I just bought a used Acer AX1200-U1711A with a AMD Sempron X2 2300 Dual-Core Processor, 3 GB ram and on-board NVIDIA GeForce 8200 graphics (with HDMI port). It was much cheaper than building a mini-ITX system, although I am "giving up" digital audio (no S/PDIF port, but it does have 5 channel mini-rca style connections). This will be a HTPC running XBMC, streaming video and pictures from my WHS via wired ethernet to my TV through HDMI.
No OS, so I have a choice, I can install a licensed copy of Windows XP Professional 32 bit that I have, or I can install Ubuntu 10.04 32 or 64 bit. So the inevitable questions. Which is better:
1. Windows XP Pro 32 bit, XBMC for Windows.
2. Ubuntu 32 bit, XBMC
3. Ubuntu 64 bit, XBMC
What about just installing xbmc live on it? If you are just using it for xbmc, that would be the easiest route to go. I have one of those boxes and ran that on it for a bit until I replaced it with a revo.
gabbott Wrote:What about just installing xbmc live on it? If you are just using it for xbmc, that would be the easiest route to go. I have one of those boxes and ran that on it for a bit until I replaced it with a revo.
Well, I'm not sure XBMC will do everything I want it to do, so I was going to go with a desktop install of Ubuntu to give me some options. I'm still getting familiar with XBMC. I have it installed on my desktop machine, and I'm able to connect to the media servers on my WHS, so perhaps that's all I need.
XBMC Live (aka Linux) rocks if the plan is to make a "media appliance." Aka one device that just does XBMC, but ALWAYS does XBMC.
This helps for non-techie people, as you can tell them "don't treat it like a computer, treat it like a dvd player."
Windows + XBMC is good if you want more than XBMC- aka you want a full computer in the living room. This is needed if you want to use Hulu Desktop or something else that is no XBMC.
Basically it comes down to this:
Are you the only one using the box?
If yes than Windows is fine, as you can make full use of it as a computer.
If no, and if there is someone else non-techie in the house that will use the box (long way of saying "if you have a wife/GF"), then look towards Linux to make an appliance.
as far as what version to use: these are just HTPCs not servers, so a 32bit version is fine. It is what I use.
poofyhairguy Wrote:XBMC Live (aka Linux) rocks if the plan is to make a "media appliance." Aka one device that just does XBMC, but ALWAYS does XBMC.
This helps for non-techie people, as you can tell them "don't treat it like a computer, treat it like a dvd player."
Windows + XBMC is good if you want more than XBMC- aka you want a full computer in the living room. This is needed if you want to use Hulu Desktop or something else that is no XBMC.
Basically it comes down to this:
Are you the only one using the box?
If yes than Windows is fine, as you can make full use of it as a computer.
If no, and if there is someone else non-techie in the house that will use the box (long way of saying "if you have a wife/GF"), then look towards Linux to make an appliance.
as far as what version to use: these are just HTPCs not servers, so a 32bit version is fine. It is what I use.
Agreed though i wouldn't say that using it as an appliance is only for the non-techies. There is something very convenient about having your HTPC act like an appliance.
Food for thought on how I do it, I install XBMC live to an SD card and just boot off that since I stream everything from a centralized media server. Doing this gives you the option to then install any other desktop OS onto the hard drive, so essentially you can then dual-boot easily and have the best of both worlds.
gabbott Wrote:Agreed though i wouldn't say that using it as an appliance is only for the non-techies. There is something very convenient about having your HTPC act like an appliance.
Food for thought on how I do it, I install XBMC live to an SD card and just boot off that since I stream everything from a centralized media server. Doing this gives you the option to then install any other desktop OS onto the hard drive, so essentially you can then dual-boot easily and have the best of both worlds.
Wow, that sounds like a perfect solution. I'll take a look at XBMC Live booting off a USB or memory card.
fshagan Wrote:Wow, that sounds like a perfect solution. I'll take a look at XBMC Live booting off a USB or memory card.
If you want you can also install OpenELEC.tv, an fastbooting very little (50-70MB) Linuxdistribution for booting to XBMC. You can install this on any flashdrive, flashcard, usb-stick or harddrive as the only or as an second OS (32 or 64bit). If you need help or have questions i will help you.
The goal of OpenELEC.tv is to be an small and fast very userfriendly Mediacenter OS with most hardwaresupport "out of the box".