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Author Building Media Center PC - Specs Inside?
Pablo
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Registered: 3rd Feb 03
Location: Milton Keynes
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10th Feb 09 at 07:31   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H AMD 780G Socket AM2+ Motherboard
Arianet Synergy HTPC Media Centre Case
Sony BDU-X10S Blu-ray BD-ROM Black SATA Retail
OCZ 2GB PC2-8500 Reaper HPC (2x1GB)
ABIT AirPace Wireless 54 Mbps PCI-E Adapter
AMD Phenom X3 Triple-Core 8450 2.1GHz (Retail AM2+)

Basically I have a terra station and want to stream videos from this on the TV, but when I looked at these options for an extra £100 I could build a PC and have Blueray - To me made sense, opinions?
csweatherston
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Registered: 16th Jan 06
Location: Devon
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10th Feb 09 at 13:37   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

may struggle with some HD video's using that setup..
how about an MVP player?
found onre the other day for £100ish with usb input
xa0s
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Registered: 4th Mar 08
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10th Feb 09 at 13:43   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

You'll be fine playing 1080p using that. My HTPC is around the same sort of spec and I manage fine.

What OS you using, and what will you use it for?

I'm using mine to store thousands of DVDs and Blu-rays, and then stream them to the PS3 using PS3 Media Server -- it's superb and I'd highly recommend it if you have a PS3. You'd save a fortune if you did it this way.

I've just installed a Gigabit network and streaming 1080p is flawless.
Pablo
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Location: Milton Keynes
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10th Feb 09 at 14:15   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

quote:
Originally posted by xa0s
You'll be fine playing 1080p using that. My HTPC is around the same sort of spec and I manage fine.

What OS you using, and what will you use it for?

I'm using mine to store thousands of DVDs and Blu-rays, and then stream them to the PS3 using PS3 Media Server -- it's superb and I'd highly recommend it if you have a PS3. You'd save a fortune if you did it this way.

I've just installed a Gigabit network and streaming 1080p is flawless.
Its basically going to be connected to my Tv and amp via HDMI and Coaxail (Digital sound and picture) to play blueray films and stream films from my linkstation via the wireless network
xa0s
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10th Feb 09 at 15:11   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Wireless? Wouldn't advise it... It's awful for streaming anything HD.

Why can't you get sound through HDMI? My motherboard can do it...?
Pablo
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Location: Milton Keynes
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10th Feb 09 at 15:18   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

I havent tried it yet lol sure it can do sound but I have a 7.1 amp and speaker setup so may as well use it.

I only intend on streaming divx films and MP3 through the wireless not HD films
Toby
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10th Feb 09 at 15:22   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

You will have a job streaming wirelessly full size blu ray rips average around 40mbps - you have no chance over a 54mbps network even, your only chance would be with a Wireless N router but that may still have its problem. I would use a gigabit network - 1000mbps you will have no problems

edit: Does your avr not have hdmi in? i would future proof your build and make sure your htpc can do audio over hdmi!

What bitrate are the files you will be playing over the network?

[Edited on 10-02-2009 by CorsaB4ever]
xa0s
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10th Feb 09 at 15:25   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

quote:
Originally posted by Pablo
I havent tried it yet lol sure it can do sound but I have a 7.1 amp and speaker setup so may as well use it.

I only intend on streaming divx films and MP3 through the wireless not HD films

I don't understand. I have a 7.1 amp with 7.1 speakers and I use HDMI. HDMI carries more bandwidth than optical (etc) and it's ALWAYS to better option. You make it sound like because you have 7.1 you may as well use optical. Or am I misreading this?

quote:
Originally posted by CorsaB4ever
You will have a job streaming wirelessly full size blu ray rips average around 40mbps - you have no chance over a 54mbps network even, your only chance would be with a Wireless N router but that may still have its problem. I would use a gigabit network - 1000mbps you will have no problems

edit: Does your avr not have hdmi in? i would future proof your build and make sure your htpc can do audio over hdmi!

What bitrate are the files you will be playing over the network?

[Edited on 10-02-2009 by CorsaB4ever]

This man talks sense...
Pablo
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10th Feb 09 at 15:32   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Yeah I know that the wifi wont do HD.

Im plugging HDMI to TV and the Optical out on the mobo to the amp.

My amp doesnt have HDMI input
Toby
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10th Feb 09 at 15:35   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

but will your build be able to do audio over hdmi and i dont mean just stereo i mean multichannel audio?
I would also consider using a Wireless N adapter, yes exspensive but you have the ability to stream high quailty content.

edit: what will you be using as storage? i guess you are using esternal storage as you mentioned streaming


[Edited on 10-02-2009 by CorsaB4ever]
Pablo
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10th Feb 09 at 15:45   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

LinkStation 2TB Mirror - Divx films and MP3

The optical out does multi channel, I dont have HDMI INPUT on my amp ?!
Toby
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10th Feb 09 at 15:55   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Yes it does but if you ever want of the following things you will need HDMI multichannel audio
1) Hi Def audio - and i guess you will as you have 7.1 and plan to watch hi def video
2) When/if you upgrade your avr then the majority (at this present) have hdmi in so in a year or so's time then every avr will have HDMI in.

You using SMB then?
Andrew
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Registered: 5th May 04
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10th Feb 09 at 16:06   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

quote:
Originally posted by xa0s
Wireless? Wouldn't advise it... It's awful for streaming anything HD.

Why can't you get sound through HDMI? My motherboard can do it...?


Indeed, it's shit

I'm considering a home plug or the new N standard at the minute
Bart
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Registered: 19th Aug 02
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10th Feb 09 at 18:36   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

forget the PC mate. you want a popcorn hour -A110.

I recently swapped out my media center PC for a PCH-A110 and its simply amazing.

I posted information about it Here.

I now stream 12gb blu ray files over my network without a single stutter, its immense.

More Info.
In a nut shell, it will play ANY file type, over the network. You can include your own hard disk if you like (not essiental), but like you I stream my videos from a 3tb NAS.

If you can live without a DVD player (I cant remember the last time I played a dvd), then this is the thing to go for. Theres not a chance in hell id go back to windows after using this.

The software that goes hand in hand, will also download and sort all your video files out (download thumbnails, import data etc) based on your video file names, so my PCH now looks similar to this:







All that has been created without me messing around with files/images etc.

[Edited on 10-02-2009 by Bart]
John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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10th Feb 09 at 18:38   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Although a box that plays everything is good, £200 for a box with no storage isn't very good is it.

I'm sure I could build a system with no hard drive for that price.
Bart
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Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
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10th Feb 09 at 18:40   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

but do you want crappy windows thats restricted to certain files, stutters like bugger on even 350mb files?

I've been an avid media centre freak for the last two years and alway sworn by it, but having this for the last 4 weeks, I would have done it years ago had I known.

[Edited on 10-02-2009 by Bart]
John
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10th Feb 09 at 18:41   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Windows restricted to certain files, are you serious?
Bart
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10th Feb 09 at 18:55   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Windows MCE.
Sorry, I was talking about 'the media centre software'.

IMO, when you have a proper media centre box in the lounge (as I did), you only want to use the media remote control to stop/start things, you dont want to be f'ing around the cursor/mouse.

After owning a decent media cetre box, and chaning for the better, your not going to convince me
Toby
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10th Feb 09 at 23:16   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

Bart good choice! ive had my a110 for about 3 months now and i love mine. You using YAMJ at the moment?
ssj_kakarot
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Registered: 29th Apr 03
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11th Feb 09 at 02:38   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

hey ive got the same motherboard as you yes it will send 5.1 DTS/dolby through the hdmi cable, it is also very capable of every HD video .

and as for a media box why a pc is so much more flexable, and yes i use one remote to control my media centre no mouse or keyboard.

i use media portal which is such a nice piece of free software.

you can load tv episodes in and it gives pics/descriptions ect does the same for movies aswell, see below.







[Edited on 11-02-2009 by ssj_kakarot]
Pablo
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Registered: 3rd Feb 03
Location: Milton Keynes
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11th Feb 09 at 09:09   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

does that media portal work on XP then? Thasts what I'll prob use
ssj_kakarot
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11th Feb 09 at 16:34   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

yeah thats what i use xp, cant stand vista.
Pablo
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11th Feb 09 at 17:10   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

sweet motherboard arrives tomorrow everything else came today so will be building that after work
Toby
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11th Feb 09 at 17:17   View Garage View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

what case you putting it into?
Cavey
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: Derby
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11th Feb 09 at 17:36   View User's Profile U2U Member Reply With Quote

quote:
Arianet Synergy HTPC Media Centre Case

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