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antah
Junior Member
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Guys, hello there,
I'm fed up with different market solutions like android-based media players, but i love to use XBMC/KODI. So I decided to go and build my first HTPC. Of course I'm looking for a good price (overall budget shouldn't exceed 800$), but as I am an owner of 4K TV with HDMI 2.0 i want to build system, that can use this TV's potential when proper 4K content will arrive.
Here is my dilemma: buy average motherboard with 1.4a HDMI, wait until there will be 4K content and then buy video card with HDMI 2.0 (now prices are between 300-400$, that is half of my HTPC budget) or wait a bit and buy motherboard with built-in HDMI 2.0 port? Do you know if one is coming soon?
Or maybe you have another solution for my case? Thank you for any advice in advance!
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I think the problem you face at the moment is that the only graphics cards that support HDMI 2.0 at the moment are gaming/performance oriented cards. that means a need for a heftier power supply and possible fan noise that you don't want in a HTPC. And I am not aware of any motherboards with built in HDMI 2.0 support and processors with HDMI 2 built in to the integrated GPU.
Your budget is much larger than you really need, and the HDMI 2 part is driving that. Maybe a better approach would be to give up the HDMI 2 bit for now, but makes sure you build a HTPC with a PCI express slot and a power supply that could support that later. Then when quiet and cheaper cards supporting HDMI 2 come along, you could simply add the card and disable what you were using before.
Isn't there also some limited 4K support through HDMI 1.4?
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Yeah HDMI 1.4a will handle 4k30hz not 4k60hz
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antah
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Thank you for your thoughts, guys!
I'm so upset when smth is not working properly, so i really don't like all this "cheap" android sticks or boxes. I was looking to buy open hour chameleon box (with hdmi 2.0!), but reviews are not good at all ;(
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2015-01-12, 22:48
(This post was last modified: 2015-01-12, 22:49 by wrxtasy.)
The trouble is you are trying to get the magic sought after box that does everything. Thats not going to happen at this time.
You really are better off just buying good NAS storage and whatever Media boxes you need at the cheapest possible price for one and only one particular individual purpose, even if you need two or three - Throw em away in a year if you have to, you really don't go throwing good money after bad that way.
Another big Tip for anyone reading, is find out what SOC chipsets guys like Openelec are supporting, especially for Android. Its all about competent firmware and software developers these days. You want support, go with something mainstream and mass market. Don't try and re-invent the wheel.
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I am looking to upgrade my HTPC as well, I am looking at a micro ATX motherboard with the latest HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 Compatible and a compatible CPU.
Do they exist or do we still have to wait;(
Current HTPC:
-Silverstone ML04B Black Slim HTPC Case
-LG CH12LS28.AYBR10B CH12LS28 Internal Blu-ray Disc Combo
-MSI FM2-A75MA-E35 FM2
-AMD A8-5600k
-Scythe Big Shuriken 2
-2x4GB DDR3 1866 memory
-Silent 300-350W power supply (120mm fan)
-OCZ Vertex 4 128GB SSD $125
-Synology 50TB NAS
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ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac
1x HDMI 2.0
1x HDMI 1.4
Living Room: ASRock J3455 , 8GB RAM, Sandisk SSD 120GB, LibreELEC Testbuild,- Pioneer VSX-930 - Sony KD-65XD7505
Test HDR Setup: Bqeel M9Cmax (S905X 2GB RAM, 16G Flash) LibreElec HDR 10Bit Build Test6 from johngalt
R.I.P. DAD: 17.06.1952 - 21.01.2017
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Or get the Intel NUC6i7KYK...not a complete HTPC since it does not have blu-ray, but it does have HDMI 2.0/HDCP2.2
AppleTV 4K, LG 65E6 OLED TV, Marantz NR1606, Harmony Elite