[niteshade]

Hi!

I'm planning on building a mini-ITX HTPC over the Summer. I've pretty much decided that I want to go with the Asus AT3N7A-I motherboard/processor bundle, I also want to add 2GB RAM and 2 x 640GB hard drives.

I'd also like to be able to watch TV from it, so I can replace my pathetic excuse of a Freeview box.

I have many questions, though, some which seem answered, some I'm still not too clear on. Just to be clear, though, I'm not a PC noob, have been using PCs for over 10 years, I'm just not a Linux person.

From what I can tell, hardware acceleration isn't big in XBMC for Windows, which leaves me the option of XBMC Linux. Since I won't be using anything but the media centre functionality of it, I'd rather install XBMC Live to disk than install a full-featured OS which I won't even be using. Problem is, again, from what I can tell, I'd need some sort of OS access to install a "TV-backend", and I'm not sure I'd be able to do that, unless you good chaps know how.

What I need to know, summarised, is:

- Can I install something that will let me watch TV if I install XBMC Live?
- Which TV tuner is recommended?
- The motherboard I'm buying has Bluetooth support, are there any good (supported) Bluetooth remotes?
- If I have 4GB RAM, can XBMC Live support native 64bit?
- Is there any particular case you would recommend? Most cases just too big or too ugly.
- Also, is there any way I can get DXVA or general hardware acceleration support in XBMC on Windows at all?

[jhsrennie]

DXVA is supported on Windows 7 in the latest development builds from mirrors.xbmc.org, and will be supported in the next official release.

JR

[Big Red]

Hi!
- If I have 4GB RAM, can XBMC Live support native 64bit?

I asked this before and got a no.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=71920
As they say there really isn't need for it.

Sorry cant really help with anything else except check what graphics chip the board your thinking of has. As I'm having trouble with ASUS M4A78T-E because it has an ATI Radion HD3300. I'll stay away from ATI graphics cards in the future.

[sraue]

From what I can tell, hardware acceleration isn't big in XBMC for Windows, which leaves me the option of XBMC Linux. Since I won't be using anything but the media centre functionality of it, I'd rather install XBMC Live to disk than install a full-featured OS which I won't even be using. Problem is, again, from what I can tell, I'd need some sort of OS access to install a "TV-backend", and I'm not sure I'd be able to do that, unless you good chaps know how.

i dont know XBMC exactly, because i dont use it. but you have access to the commandline. so you can install what you want. see XBMC Live as an stripped down distro, full ubuntu compatible, so you can install all ubuntu software.

if you want take also an look at my own distribution, with PVR support (per vdr/tvheadend/mediportal) very soon.

What I need to know, summarised, is:

- Can I install something that will let me watch TV if I install XBMC Live?

depends on the solution you want, if you use the pvr2-branch you can use it at this time (sometimes buggy because its in development)

you can also use the XBMC Live like distribution "yaVDR"

- Which TV tuner is recommended?

all linux supported cards, depends what you want see (DVB-C/DVB-T/DVB-S/Analog - also: USB/PCI/PCIe). search with google, there are often many posts if users has problems with any card.

- The motherboard I'm buying has Bluetooth support, are there any good (supported) Bluetooth remotes?

dont know... sorry, perhaps an wiimote :-)

- If I have 4GB RAM, can XBMC Live support native 64bit?

no, there is no XBMC Live 64bit build, but you can install OpenELEC.tv as an 64bit build. But there is no difference between 32bit/64bit, also more than 2GB make no difference. OpenELEC.tv for example used not more then 100-300MB.

- Is there any particular case you would recommend? Most cases just too big or too ugly.

http://www.acos-it.de/jersey_g60.php
http://www.origenae.com/en/htpc_s10v.htm
http://www.google.ch/images?hl=de&safe=o...H1Cw&gbv=2

[niteshade]

Thank you for all your replies.

I'm thinking of sticking to Windows 7, solely because I use its Homegroup functionality to share media over the home network, and obviously with a Linux distro, I'd lose that.

What PVR software would I use in addition with XBMC on Windows?

[niteshade]

Shameless self-bump?

[ZombieRobot]

two weeks til the next xbmc release with dvr function using myth tv or mediportaltv server

[fshagan]

I'm thinking of sticking to Windows 7, solely because I use its Homegroup functionality to share media over the home network, and obviously with a Linux distro, I'd lose that.

I'm not sure about that. I am just starting with XBMC so I could be wrong about Windows 7, but my XBMC-Live (linux) test rig has no problem streaming media from my Windows Home Server machine. Search for "SMB" for more info for folder sharing, and you can also install a media server like Windows Media Connect, Mezzmo or many others and use the PnUP functionality in XBMC to share media.

Unless you mean the other way, from XBMC to your other clients. But PnUP works that way too (not sure about SMB shares).

The Zotac ITXION boards seem to do a good job with the Nvidia hardware acceleration. I'm testing an Atom N230 processor board right now, and while its slow for other tasks, it is working fine for my standard def MKV files. I've heard it does OK for HD content as well, with the dual core Atoms (Atom 330) doing better. But you add a processor fan with the Atom 330.

[niteshade]

Yeah, I want to store all my media content on the XBMC machine, but I also want to keep Windows 7 on because of its HomeGroup features. Thanks for all your suggestions, guys, I'll definitely be back in a month or so to pick some more brains

[steelman1991]

two weeks til the next xbmc release with dvr function using myth tv or mediportaltv server

Ooooh goody - where d'you see that?, hopefully not from the roadmap - see here http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=73235 the devs pay no heed to it - basically there is no date it will be done when its done.

[natethomas]

two weeks til the next xbmc release with dvr function using myth tv or mediportaltv server

Ha ha. Good luck with that.