Oxigen_Waste Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 Basically have had enough of crappy media centers and media streaming... Want permanent solution. Something cheap and good enough. All I need it to do is run 1080 media.
Emasher Posted June 27, 2011 Posted June 27, 2011 Are you looking to build it yourself or buy a pre-built?
Oxigen_Waste Posted June 27, 2011 Author Posted June 27, 2011 Are you looking to build it yourself or buy a pre-built? Gimme both.
Emasher Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Intel Core i3-2100 - $120 Sentry Slim 2420 With PSU - $50 MSI H61M-E33 Motherboard - $70 Kingston ValueRAM 2 x 2GB - $40 Potentially you could go down to 2GB RAM, but I'm not sure how well that would work with HD content using the Sandybridge graphics. I have no idea if you want an optical drive or not, but you can get a Blu-ray drive for $80 or a standard DVD drive for $15, If you're going to be using it a lot you might want to go up to a $30 one though. Obviously you'd still need an HDD, but I have no idea what size you might want. If you're not going to be storing any of the content on it, I wouldn't bother getting a large one. I have no idea what the prices are like in Europe with the taxes and everything though, so you're going to have to look around a bit.
Ten10 Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 Could you not purchase a barebones PC with HDMI support and put boxee/ XBMC + linux / windows. I guess I'm coming at this problem from the software side. http://www.boxee.tv/faq http://xbmc.org/download/
Wesley Posted June 28, 2011 Posted June 28, 2011 ...Mac Mini. More expensive. But... Mac Mini, a Mac Mini form-factor external hard drive and a copy of Boxee and your golden. Or just a Boxee Box.
Oxigen_Waste Posted June 28, 2011 Author Posted June 28, 2011 Intel Core i3-2100 - $120Sentry Slim 2420 With PSU - $50 MSI H61M-E33 Motherboard - $70 Kingston ValueRAM 2 x 2GB - $40 Potentially you could go down to 2GB RAM, but I'm not sure how well that would work with HD content using the Sandybridge graphics. I have no idea if you want an optical drive or not, but you can get a Blu-ray drive for $80 or a standard DVD drive for $15, If you're going to be using it a lot you might want to go up to a $30 one though. Obviously you'd still need an HDD, but I have no idea what size you might want. If you're not going to be storing any of the content on it, I wouldn't bother getting a large one. I have no idea what the prices are like in Europe with the taxes and everything though, so you're going to have to look around a bit. Thanks for that. No optical drive needed, and a 250 HDD will do just fine, it'll be hooked up to my 2TB external HD. And I'll keep it at 4GB Ram, thanks. As for the prices, a friend's father owns a store, so I'll get insider price! Yeah! PS3 ? GTFO, the media server is terrible. Even connected with ethernet, it'll still work terrible. Could you not purchase a barebones PC with HDMI support and put boxee/ XBMC + linux / windows. I guess I'm coming at this problem from the software side. http://www.boxee.tv/faq http://xbmc.org/download/ Boxee will confuse my dad, but yeah, it's an alternative. ...Mac Mini. More expensive. But... Mac Mini, a Mac Mini form-factor external hard drive and a copy of Boxee and your golden. Nothing against Apple, as I own an iPhone 4 and an iMac, but Mac Mini is ridiculously overpriced. It's not worth a dime over 450(euros)! It does look awesome, though. Edit: What exactly does XBMC do? I never really understood it. Edit: What exactly does XBMC do? I never really understood it.
Ten10 Posted June 29, 2011 Posted June 29, 2011 Boxee is a fork of XBMC they basically do the same thing but Boxee is a little bit more user friendly. XBMC was originally a project focusing on turning the MS Xbox into a media centre. Xbox is no longer being supported as development goes on but works on windows mac and linux. Personally I think the boxee software is quite intuitive. Were you planning to otherwise use windows media centre from win 7 / vista? On the software front Ubuntu /(any flavour of linux) + boxee would be a cost free software solution.
Oxigen_Waste Posted July 4, 2011 Author Posted July 4, 2011 No. I was planning on using... NOTHING. How's that for simple? Just a folder with everything on it and clickety-click.
Shorty Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 Maybe skip the PC and get something like this then? http://www.ebuyer.com/product/192060?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products Can put your own storage in, supports 1080p and a lot of file formats, and streams some internet TV services for good measure.
Oxigen_Waste Posted July 4, 2011 Author Posted July 4, 2011 Maybe skip the PC and get something like this then? http://www.ebuyer.com/product/192060?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products Can put your own storage in, supports 1080p and a lot of file formats, and streams some internet TV services for good measure. I've tired of trying those types of stuff. I bought a WD one, and it sucked. Popcorn Hour sucked too... and so did another WD one. They were supposedly the best there were... To be honest I felt betrayed! Returned them all and decided I'll get a desktop. This way it'll never be obsolete...
Emasher Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 I've tired of trying those types of stuff. I bought a WD one, and it sucked. Popcorn Hour sucked too... and so did another WD one. They were supposedly the best there were... To be honest I felt betrayed! Returned them all and decided I'll get a desktop. This way it'll never be obsolete... It will most likely be obsolete in 5 years, if the PSU lasts that long.
Ten10 Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 No. I was planning on using... NOTHING. How's that for simple?Just a folder with everything on it and clickety-click. Then what do you want a pc for? Something like this would be all you need: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/229961 Works exactly the same way as your folder analogy.
Emasher Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 You should also consider that a PC will be able to do more than just media. Obviously you're not going to be mining bitcoins with no video card, but you could run backups and stuff like that.
Oxigen_Waste Posted July 5, 2011 Author Posted July 5, 2011 It will most likely be obsolete in 5 years, if the PSU lasts that long. I don't understand what you mean. This desktop is 8 years old and it still runs every type of media file in 1080 without any problem and will probably continue to do so until a new higher definition comes out that this one doesn't support. Then what do you want a pc for? Something like this would be all you need: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/229961 Works exactly the same way as your folder analogy. Gah... read above posts. All the ones I've tried look good on paper but are too slow when browsing forwards and backwards. No thank you. I'd rather pay more for something better... You should also consider that a PC will be able to do more than just media. Obviously you're not going to be mining bitcoins with no video card, but you could run backups and stuff like that. I might go that extra mile and beef it up to a fully functional desktop.
Emasher Posted July 8, 2011 Posted July 8, 2011 I don't understand what you mean. This desktop is 8 years old and it still runs every type of media file in 1080 without any problem and will probably continue to do so until a new higher definition comes out that this one doesn't support. I might go that extra mile and beef it up to a fully functional desktop. While that i3 can handle 1080p video, it likely won't be able to handle 3D or higher resolutions that well. The PSUs that you can get for Micro ATX/ITX cases (that one actually has one built into the case) tend to be terrible PSUs. Not only will it likely be the first part to go, but like any PSU it will loose its wattage over time, and eventually it may not be able to power the system anymore. I would say you probably have 5 years before you need to replace it. You might actually be better off building a decent new PC for your regular computer usage and just use your current one for media.
Oxigen_Waste Posted July 11, 2011 Author Posted July 11, 2011 You might actually be better off building a decent new PC for your regular computer usage and just use your current one for media. Too big. I need something small and discreet.
Oxigen_Waste Posted July 23, 2011 Author Posted July 23, 2011 I will sell you my Mac Mini. I'm not joking. Nah, solved.
Oxigen_Waste Posted July 24, 2011 Author Posted July 24, 2011 I may find a buyer for you... how much and which one is it?
RoadKill Posted July 24, 2011 Posted July 24, 2011 If you like the Mac Mini, but you don't like the idea of burning money for the sake of it, and you actually want an optical media drive (even blu-ray, which Apple won't ever give you): http://www.dell.com/uk/p/inspiron-zino-hd-410/fs
Wesley Posted July 24, 2011 Posted July 24, 2011 The Mac Mini I'm selling is... http://www.pcsuperstore.com/products/U83337-Apple-MB463LLA.html This, but with 2Gig of RAM. Also selling with that is a wireless keyboard and wireless mighty mouse. And the remote thing. All for £300. Boxes and all.
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