[teeedubb]

I see a few conflicts with your build:

No Netflix in Linux easily.
Poor amd gpu support in Linux. http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=ne...px=MTEyNDk
You can't install windows on a usb drive.

[mossywell]

Depending on the software they use for rendering, it might be OK. It's hard to say. I would search for users with experience using E-350/E-450 and Lovefilm.

Yes, they also use Silverlight.

Re the Intel v AMD discussion, it looks like that one going to run and run, so I'll do some more background reading.

I see a few conflicts with your build:

No Netflix in Linux easily.
Poor amd gpu support in Linux. http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=ne...px=MTEyNDk
You can't install windows on a usb drive.

Yes, it's looking like it has to be Windows. A Live Windows 7 USB is trivial, so I'll go with that as I really don't mind which OS I go with. But rusty on VMS having said that.

[bluray]

- ASUS E45M1-I DELUXE

Since your are planning to stream Netflix (1080p), I'm recommending this combination instead- "Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor G620 2.6GHz+GIGABYTE GA-H61N-USB3"....you'll have better experience with Netflix HD streaming...

Does that mean the Asus E45M-1 won't work? As in, I thought that if it works, it works. Or will full HD streaming look worse on the Asus?
EDIT: I should explain why the Asus? Passive cooling basically. I've read the reviews that say it's one of the few boards that runs Full HD streaming with passive cooling. If I go the Gigabyte mobo, I guess I have to stick a Zalman on similar on top?

I had E-350 and G530. The E-350 and E-450 are the same chip. The E-350 struggled with Netflix HD, but G530 handled it easily.....

---

Yes, it's looking like it has to be Windows. A Live Windows 7 USB is trivial, so I'll go with that as I really don't mind which OS I go with. But rusty on VMS having said that.

For Netflix HD, you'll be very happy with Windows....

[mossywell]

After much research and based on these replies (and at this point, many thanks to all those that have replied - I has been really useful), it looks like I can draw the following conclusions:

- An embedded AMD APU E-450 based system (or even E-350), e.g. ASUS E45M1-I DELUXE, will be compact, "silent" and low powered and generally do everything I need reliably except 1080p Silverlight (e.g. Netflix HD, Lovefilm and so on). Some have reported that it works fine but other have said it's "stop starty" (technical lingo!). Clearly, it's on the borderline of working well and I'd be taking a chance.
- Moving up to an AMD A6 based system or an Intel G530 based system (e.g. Celeron) will overcome the 1080p Silverlight problem, but at a cost: noise, space and possibly money. The mobo+CPU combo is cost-neutral compared with the E-450 system. But, CPU cooling can go two ways:
--- Active cooling: this (with a stock fan) will add noise and space. Or, with a proper "silent" CPU fan will be much quieter but add $ and sometimes take up more space.
--- Passive cooling via the case itself, which meets the original acquirement that the E-450 meets (low space usages and "silent"), but it adds significantly to the cost.
- As with the old MS v *nix, the more recent MS v Apple, and more recently still, iOS v Android conversations, there are enthusiasts / zealots on both sides. The only real discernible difference I could find is that a Linux-based system has a greater chance of working on Intel than AMD. Windows nullifies this as it works on both. (Yes, I'd read about all the subtle differences but won't repeat them here as they're not relevant.)

Given that I need the Silverlight 1080p working reliably, in order to keep the power as low as possible, I'm thinking of something like:
- Intel Celeron 2.4 G530
- An H67 mobo (I need RAID as per the OP, so an H61 won't do)
- Go with the stock cooler for now and see how loud it is - I can always retro-fit one if necessary
- Case - I have dead Popcorn Hour C200 (worse bit of kit I've every owned combined with derisory support!) which has a rather nice ITX case I'll scavange.
- A couple of WD Greens 2.5 inch
- Windows 7 - probably on a live USB.
- Unsure about the IR control yet, but I have a Logitech Harmony, and from what I've read, it should be easy therefore.

Any thoughts on this?

[bluray]

Given that I need the Silverlight 1080p working reliably, in order to keep the power as low as possible, I'm thinking of something like:
- Intel Celeron 2.4 G530
- An H67 mobo (I need RAID as per the OP, so an H61 won't do)
- Go with the stock cooler for now and see how loud it is - I can always retro-fit one if necessary
- Case - I have dead Popcorn Hour C200 (worse bit of kit I've every owned combined with derisory support!) which has a rather nice ITX case I'll scavange.
- A couple of WD Greens 2.5 inch
- Windows 7 - probably on a live USB.
- Unsure about the IR control yet, but I have a Logitech Harmony, and from what I've read, it should be easy therefore.

Any thoughts on this?

It seems to be a good plan to me....

[mossywell]

Cool, cheers.