2008-08-26, 02:10
how does this shuttle stack up? only think i dont really like is that there is only 1 PCIe slot.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101039
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101039
2008-08-26, 02:56
Okay, I'll weigh in having been a proponent for the Shuttle for awhile now.
First of all no do not get the Shuttle you linked. Take a look at the pictures for that box - the back in particular. See which side the slots are on? If you install an NVIDIA fanless card it will interfere with the side of the case most likely. You want something like this -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101058 See the differences? Your's has slots on wrong side and no digital audio.
The XPC is PERFECT for XBMC but you need to pick one that either has a good enough onboard video (not Intel!) or one that has space for a good vid card. The fanless card I am using would work well. DO get a 45nm C2D, you will be clocking it to 3Ghz - MANY of them can do this. do not care how many slots the silly thing has so long as it has a digital output for a receiver or yeah analog if you swing that way (eww). The one I linked has all of that but there might be another that satisfies too - just watch the vid card clearance. Grab some cheap memory, CPU, good vid card, and an MCE remote like I used and you're good to go if you've got a HDD and optical laying around. To build a system like I did with a spiffy case etc. you'll spend more and have a bigger headache than just using the XPC....
First of all no do not get the Shuttle you linked. Take a look at the pictures for that box - the back in particular. See which side the slots are on? If you install an NVIDIA fanless card it will interfere with the side of the case most likely. You want something like this -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101058 See the differences? Your's has slots on wrong side and no digital audio.
The XPC is PERFECT for XBMC but you need to pick one that either has a good enough onboard video (not Intel!) or one that has space for a good vid card. The fanless card I am using would work well. DO get a 45nm C2D, you will be clocking it to 3Ghz - MANY of them can do this. do not care how many slots the silly thing has so long as it has a digital output for a receiver or yeah analog if you swing that way (eww). The one I linked has all of that but there might be another that satisfies too - just watch the vid card clearance. Grab some cheap memory, CPU, good vid card, and an MCE remote like I used and you're good to go if you've got a HDD and optical laying around. To build a system like I did with a spiffy case etc. you'll spend more and have a bigger headache than just using the XPC....
2008-08-26, 03:47
thanks. actually i think i linked the wrong pc. I believe i was looking at this one the other day and it was cheapter (around the same price as the one shown above)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101034
this one does have optical out, which is a definite must. not sure if i see exactly how the card would interfere with the side, but i do believe you. Also, im not sure if i would really need a fanless card? I would image they are a bit more expensive - ill just turn up the surround sound instead - i know, but i have a 360, and that noise doesnt bother me, disc drive and all.
Im just kinda tired that the 360 only handles so many formats, otherwise it is such a cheaper and easier alternative - new price point will be $199 this fall...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101034
this one does have optical out, which is a definite must. not sure if i see exactly how the card would interfere with the side, but i do believe you. Also, im not sure if i would really need a fanless card? I would image they are a bit more expensive - ill just turn up the surround sound instead - i know, but i have a 360, and that noise doesnt bother me, disc drive and all.
Im just kinda tired that the 360 only handles so many formats, otherwise it is such a cheaper and easier alternative - new price point will be $199 this fall...
2008-08-26, 07:16
first off, xbmc should have no problems with playing wmv. the xbox probably couldn't do it because it's too cpu intensive to decompress. or it was hd content. or both. the only possible problems are drm (which i doubt you have because you saw SOMETHING on the xbox) or a very recent version of wmv (no idea if this is supported, but again, you got content on the xbox so probably not an issue).
as far as the shuttle goes, i have no experience with these. there have been issues in the past with intel and linux so you may want to steer clear of that combination. then again, issues may have been fixed. if you're looking to spend $400, stay away from the shuttle that BLKMGK recommended. you need to purchase ram, cpu, hd, and maybe a power supply on top of that.
xbmc doesn't need a ton of resources. 1gb of ram should suffice. a cheaper c2d should also work. i know my old celeron with 512mb does not do well, but my 1.6ghz c2d with a gig does fine.
if you go with linux you can also install mythtv and use xbmc as a front end. search the forum, there have been plenty of posts about this topic already. you'll obviously need a tv tuner for this.
good luck.
as far as the shuttle goes, i have no experience with these. there have been issues in the past with intel and linux so you may want to steer clear of that combination. then again, issues may have been fixed. if you're looking to spend $400, stay away from the shuttle that BLKMGK recommended. you need to purchase ram, cpu, hd, and maybe a power supply on top of that.
xbmc doesn't need a ton of resources. 1gb of ram should suffice. a cheaper c2d should also work. i know my old celeron with 512mb does not do well, but my 1.6ghz c2d with a gig does fine.
if you go with linux you can also install mythtv and use xbmc as a front end. search the forum, there have been plenty of posts about this topic already. you'll obviously need a tv tuner for this.
good luck.
2008-08-26, 17:40
Thanks for weighing in on my situation. I do have a hauppauge 1600 tv turner card in my current xps 420 pc. I would maybe decide to just move it if needed. The WMV files I have created for my DVDs are through tmpgenc and do not have DRM associated with them. They should only be Standard definition WMV files, however, my xbox drops frames with them and the sound then gets ahead of the video. My 360 plays them fine.
My main reason for posting was to try and understand the advantages that XBMC linux will give me over using my media center extender - which comes at a cheaper price then building a whole new pc. I also want to play HD videos in the future and not be restricted to WMV-HD. I like XBMC features much more than that of the extender, that I am sure. It is a decision on if the positives outweigh the cost of building a new machine vs using the current setup i have. I thank everyone for their hard work on the software as it always impresses my friends when they stop by.
My main reason for posting was to try and understand the advantages that XBMC linux will give me over using my media center extender - which comes at a cheaper price then building a whole new pc. I also want to play HD videos in the future and not be restricted to WMV-HD. I like XBMC features much more than that of the extender, that I am sure. It is a decision on if the positives outweigh the cost of building a new machine vs using the current setup i have. I thank everyone for their hard work on the software as it always impresses my friends when they stop by.
2008-08-26, 20:12
Like I said, there are a variety of reasons the xbox may be too underpowered to play your wmv files. A good test would be to download XBMC for Windows Atlantis Alpha 4 (which you can find on our main page) and see if that can play your wmv files. If it can, then it's likely any Linux system you build will be able to. The only question would be if it has enough CPU and to a lesser extent, RAM.
Advantages of XBMC would include being able to play any file you throw at it (except DRMed files). I'm not sure what other advantages/disadvantages you're trying to weigh. You could always move your Windows PC out to the living room, plug it into the TV, and use that with XBMC to test drive.
Advantages of XBMC would include being able to play any file you throw at it (except DRMed files). I'm not sure what other advantages/disadvantages you're trying to weigh. You could always move your Windows PC out to the living room, plug it into the TV, and use that with XBMC to test drive.
2008-08-26, 20:52
yeah, im currently running atlantis on my dell laptop, which is a C2D 2.0 i believe with 4gigs of ram and x1400 mobility ati card. wmv files seem to play fine. I thought because windows had the 100% cpu bug, that linux was a better choice, however, this bug may have been fixed already.
which is the reason my wife thinks a 3rd computer is overboard, but i think you can never have enough.
which is the reason my wife thinks a 3rd computer is overboard, but i think you can never have enough.
2008-08-26, 21:02
tell your wife a laptop is a laptop not a computer. therefore, you're really only asking for a second computer. although it's an htpc, not a computer, so really you want to spend $400 on nothing.
2008-08-26, 21:07
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model TWIN2X2048-6400
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate
$46.00
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor
Item #:N82E16819115037
$169.99
EVGA GeForce 8800 GS 384-P3-N851-AR Video Card
-$10.00 Instant
$30.00 Mail-in Rebate
$119.99
$109.99
Shuttle SG33G5B Socket T(LGA775) Barebone
Item #:N82E16856101034
-$20.00 Instant
$269.99
$249.99
which totals 575.97. Much more than an addition 360 for stream but probably worth it. (all at newegg.com)
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate
$46.00
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor
Item #:N82E16819115037
$169.99
EVGA GeForce 8800 GS 384-P3-N851-AR Video Card
-$10.00 Instant
$30.00 Mail-in Rebate
$119.99
$109.99
Shuttle SG33G5B Socket T(LGA775) Barebone
Item #:N82E16856101034
-$20.00 Instant
$269.99
$249.99
which totals 575.97. Much more than an addition 360 for stream but probably worth it. (all at newegg.com)
2008-08-26, 21:25
What about this one with integrated NVIDIA:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101038
Savings on case = $135 after rebate. Additional $110 saved on video card. Total savings = $245. But then you need to get AMD.
Luckily you can save another $120 there with this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819103221
Total savings = $365. Which brings your total cost to $210. Not a bad price, and within your $400 budget.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101038
Savings on case = $135 after rebate. Additional $110 saved on video card. Total savings = $245. But then you need to get AMD.
Luckily you can save another $120 there with this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819103221
Total savings = $365. Which brings your total cost to $210. Not a bad price, and within your $400 budget.
2008-08-26, 21:31
What dbldown specc'd this second time isn't bad. I'd go for a cheaper video card though like an 8500 - the 8800 will be a waste and sucks WAY more juice! The slots are on the side that is an issue too. It's not clear in the pictures on Newegg but the big video cards take TWO slots and those with fans end up being strangled as they end up pressed against the side of the case on their intakes. When the slots are moved to the OTHER side they can inhale from the middle of the case. I own 5 XPC that all have the video card on the "normal" side and even a 7800GT card can be a little strangled! The 8800 video cards are also fairly loud, I have one of those in my current PC and when it gets going it's quite noticable. Look at the reviews that people post - you can see who had issues with the big video cards and who didn't. Some guys actually dremel the sides of their XPC to fit the big cards in so they can breathe when the slots place the card against the side of the case...
2008-08-26, 21:31
only reason i did intel, is i thought i saw a post suggesting that xmbc did not work well with AMD chips.
2008-08-26, 21:34
malloc Wrote:What about this one with integrated NVIDIA:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856101038
Savings on case = $135 after rebate. Additional $110 saved on video card. Total savings = $245. But then you need to get AMD.
Luckily you can save another $120 there with this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819103221
Total savings = $365. Which brings your total cost to $210. Not a bad price, and within your $400 budget.
I like that the vid is onboard but AMD as a processor? <shiver> So far has anyone with an AMD gotten smooth playback of the Birds Killa' sample yet? I know it's an extreme test but the C2Ds CAN play it once you go over 3Ghz. What speed AMD is needed to match that?
2008-08-26, 21:34
I don't see any reason why AMD would not work. It's the same instruction set. It's only video you have to worry about compatibility with.
Now that I understand why BLKMGK suggested the case he did, perhaps it's better to get one with the PCI slots on the other side.
Now that I understand why BLKMGK suggested the case he did, perhaps it's better to get one with the PCI slots on the other side.
2008-08-26, 21:39
I wouldn't know. Maybe 3.0GHz? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819103274. Would you mind linking to the sample?
If you plan on playing the birds sample over and over again, I guess go with what you've got spec'd. Otherwise, I have a feeling the $50 AMD can do the job for the content you'll be playing on a regular basis.
If you plan on playing the birds sample over and over again, I guess go with what you've got spec'd. Otherwise, I have a feeling the $50 AMD can do the job for the content you'll be playing on a regular basis.
