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Hello,
I want to build my first HTPC/Download server to offload that activity from my main pc.
It will be a linux box with kodi, some torrent client (probably transmission) and SickBeard for automated TV download.
I'm wondering whether a Celeron base NUC would be sufficient and save me the 50$ or would I have to splurge on the Pentium?
Thx,
z
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TRaSH
Posting Freak
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Getting a separate nas and some kind of media player that mostly has limited support could be a option but could be expensive.
Problem with the nuc you don't have real storage space in it and then you need to play around with removable hard drives what makes it look messy.
That's why getting a small and powerful enough nas often a better choice.
Or get a bigger case and use the PC as mediaplayer with Kodi and download machine.
But it makes it also mostly noisier.
Which mediaplayer supports your needs depends on what kind if video and audio you want and what kind of support.
Like the wetek it looks promising but you need to wait for the hardware company till they are willing to update there Kodi version.
That's why I would choose something that supports the normal Kodi versions so I have the free choice what to install and use.
For some people a RPi 2 does all they need.
For example if you connect it straight to your tv.
LibreElec Kodi | Aeon MQ ?
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True, forgot to mention that. More expensive at the beginning but cheaper long term.
If you get the correct NAS for your needs, it can be years, 4-6, before you have to do anything to it.
With Kodi client, plenty of options under $200USD and that is the high end prices. These are changing rapidly...
AFTV (non-rooted + Kodi)
WD My Book Live NAS
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kuldan
Senior Member
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Well, the people above are correct in one regard - NUCs are severely limited if you need local storage. If you have any other means of getting content to your kodi, a NUC (what I use) is in almost all cases the best choice to make considering money and power consumption vs. size..
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HTPCs are no more or less a "thing of the past" than they were five years ago. The line between an embedded box and an HTPC is very blurry, anyways. All that matters is if it works for what a person needs.
The Celeron NUC is plenty fast enough for what you need, OP. Unless you feel like you would need a little more umph, I wouldn't worry much about it a lot.
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I got the Pentium solely because I like having a bit extra umph.
Everything I read suggests I have unneeded umph and could of saved $50, but that does not bother me.
I vote with the "GET A NAS" crowd. A big honking noisy PC in my entertainment center is not what I want. Heck... the NUC fan bugs the sh.... heck out of me. I'm gonna get a fanless case soon.
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noggin
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I can certainly hear the fan on my i5 Haswell NUC when it kicks in. And I'm more than 10 feet away. Doesn't worry me hugely - but I can definitely hear it.
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MicWit
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I have the celeron N3050 NUC. Wish I had gone something better (probably an i3) that had a bit faster clock speed and maybe more cores. I am having issues with certain files not playing smoothly, and when I went into the system monitor (I'm running Ubuntu), it has 1 (if not both) cores maxed out to 100% (this happens constantly if mythtv is recording anything).
With mythtv, I also find that playback sometimes freezes for up to 30sec and then fast forwards until it catches up. as soon as it freezes I look at the system monitor and the CPU is always maxed out.
