Windows ☆ Build #5
#31
(2013-09-11, 15:38)Dougie Fresh Wrote:
(2013-09-11, 06:22)thernld Wrote: I'm very close to putting together this build however I noticed the case doesn't have room for an optical drive (I was going to add a bluray drive to rip my movie collection directly into xmbc). Can anyone recommend a case that I can use?

I am not sure what your budget is but take a look at the Realan E-i7 mini-ITX case. It has a optical drive bay and a half-height expansion slot as well as a front IR window if you want to install an internal IR receiver behind it.

thanks for the suggestion that's a beautiful case, unfortunately a bit more than I wanted to spend. Trying to keep it in the $75 range including psu. I was considering the Antec ISK 300-150 but reviewers are saying the psu is terrible.

Apex MI-008 could also be what I'm looking for, anyone using this?
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#32
Can someone suggest a video card that will run with openELEC please? I am running this MB and CPU currently as a hackintosh, but I can't get the HDMI to handshake with my Yamaha RX-V1800 when I run openELEC off of a USB. All my amps/receivers etc are in the mechanical room in the basement so I can't just run the HDMI into the plasma upstairs at XBMC start up then unplug and plug into the RX-V1800. Having a GPU that plays nice with the hack is not a requirement.
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#33
Eskro,

I just bought all of the recommended parts and have put my build together. But I'm not sure as to what software I'm going to want to run on this device. I did buy a copy of Windows 7 Pro, 64bit. But I was thinking I might want to try out XMBCUbuntu.

I know for Windows, the current build is xmbc-12.2.exe. That 's a no brainer.

But for XMBCUbuntu, there are multiple different builds. Which of these would work with this hardware?

Thanks for all your help.
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#34
Intel x64 build by openelec.
Modded MK1 NUC - CLICK ----- NUC Wiki - CLICK

Bay Trail NUC FTW!

I've donated, have you?

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#35
(2013-09-29, 18:26)jammyb Wrote: Intel x64 build by openelec.

Not sure if that suggestion was for me, but I'm not looking for an OpenElec build. Like I said in my O.P., I would like to know which build of XMBCUbuntu would work on this hardware.
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#36
OpenELEC IME/IMO is better straight out of the box. Why do you want the buntu version?
Modded MK1 NUC - CLICK ----- NUC Wiki - CLICK

Bay Trail NUC FTW!

I've donated, have you?

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#37
I am wanting to upgrade my old HTPC to these specs and need some advice. I want to make this as silent as possible, my current machine is an old sony laptop, and man is it loud, so noise level is important to me to sooth the wife beast. is there a way to make this build fanless, or a really good, but really silent fan?
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#38
I'd get a slightly larger case (e.g. Realan E-i5) than in the original post and get a quiet low-profile CPU cooler like the Dynatron T459. If you want to go fanless, there are fanless cases like the Akasa Euler or at the top end cases by Streacom.
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#39
@dougie Sold on the Dynatron after reading your review, Will the 60w psu in the E-I5 be enough for the I3-3225 and GA-H77n gigabyte mobo?
i do need this to be able to do the whole 3D for the kids. PC parts picker shows usage at ~105 Watts, but that doesn't sound right.
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#40
(2013-10-02, 19:13)yxqzme2 Wrote: @dougie Sold on the Dynatron after reading your review, Will the 60w psu in the E-I5 be enough for the I3-3225 and GA-H77n gigabyte mobo?
i do need this to be able to do the whole 3D for the kids. PC parts picker shows usage at ~105 Watts, but that doesn't sound right.

I would go with the 84W AC adapter option. The internal DC powerboard can handle up to a 120W AC adapter. In my testing the i3-3225 with 4GB and SSD was around 30-40W watching videos and 70W running Prime95 Large FFT test. This was with a Kill-a-Watt meter but I also noted the 12V rail was still well within spec at full load.

The only issue you might run into with the GA-H77N-WIFI (and most other mini-ITX motherboards) is that it has only 1 x USB2 header. If you're planning to install an internal IR receiver it'll take up that header and not leave you a place to plug in the front USB ports. ASRock and Intel boards have a CIR header plus USB2 header and you can get a special CIR receiver from Inteset that'll plug into that CIR header which is RC6 compatible.
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#41
Hey I'm finally going to pull the trigger on a htpc. Should I get this Intel Core i3-3225 55W / Intel HD 4000 that is listed in the original post or should I go ahead and get the haswell i3? And if so which one should I get? I only ask because they are only like $7 - $20 more and may as well get the newest right - I know it's not necessary for a lot of htpc features but I figure may as well get the most power I can for a similar price.

However - I am very limited in my knowledge and don't know if the haswell will fit the build like the other one or if it is compatible. Anyone knowledgeable willing to shed some light on which one I should get that will work?
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#42
(2013-10-03, 20:50)kpc180 Wrote: Hey I'm finally going to pull the trigger on a htpc. Should I get this Intel Core i3-3225 55W / Intel HD 4000 that is listed in the original post or should I go ahead and get the haswell i3? And if so which one should I get? I only ask because they are only like $7 - $20 more and may as well get the newest right - I know it's not necessary for a lot of htpc features but I figure may as well get the most power I can for a similar price.

However - I am very limited in my knowledge and don't know if the haswell will fit the build like the other one or if it is compatible. Anyone knowledgeable willing to shed some light on which one I should get that will work?

See THIS
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#43
What are you´re requirements? 3D and so forth? I would go Haswell Pentium G3220 for less money (3D and Smart-TV.s are for donkeys anyway)
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#44
Oy thanks for the link. Looks like I'll be sticking with the i3 recommended in the build. It all seems a bit above my level right now to try and make the Haswell work with Windows 7 and XBMC. I'm not doing 3D but I did want to have emulators on there and figured the more computing power the better (I'd like to get HyperSpin running at some point). But I think I'd have a huge mess on my hands if I went with the haswell before it is all fixed and running right on current xbmc. Thanks for the help!

Also if I choose to get the Realan E-I7 mini-ITX HTPC / desktop computer case that will fit everything else listed right? And the power supply (84 Wat AC adapter) will be enough to handle streaming blu ray rips, xbmc, and playing emulators (N64 and Dreamcast)?
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#45
(2013-10-03, 22:27)kpc180 Wrote: Oy thanks for the link. Looks like I'll be sticking with the i3 recommended in the build. It all seems a bit above my level right now to try and make the Haswell work with Windows 7 and XBMC. I'm not doing 3D but I did want to have emulators on there and figured the more computing power the better (I'd like to get HyperSpin running at some point). But I think I'd have a huge mess on my hands if I went with the haswell before it is all fixed and running right on current xbmc. Thanks for the help!

Also if I choose to get the Realan E-I7 mini-ITX HTPC / desktop computer case that will fit everything else listed right? And the power supply (84 Wat AC adapter) will be enough to handle streaming blu ray rips, xbmc, and playing emulators (N64 and Dreamcast)?

Yes, it'll fit the i3-3225, Dynatron T459, mini-ITX motherboard, slot-load optical and 1 x 2.5" (2 x 2.5" "creatively") and it'll run with the 84W AC adapter. That configuration is actually one of the barebones options. It'll definitely play rips, 3D and XBMC, and lot of folks here have used the i3-3225 for emulators.

BTW, if you're anywhere near a MicroCenter they have a very good i3-3245 / mini-ITX bundle deal going on.
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