[Pisomojado]

(This post is very similar to one I left on OpenElec.tv last week, but I got zero replies so I thought I'd try here.)

This is my first HTPC build. My only experience before this was successfully building a Hackintosh. I'm equally unfamiliar with Linux and Windows 7. I’ve been googling for a couple weeks, but I’m still very much at sea. Any pointers/feedback/pertinent threads would be greatly appreciated!

What I want the HTPC to primarily do:

1. Live tv from HD antenna with dvr features such as auto-recording and time-shifting
2. Stream and download content via the various popular but unmentionable XBMC add-ons
There is no 3. I gave up on Blu-ray because it seems like integrating it would be a giant ongoing headache and I have a player.

I'm leaning towards OpenElec for speed, stability, and simplicity. I'd like channel changing to be as snappy as possible, and I read that the only pvr add-ons with internal demuxers are the Linux ones (e.g. Tvheadend). Will the Windows pvr channel changing speeds improve with Gotham? My concern is that because I know nothing about programming, I won't be able to achieve my secondary goals with Linux.

Here’s the hardware I’m considering. My goal was to give myself more than I need for longevity’s sake, so I want it to be very fast and 4k ready, but not too big, hot, nor noisy:

Case: Silverstone GD06 (I like easy access to hard drives)
CPU: Intel Core i3-4340
Mobo: ASUS B85M-G
PSU: Corsair CS450M
RAM: G.SKILL Ares Series (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (compatible with LGA1150?)
SSD: Samsung 840 Pro MZ-7D128 128 GB
HD: Western Digital Green
Tuner: Hauppauge wintv-hvr-2250
Antenna: Mohu Leaf 50
Ethernet Connection: Actiontec Ethernet to Coax Adapter (modem is in our home office)

Secondary Goals:

I want to use my HTPC to transfer VHS home movies to my hard drives. I’ve read that the Hauppauge Colossus has something called a “built-in TBC” (Time Base Correction) which is needed for this process. Do I need a Colossus or will the 2250 do the same thing? May they coexist on the same motherboard? Has anybody tried this with OpenElec vs Windows? Are there add-ons?

Since I want to put unique media I care about on the hard drives, and because I don’t want to set the whole system and preferences more than once, I’d like to set up some sort of RAID type back-up system. On my Hackintosh, I use Time Machine. I read that Linux has something called “ZFS.” So... How is this generally done in OpenElec or Windows? Do I need at least three or four hard drives or just two as with Time Machine?

Thank you very much for your time!

[Pisomojado]

What did I do wrong?

[elusien]

Have a look at the two websites given below in my signature, in particular the page:

http://mymediaexperience.com/hardware-for-xbmc/

As for your secondary goals, I'm afraid I don't have any experience myself.

[Ned Scott]

Have a look at the two websites given below in my signature, in particular the page:

http://mymediaexperience.com/hardware-for-xbmc/

As for your secondary goals, I'm afraid I don't have any experience myself.

Spending over $300 on an HTPC? In 2014?

[LazerBlue]

I have the same case and I think your power supply is too deep. 150mm is the maximum depth which leaves no room for the modular connectors. I went with an Ultra LS 450 which is 140mm deep and it's tight, but I was able to bundle up and hide the unused wires with no effect to air flow. Modular ATX power supplies don't work well with that case.

[Pisomojado]

Thank you for the advice. I'm familiar with both mymediaexperience and lifehacker. Per LazerBlue, I looked up the dimensions of Ultra LSP450 to compare them with the Corsair CS450M and the Silverstone ST55F-G.

Ultra LSP450: 6" x 3.25" x 5.75"
Corsair CS450M: 150mm x 86mm x 140mm
Silverstone ST55F-G: 150mm x 86mm x 140mm

[Pisomojado]

I'm still going with the Corsair, but if I have trouble there's this:

SILVERSTONE ST45SF-G: 125mm x 63.5mm x 100mm

Cons: more expensive, noisier 80mm fan

[negge]

Point 2 will likely work regardless of your hardware or operating system, it's just addons. To be able to help with #1 (live TV) you'll need to start by telling us if you live in America or not.

[LazerBlue]

I'm still going with the Corsair, but if I have trouble there's this:

SILVERSTONE ST45SF-G: 125mm x 63.5mm x 100mm

Cons: more expensive, noisier 80mm fan

The only concern I would have with that power supply is where the modular cables plug in. That case is designed to have the fan face down which, according to pictures I've seen of the power supply, puts the modular cables at the top of the supply. The space at the top is the tightest. Here is a pic of the inside of my case with the Ultra LS450 which has the same case dimensions to show how little room there is. You would need on that has them exit out more towards the bottom.

[Pisomojado]

Thanks LazerBlue. I get what you're saying now. Well, I already ordered the parts, so I'll let you know how it pans out...

Yes, Negge, I live in California.

[negge]

Then you should look at the various US-centric hardware guides, there's one on Lifehacker and a few other ones on the forum here.

[skylarking]

I'm not meaning to be smart but i'm surprised that nobody has mentioned there is no such thing as a "raid type backup system". Expecting raid to be your backup is asking for trouble if you can't live without data loss.

In reality 'raid' was intended to resolve data availability/up-time issues whereas 'backup' was intended to resolve data loss issues. They are two different problems resolved in different ways and they are not interchangeable solutions. Why else would business spend $$$ on tape backup systems (seen the price on LOT-6 tapes and drives?) when they have already spent $$$ on raid systems (seen the price of real raid cards and enterprise hdd/ssd?) and raid was a reliable backup solution? Raid is not backup...

For the home use, you are better off with off-line estata hdd that you use to periodically backup you 'important data' (and then preferably stored off site). For movies, simply store your physical DVD/BD in a box after ripping (i store them at home and my disk collection is insured). Otherwise you may find 'raid as backup' is just a false sense of security that will hurt more when the inevitable happens, especially if you store important data (family movies/pictures, financial records, etc...) on such a raid backup system...

[Pisomojado]

Thank you, Skylarking. I would click on a "plus button" for you as you request, but I don't see one anywhere...

[skylarking]

When i log in and view a post, on the left bottom of the main text area i see <PM> <FIND> <+/-> buttons and on the right bottom of the main text area i see <QUOTE> <QUOTE+> <REPORT> buttons. I believe pressing the <+/-> button brings up a popup window (on firefox) which gives the opportunity to add a bump to a posters reputation.

Obviously i shouldn't ever see a <+/-> button on any of my own posts as providing such would be just wrong

Oh, and as for TBC based correction capable devices, iv'e read that this feature can be useful on old noisy VHS recordings as macrovision copy protection circuitry can kick in with such tapes and inhibit transfer to another media (for example when using a non TBC capable video capture card). TBC can also help to clean up the picture a little in the process.

Long long ago, when on holidays, i took an aerobatics joy flight that i paid big $$ to experience and then had the operator up-sell me a recording of that experience which i gladly paid. But the obnoxious bugger didn't highlight that he recorded it in NTSC and with macromedia protection (which made moving it to PAL VHS impossible with the not TBC equipment i had back home)... TBC device would have stripped/corrected such crap from the video signal making it easy to move to a PAL VHS tape. Unfortunately back then such TBC devices were very very expensive and even the reasonably priced Panasonic DVD/VHS combo i bought some years ago stumbled on such noisy holiday tapes!! ... Maybe i should revisit moving some of these old old recordings to digital format now that TBC capable devices seem to be more reasonably priced...

[negge]

The +/- button appears once a user has enough posts (I think it's 10 or something).