Advice on HTPC??

[roliath]

^^thanks for the link...you don't need that $100 bill do you?...haha
TXredneck mentioned llano as well and looks like a lot of folks are using that for their htpc. That case is pretty slick for what it is. Gonna see if I can find one that's horizontal. Still haven't had a chance to look up parts. Had some time but work got in the way.....LOL

haha I don't even remember having that in the shot. I just saw it now too.
llano is the way to go imo if I was looking for a low power/low noise htpc build.

I have two 2tb drives in that case as well it handles the heat very well, with no case fans mind you. I went that route with the board since it had an external psu. I've had it for about two years.

[2K2 LS1]

haha I don't even remember having that in the shot. I just saw it now too.
llano is the way to go imo if I was looking for a low power/low noise htpc build.

I have two 2tb drives in that case as well it handles the heat very well, with no case fans mind you. I went that route with the board since it had an external psu. I've had it for about two years.

Would it be a waist to build a dual purpose htpc. that can serve the purpose of both HTPC and allow my wife and kids to be able to surf the web and print school projects and coupons?

I was kinda interested in this board:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500036

4 gb of ram
a blu ray drive
ssd for boot and os
2 1-2tb drives for video storage

thoughts since this thread seems to be full of knowledge, as well as TX rednecks suggestions in my thread

[roliath]

I mean mine is hooked up to my tv and yeah I do use that logitech app that allows me to use my iphone to control it (mouse/kb). So I don't see why it would be a big deal.

[Rafa]

I mean mine is hooked up to my tv and yeah I do use that logitech app that allows me to use my iphone to control it (mouse/kb). So I don't see why it would be a big deal.

You have picture and/or info on your PSU for that case?
Side note....I just installed Mobile Mouse pro and it's smooth for the iphone.

[roliath]

You have picture and/or info on your PSU for that case?
Side note....I just installed Mobile Mouse pro and it's smooth for the iphone.

More info on the psu here, it connects to the back of the motherboard and plugs into the wall. Think of a laptop power brick.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1148/2/

[Rafa]

Do you all leave it on all the time or it gets turned on only when you use it? I pretty much leave my main one on, but not sure if I will leave this one on.

[roliath]

Do you all leave it on all the time or it gets turned on only when you use it? I pretty much leave my main one on, but not sure if I will leave this one on.

Uptime before installing sp1 this last week was 107 days.

It serves as my htpc/nas.

[Rafa]

Update...


Been keeping up with that link Roliath gave and I'm ordering it now. Not getting that big fan yet. I'll update this once I get everything and it's up and running.


Another ?
What's a good mouse/remote to use? Something wifey could use. Would like it to be either IR or BT.

[Rafa]

Got it together, everything installed, and running smooth. SSD is pretty damn fast. Have it hooked up via cat5 and finally I can play true HD sound and other movies I couldn't stream thru my ps3. Gonna start looking around for some programs that look similar to XBMC or just might use WMC. Xbmc is slick, but it doesn't play HD sound, only Dolby and DTS. I might just stick with using ArcsoftTheater which does let you passthru to receiver to let it decode.

[Rafa]

Well hell...Running into issue's. Was getting at beginning but really didn't pay too much attention, now it's getting on my nerve....lol

AMD A8-3850 Llano
ASRock A75M-ITX FM1 AMD A75
CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
Crucial M4 CT064M4SSD2 2.5" 64GB SATA III
Antec ISK 310-150 Black

Win7
Window Media Center
Total Media 3 and 5
Media Browser
XBMC

When I play my BR rips using TM 3 or TM 5 as a "media folder"(either using it directly or going thru WMC), it does play it in 1080p and it does play the HD audio, but the video stutters every 10-20 secs. The audio never loses sync, it keeps going. When I choose a regular Dolby/DTS, it still does it. Now when I drill down to actual media file and play it as a "media file", it does not stutter, but I don't get my HD audio. Any ideas???

I've used the XBMC, but from using it and reading up on it, it doesn't output HD audio yet, that and I can't get the subtitles to work properly. Also, this thing gets hot. Using CPUID, it has hit 52c. I thought it was because of that, but when I played it the temp didn't reach that high yet and was still getting that issue.

[Tx Redneck]

Have you tried playing the medial locally v streaming? What TIM did you use between the hs and chip? Do you have adequate airflow through the case? Try CoreTemp to monitor temps, it has a desktop gadget and the ability to shutdown @ a certain temp threshold you set. Have you compared the idle reading in the BIOS to whatever software you're using?

[Rafa]

Have you tried playing the medial locally v streaming? What TIM did you use between the hs and chip? Do you have adequate airflow through the case? Try CoreTemp to monitor temps, it has a desktop gadget and the ability to shutdown @ a certain temp threshold you set. Have you compared the idle reading in the BIOS to whatever software you're using?

Will try the local playing at half time.
Whatever paste that came with HS
I actually have the case out in the open.
I do have coretemp and it's about right on on what cpuid has. High as I've seen it get was 52, but I think it hovers mid-high 40. Thing is that it even does it before it even gets that high. I'll play it when temp is in teens and it does it at beginning.
I haven't checked bios to compare. I will.

[ThreeFingerPete]

Anyone want a core 2 duo shuttle with a decent video card? Pm me.

[Tx Redneck]

Ok, the temps should be fine if it only spikes but i feel it's a symptom of inadequate air through the case. I understand the need for HTPC's to be quiet but do you have another 80mm fan you can put beside the one that's currently in it to get more air flowing through the case?

I was reading that software monitors for Llano may not read correctly due to new architecture hence why I asked about BIOS readings. Lemme know how local playing does.

[Rafa]

Ok..I actually have it on the ssd and it does the same thing. WTF
Temp didn't rise up there and still did it at beginning and then about every 10-15 sec. I started playing it when temps were in the teens, but it still did it. I even have player to pass the audio and let my receiver do the work.