Is the Haswell NUC really worth it?
#61
(2013-11-25, 16:46)javiertoti Wrote: Does the intell NUC need a mSATA SSD or It can run XBMC from a USB 3.0 pendrive wihtout a hard drive?

I've seen in a box some strange specs that said it needs a mSATA hard drive.

XBMC needs an OS to run. If you want to run Windows or some sort of Linux you would need a mSATA. However if you only want to run XBMC then OPENElec will run off the USB drive with no need for the mSATA drive. As a matter of fact OPENElec recommends to disable the HD i.e mSATA or any HD when installing OPENElec.Wink

Before you consider the NUC Haswell for OPENElec, there are reports of Intel driver problems with the OPENElec build. Intel has released several new drivers but problems seem to persist. XBMC probably needs tweaking for the Haswell chip. If anybody has better info please post them.
Reply
#62
Problems will be solved in the near future.
Nightly build already works. The hard part Imynari solved a few days ago. Wink
Reply
#63
I surely hope so as I have a NUC Haswell in my wishlist.
Reply
#64
(2013-10-26, 13:35)ChopD Wrote: The above 2gb from Crucial is what I'd go for as well, the important factors being 1600, C=11, 1.35v, as I understand it from everything I've read.

Personally, I've gone with this single 4gb with a view to putting another one in at a later date:
http://www.crucial.com/eu/store/partspec...1264BF160B

Here's the official compatibility list for the Haswell which may help, should you have not seen it:
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboard...034475.htm

You may note that the ram I went for is not the 'J' version listed by Intel (the CT51264BF160B rather than the CT51264BF160BJ). I believe the difference relates to chip density, so the J has bigger but fewer chips on board to achieve the 4gb storage. This means the J draws a little less power, but other than that I don't think there's any difference.
Could you please confirm, if everything's ok for you?
Considering this thread Memory issue D54250WYK, I'm a bit worried about the non-J model.

edit: I think I see the difference - they are talking about kit and you are not.
So high density/double sided memory is ok, if you use a single stick?
Reply
#65
The current builds of Openelec posted in the forums work very well and can be run easily from a USB drive. Setting up native Ubuntu or Mint on the other hand was FAR more challenging in my case. The UEFI proved a real pita! I installed multiple distro only to have an unbolt able system. Grub rescue was able to solve this but it took a few tries to get the right combo of settings to fix it. I was never successful at getting audio out or the remote working but the remote solution is now known and posted in the other thread - the issue is a BIOS problem. Do update to the latest BIOS, hopefully Intel will solve this soon.

IMO go with Openelec! It's very polished, it all works, and you could skip the SSD if you chose to. Openelec requires only a few tweaks and many people are working together to make it smooth on the NUC. I've just ordered the parts for a second NUC, an i5, although the i3 I've already got suffers no performance issues at all. You won't need much memory but its cheap so that's up to you, both of my boxes will have 8gig but my second box will have a smaller SSD. I've yet to install Openelec to my SSD but if I run into boot issues I know how to solve them now. I expect to do that soon as my experience with the USB stick has been awesome. I will miss the full desktop and compiling XBMC as I have for years but this is far fewer headaches right now!

P.S. If you use an SQL server there's a tweak in Openelec you will need to use to delay startup of XBMC until after the network comes up or you won't be able to access the SQL server. Happy to find this option!
Openelec Gotham, MCE remote(s), Intel i3 NUC, DVDs fed from unRAID cataloged by DVD Profiler. HD-DVD encoded with Handbrake to x.264. Yamaha receiver(s)
Reply
#66
(2013-11-25, 17:05)husky55 Wrote:
(2013-11-25, 16:46)javiertoti Wrote: Does the intell NUC need a mSATA SSD or It can run XBMC from a USB 3.0 pendrive wihtout a hard drive?

I've seen in a box some strange specs that said it needs a mSATA hard drive.

XBMC needs an OS to run. If you want to run Windows or some sort of Linux you would need a mSATA. However if you only want to run XBMC then OPENElec will run off the USB drive with no need for the mSATA drive. As a matter of fact OPENElec recommends to disable the HD i.e mSATA or any HD when installing OPENElec.Wink

Before you consider the NUC Haswell for OPENElec, there are reports of Intel driver problems with the OPENElec build. Intel has released several new drivers but problems seem to persist. XBMC probably needs tweaking for the Haswell chip. If anybody has better info please post them.

(2013-12-01, 19:50)BLKMGK Wrote: The current builds of Openelec posted in the forums work very well and can be run easily from a USB drive. Setting up native Ubuntu or Mint on the other hand was FAR more challenging in my case. The UEFI proved a real pita! I installed multiple distro only to have an unbolt able system. Grub rescue was able to solve this but it took a few tries to get the right combo of settings to fix it. I was never successful at getting audio out or the remote working but the remote solution is now known and posted in the other thread - the issue is a BIOS problem. Do update to the latest BIOS, hopefully Intel will solve this soon.

IMO go with Openelec! It's very polished, it all works, and you could skip the SSD if you chose to. Openelec requires only a few tweaks and many people are working together to make it smooth on the NUC. I've just ordered the parts for a second NUC, an i5, although the i3 I've already got suffers no performance issues at all. You won't need much memory but its cheap so that's up to you, both of my boxes will have 8gig but my second box will have a smaller SSD. I've yet to install Openelec to my SSD but if I run into boot issues I know how to solve them now. I expect to do that soon as my experience with the USB stick has been awesome. I will miss the full desktop and compiling XBMC as I have for years but this is far fewer headaches right now!

P.S. If you use an SQL server there's a tweak in Openelec you will need to use to delay startup of XBMC until after the network comes up or you won't be able to access the SQL server. Happy to find this option!


Hi, sorry for the delay answering. Will I have problems with mSata and Openelec?


I'm doubting between D54250WYK and D34010WYK. I wish to play all kind of media files with a very fast menu. What should I do? Is it enough a D34010WYK with 4gb of ram or I will need a D54250WYK with 8gb?

I don't want to play videogames.


A LOT OF THANKS.
Reply
#67
D34010WYK will do the job without any problems, if u only intend to use it for Xbmc there is really no need for the i5.
I do have this combo with a Intel 30gb mSata running openElec, there are still small issues here and there but nothing major anymore..
Reply
#68
I have both the i3 and i5 NUC, honestly neither feels faster than the other. I got the i5 because it was available first and because I wanted to do other things with it and compile XBMC from source on that box. For day to day use the i3 makes the most sense for nearly everyone. They look EXACTLY the same and both perform terrific. The i5 probably performs a little better on benchmarks and the GPU is slightly "better" spec but I've found nothing that takes advantage of that running XBMC so don't sweat it.
Openelec Gotham, MCE remote(s), Intel i3 NUC, DVDs fed from unRAID cataloged by DVD Profiler. HD-DVD encoded with Handbrake to x.264. Yamaha receiver(s)
Reply
#69
How you can add ssd hard drive to that small case?
it is not coming with sata cable and power
Reply
#70
mSATA drive, about the size of a pack of gum and it slips into a dedicated slot like a wifi card.
Openelec Gotham, MCE remote(s), Intel i3 NUC, DVDs fed from unRAID cataloged by DVD Profiler. HD-DVD encoded with Handbrake to x.264. Yamaha receiver(s)
Reply
#71
(2014-01-14, 00:45)gamble Wrote: D34010WYK will do the job without any problems, if u only intend to use it for Xbmc there is really no need for the i5.
I do have this combo with a Intel 30gb mSata running openElec, there are still small issues here and there but nothing major anymore..

Are you talking about general issues from the NUC plataform or any specific issues with the D34010WYK? If it is the second case what are the problems?


(2014-01-14, 01:41)BLKMGK Wrote: I have both the i3 and i5 NUC, honestly neither feels faster than the other. I got the i5 because it was available first and because I wanted to do other things with it and compile XBMC from source on that box. For day to day use the i3 makes the most sense for nearly everyone. They look EXACTLY the same and both perform terrific. The i5 probably performs a little better on benchmarks and the GPU is slightly "better" spec but I've found nothing that takes advantage of that running XBMC so don't sweat it.


Very interesting. How many ram do you have 4gb or 8gb?


THANKS GUYS.
Reply
#72
I'm considering getting the D34010WYK for my HTPC to replace my ATV1. I want to have 5.1 audio on the HDMI jack and stereo output on the headphone jack at the same time. My receiver only takes analog input for Zone 2 and I don't want to have to change audio devices in XBMC each time. Both connections will connect through my Onkyo receiver. I currently do this on my ATV1 with CB2.

So in XBMC Audio setup:
Audio Output= HDMI
Speaker configuration=5.1
Audio output device = HDMI Output (whatever the device name is)-don't want to have to change this to Analog Audio Device
Passthrough output device= HDMI Output (whatever the device name is)

So when playing Music I would get sound from the HDMI and Stereo output. When playing Movies I would get HDMI 5.1 output.
I sometimes listen to Music with the receiver and TV on so I need audio through the HDMI. Other times I listen to Music only with Zone 2 on my receiver and the TV off. I know some sound boards provide simultaneous support for 5.1 channel sound playback, plus 2 channels of independent stereo sound output (multiple streaming) through the front panel stereo output.

Does anyone know if this is possible? Could someone test?
I would use either Windows 7 or Linux Mint as OS.
Reply

Logout Mark Read Team Forum Stats Members Help
Is the Haswell NUC really worth it?0