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Is an E-350 a solid choice for an HTPC? All I really want to do is stick movies on it and stream it around my house. It'll double as a downstairs computer that my little bro can listen to music/gently caress around on facebook with.
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Oct 6, 2012 00:08
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chocolateTHUNDER posted:Is an E-350 a solid choice for an HTPC? All I really want to do is stick movies on it and stream it around my house. It'll double as a downstairs computer that my little bro can listen to music/gently caress around on facebook with. It's fine as long as you don't want to watch Netflix in HD and you don't need to transcode any of the files you are streaming around your house. It will eat poo poo and die if it needs to transcode a video file for whatever you want to watch it on. (I have a Zotac Nano. - edit You also have to have ethernet plugged in if you want to throw HD MKVs around.)
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Oct 6, 2012 00:21
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I've heard you can swap the wifi card and get much better performance.
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Oct 6, 2012 00:23
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Sporadic posted:It's fine as long as you don't want to watch Netflix in HD and you don't need to transcode any of the files you are streaming around your house. It will eat poo poo and die if it needs to transcode a video file for whatever you want to watch it on. Yeah I don't plan on having to transcode anything. Also most of the devices that it'll be streaming to have their own Netflix apps.
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Oct 6, 2012 00:25
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Sporadic posted:It's fine as long as you don't want to watch Netflix in HD and you don't need to transcode any of the files you are streaming around your house. It will eat poo poo and die if it needs to transcode a video file for whatever you want to watch it on. Would it make a difference if I went for the E-450? I just ordered one prior to reading this post and I mean I can still RMA and get a Zotac Ion board but it'd be like 115 dollar difference at this point. I'd like to get 1080p
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Oct 6, 2012 01:18
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Is there a decent wireless N USB adapter out there with good range, or are they all the same/crappy? I need something to hold me over until I can run an ethernet line downstairs to the living room.
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Oct 6, 2012 01:20
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signalnoise posted:Would it make a difference if I went for the E-450? I just ordered one prior to reading this post and I mean I can still RMA and get a Zotac Ion board but it'd be like 115 dollar difference at this point. I'd like to get 1080p It depends on what you mean but for the most part, I don't think so. The E-450 isn't that big of a jump from the E-350. 1080p MKV files = E-350 can do it 720p/1080p streaming from a Flash based site (Amazon VOD/Hulu/YouTube) = E-350 can do it Streaming 1080p MKV files over the network = E-350 can do it if you plug into Ethernet instead of using wifi Transcode 1080p MKV files for streaming to other devices = E-350 can't do it and I doubt the E-450 could either. It's processor heavy. 1080p Netflix = E-350 can't do it and I doubt the E-450 could either. This is due to Silverlight.
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Oct 6, 2012 02:13
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How about for HD cable streams if I get a cablecard?
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Oct 6, 2012 02:32
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Here's another idea for people who still want a small-form box but also a decent amount of power. Only caveat is that there is no room for internal expansion such as a discrete video card or cablecard tuner. i3-2100 - $80 4GB RAM - $20 FoxconH67 Mini-ITX - $65 M4 64 GB SSD - $40 Titan DC-155A915Z Low Profile Cooler - $20 Realan E-i5 mini-ITX case - $115 w/ power supply The small form factor of that case really sold me, since its literally smaller than my Xbox. Plus I bought the i3 and SSD used, so that cut down on costs as well.
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Oct 6, 2012 03:33
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signalnoise posted:How about for HD cable streams if I get a cablecard? I used a e350 with my HD Homerun Prime, no issues with recording multiple shows while playing back another. I replaced my e-350 with a Celeron G540. I'm so much happier. I'm not hitting a bunch of random but highly frustrating bugs/quirks/whatever anymore. Plus I have actual CPU power to act as a PlayOn server, can play back Netflix fine, and don't consume much more power either. quote:720p/1080p streaming from a Flash based site (Amazon VOD/Hulu/YouTube) = E-350 can do it Youtube would stutter a bit on mine when I played back some higher quality content WhyteRyce fucked around with this message at 05:05 on Oct 6, 2012 |
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Oct 6, 2012 05:00
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They fixed flash stuttering in the bios, at least for my ad10.
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Oct 6, 2012 05:30
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I haven't seen any youtube videos stutter at 720p, although I can't comment on 1080p because my WIFI is pretty garbage. E: I should say this is on my DM1Z netbook with an E-350 and 3GB RAM.
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Oct 6, 2012 05:39
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So does anyone here use MythTV or should I consider something easier like tightroping the Grand Canyon? It's basically a Media Center / DVR package for people who are willing to live a very difficult life in the name of ~*free software*~, but it's backend/frontend portability makes it much easier to expand to across a home than WMC.
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Oct 6, 2012 08:06
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Don Lapre posted:I've heard you can swap the wifi card and get much better performance. I did this and my wifi performance improved greatly. It still wasn't enough for an HD MKV file though.
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Oct 6, 2012 16:00
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OK so after trying for a long time to get this dumb Netflix app to work within XBMC, I'm ready to give up. My fiancee requires Netflix instant though. Is there a program that runs Netflix well but also organizes TV shows etc through an external database like XBMC? I really like XBMC but this Netflix poo poo is a dealbreaker. I really wanted to use the XBMC android remote too
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Oct 7, 2012 01:41
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signalnoise posted:OK so after trying for a long time to get this dumb Netflix app to work within XBMC, I'm ready to give up. My fiancee requires Netflix instant though. Is there a program that runs Netflix well but also organizes TV shows etc through an external database like XBMC? I really like XBMC but this Netflix poo poo is a dealbreaker. I really wanted to use the XBMC android remote too Netflix on a PC is awful when using it through a front-end. The WMC client hasn't been updated in eons, the XBMC addon is the same usual broken poo poo, and boxee dropped support for it. Save yourself some consternation and just get a roku for $40 or whatever they are now. I would suggest a boxee but I sold mine since it was absurdly slow and hardly received updates. Until XBMC officially supports netflix (will never happen) it will continue to be a hacked together kludge from a person who probably will stop supporting it. kri kri fucked around with this message at 02:11 on Oct 7, 2012 |
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Oct 7, 2012 02:03
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signalnoise posted:OK so after trying for a long time to get this dumb Netflix app to work within XBMC, I'm ready to give up. My fiancee requires Netflix instant though. Is there a program that runs Netflix well but also organizes TV shows etc through an external database like XBMC? I really like XBMC but this Netflix poo poo is a dealbreaker. I really wanted to use the XBMC android remote too There is unfortunately no good front-end for Netflix on the PC, especially not on XBMC. In addition, there are titles on Netflix which play in HD on "devices," but not on PC. Sons of Anarchy, for example. If I were you I would find a 2nd-gen AppleTV, jailbreak it, and install XBMC. It'll be able to run Netflix with a nice clean interface and should be able to play at least most of your linux ISOs. The One True Box eludes us still.
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Oct 7, 2012 02:08
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It's too bad there likely will never be a good one box solution. Oh well. PS3 and a xbmc machine is the best solution for me at the moment.
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Oct 7, 2012 02:13
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kri kri posted:It's too bad there likely will never be a good one box solution. Oh well. PS3 and a xbmc machine is the best solution for me at the moment. The closest I've gotten is an XBox, which works with my Amazon and Netflix subscriptions, can play live OTA HD channels thanks to WMC, and now has a web browser that will run HTML5 sites run by people who aren't shittards (hooray Pandora!) but even then it's like a hodgepodge of different apps and you have to fully exit one to go into another, and the only way to play local files is through transcoding bullshit. I don't envy the people having to write new software for that mutant PowerPC blob from 2005.
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Oct 7, 2012 02:36
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I'm actually more concerned with controlling everything from a single terminal, or even better a single interface, than having it all in one box. I'm just really annoyed no one who makes commercial poo poo that actually has support from Netflix can make a UI that is worth loving anything.
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Oct 7, 2012 04:21
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Anyone ever used both a Hauppauge WinTV HVR 1600 and 1250 in the same computer with Windows 7 Media Center at the same time? I already have the 1600 and want to add another tuner and there are a TON of super cheap 1250s on eBay... Assepoester fucked around with this message at 23:46 on Oct 7, 2012 |
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Oct 7, 2012 23:43
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OK so here's what I'm looking at: ASRock H77M LGA 1155 Intel Core i3-3220 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz LGA 1155 8 GB RAM (purchased) 128gb Kingston SSD (purchased) SAPPHIRE 100357LP Radeon HD 7750 Antec Minuet case (purchased) Just how much overkill is this? I am comparing it all to a 180 dollar mITX Zotac motherboard with everything onboard and tiny, whereas this is mATX and can handle some business if I need it to and it's really only about 120 bucks more so in a few months I won't miss it. Eventually I want this to by my media server, set top box, DVR, blu ray player, etc.. Thing is if this is really overkill, I'm not entirely sure how to scale it back. The parts purchasing thread in SH/SD would rate this as the lowest end computer they would suggest, but when I look down at things like the E-450 apparently it's not good enough to do 1080p in some cases? I never want to be in a situation where this isn't fast enough to do something I'd expect a media center to be able to do. I also have access to an older core2duo e8400 processor. Should I just get a motherboard that supports it and use onboard video? I am really out of sorts when I'm looking at just what is needed hardware wise for these things. signalnoise fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Oct 8, 2012 |
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Oct 8, 2012 02:41
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signalnoise posted:OK so here's what I'm looking at: I just built practically the same thing. I went with the 3220T instead and its pretty much silent - I would recommend it. Also, you don't need the 120gb SSD. My 60 still has 15 gigs after being set up. The video card is overkill too. The inboard video plays everything, including 1080P, I've thrown at it. You can always use it for a month then pick up the video card later if you want to game or whatever. It's a great system!
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Oct 8, 2012 03:54
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signalnoise posted:OK so here's what I'm looking at: A motherboard that supports the E8400 with a video card (onboard or not) that supports DXVA would do the trick just fine for a media center. As for the configuration you've posted, 8 gigs of RAM is probably overkill, but RAM is cheap anyway so that's not a big deal. If you're not storing the files locally, which I imagine you're not with that size drive, you probably could get away with a 60-gig SSD. You could get a video card cheaper than the 7750 and still do fine with 1080p video, probably saving 50bux. It really doesn't need a lot of horsepower, just support for DXVA and an HDMI output. The processor is faster than something like an E-450, but media front-ends have a tendency to live more happily with a faster processor anyway. On the whole, that configuration is solid, with a little extra.
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Oct 8, 2012 03:56
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Thanks guys, went with a lower but still hdcp ready video card taking off 70 bucks, went with the silent-er processor too! edit: Anyone have experience with PlayOn plugged into XBMC for Netflix? signalnoise fucked around with this message at 22:28 on Oct 8, 2012 |
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Oct 8, 2012 04:26
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A new Boxee has been leaked and may suit the needs of some of you. They finally got rid of that horrible form factor. http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/8/3474602/boxee-tv-live-hdtv-antenna-dvr-apps
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Oct 9, 2012 19:49
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"Boxee plans numerous updates down the line to refine the user experience before any public unveiling." down the line....
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Oct 10, 2012 02:55
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kri kri posted:"Boxee plans numerous updates down the line to refine the user experience before any public unveiling." gently caress them and all the bullshit they spout. Their god drat magical excuse-generating box can't even properly decode an HD audio stream.
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Oct 10, 2012 03:00
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So what's the best way to stream stuff to various TVs around my house using DLNA from an HTPC or whatever? Those $50 Roku boxes would be neat, but it doesen't look like they support DLNA/local streaming.
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Oct 10, 2012 03:43
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Is there any kind of plugin or script for XBMC that will delete TV shows that have been marked as "watched"? Or is everyone just manually purging old stuff?
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Oct 10, 2012 04:02
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TheScott2K posted:gently caress them and all the bullshit they spout. Their god drat magical excuse-generating box can't even properly decode an HD audio stream.
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Oct 10, 2012 04:11
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blargle posted:Is there any kind of plugin or script for XBMC that will delete TV shows that have been marked as "watched"? Or is everyone just manually purging old stuff? Manually doing it.
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Oct 10, 2012 13:35
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If you arn't going to save tv shows just setup a folder under favorites and manually delete them after a while. No reason to scrape them.
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Oct 10, 2012 14:40
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chocolateTHUNDER posted:So what's the best way to stream stuff to various TVs around my house using DLNA from an HTPC or whatever? I'm currently using Mezzmo for this. It works... okay. In my case I have to pre-transcode all files for the device I want to watch it on because the PC doesn't have the oomph to do it on the fly. Anytime they release a patch, it erases all pre-transcoded material, undoing days or in some cases weeks of time. I've also had a great deal of frustration with the pause/ff/rewind/resume features. If I pause and resume, the resume point is generally somewhere +/- 10 minutes of where I pushed the button in the stream. I mean it pauses instantly, and the frame freezes. But when I resume, it doesn't pick up where it left off, and I typically have to back up about 10 minutes or so and rewatch for a bit. That said, it's the best that I'm aware of. Maybe someone else can point to something better.
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Oct 11, 2012 22:08
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Is there a good equivalent of Sickbeard for movies? Couchpotato is incredibly buggy/crashy.
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Oct 13, 2012 00:07
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blargle posted:Is there a good equivalent of Sickbeard for movies? Couchpotato is incredibly buggy/crashy. Uhh, I'm pretty sure pretty much everyone uses Couchpotato, which I've never had crash on me. Do other people here find it unstable?
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Oct 13, 2012 00:10
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blargle posted:Is there a good equivalent of Sickbeard for movies? Couchpotato is incredibly buggy/crashy.
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Oct 13, 2012 00:41
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Almost all of the newznab have a "my movies" where you can create a list of things to download like CP.
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Oct 13, 2012 04:05
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How difficult is it to watch HD cable via XBMC? I am planning out my HTPC build and I would like to integrate the cable. I don't care about recording anything and I don't care about getting rid of the cable box. I would prefer not to use the cable remote but I don't mind if it's necessary. I keep reading about how much of a pain cablecards are, but I think this is mostly for people who want to record live TV. All I want is to integrate everything into XBMC so there's no switching TV inputs. Easily doable?
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Oct 13, 2012 20:13
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Elder posted:How difficult is it to watch HD cable via XBMC? I am planning out my HTPC build and I would like to integrate the cable. I don't care about recording anything and I don't care about getting rid of the cable box. I would prefer not to use the cable remote but I don't mind if it's necessary. The only way to directly tune HD cable is with a cablecard tuner, and the only way to do that with channels and programs that use the cable cartels' DRM (all the ones you give a poo poo about) is with Windows Media Center. You could get an analog capture box like the Hauppauge HD PVR to avoid that issue but you'd still need a cable box feeding it. What you would have there is basically a video feed you can access in XBMC of your cable box's output, no fun stuff like a better program guide or scheduled recordings. I don't know if XBMC can run the IR blaster with that so you'd likely still need your cable remote or you'd have to program your cable remote's buttons into the Harmony setup you use for XBMC. Even with non-DRM TV tuners like those for ATSC/ClearQAM, XBMC's implementation is really barebones. Save yourself a world of frustration and half-measures and just switch inputs to your cable box. We really should put  If you want HD cable, it's CableCard and Windows Media Center in the OP.
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Oct 14, 2012 02:33
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