Topic: HTPC Setup, Your expertise is a big help. :)

[j3yps]

Hi,

as i've said in another thread i'm planning on setting up an HTPC that will be used for viewing Full HD 1080p 3D movies, and with a little bit of gaming on the side (Diablo III and something else that is not that graphics intensive).

My budget is up to P30,000, i'm not sure what else to look for(your suggestions will definitely by appreciated) but for now i need an HTPC with OPTICAL OUT and ofcourse HDMI that can serve my future Projector (either Panasonic AE8000 or Epson 5020).

Thanks

[raider125jeigh]

wow taas ng budget nyo sir .....


eto para saken

INTEL i3 or i5 proc
Mobo
Dedicated VC ATI 7770
Silverstone or Lian Li casing
80Gb ssd
2TB HD
80plus PSU
4GB rAM

[j3yps]

wow taas ng budget nyo sir .....


eto para saken

INTEL i3 or i5 proc
Mobo
Dedicated VC ATI 7770
Silverstone or Lian Li casing
80Gb ssd
2TB HD
80plus PSU
4GB rAM

Thank you for your suggestion sir, is ATI better than Nvidia?

[raider125jeigh]

Thank you for your suggestion sir, is ATI better than Nvidia?

for HT yes for gaming 50/50

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

Change your ssd to higher capacity if you plan to play games 80gb will not be enough.

[j3yps]

Change your ssd to higher capacity if you plan to play games 80gb will not be enough.

that's the plan sir.

More suggestions pls.

[j3yps]

what can you say about this setup?
http://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/performance-htpc/

May mga components ba na dapat palitan or would it be overkill na for the setup?

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

what can you say about this setup?
http://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/performance-htpc/

May mga components ba na dapat palitan or would it be overkill na for the setup?

Change the video card to ATI and that is fod to go.

[dodie]

Change the video card to ATI and that is fod to go.

yun hindi nakatiis ang fan boy

[ninjababez®]

yun hindi nakatiis ang fan boy

for htpc naman and on the fly lamang talaga ati bro

[j3yps]

Ok sirs i modified the selection a bit (pls tell me if there's something wrong with the setup)

Case:
Bitfenix Prodigy
http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/prodigy/

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-Z77N-WIFI LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4337#ov

Processor:
Intel Core i5 3570 6M Cache, 3.40 GHz (Quad Core)

Graphics Card:
Radeon HD 6870 1GB (will this be enough for my purpose? i prefer to use this card, because this will serve as a hackintosh too, but if this will limit my HTPC setup i'm willing to give up the hackintosh part, so if you have a better suggestion pls do tell me)

Ram:
G.SKILL 8GB (2 x 4GB) Ripjaws DDR3 1600MHz

PSU:
Corsair CX Series™ CX500M 80Plus-Bronze APFC Modular (If this will fit the case, also welcome for suggestions.)
http://www.corsair.com/en/cx-series-cx500m-modular-atx-power-supply-500-watt-80-plus-bronze-certified-modular-psu.html

Optical Drive:
Lite On 12x Internal Blu-ray Drive


I already have these

HDD(no need for SSDs at the moment) :
1pc WD 1TB Caviar Black
2pc WD 4TB Caviar Black
1pc Buffalo 4TB USB 3.0
1pc WD MyBook 3TB USB 3.0

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

yun hindi nakatiis ang fan boy

Oi wag ka sige mag nvidia ka comparenmo sa ati na vc sa htpc on stock no tweaking. Even nga tweak mo both ati pa din ako. Sabi ko nga ill be getting the Oppo so pag nag suggest ako oppo pag my oppo na ako fan boy na din di ba puwede masaya lang sa device bago maging fan boy? Haha

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

Ok sirs i modified the selection a bit (pls tell me if there's something wrong with the setup)

Case:
Bitfenix Prodigy
http://www.bitfenix.com/global/en/products/chassis/prodigy/

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-Z77N-WIFI LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4337#ov

Processor:
Intel Core i5 3570 6M Cache, 3.40 GHz (Quad Core)

Graphics Card:
Radeon HD 6870 1GB (will this be enough for my purpose? i prefer to use this card, because this will serve as a hackintosh too, but if this will limit my HTPC setup i'm willing to give up the hackintosh part, so if you have a better suggestion pls do tell me)

Ram:
G.SKILL 8GB (2 x 4GB) Ripjaws DDR3 1600MHz

PSU:
Corsair CX Series™ CX500M 80Plus-Bronze APFC Modular (If this will fit the case, also welcome for suggestions.)
http://www.corsair.com/en/cx-series-cx500m-modular-atx-power-supply-500-watt-80-plus-bronze-certified-modular-psu.html

Optical Drive:
Lite On 12x Internal Blu-ray Drive


I already have these

HDD(no need for SSDs at the moment) :
1pc WD 1TB Caviar Black
2pc WD 4TB Caviar Black
1pc Buffalo 4TB USB 3.0
1pc WD MyBook 3TB USB 3.0

O suggest get the 77xx series of ATI mas ok siya in terms of features.

[mfarroyo]

May I suggest that you start by settling with the HTPC software first (personally, I use OpenELEC @ www.openelec.tv) ... then work backwards by using the hardware that it supports. That way, you will have less issues on compatibility.

Give some thought on how you are going to connect your HTPC to your Home Theater. Is it going to be via HDMI (so you can take advantage of the loss-less audio codecs ... but your AVR should be able to decode the bitstream)?

Give some time and thought also as to how you are going to control your HTPC ... is it via Infrared (and if so, you will have to get some compatible IR sensor to work with your HTPC), or will you go and use a tablet to control it (so you will have to connect your HTPC to a WiFi Access Point/Router)?

Best of luck to you ... its going to be a rewarding hobby! Expensive but rewarding ...

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

May I suggest that you start by settling with the HTPC software first (personally, I use OpenELEC @ www.openelec.tv) ... then work backwards by using the hardware that it supports. That way, you will have less issues on compatibility.

Give some thought on how you are going to connect your HTPC to your Home Theater. Is it going to be via HDMI (so you can take advantage of the loss-less audio codecs ... but your AVR should be able to decode the bitstream)?

Give some time and thought also as to how you are going to control your HTPC ... is it via Infrared (and if so, you will have to get some compatible IR sensor to work with your HTPC), or will you go and use a tablet to control it (so you will have to connect your HTPC to a WiFi Access Point/Router)?

Best of luck to you ... its going to be a rewarding hobby! Expensive but rewarding ...

Question on the openelec can you install software like powerdvd and the likes? Can i use xmbc and integrate a external player like powrdvd on the xmbc?

[ninjababez®]

May I suggest that you start by settling with the HTPC software first (personally, I use OpenELEC @ www.openelec.tv) ... then work backwards by using the hardware that it supports. That way, you will have less issues on compatibility.

Give some thought on how you are going to connect your HTPC to your Home Theater. Is it going to be via HDMI (so you can take advantage of the loss-less audio codecs ... but your AVR should be able to decode the bitstream)?

Give some time and thought also as to how you are going to control your HTPC ... is it via Infrared (and if so, you will have to get some compatible IR sensor to work with your HTPC), or will you go and use a tablet to control it (so you will have to connect your HTPC to a WiFi Access Point/Router)?

Best of luck to you ... its going to be a rewarding hobby! Expensive but rewarding ...

may mga trial versions naman nung mga apps bago nya bilihin.

[mfarroyo]

OpenELEC is a bare-metal installer. That means it provides its own operating system (a variant of Ubuntu Linux) that boots in a few seconds to XBMC (so you, the end user, are actually dealing with XBMC). In fact, you can install OpenELEC to a thumbdrive so that you can test it with your hardware without installing it to a hard disk. In fact, if you so wish, you can set it up that way, so that you can pretty much reserve your hard disks for your data.

I strongly suggest that you go to their site so that you can see its features and assess if it is for you. If you are a Windows user, don't be put off by the fact that you won't be running this on Windows, as most often you won't be interacting with the underlying OS ... just with XBMC. Of course, if you intend to run the latest Windows games on it, then this is not for you. If however, you are looking for a simple, system that will allow you to manage and play your videos and music, then I urge you to at least take a look.

I am in no way connected to OpenELEC, so my opinions above, are just that ... opinions formed through usage. In the end, go with the system that best suits your needs. Give me a holler if there are things that I might be able to help you with.

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

OpenELEC is a bare-metal installer. That means it provides its own operating system (a variant of Ubuntu Linux) that boots in a few seconds to XBMC (so you, the end user, are actually dealing with XBMC). In fact, you can install OpenELEC to a thumbdrive so that you can test it with your hardware without installing it to a hard disk. In fact, if you so wish, you can set it up that way, so that you can pretty much reserve your hard disks for your data.

I strongly suggest that you go to their site so that you can see its features and assess if it is for you. If you are a Windows user, don't be put off by the fact that you won't be running this on Windows, as most often you won't be interacting with the underlying OS ... just with XBMC. Of course, if you intend to run the latest Windows games on it, then this is not for you. If however, you are looking for a simple, system that will allow you to manage and play your videos and music, then I urge you to at least take a look.

I am in no way connected to OpenELEC, so my opinions above, are just that ... opinions formed through usage. In the end, go with the system that best suits your needs. Give me a holler if there are things that I might be able to help you with.

Have you tested this one? As i ask can you install any software on the openelec like powerdvd and the likes. Can i customize the xmbc by putting a external player on it? I like this setup us the xmbc player thus not support 3D playing. I already check the site but i can"t see this one. If you happen to use this please share your experience not so members no the actuak features of this software or OS.

[mfarroyo]

I actually use the software, and as a media player, I find it easy to use and quite stable. Coupled with an Android remote control, its usability is quite good.

I haven't tried 3D here at all, and so I can't comment on that, but 2D supports practically any file I have thrown at it (including loss-less codecs like DTS-MA). I don't think it would be possible to run PowerDVD here though, as I believe that's a Windows based application. But what you can do is, do the mastering outside of this unit, and transfer it here via Windows share, before playing.

You can RIP CDs directly to MP3 or FLAC, but I don't think blu-ray RIP is supported as of yet (have not tried to RIP a DVD directly as well, so I can't comment also).

So, if you are looking for a playback and management (library) device, I would urge you to give it a try. But if your needs are more than that (mastering/backup/editing or Windows gaming), then this might not be the solution.

I am attaching links of OpenELEC running on a Raspberry Pi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VdWk-Ptj_Y and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls3kHbxhu4Q). Hopefully, these will illustrate what the software is capable of (take note that it does not require a super powerful CPU to run this, but a good, supported video card is important).

Whichever solution you finally settle on, I wish you countless hours of enjoyment on your HTPC!

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

I think the thread starter will use the PJ to watch 3D and if he choose the openelec he can't play a 3D bluray then as the PJ support 3D.

[mfarroyo]

Thanks for that clarification xrampage.

The 3D functions are part of the file to be played (side-by-side, frame packing, etc.) ... the display device normally detects this and displays it accordingly. OpenELEC is not an application all by itself ... rather it uses XBMC to decode the file and output it to the display. In theory, it should work, but as I haven't tried it, I am reluctant to make any claims.

I can try it later and post the results here.

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

Thanks for that clarification xrampage.

The 3D functions are part of the file to be played (side-by-side, frame packing, etc.) ... the display device normally detects this and displays it accordingly. OpenELEC is not an application all by itself ... rather it uses XBMC to decode the file and output it to the display. In theory, it should work, but as I haven't tried it, I am reluctant to make any claims.

I can try it later and post the results here.

I think your player is the xmbc and i already tried with windows xmbc and 3Dwont play as 3D as it does not support yet even full bluray menu xmbc does not support it plays the main movie though for iso files.

[nerveblocker]

Mfarroyo-- nice to hear from a fellow HTPC enthusiast.  How do you go about installing the drivers for your hardware?  The thing that turned me off with Ubuntu Linux running XBMC is its immature support for Video Cards which bitstream HD Audio.  Also its support for Bluray and DRM removal isn't as efficient as Windows.  Video Acceleration can only be had with Nvidia through VDPAU but I guess with AMD stuttering persists due to lack of support in video acceleration.

[j3yps]

Ok i think i'll be getting the PowerColor HD 7790 OC, will this be enough to provide full hd 3d to an Epson 5020 or Panasonic AE8000? Do i need additional software (in Nvidia's case i still need to purchase their software for the video card to be able to send 3d signals to a display)

Also i noticed that the PJs that i'm eyeing isn't on the hardware compatibility list of the 7790, is this going to be a problem?

Thanks

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

Mfarroyo-- nice to hear from a fellow HTPC enthusiast.  How do you go about installing the drivers for your hardware?  The thing that turned me off with Ubuntu Linux running XBMC is its immature support for Video Cards which bitstream HD Audio.  Also its support for Bluray and DRM removal isn't as efficient as Windows.  Video Acceleration can only be had with Nvidia through VDPAU but I guess with AMD stuttering persists due to lack of support in video acceleration.

+1

Ok i think i'll be getting the PowerColor HD 7790 OC, will this be enough to provide full hd 3d to an Epson 5020 or Panasonic AE8000? Do i need additional software (in Nvidia's case i still need to purchase their software for the video card to be able to send 3d signals to a display)

Also i noticed that the PJs that i'm eyeing isn't on the hardware compatibility list of the 7790, is this going to be a problem?

Thanks

Basta new model na VC puwede yan regarding the nvidia naman si ko sure kung need mo pa nung software nila kasi ang lalo na sa movies mo gagamitin meron naman powerdvd and the likes to play your 3D movies.

[j3yps]

+1

Basta new model na VC puwede yan regarding the nvidia naman si ko sure kung need mo pa nung software nila kasi ang lalo na sa movies mo gagamitin meron naman powerdvd and the likes to play your 3D movies.

Meaning sir, for ATI cards walang ng extra software needed to send Full HD 3D Movie signal to my PJ/Receiver?

[DTNS]

Ok i think i'll be getting the PowerColor HD 7790 OC, will this be enough to provide full hd 3d to an Epson 5020 or Panasonic AE8000? Do i need additional software (in Nvidia's case i still need to purchase their software for the video card to be able to send 3d signals to a display)

Also i noticed that the PJs that i'm eyeing isn't on the hardware compatibility list of the 7790, is this going to be a problem?

Thanks

it's more than enough. even a 7750 would do for playing 3D content.

[mfarroyo]

Mfarroyo-- nice to hear from a fellow HTPC enthusiast.  How do you go about installing the drivers for your hardware?  The thing that turned me off with Ubuntu Linux running XBMC is its immature support for Video Cards which bitstream HD Audio.  Also its support for Bluray and DRM removal isn't as efficient as Windows.  Video Acceleration can only be had with Nvidia through VDPAU but I guess with AMD stuttering persists due to lack of support in video acceleration.

I fully agree ... that's why I would recommend to settle for the application first, then choose the hardware that it supports. I first came across this software when I was using the Xtreamer Ultra (ION-based hardware). I have since upgraded my hardware to support the lossless codecs but still used the same software, OpenELEC. My suggestion, if you already have the hardware, is to install OpenELEC onto a USB key, then boot from there. That means you won't have to install anything onto your existing drives. That way, you can test all the features, compatibility and so on, before making a switch ... if at all.

By the way, as promised, I tried to run a 3D file last night and I was able to successfully project it in 3D. I encountered a problem though with the automatic detection of the 3D type and had to manually select side-by-side to make things run properly. Am not sure if the problem is due to the file, or to OpenELEC, or to something else.

Happy viewing fellow PDVD'ers!

[≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦]

I fully agree ... that's why I would recommend to settle for the application first, then choose the hardware that it supports. I first came across this software when I was using the Xtreamer Ultra (ION-based hardware). I have since upgraded my hardware to support the lossless codecs but still used the same software, OpenELEC. My suggestion, if you already have the hardware, is to install OpenELEC onto a USB key, then boot from there. That means you won't have to install anything onto your existing drives. That way, you can test all the features, compatibility and so on, before making a switch ... if at all.

By the way, as promised, I tried to run a 3D file last night and I was able to successfully project it in 3D. I encountered a problem though with the automatic detection of the 3D type and had to manually select side-by-side to make things run properly. Am not sure if the problem is due to the file, or to OpenELEC, or to something else.

Happy viewing fellow PDVD'ers!

Bluray 3D is not side by side by the way if he will use bluray disc. Did you play a bluray disc or a side by side mkv 3D?

Meaning sir, for ATI cards walang ng extra software needed to send Full HD 3D Movie signal to my PJ/Receiver?

The software like powerdvd and the likes can play 3D.

[mfarroyo]

Hi xrampage,

Sorry I was unclear. I used the side-by-side 3D mkv file, because that's what I had on-hand. I was not able to come by a frame-packed 3D file and so was unable to test it. Also, I don't have an external blu-ray drive attached to my HTPC and would be unable to play a blu-ray there.

I won't be able to share beyond what I have, and so, if there are other HTPC users reading this thread that feel adventurous, perhaps they can download the OpenELEC software, install it in a USB key, and try it out, then report back here on their experience.

Like with any software, some, like myself, will find it perfectly suited to their needs. Others might have more requirements that it won't address. Hopefully, by collectively reporting on all our experiences, good and bad, we can help out others that are going the same way. That's why I felt compelled to post and share in the first place.

I guess that's about it for me ....