[eskro]

[CASE/MOBO/CPU+GPU/PSU] Intel NUC BOXDCCP847DYE / Intel Celeron 847 + Intel HD Graphics / 65W ($165)
[RAM] KINGSTON ValueRAM 2GB (1x2GB) 204-pin DDR3 1333MHz CL9 1.5V ($17)
[SSD] Sandisk 16G mSATA Read:MB/s Write:MB/s ($36)
TOTAL: $218

Pros?
* FULL 2D 1080P Ready!!
* Bitstreams DOLBY TRUE-HD & DTS-HD MASTER!!
* 2 x HDMI outputs!!
* 1 x Full length mini-PCIe slot!! (for mSATA SSD)
* 1 x Half length mini-PCIe slot!! (for WiFi Module) (intel Centrino 6205 ($14) or Intel Centrino 6235 with Bluetooth ($22))
* 5 x USB 2.0 ports!! (3 external, 2 via internal header)

Cons?
* won't do FULL 3D 1080P!!
* no Built-in WiFi!!
* no Built-in Bluetooth!!
* no USB 3.0 ports!!
* no Optical (S/PDIF) output!!
* no Multi Card Reader slot!!

[cwide]

That is the build I find myself recommending almost every time for people who want something cheap and sleek.

If that is above someone's budget they could get this ITX combo below:

ECS Celeron 847 Board - $67

2 GB Ram - $17

Cheap ITX Case - $41

TOTAL: $125 + spare USB drive for Openelec (or ~$50 for an SSD).

As your budget increases so can your choice of case and SSD. I have been running Openelec off of a USB drive for a while and haven't had any problems, but I also don't do anything too heavy.

That's about as cheap as I could make an ITX HTPC that does all 2D and bitstreams audio.

[eskro]

Right, but add another $40 for a decent case like the isk110
And add a $50 ssd
Your again at $215 so, the NUC looks good to me at $218

[Geran]

eskro: What size SSD would you recommend for a Win7 build?

[solamnic]

I think 32gb for win 7 is really small.... 64gb is sufficient...(for windows 7 and some programs)

(unless you want to install eveything on your SSD )

[eskro]

32gb ssd is perfect for xbmc on windows

[LeJon]

Do you guys plan to use NAS to store your media or plug External HDD on the htpc 24/7?

[DaveNinja]

you forgot the $5 for the power cord!

I'm so close to pulling the trigger on this set up (especially after having to get up ever 20 minutes on saturday morning to start the next episode of Transformers on the Boxee box for my son - I must have playlists!).

For openelec, is the SSD listed above a lot faster than a flash drive?

[Dfainher]

@DaveNinja
a SSD is a lot faster than a flash drive, but I'm using a flash drive with the raspberry pi (and openelec) and it works just fine
but you definitely will notice the difference with a SSD
so flash drive is fine, but if you have the budget to upgrade...

@eskro
thanks for these newbie topics, they're are very useful
but what do you mean with 1080p ready? Kind of reminds to 'HD ready' tv's years ago...

[solamnic]

32gb ssd is perfect for xbmc on windows

I totally disagree.... (for the first time with you )...

Windows users have the "bad" habit of installing programs - games and not just xbmc...

So 32gb is out of the question...

[Dfainher]

32GB is pretty small indeed, but move your user profiles and program data folder to another partition
that helps a lot, but that might not be ideal (or even possible) with a HTPC

[Geran]

Do you guys plan to use NAS to store your media or plug External HDD on the htpc 24/7?

I have a NAS that I store everything on for streaming. So only thing on my SSD would be Win7 & XBMC (plus plugins).

[Tiller]

Hey, guys. I'm thinking about taking the plunge and getting one of these and putting Openelec on it. I do have a question, though -- what remote would you recommend I get to work with this? I didn't know if anything works better out of the box better with Openelec versus XBMC. I also am not looking to spend tons of money on a Harmony. Maybe some kind of MCE remote or even one of the mini-keyboards if that is what's recommended.

Any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[aesalazar]

I just built a similar system with an i3 NUC. For a remote, I got one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Azend-MediaGate-GP...=GP-IR02BK

Tested with Ubuntu, OpenELEC, and Winblows 7. Worked great with all three and will wake from sleep (S3) via the USB. Wont wake from off (S5) though - need extra hardware for that.

Ernie

[cwide]

Hey, guys. I'm thinking about taking the plunge and getting one of these and putting Openelec on it. I do have a question, though -- what remote would you recommend I get to work with this? I didn't know if anything works better out of the box better with Openelec versus XBMC. I also am not looking to spend tons of money on a Harmony. Maybe some kind of MCE remote or even one of the mini-keyboards if that is what's recommended.

Any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I have the PS3 bluetooth media remote. Works perfectly with Openelec 3.1+. Works well with my TV too. I only have one remote now.

Just have to get a bluetooth adapter.

There is one potential downside: The batteries were dead after a week. Not sure if this is due to Openelec not sending it into hibernation, heavy usage, or weak batteries.