[MorituriMax]

My first build, based largely on initial recommendations by eskro.

Mobo ( $99.00 ): ASUS F1A75-M Pro R2.0 FM1 AMD A75 (Hudson D3) Micro ATX with UEFI BIOS

CPU ( $95.00 ): AMD A8-3870K Unlocked Llano 3.0GHz Socket FM1 100W Quad-Core Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 6550D AD3870WNGXBOX

Memory ( $40.00 ): CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB)

Case ( $54.00 ): SILVERSTONE Black Aluminum skin reinforced plastic front panel, 0.8mm SECC body MILO Series ML03B Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

PSU ( $45.00 ): CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 430W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
note: according to newegg, this has the same footprint as the SeaSonic SS-400ET 80+ Bronze 400W ATX12V ($43 + $9)

Hard Drive ( $88.00 ): Western Digital WD Green WD7500AARX 750GB IntelliPower SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

OS ( Free ): XBMCbuntu (NOTE: Linux with AMD Graphics=Bad, use Windows with XBMC if only have AMD graphics)
Article about AMD Graphics problems with Linux

Price is about $421 dollars before shipping, I just wanted to price out the system components already.

I didn't select a huge drive because I plan on having all the media on a network storage drive or server if I get an HP Proliant box down the road.

(1) My main question is, what would be the best remote control for this setup? My dad has problems with shaking so I want something big that has all the buttons he needs to work XBMC.

(2) My secondary question is, how is XMBCbuntu at seeing attached network storage? I may have to go with Windows/XBMC because I may build several of these boxes for different rooms and I want to use a MySQL tip I saw that lets you sync watched status and so on between them.

(3) A minor question would be, does XBMCbuntu or Windows/XBMC support different user logins? In case guests come over and watch shows or movies, I don't want that to mess up watched status and so on between multiple users.

Thanks, I have been very impressed by the sheer scale of XBMC and its users, really lots of stuff out there, when I first started researching this I would have just went with a laptop with windows media center software, boy would that have been limiting.

[Emisand]

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=117231

[MorituriMax]

Thanks Emisand, that seems to be mostly keyboards, but these two items are top of my list:

http://www.pulse-eight.com/store/product...x#overview

http://www.amazon.com/iPazzPort-2-4GHz-W...pd_cp_pc_0

[RaggSokk3n]

Harmony one is by far the best remote for Xbmc - if you're on a budget then the harmony 650 is a good choice

[teeedubb]

Amd graphics and Linux is not the best combo., http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=ne...px=MTEyNDk

[MorituriMax]

Amd graphics and Linux is not the best combo., http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=ne...px=MTEyNDk

So i would be better off running Windows/XBMC, teeedubb? I chose this processor mainly because eskro recommended it. Does eskro say anywhere what he thinks of XBMCbuntu and AMD?

Thanks for the tip. Worst case I can install XBMCbuntu and then if it doesn't work, jump to Windows.

---

Harmony one is by far the best remote for Xbmc - if you're on a budget then the harmony 650 is a good choice

I actually own a Harmony One, does it have the hardware definitions for XBMC hardware? I am not sure what i would use so it could "see" my HTPC box, when I plug it in to program it does it have configuration settings for, well shoot what would I enter for equipment identifiers if I built the HTPC I listed at the top of my post, and wouldn't I need some kind of IR/RF Receiver for it?

Thanks

[Emisand]

My bad.
If you want a cheap remote control, then get a MCE Remote.
If you want one of the best remote controls, then get a Logitech Harmony.

AMD + Linux = Bad Choice.

If you want to use AMD with XBMC, then go for Windows.
BTW eskro uses Windows.

If you really want Linux, like XBMCbuntu, openELEC, or XBMC standalone over Ubuntu, then better go for something like an Intel Core i3 or i5 with HD Graphics 3000 or 4000, or a Nvidia graphics card.

[gd779]

If you really want Linux, like XBMCbuntu, openELEC, or XBMC standalone over Ubuntu, then better go for something like an Intel Core i3 or i5 with HD Graphics 3000 or 4000, or a Nvidia graphics card.

When do you need an NVidia graphics card in addition to the i3 or i5?

[MorituriMax]

My bad.
If you want a cheap remote control, then get a MCE Remote.
If you want one of the best remote controls, then get a Logitech Harmony.

AMD + Linux = Bad Choice.

If you want to use AMD with XBMC, then go for Windows.
BTW eskro uses Windows.

If you really want Linux, like XBMCbuntu, openELEC, or XBMC standalone over Ubuntu, then better go for something like an Intel Core i3 or i5 with HD Graphics 3000 or 4000, or a Nvidia graphics card.

Roger that, Windows is a better choice then, not only for what you clued me in about Linux/AMD, but because I can add other things like Netflix, browsing, etc.

Not that I want a cheap remote, those that I showed were the best options I could find, there was another good one that I saw here: http://www.nmediapc.com/RFKB3.htm
The darn thing is impossible to find though, always sold out or discontinued everywhere I can find it. It has a remote AND a keyboard, but I like logitech harmony remotes.

I just need a good remote that is easy for my Dad to use with his tremors. Plus, how did you program your harmony with XBMC? Last time I programmed mine, I plugged it in and entered the information for the different doo-dads like my TV, my AV Receiver, and so on, but what do I tell it if I build that HTPC above? Is there a generic Windows or XBMC Identifier to tell Harmony what to see?

Thanks again, good info.

Found this guide for XBMC/Harmony One Remote
http://openelec.tv/forum/12-guides-tips-and-tricks/3218-in-progress-harmony-one-complete-guide