Low Power Media Center PC

[onikage]

Hi all,

I am looking for a media center solution to replace my existing setups. First, some history.

Initially, I would hook up my Macbook to my 52" LCD via an HDMI cable and AV cables. I would use Plex (XBMC) to play the files and that worked very well. However I grew tired of constantly connecting and disconnecting the macbook. Also, sometimes I wanted to use my macbook (my primary system) but my wife wanted to watch content on it so this was a no go. In other words, I did not want my macbook being used as the media center. However I did like the XBMC/Plex softwares so if the new system used that I wouldn't mind.

I then bought a TonidoPlug (SheevaPlug puter) awhile back because it was low power and ran linux. It has been used primarily for torrent downloading and with a 1TB HD hooked up to it for NAS purposes. It failed as a media server because the PS3 and Xbox 360 had so many issues playing the streamed content in different formats.

Also, PS3 Media Server failed me because it didn't support multiple audio tracks/subtitles on foreign films I had.

I'd like to start over and just maybe build a dedicated media system from the ground up.

I was inspired by this article to give an idea of what I'm looking at:

http://lifehacker.com/5391308/build-a-silent-standalone-xbmc-media-center-on-the-cheap

Someone noted that the system was incapable of doing flash video (Hulu) so I wasn't sure, but that's what seemed like a turn off.

Requirements:
Low power (24/7 uptime with torrents and NAS)
Small physical size
HDMI connection directly to the TV
Needs to play HD video files (from my own library, attached storage) in 1080p and also be able to do flash based content like Hulu and such.
No optical drive needed

I don't have a surround sound system however I would like to get one in the future. I'm not sure what connections are required for that, but the system needs to be able to support that later.

and...

Try to keep cost low. The one built in the lifehacker article was $200. I wouldn't mind paying more if I had to, but that's just a gauge.

This machine will not be used for playing games unless it can run old emulators or something, no modern gaming though.

Basically, I just want to know what type of hardware I should be looking at to best fit the bill. If I missed anything, let me know and I"ll fill it in promptly.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Zap]

Hi onikage, and welcome to Anandtech Forums.

A popular solution for a small and low power system would be one using an Atom processor, however those struggle with 1080p video and HD Flash.

I would suggest a low end socket 1156 setup as they are powerful enough to do what you need it to do, yet at idle (when you're not playing video) draw very little power.

Do you live near a Fry's Electronics? If so, they often have deals for motherboard & CPU near $100, which would make a great base for your system.

 

[Rifter]

You might also want to look into a AMD system with one of the low power chips and the 785G chipset. I would stay away from the atoms, they cant do 1080p well at all.

 

[mfenn]

Why not just do the build suggested in the Lifehacker article? Since it is ION based, it should handle HD video no problem.

 

[Zap]

Why not just do the build suggested in the Lifehacker article? Since it is ION based, it should handle HD video no problem.

Sure, as long as you are using the right driver program, and the right beta version of Flash, or the right media player software with the right options checkmarked.

With a higher performance CPU everything just... works.

 

[manimal]

Sure, as long as you are using the right driver program, and the right beta version of Flash, or the right media player software with the right options checkmarked.

With a higher performance CPU everything just... works.

I second zap! Get something fast enough that it can brute force high bitrate 1080P just incase. If have a ps3 or xbox make it fast enough that you can transcode. Just in case. You may not want speed now. Odds are you will later.

 

[onikage]

Why not just do the build suggested in the Lifehacker article? Since it is ION based, it should handle HD video no problem.

As noted, the system in the lifehacker article is not powerful enough to do flash based video. Also, some users reported have issues with the XBMC live issue playing 1080p without stuttering. I need to cover my bases in terms of cpu power.

I second zap! Get something fast enough that it can brute force high bitrate 1080P just incase. If have a ps3 or xbox make it fast enough that you can transcode. Just in case. You may not want speed now. Odds are you will later.

I won't be streaming to the PS3 or Xbox. Even with transcoding, limitations come in with dual audio streams and subtitles. I'll need a board that supports HDMI out for a direct connection to the TV.

Thanks for your suggestions guys. I will start researching the mentioned parts tonight. Keep them coming ^_^

 

[HumblePie]

another thing to keep in mind is the i3 or i5 cpus can undervolt nicely.

 

[pcsavvy]

If you are looking to set up a budget HTPC system that doesn't use a lot of power then an AMD system would probably fit the bill. AMD has low power cpus or you can purchase a regular cpu for a little less.
If you live near Fry's you can get either a dual or tri core AMD AM3 cpu and a motherboard combo for about 50-75 dollars. Usually the motherboard has integrated graphics so you wouldn't need to get a video card for awhile if ever.
I was able to get an AMD cpu and motherboard combo for $76 with a $10 mir. I used my old DDR2 memory and other parts from a previous build.
With an AM3 you can either get a AM2+ or an AM3 motherboard depending upon which type of memory you want/afford to use.