[Solidify]

Hey guys. First time poster, long time lurker.

I'm finally going to put myself to the test and build my very first HTPC. I read this thread but I'd prefer extra guidance along the way.

I'm someone would be willing to walk me through the entire compoentn selection, assembly and build process, I would appreciate that very much. I'll start this off by explaining which components I already have and then lead into the way I'm currently set up.

This is my Samsung TV's model: LN40D551K8FXZC (Version AA01)
I have a brand new 3TB Seagate external desktop HD. Still not used yet, in packaging.
I have a 500GB internl SATA HD that I store TV shows on.
I have a 3TB internal SATA HD that I store movies on.

Both the last two SATA drives are mounted internally into this desktop computer which is shared with the family.

I also have a spare optical drive that I can put towards the new HTPC if needed.

These are the desktop's specifications:

CPU: AMD A6-3670
Mainboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. F1A55-M LE R2.0 (FM1)
Memory: 4.00GB DDR3 @ 800MHz (9-9-9-28)
Hard Drive: 500GB, 1TB, 1TB, 3TB
Video: 512MB ATI AMD Radeon HD 6530D (ASUStek Computer Inc)
Sound: Realtek High Definition Audio
CD Rom: ATAPI iHAS224 B ATA Device
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 430W
Printer: Lexmark X5450
OS: Windows 7 Ult. 32-bit SP1

I have a long CAT5E cable bridging my wireless router (which is located near my desktop PC) to my Samsung TV about 15 feet away (since the TV does not have WiFi capabilities). Usually, I used to just stick my USB flash drive into the desktop PC and copy a film onto it and then stick it into the TV's USB port to watch that way. This process has suddenly become cumbersome now that I see there are other viable options (i.e.: streaming, servers, NASes).

I recently tried Plex Home Server for the first time I liked it enough to keep it for a week until I discovered the beautiful UI that XBMC can give in this user's video:



I've fallen in love with XBMC and would like to make the transition. I am ready to build a dedicated HTPC to have XBMC running on it. I think it would be a good idea to stop storing the media on this family PC and to either download the media here and then move to the HTPC later or to simply have a server to stream the media to the XBMC HTPC, but the server idea will cost more and I'm on a budget. Bottom line is I don't want the media store on this PC anymore. Where should I start?

Thanks,
Solidify

Edit: To help visualize the setup, here's a video from when I had Plex.

[Solidify]

I've been contemplating what would be best: having the HTPC include the media and therefore include all the internal drives or put all the content on a server then stream to the HTPC?

[.:B:.]

Building a NAS allows you to use a tiny system (NUC, BRIX, Zotac's system) as your HTPC. Centralising your storage also allows easier expansion in the future. You can take a normal ATX case (e.g. Fractal Design Define R4, room for 8 drives). If you cannot run wires however, I would keep it all integrated in one system. Using wireless is not recommended. A good modern wireless connection can provide enough bandwidth, but it's still a radio medium, and it's nothing like wired Ethernet.

I myself am using a Zotac AD10 (AMD E-350) as a HTPC. Not the most powerful system, but since it's the GPU doing the heavy lifting, it does what it needs to do. If you like heavier skins though, you'll need a bit more oomph .

Gigabyte has e.g. BRIX models with an AMD A8, but also with Intel's Celeron, i3, ... An A8 or a (dualcore) Celeron should be enough, unless you want to do heavy stuff like Hi10p (I don't know how heavy 3D Blu-Ray rips are).

Good luck .

[Solidify]

I wont be doing anything on the HTPC besides watching tv shows and movies. You say a celeron cpu will be enough?

And if I get this NAS for centralized storage and then stream the content to the HTPC, where would I need to add wires or where should I put the NAS build? Can you refer to the video of my setup above? And wont getting a NAS mean I need to buy two computers and double the components in the end, being more expensive...

I need guidance haha

[bluray]

I wont be doing anything on the HTPC besides watching tv shows and movies. You say a celeron cpu will be enough?

If you are into 3d, I'm recommending at least Intel i3 or AMD A6. I preferred AMD iGPU for HTPC than Intel iGPU....

And if I get this NAS for centralized storage and then stream the content to the HTPC, where would I need to add wires or where should I put the NAS build? Can you refer to the video of my setup above? And wont getting a NAS mean I need to buy two computers and double the components in the end, being more expensive...

I need guidance haha

If you watch movie in a theater room, one computer with larger case is good enough. Since it is larger case, you can add multiple HDD's in it. You don't have to deal with streaming issue with a single computer....

[Solidify]

I don't have a 3D TV so I'm not interested in 3D content.

If you watch movie in a theater room, one computer with larger case is good enough. Since it is larger case, you can add multiple HDD's in it. You don't have to deal with streaming issue with a single computer....

I like this idea. But I still plan to download the content (e.g. movies and TV shows) from my desktop PC and then move them to the HTPC later after the downloads completes (then delete the media off the desktop PC). Would I be able to transfer the movies and TV shows I download on the desktop to the HTPC if the HTPC will be connected to my router with a CAT5E cable? I would have to share the HTPC's drives over the network right? Is this something you recommend?

Also, can you suggest me components to include in my build? I would like to start building it ASAP. I'm asking for you to do it for me because chances are high that you know what novice builders overlook, being an avid user here.
I already have 2 x 3TB SATA drives that I will be put towards the HTPC.

If you look back to the second YouTube video in the OP, you will see how my "theater room" is set up.

Thanks in advance.

[Solidify]

I understand that storing the content (i.e.: the drives) in a separate NAS would be beneficial for later expansion but the problem with this is that would be more expensive upfront because not only would I need to buy/build the HTPC but I'd have to build the NAS also. Then I'd need to buy a RAID card for the NAS to prevent data loss. And wouldn't it makes watching movies and navigation through the XBMC interface slower if the files are stored on a separate machine compared to if the content was on the drives in the HTPC?

I really want to get this build started this weekend so I need to decide on this setup and then pick my components, which hopefully you will suggest me.

[Kib]

Streaming issues with local data are almost non-existant. Data that is on a share in your (wired) local network is considered local data.

Streaming issues you see people post about usually have to do with streaming data from the internet, and all the protocols associated with it.

For me, the biggest reasons to seperate data from playback is the sound harddisks and fans produce, as well as power usage and the ability to use multiple playback devices.

[Solidify]

I feel like I'm talking to myself on this thread.

Regardless, pondering about this has led me to decide that dedicating a separate NAS for the content would be the better idea. But PLEASE, someone watch the second video in my OP so you can explain me how to arrange the setup.

Edit: Sorry Kib, didn't see your post.

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For me, the biggest reasons to separate data from playback is the sound harddisks and fans produce, as well as power usage and the ability to use multiple playback devices.

That's a good point. So you can you tell me how I am to set this up by watching the video? The parts I already have are listed in the OP. Please, I want to get this project started! I don't know what compoennets would suffice since I have a massive library (3000 HD movies) and I want to use the Aeon Nox skin.

[bluray]

I like this idea. But I still plan to download the content (e.g. movies and TV shows) from my desktop PC and then move them to the HTPC later after the downloads completes (then delete the media off the desktop PC). Would I be able to transfer the movies and TV shows I download on the desktop to the HTPC if the HTPC will be connected to my router with a CAT5E cable? I would have to share the HTPC's drives over the network right? Is this something you recommend?

Also, can you suggest me components to include in my build? I would like to start building it ASAP. I'm asking for you to do it for me because chances are high that you know what novice builders overlook, being an avid user here.
I already have 2 x 3TB SATA drives that I will be put towards the HTPC.

If you look back to the second YouTube video in the OP, you will see how my "theater room" is set up.

Thanks in advance.

Yes, you still can transfer file throughout your network. I don't have NAS, and I stores my backup Blu-ray files in several USB 3.0 drives at my HTPC in the theater room. I can transfer file and watch movie on any computer in the house, and I have 6 computers in the house....

The complete build below should be great for HTPC. If you don't like certain component in it, you can change it as you wish-

AMD A6-6400K 3.9GHz Dual-Core Processor

[Solidify]

Doesnt that mean that you have to plug your external HD into the PC that you're downloading the movies from, put the files on the drive, then unplug the drive and re-attach it to your HTPC to watch them?

I'm still not clear on what you're suggesting I do: HTPC with no storage and then stream content from NAS or put all the HDDs in the HTPC to localize my storage?

Edit: Your link brings me to the main pc oart picker page; there's no build.

[bluray]

Doesnt that mean that you have to plug your external HD into the PC that you're downloading the movies from, put the files on the drive, then unplug the drive and re-attach it to your HTPC to watch them?

I'm still not clear on what you're suggesting I do: HTPC with no storage and then stream content from NAS or put all the HDDs in the HTPC to localize my storage?

As I said, I don't have NAS. I stores all my Blu-ray files on several USB 3.0 drives and some smaller internal hard drives, and it is connects to my main HTPC in the theater room. I have a very powerful Intel i7 HTPC with Blu-ray drive in it. It is multi-purpose HTPC and I use it for everything (burning, copying, video editing, etc)....

I don't move around USB 3.0 drives very much. If I want to, I can move it from computer to computer. Since I have a wired home network, there is no need for me to manually move the drives from computer to computer. I can transfer file and watching movie on any computer using wired home network....

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Edit: Your link brings me to the main pc oart picker page; there's no build.

That is the list of components I'm recommending for your build, and you can change component in the list as you wish...

[00b5]

How many HTPC do you want to have in the end? Do you have a few TVs that you'll want to have media at?

Since you also noted that you are going to get the source files on one computer, and then move them to the HTPC, I'd just setup a NAS and store it there.

That allows you to be able to access it from multiple places/devices/etc down the road.

Do you want to do 3D and other stuff like that?


I don't like having the media on the HTPC anymore, I like having them seperated. Having wired 1000MB from the server to all the clients (which are all 100MB) is great.

[Solidify]

Ok. I like your setup. But I have problem with the way mine is set up. My home is not networked and my TV isnt wireless. Right now I have a single 20 foot CAT5E cable neatly routed to the back of my TV. The other end of the canle is plugged into my wireless router.

Thank you for the build list. I will go through it.

However, can you kindly see the 2nd attached video in the OP and suggest me what you would do if you had my setup?

[tboggie]

HTPC:
AMD - Bluray suggested some parts
Intel - Intel NUC Celeron 847 + 4GB RAM + 32GB Msata SSD - $231.12

Server option 1:
Get a case, power supply, ram, low powered cpu and motherboard. Install windows, add all your drives. You can share your folders between your main pc and server
While downloading, you can either download straight to your server or to your main pc, then move to server.

Server option 2:
Buy a 4 bay NAS (QNAP or Synology)

The server can be right next to your main pc and there would be an ethernet cable connection from Server to the router
The htpc will be right under your tv and the ethernet cable which is currently connected to the TV will be connected to your htpc
HDMI cable will be connected between TV and HTPC

The htpc will be connected to the server via router