[CT-Mike]

Hello all,

I finally decided to build a HTPC after listening to my kid bug me about it for awhile. Plan is to run XBMCbuntu to stream rips.

Here is my list of components that UPS says will be here tomorrow:

- Fractal Design Black Aluminum / Steel Node 605 FD-CA-NODE-605-BL ATX Media Center / HTPC Case
- G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL
- SAMSUNG 840 Series MZ-7TD120BW 2.5" 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
- Intel Core i3-3225 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 55W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 4000 BX80637I33225
- Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply
- ASRock H77M LGA 1155 Intel H77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

What do you all think? Will this system be able to handle playing full Blu-Ray rips, or do I need to upgrade to a quad-core processor?
Also, will XBMCbuntu support a bluetooth keyboard, or do I need additional software for that? I am new to XBMC and Linux so I don't really know what I am in for.

Thanks,

Mike

[Dougie Fresh]

This will definitely support Blu-ray rips. A Celeron mobile 847 can play Blu-ray rips, even high bit-rate ones so that's easy.

I will defer to someone else about Bluetooth and Linux.

[GortWillSaveUs]

What do you all think? Will this system be able to handle playing full Blu-Ray rips, or do I need to upgrade to a quad-core processor?
Also, will XBMCbuntu support a bluetooth keyboard, or do I need additional software for that? I am new to XBMC and Linux so I don't really know what I am in for.

I agree with Dougie, the i3 is more than sufficient for what you want to do.
and XBMC is pretty easy to pick up and understand by playing with it and using it.

However,...Linux,..not so much. Do you have any command line or scripting knowledge?
Linux is not really a beast, so don't let me intimidate you,...but it can be a pain, just like every other OS out there.
The good thing is that you can always ask questions on this forum.

Good luck and make sure to post pictures when complete.

[Audible101]

I would try the TRINTY APu's much much better video performance than the HD4000

[Dougie Fresh]

Plan is to run XBMCbuntu to stream rips.

I would try the TRINTY APu's much much better video performance than the HD4000

For XBMCbuntu, OpenELEC or any other flavor of Linux, AMD does not have the kind of driver support Intel or Nvidia does. I would not go with AMD for Linux.

As far as video performance goes, for 1080p Blu-ray rips, there's no difference in performance among modern integrated GPUs.