comments

  • #392
    Headshot
    Registered Users Posts: 53,823 ✭✭✭✭Headshot


    I kinda regret buying it

    Just find it very slow. Opening programs for example media player takes an age and controlling XBMC with the remote is awkward because of the damn delay and it hates the mouse full stop


  • #393
    MaceFace
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,697 ✭✭✭MaceFace


    Headshot wrote: »
    I kinda regret buying it

    Just find it very slow. Opening programs for example media player takes an age and controlling XBMC with the remote is awkward because of the damn delay and it hates the mouse full stop

    What did you install and where did you install it?

    XBMC on Windows?
    XBMCuntu?
    Openelec?

    USB Thumbdrive?
    HDD?
    SSD?

    Using a NAS?
    Wired/Wireless?
    All art etc stored on my NAS.

    I have my kit wired to the router with Openelec on USB stick. Only real slowness is when the library updates on boot or I use the wrong skin.
    Using Aeon Nox and it is okay,

    Playback is always 100%.
    Running through the movie collection at speed sometimes stops for a sec after a few pages of scrolling.

    All controlled with Harmony Remote.

    Am considering putting a HDD in it rather than a SSD as I don't want to fork out a load more cash on a fast SSD.


  • #394
    Remouad
    Registered Users Posts: 974 ✭✭✭Remouad


    If anyones looking for network storage the HP Microserver offer is back on.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=83203785&postcount=814


  • #395
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    He mentions media player so I presume he's running windows.

    I'll be installing Win7 on one of mine today to try out.

    My 8 year old dell browsing/light duty pc is on its last legs. It's either a new mobo for a dead Vistro 1700 laptop for another 70 or 80 over the cost of an MC001-N that will admittedly be faster despite being over 4 years old, or its one of these for €99 that can be moved on to XBMC duty once I can afford a new build for my main PC.

    Because I've been using the oil dell exclusively for the last year or so, even the MC001 with its D525 1.8ghz dual core Atom will probably feel snappy in comparison so I'm not sure I can give a valid opinion on these, though I will report back here on how it feels later.

    On thing I will say is that I saw a YouTube vid of one of these running Windows 8 and then opening XBMC as an app and it looked pretty snappy in both. Whether that's the relativity colouring my opinion again coming from an 8 year old P4 Dell or the vid is a bit of a fake with something more powerful hidden away actually driving the screen, well one never knows.


  • #396
    Nathan Purring Seismograph
    Posts: 0 ✭ Nathan Purring Seismograph


    Headshot wrote: »
    I kinda regret buying it

    Just find it very slow. Opening programs for example media player takes an age and controlling XBMC with the remote is awkward because of the damn delay and it hates the mouse full stop

    Windows on an Atom is bound to be slow, its a very slow processor. That's why I thought people were nuts putting 8GB ram, SSDs, Win7, Bluray drives etc into this. The basic machine is inherently weak so putting a lot of money into it is not worthwhile (in my opinion).

    The point of OpenElec is that it is an extremely stripped down OS and runs fast even on slow machines like this.


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  • #397
    witnessmenow
    Registered Users Posts: 6,996 ✭✭✭witnessmenow


    Headshot wrote: »
    I kinda regret buying it

    Just find it very slow. Opening programs for example media player takes an age and controlling XBMC with the remote is awkward because of the damn delay and it hates the mouse full stop

    XBMC remotes for your phone are the right job for controlling XBMC.

    On android im using yatse and I find it very good.


  • #398
    TheIrishGrover
    Registered Users Posts: 5,949 ✭✭✭TheIrishGrover


    Nathan Purring Seismograph wrote: »
    Windows on an Atom is bound to be slow, its a very slow processor. That's why I thought people were nuts putting 8GB ram, SSDs, Win7, Bluray drives etc into this. The basic machine is inherently weak so putting a lot of money into it is not worthwhile (in my opinion).

    The point of OpenElec is that it is an extremely stripped down OS and runs fast even on slow machines like this.


    Yep. Having said that, I put one together for my sister with 2gig RAM and an old 500GB HDD and installed Win 7. It runs XBMC smooth even using the Transparency skin. Sure, you're not going to run photoshop and aftereffects on it and I'd have preferred to run openelec on it for her but she wants browser etc but, overall, it's doing it's job pretty freakin' sweetly.


  • #399
    Do-more
    Registered Users Posts: 4,748 ✭✭✭Do-more


    A lot probably depends on what you are used to. Both my home and office desktops are ageing Dell Vostros (thanks to previous bargain alerts) with dual core pentium E2140 1.6GHz cpus which benchmark at 906 and have a Windows experience index of 3.7.

    The Dual core Atom in the Arctic benchmarks at 711 and the Windows experience index is 3.5.

    I run photoshop on my desktops daily and whilst I don't do any real complex stuff on them it happily works away.

    Sure the Arctic is no powerhouse but I'll add very little else to it now that would cause it to slow down further and I find it runs Win8 and XBMC very nicely indeed.

    Didn't cost a lot more than an OpenElec setup, 4 gigs RAM, a recycled 120Gb HDD that was sitting in the drawer and €15 for Win8.

    Gives me a lot more versatility and the ability to use Netflix which I wanted all with an OS that I am familiar with so no tearing out of hair (yet anyway).

    I possibly should try sticking OpeElec on a usb and booting from that to see how it compares but I and certainly happy enough with this machine running Windows.

    invest4deepvalue.com



  • #400
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    So is there no netflix plugin for XBMC that will work with openelec?


  • #401
    Private Joker
    Registered Users Posts: 625 ✭✭✭Private Joker


    Got an eamil from acrtic saying they received my faulty machine and are shipping a new one, they also refunded my shipping costs.

    It was fairly painless, so i should have mine up and running next week.

    ANyone else have to send theirs back?


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  • #402
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    Private Joker wrote: »
    Got an eamil from acrtic saying they received my faulty machine and are shipping a new one, they also refunded my shipping costs.

    It was fairly painless, so i should have mine up and running next week.

    ANyone else have to send theirs back?

    @Joker - where did you ship it back to?


  • #403
    witnessmenow
    Registered Users Posts: 6,996 ✭✭✭witnessmenow


    Just a warning for people buying directly off arctic's website.

    Although the barebones with a DVD drive works out at about €120 delivered (when you select fedex), it appears it is shipped from Hong Kong so you will get stung by customs more than likely. Fedex are absolute disasters when it comes to customs something that cost $20 + $20 shipping I needed to pay €23 on or something (€14 admin fee). It was a Reddit Secret Santa gift It would have been rude to not accept a gift (even if it did require me to pay for it) and secondly I had not idea what was in the package or how much it cost.


  • #404
    Private Joker
    Registered Users Posts: 625 ✭✭✭Private Joker


    quad_red wrote: »
    @Joker - where did you ship it back to?

    Germany


  • #405
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    My main aim for this was a player as an 'appliance'. Something the Mrs will be comfortable using to watch a movie herself or put a cartoon on for the wee man.

    It would be nice to have something with a bit more juice to run streams etc. But I don't have the cash at the moment for that.

    So OPENELEC it is.

    Is there even any point in getting 4GBs in that case? Is 2GB more than enough?


  • #406
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    Looks like if I want one to replace my ancient desktop I'll need the DVD version for €115. HDD from the dead laptop is sata and fine but it turns out the DVD-RW is the old ATAPI interface. Pulled a mini-sata drive from brothers laptop to install for test though but he'll be wanting that back :D


  • #407
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    2. Gigs is more than enough but if the price difference between that and 4 is only 3 or 4 euro than you might as well get 4.


  • #408
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    The openelec 3.0 Final and MC001 specific build have been delayed another few days. Hoping it cuts down boot times. 3 of mine are booting in 28-31 seconds and one takes 50 strangely. If the specific build reduces those then it will have a total appliance feel now that I disabled EUP and can turn on and off with the remote without even having to use the shutdown menu. Kiosk mode will lock out most areas that technophobes can screw up. Parents are loving theirs.


  • #409
    fish fingers
    Registered Users Posts: 1,162 ✭✭✭fish fingers


    witnessmenow wrote: »
    XBMC remotes for your phone are the right job for controlling XBMC.

    On android im using yatse and I find it very good.

    Xbmc commander on my iPhone and iPad is good I have to say.


  • #410
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    A question re what sort of storage to use - would a USB key be faster a standard HHD?

    Are there any compatability issues with what USB to boot from? Do you need a certain speed/brand?

    Cheers folks :)


  • #411
    Nathan Purring Seismograph
    Posts: 0 ✭ Nathan Purring Seismograph


    quad_red wrote: »
    A question re what sort of storage to use - would a USB key be faster a standard HHD?

    Are there any compatability issues with what USB to boot from? Do you need a certain speed/brand?

    Cheers folks :)

    A USB thumbdrive will boot noticeably slower. Once you are booted there won't be a huge difference but a regular HDD still has a big advantage in sequential read/write speed so anything involving large read or writes will obviously be quicker with a HDD. A thumbdrive will have a lower access time but im not sure that will benefit (noticeably) anywhere.

    Its worth noting that some USB sticks are woefully slow compared to others. If you have a few lying around, benchmark them, the closer you get to 30MB/s the better.


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  • #412
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    Nathan Purring Seismograph wrote: »
    A USB thumbdrive will boot noticeably slower. Once you are booted there won't be a huge difference but a regular HDD still has a big advantage in sequential read/write speed so anything involving large read or writes will obviously be quicker with a HDD.

    Its worth noting that some USB sticks are woefully slow compared to others. If you have a few lying around, benchmark them, the closer you get to 30MB/s the better.

    Cheers. I'll just throw a HDD in then :)


  • #413
    MaceFace
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,697 ✭✭✭MaceFace


    What are people's boot times like?
    With a (decent) new USB Thumbdrive with openelec, I boot in about 50 seconds.

    Anyone have a HDD in theirs with openelec and getting better boot times?


  • #414
    m8
    Registered Users Posts: 905 ✭✭✭m8


    Hi Calibos

    How did you do this please as it sounds like a good idea to me?
    I disabled EUP and can turn on and off with the remote without even having to use the shutdown menu.


  • #415
    Headshot
    Registered Users Posts: 53,823 ✭✭✭✭Headshot


    You know I went for windows 7 for the Arctic because I wanted some programs like bitlord etc but reading the last few pages it seems openelec is the way to go but im unsure about in terms of torrents etc

    What I bought the Arctic for was to use it as my new media centre that I can watch my videos and use for torrents. Would openelec suit me?


  • #416
    Nathan Purring Seismograph
    Posts: 0 ✭ Nathan Purring Seismograph


    Headshot wrote: »
    You know I went for windows 7 for the Arctic because I wanted some programs like bitlord etc but reading the last few pages it seems openelec is the way to go but im unsure about in terms of torrents etc

    What I bought the Arctic for was to use it as my new media centre that I can watch my videos and use for torrents. Would openelec suit me?

    OpenElec has a Transmission add-on for downloading torrents, and also SABnzbd, Couchpotato and Sickbeard.

    XBMCbuntu is an alternative to OpenElec, its based on Ubuntu so you can do more stuff if that's what you want. Again, should be a lot lighter than Windows.


  • #417
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    m8 wrote: »
    Hi Calibos

    How did you do this please as it sounds like a good idea to me?
    Press and hold DEL key during boot to enter bios. Go down to the peripheral menu item if I recall correctly and EUP is last item in that menu. Disable save and exit. The power button on the arctic remote or mce remote or harmony remote emulating an mce remote will now shut down the mc001 fully and turn it on from fully off.
    Headshot wrote: »
    You know I went for windows 7 for the Arctic because I wanted some programs like bitlord etc but reading the last few pages it seems openelec is the way to go but im unsure about in terms of torrents etc

    What I bought the Arctic for was to use it as my new media centre that I can watch my videos and use for torrents. Would openelec suit me?
    Are you storing your media content on a HDD in the unit itself? Afaik there are torrent client addons for XBMC on Openelec


  • #418
    Headshot
    Registered Users Posts: 53,823 ✭✭✭✭Headshot


    yes Im storing the media content on the HDD unit it self


  • #419
    hangar18_
    Registered Users Posts: 138 ✭✭hangar18_


    Well lads I'm finally setting mine up now :)
    I'm goin with xbmcbuntu for now, have a 128GB SSD SanDisk installed that I got cheap off amazon and 4GB of ram. Will update later on how it all goes.


  • #420
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    With Win7 64bit now installed on one of mine on a 5200rpm Lappy HDD, its a mixed bag. Slower for the CPU usage to drop off after boot, web pages only slightly snappier than old dell, that is to say that page components still visibly load separately unlike brothers i5 where whole page appears in one go instantly. In other instances its obviously much snapper. ie multitasking. GPU much better so xbmc on top of win7 on this will be better than same on old dell. I dont game. So all in all a step up in most areas and similar in a few. Combine that with the fact that this is 1 tenth the size of the old dell, silent, doesn't guzzle lecky, doesn't turn room into a hotpress.

    Put me down for another 2 on Monday:D

    Going to order a 24" monitor while I'm at it. Thrilled to see a half decent one can be got for about €160 now :D


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  • #421
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,796 ✭✭✭Calibos


    Had another look. You'd actually fit about 20 of these inside my Dell XPS case :D


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