[_Raven]

Hello Everyone!

I have been mulling over the idea of buying/building my first HTPC to run XBMC for a few weeks now. I stumbled upon this forum roughly a week ago and have learned a TON from other threads during that time. So before anything - thanks to everyone for that!

I have come up with a few questions that I want to ask, and I'm also looking for some input on the build that I'm leaning towards thanks to a thread that eskro created.

Firstly, what I have in mind:

- I'm looking to have an independent HTPC that will run OpenELEC to run XBMC. This will save me the cost of both an OS and a Hard Drive
- The HTPC will pull files over shared folders from my personal computer over the LAN until the time comes that I can afford to build a NAS.
- I'm interested in a HTPC that will play 1080p to my HDTV, I have no need for 3D (at this time) or HD-Audio. My current receiver peaks at DTS/ Dolby Digital PRO Logic II.

I'm essentially looking at building an exact unit that Eskro mentioned in the thread I referenced above:

CPU: Intel Celeron G530 2.4GHz Dual-Core Processor ($44.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B75M-ITX Mini ITX LGA1155 Motherboard ($89.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1066 Memory ($48.99 @ Newegg)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce 210 1GB Video Card ($34.24 @ Amazon)
Case: Apex MI-008 Mini ITX Tower Case w/250W Power Supply ($49.98 @ Outlet PC)
Case Fan: SilenX EFX-12-15 74.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($11.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $279.19


My Questions/comments:

- Pardon me if this is a silly question, ha.... OpenELEC = no OS. How do you/is there even a need to update the drivers on your motherboard for optimal performance?
- Same goes for updating GPU drivers.
- Do I really need a GPU for my needs? I'm leaning towards leaving it out for now, and if I decide that its needed I can purchase it later.
- I may drop RAM to 4gig as I have no intention, at least as of now, to install an OS.

Any input, recommendations or substitutions are welcomed!!

[scrolling]

I have a real similar build and you will be happy with it. No matter what you end up using whether is an OS or OpenELEC 4GB of memory will be plenty.

Over all I like the case, however, there are couple things you should know about this case. First the video card could interfere with DVD mounting bracket which might require you to do some cutting. Also, the PSU exhaust fan blows right on top of the CPU fan. At first I didn’t think much of it but I stared to notice that my CPU fan was running at a high RPM. I eventually replaced the PSU with a PicoPSU and been happy ever since.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=117365

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=132390

[Dougie Fresh]

I would try it w/o the video card first. It's not necessary for OpenELEC. OpenELEC has good Intel GPU support.

$1 more gets you the G540.

IMHO, this is the best value in the Celeron/Pentium lineup: http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Pentium-Dual...B005LLBBSS . Pretty much an i3-2100 w/o Quick Sync and 3D and 1MB less CPU cache.

[_Raven]

Thanks scrolling. I was leaning towards the savings and only getting 4gigs of RAM, will likely make that adjustment.

I was concerned about the video card interfering with internal components myself actually. As far as the DVD mounting bracket, I read somewhere on this forum someone removing theirs on this same case. I will likely do this as well, as I have no interest for putting a drive there and will help with air flow I would imagine.

I have heard of but haven't read much on these PicoPSU, so I will certainly look at these some more. Probably evaluate the build without one and then add afterwards if needed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but these only have a 24pin MOBO connector? I'm guessing they cant be used to power additional components such as a SSD in the event I add an OS?



EDIT: Silly me combining posts.

[_Raven]

Thanks for both of those Dougie, I have read a lot of your posts and now that I think of it I think I read you telling someone else to scratch their video card for OpenElec! Ooops!

Do you know how anyone updates drivers on the mobo without an OS?

[Dougie Fresh]

Thanks for both of those Dougie, I have read a lot of your posts and now that I think of it I think I read you telling someone else to scratch their video card for OpenElec! Ooops!

Do you know how anyone updates drivers on the mobo without an OS?

OpenELEC is an OS and application rolled into one. If you install the OpenELEC Intel build it will have all the drivers you need in it already.

[_Raven]

OpenELEC is an OS and application rolled into one. If you install the OpenELEC Intel build it will have all the drivers you need in it already.

Perfect!

[_Raven]

Now either of the Celeron G540 or Pentium G860 will provide snappy controls and fluid HD 1080p video correct?

Right now with XBMC on my old PC (AMD Athlon 64x2 3800+) the menus seem to lag with debugging showing I only get about 20fps. I want to make sure that system response is increased dramatically! Feels like I'm in slow motion on this old PC...after all, it is 7+ years old

I see that benchmarks between both units with 3D and encoding video the G860 jumps ahead, but this system wont be dealing with those tasks.

[Dougie Fresh]

Either will do well and there's all kinds of options between G540 and G860. Which to get depends on what you consider a value and how much you want to spend. I think the G860 is the sweet spot and gives you headroom for any future endeavors. You won't notice a difference now but maybe later?

[_Raven]

The more I look at the two I'm leaning towards the G860, simply $20 more for better performance.

Re: OpenELEC
From my understanding for the CIR header on the Asus board an additional driver may be needed. Something like that I would obviously assume would not be included in the driver package bundled with OpenELEC. Any idea if installing drivers for a CIR header would be possible? - not sure how that would be achieved.

[calibos]

I recently jumped on a deal on amazon.de for the arctic MC001 for €99. €30 more, bought 4gb ram (which is overkill) and Transcend Jetflash 700 USB3 thumbdrive to run Openelec from.

My content is all Xvid or H264 and stored on a NAS. Like you I don't have a receiver that supports the HD audio formats and doubt I could hear much difference either. (Eg. Can't hear diff between 160vbr + MP3 and CD) So if HD audio and HD Mpeg 2 is not important top you than something like the MC001 could be perfect for you. AMD GPU's don't have the full feature set of nVidia GPU's via VDPAU under Linux at the moment and that is why most people suggest a more expensive Ion/nVidia device but if the features that are missing with an AMD GPU are features you aren't bothered about then devices like the Arctic MC001 with an AMD mobile GPU inside are definately worthy of consideration. Install Windows on it and it is a slow computer. However, install Openelec on it and its perfect for me anyway and lots of others. Apparently with Valves Steam coming to Linux, AMD are working hard to bring their Linux drivers up to scratch this year so it is expected that sometime this year AMD's feature set with XBMC will have caught up with nVidia. In a few days, Openelec will release Openelec 3.0 Frodo with a specific 64bit build for the MC001 D525 Atom and AMD GPU combo which means we'll no longer have to use the generic build, boot times will get quicker and the tuner card will be working with Openelec.

Its small, silent, passively cooled, Skins like transparency are smooth, Library browsing was smooth. it played the 1080p 40mbit Birds Killa Sampla H264 file with no dropped frames. An MCE remote/harmony etc worked right out of box with full Off/On. Its been perfect for me and so cheap at the moment that I bought 6 altogether for around the house

[_Raven]

Getting the barebone version ($129 USD) would leave me needing to open the case to add the RAM. Would this not void the warranty? This was the reason I put these units to the side..

Not worth paying $280 USD just to have them add the RAM and W7 when I can build my own PC and have fun with it at that price

That is of course dependent on the issue on warranty being void or not?

[_Raven]

Looking at any Canadian retailers and my build as mentioned in the first post will cost over $350. Going to check out a local Canada Computers for pricing tomorrow, its all the shipping costs that are killing me.

Otherwise, Arctic is looking better and better. HAHA

[noggin]

Getting the barebone version ($129 USD) would leave me needing to open the case to add the RAM. Would this not void the warranty? This was the reason I put these units to the side..

Not worth paying $280 USD just to have them add the RAM and W7 when I can build my own PC and have fun with it at that price

That is of course dependent on the issue on warranty being void or not?

I don't see how a barebone can have a warranty made void in that way. The unit is delivered without RAM, and won't work unless RAM is installed. If you have to open the box to install RAM for the device to function, how can this void warranty?

Case warranties aren't void when you open them to install a motherboard. A motherboard warranty isn't void when you install RAM or a CPU?

I think the €99 price for a box you only need to add 2GB of RAM (though most will add 4GB at current prices) and a USB flash drive to boot OpenElec makes sense to a lot of people (but not those who want HD Audio or multichannel PCM)

[_Raven]

Ya, I kind of realized after I posted my message just how backwards it was. Ill chalk that one up to having a long day!

After doing more reading I've tossed the Arctic aside. I read some reviews online as well as posts on this forum saying that the unit can be sluggish for heavy skins such as the Aeon skin. For that reason I think I will stick to a personal build.

That being said, I've had to change things up a bit once I realized that all the prices I had originally looked at (as posted in first post) were all American and frankly I don't want to spend $400 right now. Not to mention most of them wouldn't ship to Canada anyways as they were being pulled from Amazon etc...

I ended up doing some price matching through NCIX and have come up with this, was able to use most of same items:

CPU: Intel Pentium G860 3.0GHz Dual-Core Processor ($59.99 @ NCIX) ON SALE until 20-Feb
Motherboard: Asus P8H61-I R2.0 Mini ITX LGA1155 Motherboard ($75.62 @ DirectCanada) - NCIX PM
Memory: Kingston Value 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1066 Memory ($25.91 @ DirectCanada) NCIX PM
Case: Apex MI-008 Mini ITX Tower Case w/250W Power Supply ($44.44 @ BestDirect) NCIX PM
Case Fan: SilenX EFX-12-15T 74.0 CFM 120mm Fan ($9.99 @ Newegg Canada) NCIX PM
Total: $228.84
(Prices include shipping.)

Will likely sleep on it, but will have to act soon if I want that CPU sale price ($30 off). Let me know if there is something I'm over looking!