Laptop with HDMi down..need HTPC to replace it

[arnprasad]

Hi All,

I had raised a HTPC thread a year back and since i changed jobs that time, I lost interest and apologise in advance for folks who responded particularly sams9. But now I am desperate since my Laptop crashed last weekend and hence need an urgent replacement to play all my media files. My blu ray player has HDMI but when I connect my hard drive to it, it does not recognize AC3 audio common to all the rips and hence need HTPC

Here are my requirements. I want a new one assembled. Let me know if someone in SP road does it for me.

1) It needs to play all sorts of video upto 1080P with 5.1 DD digital and other latest surround formats
2) It needs to play 3D HSBS rips
3) I have a philips blu ray player that plays India blu rays and region free blu rays..dont mind adding another blu ray drive if its region free
4) I dont play games
5) I have a BSNL router. Dont mind buying a latest router if it can do some streaming magic..I dont stream - maybe some one can educate me on this
6) It needs to have a big hard drive..preferably a 2TB one. One lesson learnt from my laptop crash - I need to back up regularly. I can manually back up all my files between say the 2TB on my HTPC and my 2TB existing external hard drive. Any smarter solution will be even better for backing up
7) It obviously needs to have HDMI output since it has to connect to my Pioneer AVR and also to my Acer projector
8) Also I do HD video editing of home videos occasionally - I can use my TV as a monitor or I have an older laptop with 1080P screen to use as a monitor. hence I might need a decent graphics card for 1080P video editing
9) it needs to have wifi - is there anyway I can access files residing on my HTPC on my office laptop ? using a router?
10) not sure if i need bluetooth and other such accessories as i am not sure how I can use that
11) I dont mind a physical remote, but I was able to control XBMC on my laptop using my Android phone

Please help me replace my broken laptop with an HTPC and any other feature you think are useful - please add.

On a daily basis, my kids will access the HTPC as all their movie files reside on it. I will only access it on weekends - once a week or once in fortnight.

Eventually I will buy another laptop - but for now, I would want an HTPC. I already have an office laptop and a personal 10 inch tablet.

Thanks in advance for all your help

 

[arunsankar]

My HTPC is running an Asus E35 M1-M which does 1080p files and has HDMI. Its also low power and I added a USB WifiN client which connects it to my router. Now, I am planning to get it into a wired network. I am using the set up with XBMC for the past 1 year. I had an MCE remote from eBay but now I personally use android xbmc remote.

 

[koushik]

Why not thinking of a good HD media player? Does everything that you have mentioned and also compact in size, smart in power consumption and specialized to do only this.

 

[arnprasad]

Thanks guys for your comments.

Koushik - since I have lost my laptop, I need a device to do other non-media things like video editing, photo editing...etc. Plus I definitely need another device for back up purposes. Also I dont want to buy another laptop since I got my office laptop where I can do most of my personal stuff..plus got a Karbonn 10 inch tablet I can use for casual surfing and stuff. Hence I was hoping that I can save some money by just investing in a tower/cabinet with the right kind of components

Hence I was thinking of some kind of HTPC/NAS hybrid...frankly I am not a techie and have read those big blogs/threads by Sam9s..but brain cannot process all that info

I dont have a limited budget..not to say I plan to spend more than 30K, but since I am hoping this will work for next 5-6 years..dont want to skimp on features as well..if its a matter of stretching it by few thousands..wont mind

Hence I would really appreciate if you can list down the components...tomorrow I will go to SP Road and ask someone how much it costs to build one..I am hoping it will he a half a day job for someone assembling it since they should have all the components?

Again below is what i want..sorry for repetition

(1) Play all sorts of videos of highest settings ..need the best available audio output as well..HDMI output
(2) At least 2 TB of hard drive..would prefer USB 3 output since my external hard drive also has USB 3 port
(3) Am not sure really sure what a NAS does..but at any given point of time I either watch the video on my TV or projector...hence dont need multiple room simultaneous video thingy
(4) It should definitely have wifi
(5) Should have a decent graphics card that can edit 1080P video
(6) By using my existing BSNL router/New router - if I can access file that existing on my HTPC say over my office laptop...that will be great.
(7) I am not sure what other things people normally buy..but please let me know what they are.

Plan to visit SP road tomorrow..hence if you know someone there or a name of a shop who offers good service at reasonable price..let me know..

I got an engineer cousin who maintains servers for IBM you think I can ask him or better to stick to a professional? not sure how difficult or easy it is to assemble all these components

Thanks again.

 

[koushik]

Assembling a PC is really a child's play if you know the thing. So you can ask your brother, who should be able to do it without any problem.

 

[vaibhavyagnik]

two questions
1. What is the size you are looking for? are you short of space in the living room?
2. When you say you edit 1080p videos, which software do you use? does the software use CUDA or ATI stream?

Depending upon the answers, you will get better suggestions

 

[arnprasad]

I use Sony or Pinnacle's software - nothing high tech..just that my latest camcorder shoots proper 1080P and since I have a 50 inch TV..just want my videos to be crisp.

I dont have any space constraints..but a normal computer tower 1 to 1.5 feet high should be ok..

Can you guys please list out the components and what is the approximate price and where in SP road to buy to get the best price?

 

[sam9s]

You can have a pretty decent HTPC with the following major components ...

i3 3210 7000
asus p8b75-m lx 5000
gt440 4500
ram 2 gb 1300
HDD WD Green 2TB 6000
PSU Corsair VS450 450 Watt 2500

Prices are just indicative ........

Rest fro Wifi you can purchase a wifi dongle by Netgear for around 1000 bucks. But I would still recommend wired lan connection.

GT440 is very decent for all video editing and stuff. 1080p FS 3D ISO is also no big deal for this card.

For tower nothing better than a CM690 for around 5000. CM ELITE series are cheaper options starting from 2500

what else is left .......??

 

[raghumailbox]

Is there any motherbaord with all these following features -

HDMI 1.4a for 3D
Optical Audio out
wifi Ready
Onboard graphic - ATI/Nvidia
USB 3.0

 

[Staxxx]

Hi, after doing research for over one month, I had a high-spec PC built by Dinesh of Aashirwad Computers for my media (mainly photography but you can add a good sound card if required). They were the most responsive team I could get (better than Golchaa IT) and also they had it delivered to my house within one day. They did not charge anything extra for the build. I recommend them.
My specs are not relevant as the budget was slightly higher. But members here are super knowledgeable about specs and will guide you.

 

[raghumailbox]

Hi Staxxx, it would be great if you can share the specs with price and pics.

 

[Staxxx]

I am not sure if I am allowed to publish it here. If not, Mods please delete this post:

Here are the specs and price - Rs 55,000 total.
Intel Core i-5 4570
Asus h87 Pro motherboard
Gskill Ripjaws 1,600 mhz 8Gb x 2 = 16 Gbs RAM
WD 1 TB Blue internal HDD
Samsung 840 -250 GB
Seasonic 520W PSU
NZXT Gamma case with extra fan
Multi-media Dell keyboard and mouse
Samsung x24 DVD writer
Transcend multi-card reader

 

[arnprasad]

Thanks Staxx..will visit SP road this weekend. Thankfully my laptop got repaired..so not desperate any more..but all my files are in my 2TB external hard drive..so I any ways ahve to spend 7K for another hard drive to back it up..dont mind adding another 15-20K or so and have a full multimedia tower instead. Will visit Aashirwad. thx

 

[Staxxx]

I must say that I am surprised. I have bought at least two other items from them after I bought the PC - external drive and some other component and have always had them delivered to me on time. They have always been very professional. I spoke to one of the system builders and they said they put together over 20 computers each day.

Why don't you speak directly to Dinesh at Aashirwad. I was recommended them/him by some other FMs here and wasn't disappointed.

 

[arnprasad]

Hi..Last month got myself a htpc assembled at SP Road..paid 32 K for intel 4th gen i5, 2TB, no graphics...overkill for htpc but i also needed a powerful replacement for my laptop.

Anyways..i am connecting my htpc to my receiver via HDMI. however the picture/video from my htpc seems to be larger than my 50 inch plasma screen - its like the 5% on all four sides of the picture are outside my TV screen...resulting in difficulties in accessing for example, the close window X icon on top right corner...what settings on my HTPC do I change to ensure its output exactly fits my TV? Thx

 

[baijuxavior]

Open the graphics control panel and look for a setting called 'overscan' and adjust it for your display.

 

[arnprasad]

thanks to both of you..tried higher and lower settings and nothing seems to work. whenever i change setting i get a notification saying 1200X780 is the optimal resolution...I have a Panny 50XT50..looked at the specs sheet and tried that resolution as well..1024X768 ...doesnt work either.:sad:

i also did not see the option of over scan...i see display and under it 'resolution' which i tried to change

 

[manniraj]

I think try and update the graphics drivers. It should do the trick.

 

[Rockfella]

With all due respect a media player can never give audio/video/future upgradibility headroom like HTPC. Users who have used media players and have switched over to htpc will vouch for what i said

Why not thinking of a good HD media player? Does everything that you have mentioned and also compact in size, smart in power consumption and specialized to do only this.

 

[Rockfella]

You'll have to keep HTPC reso from video drivers same as your plasma tv i guess.