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Introducing my HP Microserver N36L using WHS2011 + XBMC - Printable Version

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- baldmosher - 2011-12-13 12:24

Digital Vortex Wrote:Easy! Get the HTPC first, small case and a SSD Wink

Then the question you can ask her is 'where does the media come from?'
Laugh

That's brilliant!! But I think she might divorce me if I try that. She is exceptionally good at smelling a ruse. Easier to just spend the money in secret, and then show her how amazing it all is afterwards.

I'm buying the Microserver first as the need is greatest (too many different devices switched on in the apartment at the moment) and also in the hope that adding a HD5450 card means I won't actually need to buy an HTPC for a while afterwards! I want to play with VMware for a while and this will be an educational tool. That's my excuse, anyway. It'll buy me some time until Ivy Bridge comes out.....

PS if you want to help support my project, click here Wink


- TimeToMuskUp - 2011-12-13 18:50

As a total beginner at this I've stumbled here and wonder if you can help. I've got a microserver N40L running WHS2011 with the ASUS branded HD6450 1GB DDR3 but I'm struggling (actually totally failing) to get any HDMI out from the card.

Have tried the usual stuff - different cables and two different TV's (every input) - Panny TH42pz800 & Bravia KD26EX320 but nothing gives.

Obviously vital for the sound over HDMI output, and hoped to start with XBMC but all on hold now. Have tried Catalyst 11.11 and back to 11.6 but no joy.

Is it me or a dodgy card?


- g725s - 2011-12-13 19:07

baldmosher Wrote:I'm buying the Microserver first as the need is greatest (too many different devices switched on in the apartment at the moment) and also in the hope that adding a HD5450 card means I won't actually need to buy an HTPC for a while afterwards!

Like Qlink has done here, you get both in one box. I'm headed this route for now and when HDD prices fall, and they should mid to late next year, that is when I'll hopefully rebuild my setup. But in the meantime also I'll buy the other parts on sale for both a dedicated HTPC and larger server.


- QLink - 2011-12-13 19:28

TimeToMuskUp Wrote:As a total beginner at this I've stumbled here and wonder if you can help. I've got a microserver N40L running WHS2011 with the ASUS branded HD6450 1GB DDR3 but I'm struggling (actually totally failing) to get any HDMI out from the card.

Have tried the usual stuff - different cables and two different TV's (every input) - Panny TH42pz800 & Bravia KD26EX320 but nothing gives.

Obviously vital for the sound over HDMI output, and hoped to start with XBMC but all on hold now. Have tried Catalyst 11.11 and back to 11.6 but no joy.

Is it me or a dodgy card?


do you have a normal pc screen with hdmi connection, just for trying ?
if you use dvi you get a picture ?

do you have a hdmi->dvi converter for trying ?

maybe try dvi -> vga on your TVs if this works, just to minimize possible error causes...


- g725s - 2011-12-13 20:53

Qlink,
Do you by chance have any good links that describe setting up WHS 2011 and XBMC?


- TimeToMuskUp - 2011-12-13 20:54

QLink Wrote:do you have a normal pc screen with hdmi connection, just for trying ?
if you use dvi you get a picture ?

do you have a hdmi->dvi converter for trying ?

maybe try dvi -> vga on your TVs if this works, just to minimize possible error causes...

Thanks for reply.

I get vga output from the card to the PC in on the tv. Have no DVI adaptor to try as yet but will pick one up. Tried the HDMI to other TV as additional display (duplicate, extend etc) but no joy. Thinking of trying an Nvidia equivalent but went for 6450 for performance/power draw in the first place and plenty of others have success so stumped really.

TV also works perfectly via HDMI as laptop additional display.


- JasonSTX - 2011-12-13 21:42

TimeToMuskUp Wrote:Thanks for reply.

I get vga output from the card to the PC in on the tv. Have no DVI adaptor to try as yet but will pick one up. Tried the HDMI to other TV as additional display (duplicate, extend etc) but no joy. Thinking of trying an Nvidia equivalent but went for 6450 for performance/power draw in the first place and plenty of others have success so stumped really.

TV also works perfectly via HDMI as laptop additional display.

I picked up the ASUS EAH6450 (Asus like yours) and HDMI worked out of the box (Even in the BIOS screen) with my N40L.

I picked Windows 7 as my OS as this is mainly a XBMC/Sab/Sickbeard box.

I also grabbed 2x 3TB external WD drives from Costco for $119 each, removed the drives and made them internal. Using the 250GB drive as a system drive, the others for TV/Movies/Music (Mirrored).

I figure I have another slot to add a drive if things get tight, or I can throw caution to the wind, break the mirror and double my space.


- QLink - 2011-12-13 22:15

g725s Wrote:Qlink,
Do you by chance have any good links that describe setting up WHS 2011 and XBMC?

all links i found useful for this project are in this thread.
there is no need for any special configuration...

install whs 2011
install newest catalyst (nothing special configured except overscan option)
install xbmc (enable dxva)
thats it Wink

TimeToMuskUp Wrote:Thanks for reply.

I get vga output from the card to the PC in on the tv. Have no DVI adaptor to try as yet but will pick one up. Tried the HDMI to other TV as additional display (duplicate, extend etc) but no joy. Thinking of trying an Nvidia equivalent but went for 6450 for performance/power draw in the first place and plenty of others have success so stumped really.

TV also works perfectly via HDMI as laptop additional display.

sounds like you got a defective HD6450...

i'm afraid you need to return it Sad
for me it worked out of the box...

opened the N36L
installed HD6450
connected TV with N36L through HDMI
booted up and installed whs+software

didn't do anything special.


- TimeToMuskUp - 2011-12-13 22:25

Thanks all. Will go for a replacement 6450 then and try to claim back the hours of life wasted trying every other option.

Out of interest would you recommend an uninstall of catalyst before change and a fresh start or just a straight swap of card?


- QLink - 2011-12-13 23:35

imho there's no need for uninstalling drivers...

just swap the cards Nod