It took a long time for me to compile the results (over 3 hours) but here are the results of the poll. We had a lot of people answer the poll.
Thanks for everyone that contributed.
Most common answer in bold:
1. What operating system do you use? [n=88]
a. Windows 7 32 bit (21)
b. Windows 7 64 bit (62) [70%]
c. Windows XP (4)
d. Mac OS (1)
e. Linux
f. Other
2. What platform do you prefer [n=82]?
a. AMD CPU with integrated GPU (i.e. Llano with 3D capability) (8)
bb. Intel CPU with integrated GPU (23) [28%]
e. AMD CPU with discrete NVidia graphics card (5)
f. Intel CPU with discrete ATI graphics card (22) [27%]
g. Intel CPU with discrete NVidia graphics card (12)
h. Other AMD (2)
i. Other Intel
j. No preference (1)
3. How much RAM do you use [n=88]?
a. 1GB
b. 2GB (9)
c. 4GB (54) [61%]
d. 8GB (18)
e. 16GB (4)
f. 32GB
g. 1.5GB (1)
h. 3GB (1)
i. 6GB (1)
4. Do you use a SSD for your OS [n=85]?
a. Yes, SATAII (26)
b. Yes, SATAIII (15)
c. No (44) [51%]
5. How much storage do you have internally in your main HTPC [n=91]?
a. 30-64GB for OS mainly (13)
b. 64-500GB (16) [18%]
c. 500GB - 1TB (11)
d. 1TB - 2TB (16) [18%]
e. 2TB - 3TB (14)
f. 3TB - 4TB (3)
g. More than 4TB (17) [19%]
h. 14.5GB (1)
6. How much storage do you have connected via your network, server or NAS to your main HTPC [n=80]?
a. 80-500GB
b. 500GB - 1TB (1)
c. 1TB - 2TB (7)
d. 2TB - 3TB (7)
e. 3TB - 4TB (6)
f. 4TB - 8TB (16)
g. 8TB - 12TB (6)
h. 12TB - 20TB (6)
i. 20TB - 30TB (7)
j. More than 30TB (4)
k. None (20) [25%]
7. What do you use as your front end (more than one answer is allowed for this question) [n=118]
a. WMC (28) [24%]
b. WMC + Media Browser (36) [30%]
c. XBMC (11)
d. Plex (2)
e. JRiver (7)
f. My Movies (3)
g. Media Portal (4)
h. MPC-HC (13)
i. Other (6)
j. Sage (3)
k. PowerDVD (1)
l. Boxee (1)
m. Roku (1)
n. VLC (1)
o. TMT5/PDVD11/WMP (1)
8. Is bitstreaming HD Audio important to you [n=85]?
a. Yes (52) [61%]
b. No (33)
9. What size HTPC do you use [n=87]?
a. Mini-ITX (15)
b. Micro-ATX (42) [48%]
c. Full ATX (27)
d. Tower (1)
e. Rackmount (2)
10. Do you have an optical drive in your main HTPC [n=87]?
a. Yes, bluray (52) [60%]
b. Yes, DVD (26)
c. No (9)
11. How is your HTPC connected to your network/internet [n=86]?
a. Wired (75) [87%]
b. USB Wireless (6)
c. PCI/PCI-e Wireless (5)
d. Its not connected
12. How large is your PSU [n=84]?
a. 60-80 watts (1)
b. 80-120 watts (6)
c. 120-380 watts (25) [30%]
d. 380-450 watts (24) [29%]
e. 450-600 watts (18)
f. More than 600 watts (10)
13. Do you use your HTPC as a DVR [n=84]?
a. Yes, with a cablecard device (19)
b. Yes, with a OTA tuner device (37) [44%]
c. No (24)
d. Yes, other (4)
14. What was the total cost of the hardware (excluding the OS) for your main HTPC [n=85]?
a. $300 or less (4)
b. $300 - $400 (9)
c. $400 - $500 (15)
d. $500 - $600 (16)
e. $600 - $800 (16)
f. $800 - $1000 (9)
g. $1000 - $1500 (7)
h. More than $1500 (9)
15. Do you do gaming on your HTPC [n=81]?
a. Yes, emulator (non-intensive graphics) gaming only (8)
b. Yes, including modern intensive graphics gaming (10)
c. No, none at all (63) [74%]
16. How long do you expect that your HTPC hardware will remain "usable" and "upgradeable"?
a. 1-2 years (12)
b. 2-3 years (21)
c. 3-4 years (20)
d. 4-5 years (17)
e. 5-10 years (12)
My conclusion...
The average HTPC at AVS looks like the following...
Windows 7 64 bit OS
Intel with Integrated GPU or Intel+ATI
4GB RAM
No SSD
Anywhere from 64GB up to >4TB internally
Anywhere from Zero to 8TB of Networked storage
Running WMC or WMC+Media Browser as the frontend
Streaming HD Audio
Micro-ATX in size
Bluray drive
Wired network
120-450 watt PSU
OTA tuner device
$400-$800 in price
No gaming at all
Life expectancy of 2-5 years
BTW --- Someone else can do this the next time or find a better way. No way I am ever doing this again.
Thanks for everyone that contributed.
Most common answer in bold:
1. What operating system do you use? [n=88]
a. Windows 7 32 bit (21)
b. Windows 7 64 bit (62) [70%]
c. Windows XP (4)
d. Mac OS (1)
e. Linux
f. Other
2. What platform do you prefer [n=82]?
a. AMD CPU with integrated GPU (i.e. Llano with 3D capability) (8)
bb. Intel CPU with integrated GPU (23) [28%]
b. Intel CPU with integrated GPU (i.e. Sandy Bridge with 3D) (15)
d. AMD CPU with discrete ATI graphics card (9)c. Intel CPU with integrated GPU (i.e. Sandy Bridge without 3D) (8)
e. AMD CPU with discrete NVidia graphics card (5)
f. Intel CPU with discrete ATI graphics card (22) [27%]
g. Intel CPU with discrete NVidia graphics card (12)
h. Other AMD (2)
i. Other Intel
j. No preference (1)
3. How much RAM do you use [n=88]?
a. 1GB
b. 2GB (9)
c. 4GB (54) [61%]
d. 8GB (18)
e. 16GB (4)
f. 32GB
g. 1.5GB (1)
h. 3GB (1)
i. 6GB (1)
4. Do you use a SSD for your OS [n=85]?
a. Yes, SATAII (26)
b. Yes, SATAIII (15)
c. No (44) [51%]
5. How much storage do you have internally in your main HTPC [n=91]?
a. 30-64GB for OS mainly (13)
b. 64-500GB (16) [18%]
c. 500GB - 1TB (11)
d. 1TB - 2TB (16) [18%]
e. 2TB - 3TB (14)
f. 3TB - 4TB (3)
g. More than 4TB (17) [19%]
h. 14.5GB (1)
6. How much storage do you have connected via your network, server or NAS to your main HTPC [n=80]?
a. 80-500GB
b. 500GB - 1TB (1)
c. 1TB - 2TB (7)
d. 2TB - 3TB (7)
e. 3TB - 4TB (6)
f. 4TB - 8TB (16)
g. 8TB - 12TB (6)
h. 12TB - 20TB (6)
i. 20TB - 30TB (7)
j. More than 30TB (4)
k. None (20) [25%]
7. What do you use as your front end (more than one answer is allowed for this question) [n=118]
a. WMC (28) [24%]
b. WMC + Media Browser (36) [30%]
c. XBMC (11)
d. Plex (2)
e. JRiver (7)
f. My Movies (3)
g. Media Portal (4)
h. MPC-HC (13)
i. Other (6)
j. Sage (3)
k. PowerDVD (1)
l. Boxee (1)
m. Roku (1)
n. VLC (1)
o. TMT5/PDVD11/WMP (1)
8. Is bitstreaming HD Audio important to you [n=85]?
a. Yes (52) [61%]
b. No (33)
9. What size HTPC do you use [n=87]?
a. Mini-ITX (15)
b. Micro-ATX (42) [48%]
c. Full ATX (27)
d. Tower (1)
e. Rackmount (2)
10. Do you have an optical drive in your main HTPC [n=87]?
a. Yes, bluray (52) [60%]
b. Yes, DVD (26)
c. No (9)
11. How is your HTPC connected to your network/internet [n=86]?
a. Wired (75) [87%]
b. USB Wireless (6)
c. PCI/PCI-e Wireless (5)
d. Its not connected
12. How large is your PSU [n=84]?
a. 60-80 watts (1)
b. 80-120 watts (6)
c. 120-380 watts (25) [30%]
d. 380-450 watts (24) [29%]
e. 450-600 watts (18)
f. More than 600 watts (10)
13. Do you use your HTPC as a DVR [n=84]?
a. Yes, with a cablecard device (19)
b. Yes, with a OTA tuner device (37) [44%]
c. No (24)
d. Yes, other (4)
14. What was the total cost of the hardware (excluding the OS) for your main HTPC [n=85]?
a. $300 or less (4)
b. $300 - $400 (9)
c. $400 - $500 (15)
d. $500 - $600 (16)
e. $600 - $800 (16)
f. $800 - $1000 (9)
g. $1000 - $1500 (7)
h. More than $1500 (9)
15. Do you do gaming on your HTPC [n=81]?
a. Yes, emulator (non-intensive graphics) gaming only (8)
b. Yes, including modern intensive graphics gaming (10)
c. No, none at all (63) [74%]
16. How long do you expect that your HTPC hardware will remain "usable" and "upgradeable"?
a. 1-2 years (12)
b. 2-3 years (21)
c. 3-4 years (20)
d. 4-5 years (17)
e. 5-10 years (12)
My conclusion...
The average HTPC at AVS looks like the following...
Windows 7 64 bit OS
Intel with Integrated GPU or Intel+ATI
4GB RAM
No SSD
Anywhere from 64GB up to >4TB internally
Anywhere from Zero to 8TB of Networked storage
Running WMC or WMC+Media Browser as the frontend
Streaming HD Audio
Micro-ATX in size
Bluray drive
Wired network
120-450 watt PSU
OTA tuner device
$400-$800 in price
No gaming at all
Life expectancy of 2-5 years
BTW --- Someone else can do this the next time or find a better way. No way I am ever doing this again.
