thanks for the responses.
So from my reading I beelive the following to be true -
No OS needed if using xbmc (mistype earlier)
Boots directly into xbmx when booting as nothing else on the HDD.
Exactly the same perfomance as installing the full xbmc on windows?
I will be using the aeon mq2 / 3 when released skin.
Will drop live onto a VM later today for testing. Still undecided whether to go for live or a full blown OS (windows 7)
Off to do some pondering
Thanks again
PS - Thanks to eskro for the build ideas, as I have a 3d TV, so glad i saw you reccomend a GPU that supports this
Just registered and my first message is THANK YOU ESKRO you are AWESOME!!
I have been debating starting a HTPC project for a long while but never felt comfortable to sit down and just create it out of thin air like I wanted to. Your starter's guide was just the fuel I needed to get the engine running! Thank you, thank you!
Was wondering.. you make no suggestions regarding optical drives/bluray optical drives.. do you have any preferences in this area? I realize a drive is a drive, but maybe you have a favorite??
regardless.. thank you!
oh yeah well,
my suggestion is to avoid lite-ON
and buy LG or SAMSUNG
Hello Eskro and the others,
I've been browsing a bit through this thread and the other ones. Thanks a lot for this. I'm also planning to create a true HTPC setup, but I'm looking for some more info and opinions here.
Let me first explain what I currently have :
I'm using a Intel Core I5 laptop with an intel GPU, 4 gigs of ram and a 500gig HD. I know the processor is fast but I'm not happy with this set up. I have been toying a lot with 3D drivers (FFDSHOW and HAALI) and I'm currently able to run everything. But I'm not happy with the result in full HD. I know this is related to the intel GPU. What frustrates the hell out of me is that when running movies or home vids (M2TS) in WMP, everything runs silky smooth. In XBMC, I have always some problems. I'm a bit sick of this. So in my HTPC I want to avoid having to spent hours testing graphic drivers, I don't want to go with INTEL anymore. Is this reasoning correct?
Now, what the HTPC setup needs to be capable of :
- Running DVD and BLURAYS flawlessly on a full HD 1080 tv
- Running 3D movies (for future TV sets)
- I'm a retro game fan. I would like to run MAME using XBMC, even the more "recent" games like TEKKEN or VIRTUA FIGHTER. I would like to go to emulating PS1 and PS2 and maybe XBOX. Is the GT450 capable of doing this? Any ideas?
- The HTPC should be able to receive a wireless controller (XBOX 360) signal. And I need a remote of course.
- Should be able to play the most recent Dolby and DTS
- Final thing. I heard rumors that microsoft will build in full XBOX360 game support in WIN8, meaning that I could run my XB360 game collection on a PC (using XBMC). Has anyone heard of this? What GPU would I be needing to be able to do this?
- What processor should I go for? AMD or INTEL? Quad core? (I'm not really into this anymore)
I personally don't really care if I spent 200$ more on a HTPC. I know from the examples that you can have one for 250$. I just would like to use it for the years to come.
I'm amazed by XBMC, not only for its Movies, HOME VIDS and TV SHOW support, but also the emulator support (using ALA).
So in conclusion, I would like to run my DVD and BLURAY collection (ripped in MKV) flawlessly, but I also would like to do some serious retro gaming (going from the nintendo NES to PS1 OR PS2).
Thank you already for reading.
Take care,
Grave
st graveyard Wrote:Is this reasoning correct?
Yes.
Quote:Now, what the HTPC setup needs to be capable of :
- Running DVD and BLURAYS flawlessly on a full HD 1080 tv
- Running 3D movies (for future TV sets)
- I'm a retro game fan.
Something like this would be the right amount of power for these needs:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=103966
im just not sure of the GT520/GT430 if the OP wants to use a PS2 emu,,, :/
Hey Guys,
Thanks for the input.
A few questions :
-The proposed motherboard (MSI 880GM ...) has a ATI Radeon HD 4250 video chipset on board. Doesn't this conflict with the GT520?
- What is todays most powerfull G-Force 3D card? The GT520 cost only about $70. Did 3D cards reduce so much in price compared to 10 years ago? (sorry, I'm a bit out of it). Where stands the GeForce 6800 compared to the GT520?
- I'm using USB HD's for all my data. This won't be a problem I guess?
- Do I need to solder/weld anything when building this HTPC?
- Will everything fit in the proposed casing?
Thanks already for all the help.
Grave
you can disable onBoard graphix by going in the BIOS settings....
USB 2.0 is ok for 1080P playback,,,,
if your movies are ~15GB or less, you'll be fine...
1.1 Bluray Rips might stutter on USB 2.0 ,,,,
you dont need to solder anything,,,
everything will fit nicely in the case,,,
eskro Wrote:im just not sure of the GT520/GT430 if the OP wants to use a PS2 emu,,, :/
Emus usually need the fastest CPU they can get more than anything else.
st graveyard Wrote:- What is todays most powerfull G-Force 3D card?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814130693
No HTPC needs that though.
Quote: The GT520 cost only about $70. Did 3D cards reduce so much in price compared to 10 years ago? (sorry, I'm a bit out of it). Where stands the GeForce 6800 compared to the GT520?
Hmm....I would say that a GT520 is at least twice as powerful.
EVGA GTX 590 = Insane Power O.O
eskro Wrote:EVGA GTX 590 = Insane Power O.O
+1, and that little 380W psu is not going to cut it!
eskro Wrote:EVGA GTX 590 = Insane Power O.O
Yep, more powerful than a XBox 360 (not just the GPU, but the CPU too) AND a PS3 (same thing) put together.
I would never put it in a HTPC though. This is the mightiest card I would put in a HTPC:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814187129