[GFOviedo]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading on this forum for a while. I've always liked the XBMC / PC either, but I never really thought about building one since I thought it would be easier to just buy / use a media player. I've been using PCH-A300, PCH-A210, Mede8er MED500X2, Dune Smart D1, AIOS and WDTV.

I love my Dune player, and I thought I had found the best media player that fits my needs. However, after Dune's price increase this changed. I also love my PCH's, but they are a PIA to set up, and the jukeboxes are rather troublesome at times. The Mede8er was an excellent player, but it was hard to maintain due to it jukebox being too slow, and the lack of BD ISO support made me sell the box. The WDTV was a nice unit, but it ended up going to my parents house since they didn't have a media player.

So, I ended up keeping the Dune and PCH-A210 only. I've been using Zappiti and YAMJ / Eversion for jukeboxes. So, far it has been alright, but I am getting a little bit tired of maintaining two different jukeboxes. So, I ended up building an UnRaid Server, which has been awesome so far. It stores all of my main movie BD M2TS files, MKV files and ISO TV Shows files.

However, the time has come where my kids (3.5 and 6.5 years old) need their own TV in their room. Therefore, I will be needing at least two more media player devices. So, I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to help me with pricing?

Would it be possible to build an XBMC HTPC with $200? Or should I just keep using dedicated media players? Thanks for your help.

[GortWillSaveUs]

There's another post where someone was asking the same thing.
Take a look since one of the responses shows how to work with ~$200 + or -
It usually always winds up being ++

Good luck!

[malibu327]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/dGeW
This build here cost me $269 and I had my hdd already.

You can knock out $50 by picking this case
http://www.amazon.com/MI-008-Tower-Black...i+itx+case

It has a power supply built in so you dont have to worrry about the pico psu. I think someone recommended this case to me while I was trying to build mine. If so I think they said the psu was quiet and decent. So without the hdd you could be looking at $219 shipped. I believe this build would run windows 7 fine, but I'm not gonna test it because that's not what I want mine for.

[Skank]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading on this forum for a while. I've always liked the XBMC / PC either, but I never really thought about building one since I thought it would be easier to just buy / use a media player. I've been using PCH-A300, PCH-A210, Mede8er MED500X2, Dune Smart D1, AIOS and WDTV.

I love my Dune player, and I thought I had found the best media player that fits my needs. However, after Dune's price increase this changed. I also love my PCH's, but they are a PIA to set up, and the jukeboxes are rather troublesome at times. The Mede8er was an excellent player, but it was hard to maintain due to it jukebox being too slow, and the lack of BD ISO support made me sell the box. The WDTV was a nice unit, but it ended up going to my parents house since they didn't have a media player.

So, I ended up keeping the Dune and PCH-A210 only. I've been using Zappiti and YAMJ / Eversion for jukeboxes. So, far it has been alright, but I am getting a little bit tired of maintaining two different jukeboxes. So, I ended up building an UnRaid Server, which has been awesome so far. It stores all of my main movie BD M2TS files, MKV files and ISO TV Shows files.

However, the time has come where my kids (3.5 and 6.5 years old) need their own TV in their room. Therefore, I will be needing at least two more media player devices. So, I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to help me with pricing?

Would it be possible to build an XBMC HTPC with $200? Or should I just keep using dedicated media players? Thanks for your help.

Since you have both (dune and htpc with xbmc) how is audio and video quality comparing the two? Are they +- equal?

[GFOviedo]

Man, I have been out of XBMC for a while. I just recently sold my last media player Dune Smart Series D1. I am media player less now, and I am in the process of making a list of part to build an HTPC.

As far a video / sound comparison they were the same.

[DocG]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading on this forum for a while. I've always liked the XBMC / PC either, but I never really thought about building one since I thought it would be easier to just buy / use a media player. I've been using PCH-A300, PCH-A210, Mede8er MED500X2, Dune Smart D1, AIOS and WDTV.

I love my Dune player, and I thought I had found the best media player that fits my needs. However, after Dune's price increase this changed. I also love my PCH's, but they are a PIA to set up, and the jukeboxes are rather troublesome at times. The Mede8er was an excellent player, but it was hard to maintain due to it jukebox being too slow, and the lack of BD ISO support made me sell the box. The WDTV was a nice unit, but it ended up going to my parents house since they didn't have a media player.

So, I ended up keeping the Dune and PCH-A210 only. I've been using Zappiti and YAMJ / Eversion for jukeboxes. So, far it has been alright, but I am getting a little bit tired of maintaining two different jukeboxes. So, I ended up building an UnRaid Server, which has been awesome so far. It stores all of my main movie BD M2TS files, MKV files and ISO TV Shows files.

However, the time has come where my kids (3.5 and 6.5 years old) need their own TV in their room. Therefore, I will be needing at least two more media player devices. So, I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to help me with pricing?

Would it be possible to build an XBMC HTPC with $200? Or should I just keep using dedicated media players? Thanks for your help.

Wow, that was a long time ago. I used to have a PCH as well, was that a pain. Once I built my first HTPC and put OpenELEC on it I never looked back.

Man, I have been out of XBMC for a while. I just recently sold my last media player Dune Smart Series D1. I am media player less now, and I am in the process of making a list of part to build an HTPC.

Not sure whether you still want to pick parts and build, if you can get this, and then do this.

Or if you've got a bigger budget, look into the Haswell NUCs.

[GFOviedo]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading on this forum for a while. I've always liked the XBMC / PC either, but I never really thought about building one since I thought it would be easier to just buy / use a media player. I've been using PCH-A300, PCH-A210, Mede8er MED500X2, Dune Smart D1, AIOS and WDTV.

I love my Dune player, and I thought I had found the best media player that fits my needs. However, after Dune's price increase this changed. I also love my PCH's, but they are a PIA to set up, and the jukeboxes are rather troublesome at times. The Mede8er was an excellent player, but it was hard to maintain due to it jukebox being too slow, and the lack of BD ISO support made me sell the box. The WDTV was a nice unit, but it ended up going to my parents house since they didn't have a media player.

So, I ended up keeping the Dune and PCH-A210 only. I've been using Zappiti and YAMJ / Eversion for jukeboxes. So, far it has been alright, but I am getting a little bit tired of maintaining two different jukeboxes. So, I ended up building an UnRaid Server, which has been awesome so far. It stores all of my main movie BD M2TS files, MKV files and ISO TV Shows files.

However, the time has come where my kids (3.5 and 6.5 years old) need their own TV in their room. Therefore, I will be needing at least two more media player devices. So, I was wondering if anyone would be kind enough to help me with pricing?

Would it be possible to build an XBMC HTPC with $200? Or should I just keep using dedicated media players? Thanks for your help.

Wow, that was a long time ago. I used to have a PCH as well, was that a pain. Once I built my first HTPC and put OpenELEC on it I never looked back.

Man, I have been out of XBMC for a while. I just recently sold my last media player Dune Smart Series D1. I am media player less now, and I am in the process of making a list of part to build an HTPC.

Not sure whether you still want to pick parts and build, if you can get this, and then do this.

Or if you've got a bigger budget, look into the Haswell NUCs.

Yes, I've read about the Chromeboxes options, but I would like to make an HTPC since I want to do OTA recording, and other stuff for the wife. However, the Chromeboxes are pretty promising, and I might end up getting one for the bedroom.