Help required in building HTPC

[pm123]

Dear Friends,

I am a movie buff and have been using many media players for the last 2-3 years. First i had a WDTV first generation and then last year i bought a xtreamer Pro. Now i am more used to watching Blu ray rips with HD Audio through my Xtreamer Pro. However this Xtreamer has started showing lots of problems when playing movies specially through USB disk. The video freezes all of a sudden and then i have to shut down the player and restart again. it happens at least 10 times during a movie. Already during this time this xtreamer pro has destroyed one of my internal HDD with 1 TB of movie files which i could not recover and had to ultimately replace. Therefore i have decided to go for a HTPC which should:

1) have good internal storage(if possible upto 2X2.0 TB)
2) can play maximum no. of video formats and audio formats including HD audio, BR iso's and DVD folders.
3) has to be connected to my Denon 1610 AVR
4) no 3D required
5) have a media type interface so that watching movies is easy and just by using remote can go from one folder to the other
6) have WiFi for youtube, internet radio etc.
7) fast boot up as in a media player,
8) can be configured through my logitech harmony one universal remote for single button start up
9) to be in a good case so that it looks nice sitting beside the AVR

Any help in building up this system will be highly appreciated. Would like to know the approx. prices of the components to arrive at a budget too.

Thanks in advance

Piyush.

 

[manniraj]

Hi

You can go thru the baiju's and sam9's threads. They have abundant information regarding the components and also the price during there building. It would have changed which you need to check it online or stores. So just read those threads and you will find all the information in them and also how to configure the frontend (xbmc software) and tweaks and other stuff as well..

So happy reading..

Thanks..

 

[baijuxavior]

Welcome to the HTPC club. I suggest you to read the brilliant HTPC thread by sam9s.
1. You will need a slighltly bigger cabinet that can accommodate two 3.5" HDDs.
2. For HTPC, XBMC is recommended as it hasa polished HT look. Sadly HD audio is still not supported in the latest beta version 11. Hope it will be available with the stable release. However, you can use external players from within XBMC to play HD audio files.
3. You need a mobo or a graphics card with HDMI
4. If you chose a graphics card then it will be ready for 3D.
5. XBMC. Supporting remote controls are easily available. Wireless keyboard can also be used.
6. Use a wifi dongle
7. With a little tweaking, XBMC can be made to boot within 30 seconds or even less. For faster bootup you can use SSD.
8. Remote controls for XBMC can be configured with Harmony. Automatic power up of HTPC may not be possible using remotes, but shutdown is possible. There are some HTPC cabinet that comes with dedicated remote controls which support poewer ON and OFF through the remote. But these are very costly.
9. Be prepared to shell a lot, if you want good looking HTPC. I'm using the CM Elite 100 cabinet and it is really small and costs 3.5K. With small cabinets, you will need to use micro or mini ATX mobos.

I assembled the HTPC within 12.5K excluding the HDD and OS.

 

[pm123]

Welcome to the HTPC club. I suggest you to read the brilliant HTPC thread by sam9s.
1. You will need a slighltly bigger cabinet that can accommodate two 3.5" HDDs.
2. For HTPC, XBMC is recommended as it hasa polished HT look. Sadly HD audio is still not supported in the latest beta version 11. Hope it will be available with the stable release. However, you can use external players from within XBMC to play HD audio files.
3. You need a mobo or a graphics card with HDMI
4. If you chose a graphics card then it will be ready for 3D.
5. XBMC. Supporting remote controls are easily available. Wireless keyboard can also be used.
6. Use a wifi dongle
7. With a little tweaking, XBMC can be made to boot within 30 seconds or even less. For faster bootup you can use SSD.
8. Remote controls for XBMC can be configured with Harmony. Automatic power up of HTPC may not be possible using remotes, but shutdown is possible. There are some HTPC cabinet that comes with dedicated remote controls which support poewer ON and OFF through the remote. But these are very costly.
9. Be prepared to shell a lot, if you want good looking HTPC. I'm using the CM Elite 100 cabinet and it is really small and costs 3.5K. With small cabinets, you will need to use micro or mini ATX mobos.

I assembled the HTPC within 12.5K excluding the HDD and OS.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I will go through sam9s thread however whatever little i read, it is quite technical and i am not at all familiar with the hardware and software technicalities of it. lets see. thanks by the way.

 

[babhishek]

use open elec or xbmc
install onto a pen drive , its not that technical
if u select the right hardware, its plug and play

also for storage, if u use external drives, i suggest to the zotac mag small form factor devices
a happy user for 2 years plus

 

[pm123]

2. For HTPC, XBMC is recommended as it hasa polished HT look. Sadly HD audio is still not supported in the latest beta version 11. Hope it will be available with the stable release. However, you can use external players from within XBMC to play HD audio files.

what do you mean by external players? you see i am complete novice.

Piyush.

 

[baijuxavior]

what do you mean by external players? you see i am complete novice.

Piyush.

To get HD audio support, you can use external players like potplayer, PowerDVD, TMT5 etc. These can be launched from XBMC easily.

 

[vickysami]

don't you have any old pc, that can be upgraded to use as a HTPC, i did mine like that. just by adding a graphics card and ram and cooler master elite 360 (horizontal cabinet).

I use XBMC and Power DVD 11, i can send you the playercorefactory file to use external player. Power DVD 11 does a amazing upscale, and everybody at home likes it.

i am using my old pc, just by adding the below my HTPC is ready and its awesome.. plays 40GB files without any stuttering...

graphics card zotac GT440 - 3700/-
Ram 4 GB DDR2 - 2200/-
CM E-360 - 1950/-

 

[pm123]

don't you have any old pc, that can be upgraded to use as a HTPC, i did mine like that. just by adding a graphics card and ram and cooler master elite 360 (horizontal cabinet).

I use XBMC and Power DVD 11, i can send you the playercorefactory file to use external player. Power DVD 11 does a amazing upscale, and everybody at home likes it.

i am using my old pc, just by adding the below my HTPC is ready and its awesome.. plays 40GB files without any stuttering...

graphics card zotac GT440 - 3700/-
Ram 4 GB DDR2 - 2200/-
CM E-360 - 1950/-

I just have a 2.0 TB 3.5" HDD spare which was being used in my xtreamer pro. Rest all the stuff i'll have to buy. I have a pc but it is quite new and being used in the house right now.

 

[vickysami]

I just have a 2.0 TB 3.5" HDD spare which was being used in my xtreamer pro. Rest all the stuff i'll have to buy. I have a pc but it is quite new and being used in the house right now.

is the PC near to TV, then you can use it otherwise a new one.. then finally it depends on your budget for

Motherbaord / Proccessor / Ram / Drive / Cabinet / Graphics Card.

Right now Hard Disk prices are very high, so i would say leave it.

 

[pm123]

is the PC near to TV, then you can use it otherwise a new one.. then finally it depends on your budget for

Motherbaord / Proccessor / Ram / Drive / Cabinet / Graphics Card.

Right now Hard Disk prices are very high, so i would say leave it.

The pc is quite far from the home theatre room. I already have the hard disk. So i will have to invest in motherboard, processor, ram, cabinet and graphics card. I don't require a dvd/bd drive because i have a blu ray player. please suggest the configuration of the above mentioned components so i can decide.

thanks

 

[letterstack]

I think a better option for HTPC is Apple MAC mini , Apple (India) - Mac mini - Even more powerful. Even more affordable.

It has very small size,can be even fit into the back of an LCD , + the following

Thunderbolt port with support for up to 2560x1600 resolution
HDMI port with support for up to 1920x1200 resolution
DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (included)
Support for dual display and video mirroring

802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking;4 IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)

Power consupmtion is also very less compared to the DIY HTPCs.Price starts from 33K.

I guess perhaps the sheer enjoyment in buidling a HTPC may not be there,but it is a practical solution in many different ways , one thing I forgot to add being a MAC OSX operating system you will get high level of internet security and virus protection

 

[baijuxavior]

Read my HTPC thread here. It may be useful to know which components you need and how much will they cost.

http://www.hifivision.com/home-theater-pc-htpc-media-pc/22367-diy-amd-fusion-htpc.html

 

[pm123]

Read my HTPC thread here. It may be useful to know which components you need and how much will they cost.

http://www.hifivision.com/home-theater-pc-htpc-media-pc/22367-diy-amd-fusion-htpc.html

I have some queries:
1) I need to put 2X2.o TB hdd can this cabinet accommodate it?
2) For using as a computer connected to my TV screen, Do i need to buy a wireless keyboard + mouse?
3) Can this system play HD audio and 1080p pictures through my avr which my present xtreamer does?
4) Thru this XBMC interface, can we do youtube?

Thanks in advance.

 

[reignofchaos]

I have some queries:
1) I need to put 2X2.o TB hdd can this cabinet accommodate it?
2) For using as a computer connected to my TV screen, Do i need to buy a wireless keyboard + mouse?
3) Can this system play HD audio and 1080p pictures through my avr which my present xtreamer does?
4) Thru this XBMC interface, can we do youtube?

Thanks in advance.

1) Depends on the cabinet
2) Yes if you need the convenience of operating it from your chair
3) Yes - in fact it does a far superior job than an xtreamer
4) Yes possible with XBMC Eden Beta 2/3

 

[vickysami]

A budget cabinet would be CM E-360. It can hold 2 Drives and 2 Harddisk.

http://www.coolermaster.in/product.php?product_id=6056&category_id=20

 

[baijuxavior]

I have some queries:
1) I need to put 2X2.o TB hdd can this cabinet accommodate it?
2) For using as a computer connected to my TV screen, Do i need to buy a wireless keyboard + mouse?
3) Can this system play HD audio and 1080p pictures through my avr which my present xtreamer does?
4) Thru this XBMC interface, can we do youtube?

Thanks in advance.

1. CM Elite 100 can accommodate:

With micro-ATX board: Slim ODD x 1, 2.5" HDD x 2 or
With mini-ITX board: Slim ODD x 1, 2.5" HDD x 2, 3.5" HDD x 1

Other questions ROC answered.

 

[haisaikat]

I think a better option for HTPC is Apple MAC mini , Apple (India) - Mac mini - Even more powerful. Even more affordable.

It has very small size,can be even fit into the back of an LCD , + the following

Thunderbolt port with support for up to 2560x1600 resolution
HDMI port with support for up to 1920x1200 resolution
DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (included)
Support for dual display and video mirroring

802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking;4 IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology
10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)

Power consupmtion is also very less compared to the DIY HTPCs.Price starts from 33K.

I guess perhaps the sheer enjoyment in buidling a HTPC may not be there,but it is a practical solution in many different ways , one thing I forgot to add being a MAC OSX operating system you will get high level of internet security and virus protection

33K for a greener pc is not justified when DIY fusion ones are available in sub 20K range. Assuming 40 hours usage per week the yearly difference in consumption (assuming 50Watts is difference in power consumption with Fusion based HTPC) is around 50x40x52/1000 ~ 104 units ~ around 500 rupees max. Seems difficult to recover 13K in this way even if you pay for a secured antivirus (kaspersky single user license sells less than Rs 300 on flipkart) and compoensate the security.

 

[acoustics]

I have a spare coolermaster cm260 enclosure , six months old which I no longer require as I have bought a media player so if you are interested pm me