[m1keyboy]

Fan-cooled or passive?
Need to sort the sound out though. I have a USB sound box but xbmc live wouldn't boot with it, so need to do some investigation.

Hi mate,

You haven't got one of these by any chance have you? - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/106540

I'm thinking of getting one as I need SPDIF out!

[spanglemaker]

Hi mate,

You haven't got one of these by any chance have you? - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/106540

I'm thinking of getting one as I need SPDIF out!

Yes, that's the one.

I plugged it in whilst XBMC was running and it hung, so need to investigate further. I need the SPDIF out too as I don't have an HDMI equipped receiver.

[m1keyboy]

Yes, that's the one.

I plugged it in whilst XBMC was running and it hung, so need to investigate further. I need the SPDIF out too as I don't have an HDMI equipped receiver.

Sounds like you're in exactly the same position as me then!

Looks like this chap has the same sound card - http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=90318. He's got Linux to recognise it, but it's only outputting in stereo :confused2:

[poofyhairguy]

Hi mate,

You haven't got one of these by any chance have you? - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/106540

I'm thinking of getting one as I need SPDIF out!

I can say with certainty that that device does NOT support DTS and AC3 passthrough.

If you want a sure-fire USB device for that, I have found nothing that beats one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Soundblas...B0044DEDCA

Works in Linux (plug in play), OSx (plug in play), and Windows (with its drivers).

[m1keyboy]

If you want a sure-fire USB device for that, I have found nothing that beats one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Soundblas...B0044DEDCA

Works in Linux (plug in play), OSx (plug in play), and Windows (with its drivers).

Thanks poofyhairguy.

Do you know why the recommend specs mention a 2.2GHz dual core CPU as a minimum? Sounds a bit excessive!

The options are fairly limited here. After using up the 16x PCIe for the GT210, that leaves either single 1x PCIe or USB. The cheapest 1x PCIe sound card I can find with optical out is the Asus Xonar DX - this comes in at essentially the same price as the external USB card you recommended.

I'm leaning towards the Asus at the moment (purely because I prefer internal sound cards) - any thoughts?

[poofyhairguy]

Do you know why the recommend specs mention a 2.2GHz dual core CPU as a minimum? Sounds a bit excessive!

No reason except to cover their asses. I have used mine with tons of systems, some way weaker than that.

I'm leaning towards the Asus at the moment (purely because I prefer internal sound cards) - any thoughts?

I love Xonars. Either way you seem set.

[P.Kosunen]

I'm thinking of getting one as I need SPDIF out!

Ebay.com - search ha+u2+spdif [HA info U2 USB to SPDIF(AC3 DTS) USB to SPDIF Converter]

Those work on linux and support audio up to 24b/96kHz.

[spanglemaker]

The cheapest 1x PCIe sound card I can find with optical out is the Asus Xonar DX - this comes in at essentially the same price as the external USB card you recommended.

I'm leaning towards the Asus at the moment (purely because I prefer internal sound cards) - any thoughts?

Disappointing that the Asonic card won't do DTS and AC3, but thanks to poofyhairyguy for the info.

I've had a look at the Asus Xonar DX card - it is low profile but seems to have a full length bracket. Will this fit in the case? There isn't any mention of a low profile bracket for it and the bracket doesn't seem to be removable like those on low profile graphics cards. :confused2:

[poofyhairguy]

I've had a look at the Asus Xonar DX card - it is low profile but seems to have a full length bracket. Will this fit in the case? There isn't any mention of a low profile bracket for it and the bracket doesn't seem to be removable like those on low profile graphics cards. :confused2:

On Newegg the pictures show it having a low-profile bracket in the box:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6829132006

[spanglemaker]

On Newegg the pictures show it having a low-profile bracket in the box:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6829132006

Ah.... ok, makes sense as it's a low profile card. Wasn't any mention of it on the site I looked at.

Decisions, decisions...... I'd really like a lower cost solution though.

[PaulC2K]

Hi folks,

Today i found out about this machine, thats one heck of a deal they're throwing out there!

What im wondering is what people think should be bought to improve its function as a solid XBMC player, capable of running Aeon skins in a responsive manner too.

1) Is 1gb RAM sufficient, or is this something i should improve upon? Also is it 1x 1gb stick, or 2x 512gb sticks??
2) Would there be a disadvantage in disregarding the addition of a nVidia 210 gfx card and going with a PCI-E sound card instead to feed sound to the tv?

I have a E6500 (2.13gb DC) running Aeon Nox just fine, o/b gfx, all through cpu processing power. Does the AMD 1.3ghz DC mobile chip need a dedicated GPU to help push pixels for something like Nox or even MQ2? I just dont want to suck power and generate heat, all to use a HDMI socket to get video & audio, IF a soundcard and o/b vga would work fine. If i'll be fighting an uphill battle, i'll throw whatever it needs in there, but if were fine, i dont need the heat & power consumption a gpu will undoubtably add.
It'd be nice to go the green route, costs are almost identical (£30ish each) but not at the expense of all the bells & whistles i want.
I dont need 1080p viewing, sadly. Only 720p tvs in the house, and if i upgrade those a £30 gpu wont be a problem.

I'll be throwing in 4x 2Tb F4's, with WHS (maybe WHS2011) and using it as a backup station, media hub, and a player. No more, no less, everything else can be done on other machines around the house, so my main focus is on getting XBMC happy and it looking sexy

So, ram upgrade, and GPU vs SB card. Any thoughts?

[MikeBuzz]

I have the HP Microserver

i am using a Nvidia GT220 and have no issues with heat, make sure you get a actively cooled version if going down this route

i had tested with windows and XBMC but found it lagged a little when playing mkv's, so i installed a minimal ubuntu and xbmc and have no issues playing 1080p mkv's now, am also using tvheadend to allow me to watch live TV on the box, along with sickbeard, couchpotato and sabnzbd this is really a one box does all solution

[kalamingo]

I have the HP Microserver

i am using a Nvidia GT220 and have no issues with heat, make sure you get a actively cooled version if going down this route

i had tested with windows and XBMC but found it lagged a little when playing mkv's, so i installed a minimal ubuntu and xbmc and have no issues playing 1080p mkv's now, am also using tvheadend to allow me to watch live TV on the box, along with sickbeard, couchpotato and sabnzbd this is really a one box does all solution

Hey Mike, Where are your files located? All in another hard disk on the same microserver? or do you have another NAS and ur using the HP Microserver purely as a HTPC? thanks

[MikeBuzz]

Hey Mike, Where are your files located? All in another hard disk on the same microserver? or do you have another NAS and ur using the HP Microserver purely as a HTPC? thanks

I have 4x2tb installed in the microserver, so its a all in 1 solution

[Giggsy]

Hi guys,

I got a HP microserver for this specific use.

I'm using Windows Home Server 2011

- 8GB Ram (was initialy using it as a mini esx server)

- 4 1xTB Samsung F3's

- Asus HD EAH5550 (Fan Cooled capable of outputting sound via HDMI)

- VCR1100 IR Remote

-55" Sony Bravia

I've been using this as a NAS and a Media Centre server.

Playback is pretty good (I think it drop about 4 framws over a one hour period) but there is an ever so slight stutter which is annoying me, would i benefit from using a SSD for the OS? do you guys think that this would improve performance or is this simply down to the graphics card? Or is it because im using whs 2011 instead of something like ubuntu

Any help is greatly appreciated!