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Corbet posted:Is there any reason why I should even bother putting windows on it? XBMC/SABnzbd/SickBeard can all be ran in OS X. If you want to save money the oldest I'd get is a 2009 model (C2D, 9400M), looking at prices on Craigslist and eBay it seems like $350-400 is the lowest they sell for...I'd shell out more for a new one myself (warranty, performance, won't be EOL'd as soon, etc), I think it's $520 for the refurb low end i5 when they're available. Might drop a bit more once Ivy Bridge models come out but it'll probably be a few more months for that.
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Apr 15, 2012 00:36
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Thanks for the suggestion everyone. I ordered the AD10-PLUS so I wouldn't have to worry about picking and installing the right ram. It's on backorder everywhere I found it for a good price (around 280), so I just ordered from Amazon. I haven't had any dealings with Windows in years. What's the best deal on a new copy of Windows 7? I'm not in college and the cheapest OEM I could find was $100, but I'm guessing there's a better way to go about a new license. I don't have an external dvd drive. Any alternatives for installation? The guides I found online for copying to and installing from a USB thumb drive seemed out-of-date and very complicated. Also, should I install the 32 or 64 bit version?
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Apr 15, 2012 21:58
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32-bit vs. 64-bit doesn't particularly matter. 64-bit is nice for security reasons, but without 4GB of RAM, that's about the only reason. OEM probably is the best deal unless you know somebody in college. If you have lots of computers to upgrade, you can get a three-pack maybe? A USB install of Windows isn't that bad. Microsoft offers a tool to convert an ISO to a USB stick, and the ISOs are easily found (legally). You do need access to a Windows PC for the USB creation, though.
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Apr 15, 2012 22:21
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Is there any reason you need windows? I think you said you could watch netflix on your consoles. If you want less hassle just download xbmcubuntu or whatever its called or openelec. I am running openelec on a SD card with my ad10.
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Apr 16, 2012 02:43
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kri kri posted:Is there any reason you need windows? I think you said you could watch netflix on your consoles. If you want less hassle just download xbmcubuntu or whatever its called or openelec. I am running openelec on a SD card with my ad10. I've been wanting a Windows box for a while to play some Windows-only indie games and for various other Windows-only applications. Having it hooked up to my tv makes it a bigger plus. Otherwise, I'd totally be going the Openelec route. So, I went about 6 months back in this thread and didn't see any HTPC-centric keyboard/mouse combos that anyone was happy with. Still not sure whether I want an attached trackball, trackpad or separate mouse. Most of the time, I'll be in XBMC, so I'll just be using the Zotac remote, and most games I'll be playing I'll probably be able to map to a 360 controller. Thinking I'd just need a keyboard/whatever for basic system admin, web browser, and the occasional application, possibly gaming if the 360 controller is insufficient. Saw this and it looked like it might be what I'm looking for, but the form factor might be a little too compact: http://www.amazon.com/CE-Compass-Wireless-Keyboard-Touchpad/dp/B004VPXLDI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334542335&sr=8-2
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Apr 16, 2012 03:19
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Scrot Eel posted:I've been wanting a Windows box for a while to play some Windows-only indie games and for various other Windows-only applications. Having it hooked up to my tv makes it a bigger plus. Otherwise, I'd totally be going the Openelec route. The only answer for the size and price range is this: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-920-003070/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=pd_bxgy_pc_text_c It's good, comrade.
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Apr 16, 2012 06:56
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UndyingShadow posted:The only answer for the size and price range is this: Bought. Thank you, sir. This looks perfect.
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Apr 16, 2012 07:08
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Is there any better solution for "integrating" Hulu with WMC7 than this plugin that just opens the Hulu desktop program? I've been using it for a while, and about half the time I open Hulu from WMC, it doesn't respond to the remote until I click on something, and when I quit Hulu, WMC is in the background with the taskbar in front, and doesn't respond to the remote until I push a WMC related button on my remote. It's really frustrating because the "mouse" is my phone, so when I'm not home, there are issues.
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Apr 16, 2012 18:10
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I'm back on the HTPC kick again and was wondering if I'd be better off upgrading what I already have or just starting over. I've got a Mini ITX build I did up a few years ago using an Intel Atom board (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121342) and 2 gigs of memory (maxxed out.) The board doesn't have an HDMI out option, so I'd need to get a new card. I'd also probably get an SSD to run the OS so I can free up the HD I'm currently using so I can reallocate it for media server purposes. All told, I'd probably wind up spending around $100 (I'd upgrade to Windows 7 from XP, but I've already got a spare license.) On the other hand, I was looking at a new build, and I figured that it would cost me around $257 for a case, SSD, board w/onboard video & HDMI out, and 8 gigs memory ($217 without a new case.) Am I better off just dropping the extra $100+, or can I run a good HTPC with the extra SSD and video card purchase? I'm not concerned with Blu-Ray quality viewing, but I obviously don't want stuttering or any issues. I would like to have the option of possibly running emulators once in a while as well. EDIT: Oh yeah, and I'm wanting to use XBMC as well. I currently have a Patriot Box Office for streaming, but the UI leaves much to be desired. I really liked XMBC when I was running on my XBox, so I'd like to return to the fold. berzerkmonkey fucked around with this message at 21:29 on Apr 16, 2012 |
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Apr 16, 2012 19:53
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I got this quote from the local small town computer shop today. Can anyone comment ? He seemed to be against going with an i5 and more ram. He also said the ssd drive wouldn't make a huge difference in boot times. Are the prices reasonable considering I'm in Northern Alberta and he would be doing the assembly ? I told him I didn't want a blue ray drive, needed hmdi and 1080p output, small shelf footprint and low power consumption. I plan on using a NAS or a couple USB drives for media storage. Also YouTube browsing and internet browsing from the couch. quote:Hello I found a few different computers that may work, both are mitx and should do exactly what you need
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Apr 16, 2012 22:14
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I'm not too familiar with the processors he spec'ed, but it seems like a base model Mac Mini would give you everything with better specs if you're not averse to a MAC OSX install. The apple.ca store has the following: 2.3GHz : 500GB 2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 2GB memory 500GB hard drive1 Intel HD Graphics 3000 OS X Lion In Stock Free Shipping $599.00 Scrot Eel fucked around with this message at 22:47 on Apr 16, 2012 |
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Apr 16, 2012 22:44
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After reading Lifehacker's recent XBMC/HTPC articles, I'm going to install game emulators once I get my AD10 in a couple of days. For everyone running emulators, what are you doing for a gamepad? I thought I would be able to use my wireless 360 controller, but I can't find any confirmation that it would work.
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Apr 16, 2012 23:13
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Assuming you are in windows, I think you have to use Microsoft's official dongle to use the wireless controllers. The wired ones work out of the box. http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Windows/dp/B000HZFCT2/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_1
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Apr 16, 2012 23:17
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astr0man posted:Assuming you are in windows, I think you have to use Microsoft's official dongle to use the wireless controllers. The wired ones work out of the box. With this can you use any official wireless 360 controller?
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Apr 16, 2012 23:41
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Giblet posted:With this can you use any official wireless 360 controller? Yes.
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Apr 16, 2012 23:47
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Scrot Eel posted:I'm not too familiar with the processors he spec'ed, but it seems like a base model Mac Mini would give you everything with better specs if you're not averse to a MAC OSX install. I don't like OSX is it possible to install windows on there with full driver support ? I kind of feel weird buying slow computer stuff. I wanted an i5 with at least 4gb ram because I want it to be snappy.
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Apr 17, 2012 00:50
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jonathan posted:I don't like OSX is it possible to install windows on there with full driver support ? Yes, you can install Windows 7 on it.
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Apr 17, 2012 00:52
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jonathan posted:I don't like OSX is it possible to install windows on there with full driver support ? I built an shuttle setup with an i5 with 16gigs of ram and a GTX 560 ti for around 800 earlier this year. Take out the video card and I it should be near your budget. Is part of the issue not wanting to assemble something yourself? While it is intimidating its actually really simple.
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Apr 17, 2012 01:04
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jonathan posted:I don't like OSX is it possible to install windows on there with full driver support ? Giblet posted:I built an shuttle setup with an i5 with 16gigs of ram and a GTX 560 ti for around 800 earlier this year. Take out the video card and I it should be near your budget.
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Apr 17, 2012 01:14
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Factory x2 made a good point in the shsc system thread when I was looking into building a new SFF PC. It's really hard to manage the temperatures in a box this small, its a better idea to buy zotac/etc for this reason alone, and I agree with him. Its not something I thought about but having the warranty is worth the peace of mind. Its not like I could build a box like the AD10 for $200 anyway. I know everyone wants "snappy" but there is a point to where it doesn't matter for a HTPC, I think. Sure the install might be slower, but every skin I can find in XBMC runs perfectly well on my tiny zbox.
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Apr 17, 2012 01:19
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Giblet posted:I built an shuttle setup with an i5 with 16gigs of ram and a GTX 560 ti for around 800 earlier this year. Take out the video card and I it should be near your budget. Assembly I can handle, I'm more intimidated with ordering a parts lust because I don't keep on the up n up with products. I don't know what is good, what works with what, driver issues, and my job doesn't give me the time to research this stuff. I went to the computer store because someone else can just choose for me, and I don't have to worry about forgetting to order some little drive tray adapter or some weird connector that I have no knowledge of. What is this zotac thing ? Is that an htpc brand or something?
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Apr 17, 2012 01:33
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japtor posted:Well there's a Zbox with i3 or Celeron 867 (Sandy Bridge based), neither seem to be in stock though. They're $363.99 and $220.99 respectively going by Zotac's compare page. What do you plan to do with it? Cause if you don't really need the CPU power the SSD will generally make a bigger difference as far as "snappy", and if you're just using external/network storage for most stuff you can save on the SSD, like under $100 for a 60/64GB one. My main requirements are a flashy eye candy interface, that is ultra snappy, like an Xbox or ps3. I want it to handle large libraries of movies without choking on box and fan art. I want IE or Chrome to open up quickly and be able to browse YouTube and also work as a jukebox without choking on nice looking music displays. I will not be gaming with it at all. It will be hooked up via HDMI to a TV with arc going to the receiver. People say the i3 with a few gigs of ram will be able to handle it and be smooth. And if that's going to run it really well then cool I will go for that, but if I can spend a few hundred extra more, and make it boot quicker and be even snappier then I want to know before having buyers remorse.
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Apr 17, 2012 01:40
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http://www.amazon.com/Zotac-Memory-Desktop-Computer-ZBOXNANO-AD10-PLUS-U/dp/B006HFVYUC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334623104&sr=8-3 Plenty of people in this and the shsc could tell you what to buy and save you money. I got my zotac in the mail and within 10 minutes I had it installing Windows. It's not rocket science. I don't even know what "weird connectors" you are talking about. My zbox has HDMI, ethernet and power. By all means if you want to pay $500 for this fine, but there are plenty of options out there.
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Apr 17, 2012 01:43
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I built a HTPC recently and I'm pretty happy with it. There is just one thing I was wondering about power supply. It's a mini itx and the fan is a bit noisy. Is there a silent psu available to fit in a mini itx case? I'm struggling to find one without a fan as I have a motherboard with a 20 pin connector (instead of having a power pack outside the case with a circular connector - no idea if there is a technical term for this) So if anyone is aware of a mini itx silent/fanless PSU i would be eternally grateful?
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Apr 17, 2012 11:35
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PicoPSU's may work. You need to make sure that your computer dosn't use more power than it's rated however. http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-160-XT I have seen a few sold at Fry's but I think the biggest one was a 120w not the 160 in that link. I don't know anything about the company in the link, It's just what I found in a quick search.
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Apr 17, 2012 15:14
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angry armadillo posted:I built a HTPC recently and I'm pretty happy with it. There is just one thing I was wondering about power supply. I realize this is too late for you, but you can get motherboards that use laptop style power supplies, so it is an external brick with no fan.
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Apr 17, 2012 16:05
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Anyone have any opinions on that assassin's htpc guide from the avs forum ? Seems like his page is an up to date go to commentary to start reading.
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Apr 17, 2012 19:40
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I was just checking out the new release schedule for Windows 8, and it appears that Media Center is only going to be available for the more expensive Pro version, and as a paid add-on at that. It's not a big deal in the short-term: just avoid Win8 for MCE. Long-term, though, it's a bit worrisome that Windows might cease development of the media center stuff, if only because all of the CableCard tuners are only compatible with MCE.
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Apr 19, 2012 01:02
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Glass of Milk posted:I was just checking out the new release schedule for Windows 8, and it appears that Media Center is only going to be available for the more expensive Pro version, and as a paid add-on at that. It's not a big deal in the short-term: just avoid Win8 for MCE. Long-term, though, it's a bit worrisome that Windows might cease development of the media center stuff, if only because all of the CableCard tuners are only compatible with MCE. I assume everything will get moved to the new xbox.
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Apr 19, 2012 04:04
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Did anyone else have trouble installing Windows 7 to the AD10? I'm installing from disc, and when it gets to the point where it asks for drivers, I insert the driver disc and it says "no drivers found". Not sure what to do now.
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Apr 19, 2012 04:30
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Scrot Eel posted:Did anyone else have trouble installing Windows 7 to the AD10? I'm installing from disc, and when it gets to the point where it asks for drivers, I insert the driver disc and it says "no drivers found". Not sure what to do now. I had the same problem, spent an hour googling and I found the answer. Just switch the USB port the drive is connected to. When it gives you the error, hit cancel to go back to the first screen then switch it.
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Apr 19, 2012 04:34
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Drevoak posted:I had the same problem, spent an hour googling and I found the answer. Just switch the USB port the drive is connected to. When it gives you the error, hit cancel to go back to the first screen then switch it. I initially tried that but to no avail, but I hadn't tried all ports. Turns out that Windows does not ship with USB3.0 support. I took out everything I had plugged into the two USB2.0 ports, plugged in the DVD drive and it worked fine.
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Apr 19, 2012 05:01
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Anyone know how to map the "I" (info) button on the Zotac AD10 remote to the right mouse button? I'd like to use that in XBMC to get sub-menus.
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Apr 20, 2012 05:24
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I've asked this before but I can't find the answers that were given. I'll ask again, and give thanks for your patience; Instead of building an HTPC, could a laptop with decent specs: i7, 8gb ram, HDMI output from a major company like HP or Dell give a good experience as an htpc ? What would the drawbacks be ? The pluses: runs somewhat silent, low power usage, small footprint, can be had for similar price as a pieces together unit. What are the negatives ? Can these things output at 1080p ? If there is something I overlooked I'm going to build me own.
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Apr 21, 2012 01:55
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The negative is you have a loving laptop hooked up to your TV
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Apr 21, 2012 02:49
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jonathan posted:The pluses: runs somewhat silent, low power usage, small footprint, can be had for similar price as a pieces together unit. All of this applies to a dedicated HTPC. Also a real HTPC will be a lot cheaper than a laptop with the specs you just posted, which are overkill for an HTPC. Laptops are good at being laptops, not being replacements for <insert other computer type here>.
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Apr 21, 2012 05:15
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astr0man posted:All of this applies to a dedicated HTPC. Also a real HTPC will be a lot cheaper than a laptop with the specs you just posted, which are overkill for an HTPC. Laptops are good at being laptops, not being replacements for <insert other computer type here>. Don't confuse him with the facts!
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Apr 21, 2012 05:45
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Scrot Eel posted:Anyone know how to map the "I" (info) button on the Zotac AD10 remote to the right mouse button? I'd like to use that in XBMC to get sub-menus. All of the AD10 remote buttons should correspond with standard MCE remote functions. I know it is possible to remap those functions in XBMC but I don't remember how off the top of my head, you might want to try the XBMC thread. It involves editing a config file somewhere I think.
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Apr 21, 2012 06:32
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astr0man posted:All of this applies to a dedicated HTPC. Also a real HTPC will be a lot cheaper than a laptop with the specs you just posted, which are overkill for an HTPC. Laptops are good at being laptops, not being replacements for <insert other computer type here>. However, my grant has money for a new laptop, and I don't need a new laptop, so I DID just get them to buy me a netbook that I'm hoping will work as a new front-end for my HTPC in another room. So there are cases where this is a good idea. And anyway, the laptop-as-HTPC idea isn't that bad anyway since it's obviously a more versatile piece of equipment. If you don't need the laptop much while you're home especially, you can have a HTPC for home and a laptop for the road in one piece of equipment. The bigger worry for this setup is that many more cost-effective netbooks won't be able to handle 1080 streaming if that's something you want (or sometimes even 720 streaming) since they're cutting back on processor power. Balancing cost/effectiveness is tricky, and you're going to end up paying more for a somewhat lesser HTPC. Still, you're also getting a useful laptop out of it, so it's really about what you need. berzerker fucked around with this message at 10:22 on Apr 21, 2012 |
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Apr 21, 2012 10:19
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berzerker posted:However, my grant has money for a new laptop, and I don't need a new laptop, so I DID just get them to buy me a netbook that I'm hoping will work as a new front-end for my HTPC in another room. So there are cases where this is a good idea. And anyway, the laptop-as-HTPC idea isn't that bad anyway since it's obviously a more versatile piece of equipment. If you don't need the laptop much while you're home especially, you can have a HTPC for home and a laptop for the road in one piece of equipment. Can a decent laptop, i5 or i7 do 1080p over HDMI ? I don't mean will it play it back well, I mean can a video card that does 1440xwhatever on the 15" display do 1080p when connected via HDMI ?
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Apr 21, 2012 18:02
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