2012-12-06, 21:03
Okay, I know that there are a lot of set-up guides around, but there seems to be SO MUCH information around and XBMC seems to be customiezable in numerous ways, it's a little hard for me to pick a direction to start my HTPC set-up.
As a bit of background info, I am moderately technically competent (as in, I can understand things if I read them and do my own research), I just don't have a lot of knowledge about the hardware aspects of the whole ordeal. I want to get my parents an HTPC for Christmas, as they are huge movie buffs and big into the whole multi-media thing (surround sound set-up, big-screen TV, etc).
-So, what I was thinking was getting a barebones PC like this Foxconn (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX40952 )
-Booting XBMC Live from USB or SD
-Putting 4 GB DDR3 RAM in
-Not having an ob-board HDD but instead keeping the whole library on an external hard drive (the reason for this being that since I would be the one in charge of the media library (parents are not very computer-savvy, even if they think differently), I would like something that I can just plug into my laptop, transfer the files, then plug back in to the HTPC and have them automagically show up in the interface)
The laptop I am using is on Win7, if that makes any difference for anything.
Is there anything that I am missing or have overlooked, or do I have the steps right? I would really appreciate any XBMC-wisdom that you may be able to impart on me
Also, the reason that I'm looking at the barebones is that it seems like the most cost-effective for me (as a university student, I don't really have the funds to drop more than ~$400 on this thing...), but I am open to suggestions.
Thank you!
Tried the link I provided and it didn't work, but here's the title:
FOXCONN
nT-A3550 Nano PC Barebones System w/ AMD E350, Radeon HD 6310, DVI-I, HDMI (No O/S)
As a bit of background info, I am moderately technically competent (as in, I can understand things if I read them and do my own research), I just don't have a lot of knowledge about the hardware aspects of the whole ordeal. I want to get my parents an HTPC for Christmas, as they are huge movie buffs and big into the whole multi-media thing (surround sound set-up, big-screen TV, etc).
-So, what I was thinking was getting a barebones PC like this Foxconn (http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX40952 )
-Booting XBMC Live from USB or SD
-Putting 4 GB DDR3 RAM in
-Not having an ob-board HDD but instead keeping the whole library on an external hard drive (the reason for this being that since I would be the one in charge of the media library (parents are not very computer-savvy, even if they think differently), I would like something that I can just plug into my laptop, transfer the files, then plug back in to the HTPC and have them automagically show up in the interface)
The laptop I am using is on Win7, if that makes any difference for anything.
Is there anything that I am missing or have overlooked, or do I have the steps right? I would really appreciate any XBMC-wisdom that you may be able to impart on me
Also, the reason that I'm looking at the barebones is that it seems like the most cost-effective for me (as a university student, I don't really have the funds to drop more than ~$400 on this thing...), but I am open to suggestions.
Thank you!
Tried the link I provided and it didn't work, but here's the title:
FOXCONN
nT-A3550 Nano PC Barebones System w/ AMD E350, Radeon HD 6310, DVI-I, HDMI (No O/S)