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Newb ultra budget HTPC build - requesting help

post #1 of 7
10/18/11 at 4:34pm
Thread Starter 
I read this article gadgetscholar.com htpc under-250/

budget as close to $200 and maybe up to $300 if there is a very good reason to spend extra.

I want to:
play Movies from DVD and hard drive
play Music
watch netflix
and possibly highlights from NHL.com (silverlight?)
I might like to add a remote control down the road

My tv is an old (420p?) 32" LCD that was just given to me. I have intermediate computer skills. This will be my first experience with Linux. I am an Apple guy and have experience with Windows.

barebones system: Foxconn R10-G3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856119018

processor:Intel Celeron E3400 Wolfdale 2.6GHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819116348

Video Card: MSI N8400GS-MD1GD3H/LP GeForce 8400 GS 1GB 64-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127538

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EARS 1TB 5400 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136490

Bluetooth adapter?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833340019

WIFI:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833166011

1. What are the chances the bluetooth adapter lets me use an apple wireless keyboard and mighty mouse?

2. Can I use the DDR3 video card?

3. Anything missing or other mistakes?

Thanks
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post #2 of 7
10/18/11 at 6:13pm
Just a quick "gotcha" -- unless something has changed recently that I don't know about, silverlight doesn't work in linux, so no netflix, etc.
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post #3 of 7
10/20/11 at 11:02am
Thread Starter 
thanks, I will have to figure out if I am going to run Windows 7 I guess I have enough drive space to run both.
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post #4 of 7
10/20/11 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sysadmin View Post

Just a quick "gotcha" -- unless something has changed recently that I don't know about, silverlight doesn't work in linux, so no netflix, etc.

You never heard of Moonlight?

http://mono-framework.com/Moonlight

Edit: Moonlight most likely won't let you watch Netflix on Linux. This is because of DRM.

http://jacksonh.tumblr.com/post/9658...-on-linux-with

I know that it is not because of Linux. I have a Roku box that supposedly runs Linux, and Netflix is available on that.
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post #5 of 7
10/20/11 at 7:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by waterhead View Post

You never heard of Moonlight? ...

Yeah, but it's pretty pointless without DRM because that's the only reason anyone publishes content in Silverlight anyway. Plus, while there's a version 4 beta, the last stable version is 2, and MS is already on 5. So, it's just easier to say that it doesn't work.
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post #6 of 7
10/22/11 at 9:06am
Couldn't you run Netflix with a Windows VM on Linux? Or would that not perform well enough?

Apparently you can. But IMO a cheap Roku would be a better option, because you don't need a keyboard and mouse. Or any of a number of cheap BR players that can do Netflix, Amazon, Youtube, etc. I always try to avoid use of a browser for a Myth install used on an HDTV.
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post #7 of 7
10/22/11 at 8:15pm
Is there a reason you want a HTPC?

Something like the LG BD690 may fit your needs.

http://www.amazon.com/LG-BD670-Wirel...9339499&sr=1-2


Don't have any experience with these new players but they seem to do most of what people want in a HTPC (except record and playback of TV of course! --- which is actually most of what I do)
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