Report: Microsoft's Surface Pro as a secondary HTPC

I wondered recently in another thread if the Surface Pro—being a full-fledged Windows 8 PC—would be sufficient to act as an HTPC. There's been a lot of buzz, talk and reviews about the merits and shortcomings of the Surface Pro, so much so that more niché uses like HTPC haven't been covered. The Surface RT model is not able to run legacy Windows software, of course, so at least for now it's a non-starter in this arena. But I was intrigued by the newer Surface Pro.

I have a primary desktop-based HTPC hooked up to the main 65" plasma in the living room, but I also have a more modest home theater system in the bedroom, planted firmly in front of an exercise bike. I currently have an entry-level Denon receiver (AVR-1513) hooked up to an Xbox 360 in an effort to trick myself into exercising (lost 25 lbs. so far!) So it's been working, but I thought with a library of 800+ lossless-quality MKVs sitting on my NAS drives and at my fingertips, it would be another great way to pass the time.

I went ahead and bought a 128GB Surface Pro. At the time of this writing, they are still in very high demand and difficult to come by, which I suppose is another reason the AVS regulars haven't put one through its paces. I've been using the system for a week now, and although this is not meant to be a review of the device, suffice it to say everything you've read in the reviews is true: it's a full-fledged Windows 8 machine, has a great screen, a nice stylus, an amazing Type Cover keyboard, and USB / Mini DisplayPort connections. It also runs fairly warm and the battery life is pretty short, as reviewed.

One of the first things I did was install my suite of home theater software:

—Windows Media Center (as widely reported, unless you purchased Windows 8 early and got a free WMC Upgrade Code, this is a $10 add-on to the system. Not a big deal.)
—Media Browser, my preferred front-end for WMC7 (now WMC8?)
—LAV Filters (for subtitles, audio handling, etc.)

In terms of hardware, the Surface connects easily to a WiFi-n network as you would imagine. The screen of the Surface beautiful, and thankfully is 1920x1080 resolution, so it maps 1:1 to an external 1080p HD display.

The Surface has a single USB port, which you can use for anything you would on a "normal" computer—a wireless mouse receiver, external storage devices, or (most likely) a USB hub to connect even more devices.

While this report is centered on using a Surface Pro, I wanted to note some important (and not well-publicized) differences between this model and the RT model:

1) Most important, for some reason the RT model sports a mini HDMI output, while the Pro model features a Mini DisplayPort output. Make sure you get the right HDMI adapter for the Surface Pro! They look VERY similar.

2) You do NOT need to purchase Microsoft's first-party Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. As of this writing they are currently as hard to come by as the Surface Pro itself. In fact, in my search for one, the Microsoft Store themselves stocked a Belkin adapter which they recommended.

3) Notable but not as important as the above, the Surface Pro uses a 48W power supply, while the RT uses a 24W power supply. These items are right next to each other on the shelf and the packaging is very similar, so if you purchase a second power supply (there is one included, of course), be sure to get the right one.

Anyway, back to the HTPC:

I was concerned that the Mini DisplayPort might not support audio, but thankfully it does. Upon connecting the Surface Pro via HDMI to my Denon receiver, the Surface Pro recognized the availability of my HDTV as a secondary display, and like any external display, you can choose how to use it with Windows 8: Mirror the Display, Extend the Desktop, Use Only the External Display, etc. Works like a charm.

Secondly, the Sound Control Panel also recognized the Denon AVR as a Sound device. I was monkeying around with some settings and was initially alarmed because I was getting video but NO audio from my receiver (it was still coming through the Surface), until I realized I had inadvertently set the Sound Control Panel back to using the Surface's relatively-meager built-in speakers. Just make sure to select your Receiver (it should switch to it automatically when you connect an HDMI device) in the Sound Control Panel of Windows Desktop mode, and you can Configure your speakers as normal there (2.1, 5.1, 7.1, etc.)

So, did it work? In a word, yes.

Here are a couple of shots of maybe one of the only 5.1-equipped exercise bikes you're gonna run across. As you can see, the Surface Pro fits perfectly on my particular bike's magazine holder, and it only requires the single HDMI connection to use on my bedroom home theater system. Of course you may need to also plug in a power supply, but a full charge will easily let you watch anything but the longest of films (4+ hours would be pushing it.) You may notice that I'm Mirroring the display in the photo here, which you might find distracting for watching a movie. No worries, under Power Options you can control what happens when you close the lid of the Surface (in my case, the Type Cover, which is folded back behind the Surface in the photo), and you can just set it to "Do Nothing" when closed, so the system won't go to sleep and you can just enjoy the picture on the external HDTV. Works just like any other laptop in this regard.



The performance so far has been flawless, but I've got a couple of tips:

1) Make sure you have either a great WiFi network, or have the ability to attach your Surface to a CAT-5 network (you can use a standard USB Ethernet adapter for wired connections.) I use the well-reviewed ASUS RT-N66U wireless router, which is rated with particularly high throughput, and my bedroom is only about 50 feet away from the router with a clear signal path. Your mileage may vary on your own network, but I had NO stutters and NO connection issues streaming a lossless-quality 30GB MKV from my ReadyNAS Pros to the Surface. It worked perfectly.

2) I happen to use the Poster view in Media Browser as my preferred interface on my primary theater system, and wanted the same interface for the bedroom. This interface happens to not be touch-friendly with the Surface screen. When you attempt to scroll through your library by swiping, it simply selects the first movie you touch, and opens the Movie Info screen for it. The solution adds another level of slickness to the setup, particularly if you're not able to keep your Surface Pro near you during playback: I researched several different Remote apps for my Apple iPhone 4S, and found that HippoRemote was an ideal way to control the Surface Pro without touching it. The HippoRemote connects easily to any computer (including the Surface) using the included VNC server (no configuration needed, really) as long as your iOS device is on the same WiFi network as the Surface Pro. I'm sure you can find an equivalent solution—if needed—for Android devices, etc.

What's great about HippoRemote is that only does it have a virtual touchpad, mouse buttons, and multiple keyboard layouts, but it also features a ton of preconfigured control layouts for virtually every popular multimedia program on the computer: everything from iTunes, Netflix, XBMC, and—yes!—Windows Media Center has custom key layouts you can use with common functions readily available. Plus, you can make your own layouts if needed, but the Windows Media Center configuration was great for me. I could quickly scroll around my Media Browser library using the Up / Down and Page Up / Page Down, Enter and Backspace keys to browse for a title. Or, just use the onscreen keyboard to type in the name of the movie you want.

Note that I only found HippoRemote helpful because I use the full-screen Poster view in Media Browser. The Surface Pro touchscreen may work better in other Media Browser themes or screen views and would be simpler than using a second device, but I didn't check them. A much more common usage scenario will probably be using an external wireless keyboard or remote for control, so those should work just as well as they would on a "regular" HTPC (the Surface supports Bluetooth connections too, of course.)

3) If you use Media Browser, it's imperative that you get the very latest version. Only the latest version supports Windows 8, which would otherwise have kept me from this experiment altogether.

4) The relative lack of local storage on the Surface Pro hasn't been an issue for me. While I did opt for the 128GB model and popped in a $50 64GB MicroSDXC card, you really don't need a lot of space. I've installed all my home theater software, Microsoft Office, the Adobe CS suite, several Steam games, iTunes, the entire Adobe Font Library for my design work, and still have 60GB free on the system drive, and haven't needed to touch the 64GB card at all. Any home theater enthusiast worth their salt is going to be storing their media on external devices anyway, so local storage on an HTPC isn't that important. I hardly use any local storage on my primary HTPC, either.

5) There's no reason why you couldn't install more software too, like Media Center Master (which I use to organize my library on my primary HTPC.) I'm sure other platforms like XBMC and Plex would work as well.

So, are there any downsides?

Only one for me: so far, the only thing I have not been able to get to work is bitstreaming DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD audio codecs. Kind of a bummer. Not sure if it's an incorrect configuration, or (I think more likely) that the AV chip inside the Surface is incapable of bitstreaming the lossless HD audio codecs, unlike NVIDIA and AMD Radeon cards in dedicated desktop HTPCs. If so, it's unlikely that will ever be added given that this is a pretty niché feature. When I play back my MKVs, my receiver reports "Multi In Blu-ray" for Dolby TrueHD titles, and reports DTS (not DTS-HD) for those titles. The PCM light does come on for DTS, but I don't think that means I'm getting lossless audio decoding.

My LAV Splitter is configured to bitstream HD audio, of course, just like my primary HTPC, so I don't believe it's a configuration error, but I would love it if it was, because so far that's the only disappointment in the setup (and given that it's a secondary system hooked up to a freaking exercise bike, I can live with it.) If anyone has any luck bitstreaming lossless audio codecs from a Surface Pro, please post here. I would love to be proven wrong on this.

As a test, I also installed a Trial version of Arcsoft's TMT6, which as far as I know is one of the only pieces of software that can actually decode DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD, and I didn't have any better luck. Not only was TMT6 NOT able to play an MKV stored on a NAS (it reported an unknown filetype, so I had to manually copy a test MKV to the Desktop in order to get it to open), but the playback performance was horrible and unwatchable. WMC8 and Media Browser with MPC-HC as an external player worked great.

Overall I'd definitely recommend trying a Surface Pro out if you are curious. Don't forget you have a FULL, completely portable Windows 8 PC at your disposal, which opens up all the viewing possibilities you also have: Netflix, PC gaming (a huge missed opportunity in the marketing of this device), web browsing, email, etc. While there are some shortcomings to the Surface (battery life being the most notable), overall the Surface Pro compares well to a MacBook Air—with the legacy catalog of Windows software dwarfing anything available for either OS X or iOS apps, for that matter. The Surface RT is more equivalent to an iPad, third-party apps notwithstanding. I use a Mac for my primary workstation and Windows 7 for my primary HTPC, and an iPhone and iPad 3, but so far the Surface Pro has been a great addition to the family.

And it'll probably only get better from here.

-Robert

@RBentey100, good questions.

• The Surface Pro does have fans, but they are very quiet and not always active. I certainly have much louder white noise in my home than the Surface fans can generate. I think I heard them once when it was on my lap, but unless you're in a library you probably won't notice them.

• So far I haven't had any problems with WiFi-n, but perhaps the Surface 2 (which you can virtually guarantee they're working on) will integrate Wifi-ac if they want it to be bleeding edge. Otherwise ac will probably make it into the third rev of the Surface hardware for sure, but that's a long time to wait.

• The Surface in tablet mode is fine to use otherwise. In fact, I've tested myself this past 1.5 weeks by using it instead of my iPad 3. Not once in the past 10 days have I felt the need to pull out the iPad to do anything, which is a good sign. I will certainly keep my iPad simply for access to the wealth of iOS apps and games (and 3G internet access), but so far the Surface has met all my needs in a tablet. My next test is to take the Surface with me on my next business trip instead of my Macbook Pro with Retina Display, and see how it does as a laptop replacement.

• When it comes to comparing weight to other devices like the iPad, I would just reiterate from my original post what I think is a fair comparison.

The Surface RT only runs in Metro mode and cannot access the full library of legacy Windows software. Therefore it is much more equivalent to an iPad, which only runs iOS apps, not OS X software. The Surface RT is lighter than the Pro, and therefore compares more favorably to the iPad in terms of size and weight.

The Surface Pro, however, being a full-fledged computer is more fairly comparable to a Macbook Air. And the Surface Pro is smaller and lighter than a Macbook Air, which is an extraordinary achievement. It's the same speed, has the same RAM, is available in the same 64GB and 128GB storage configurations, has 2 cameras instead of 1 (only good enough for video chatting, though), has a higher resolution true 1080p screen with a much higher pixel density, is the same price for the 128GB model (the 64GB Pro is cheaper than an Air), and is nearly a pound lighter than the Air, which again is pretty remarkable. Plus, the Surface Pro of course has a touchscreen (with a Wacom-made stylus with 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity) which is not available for the Air at all.

So, is the Surface Pro heavier than the iPad? Definitely. But it's a full computer. So is the Surface Pro heavier than an Air? No, it's much smaller and lighter. That being said, if Apple ever makes a "hybrid" device like this—a tablet form-factor device with detachable keyboard that can run the full version of OS X without compromise—I'll buy it in a heartbeat.

• When it comes to the device hardware quality, I and all the reviews I've read agree that the Surface is an amazingly-well engineered product. It's sleek, simple, sturdy, and you can find a number of videos online about the care and craftsmanship the Surface engineering team took in the smallest of details, including developing an acoustically-tested hinge that makes a satisfying "click" sound when the Type Cover magnetically connects to the Surface, like the slam of a car door on a German-engineered vehicle. I have no complaints on the engineering, but will be curious to see how it holds up over time after extended use. Like most reviews have noted, however, the single-position "kickstand" built into the back is not as positionable as a typical laptop, so many people find it hard to use on their lap with the keyboard open. But if I'm using it on my lap, I'm probably using it in tablet mode anyway, so it hasn't bothered me.

• In terms of software performance, the Surface is also blazingly fast. I've also had no complaints on startup or wake times (both take less than 10 seconds!) and applications are snappy, responsive and some even just fun to use. Metro apps in particular perform very well. So far no reviews I've read had any complaints about actual performance.

• The other nice thing about the Windows 8 install is that it is absolutely absent of bloatware. There are no Dell Toolbars, annoying web browser add-ons, thinly-veiled marketing apps, unnecessary plug-ins, software or antivirus trials, or any other obnoxious cruft. In order to keep the most storage space available to the user, Microsoft simply could not afford to be sloppy with unnecessary software installs.

-Robert

GREAT NEWS on a development in my report above: I've been able to get lossless audio codecs working on the Surface Pro!

But it wasn't for the faint of heart. In further researching the issue and poking around in the innards of the Windows 8 install, I noticed that if I was connected to my Denon AVR and opened its Properties in the Sound Control Panel, there is a tab listing the "Supported Formats" of sound. This is where the codecs available are listed, and it had three: DTS, Dolby Digital, and Dolby Digital Plus (no HD versions.) So that at least explained why I wasn't getting my lossless codecs bitstreamed to the AVR, and that it wasn't a configuration or user error.

Now, the Surface Pro is running an Intel Core i5 with the Intel HD Graphics P4000 chip. I went over to Intel's website and found the Data Sheet for the P4000, and it did in fact state support for DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD!

Microsoft, as an OEM in this case, has every right to modify Intel's configurations to best suit their hardware, and apparently (and inexplicably) decided to disable lossless audio codecs for some reason.

I felt a bit intrepid so I found Intel's original drivers for the P4000 on their website. You can't use their Auto Discovery tools to find the right drivers for your device, as it recognizes your system as an OEM Microsoft device and tells you not to use their drivers, but instead use whatever Microsoft has provided. Fair enough. But there's nothing stopping you from manually downloading the drivers from their online library.

I went ahead and took a chance and installed the drivers, knowing full-well they could brick my system (I figured I had Recovery USB stick ready in case of disaster), so I let it run.

After rebooting and not noticing anything unusual, I connected the Surface back to my Denon AVR and—wallah!—under "Supported Formats", DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD were now listed! The experiment paid off.

I fired up Media Browser with MPC-HC (with LAV Splitter configured to bitstream HD codecs, of course) and opened several MKVs. They all successfully lit up the DTS-HD and/or Dolby TrueHD lights on the Denon, and the system sounded great! Success.

So, should everyone do this? Probably not. But it's been about 24 hours and I haven't noticed any issues with the Surface in terms of crashing or performance. In fact, the Intel drivers actually add a new utility to the Surface called the "Intel® Graphics and Media Control Panel", which allows you to fine-tune aspects of the video display, such as color rendering (I find the defaults more than adequate). I have no idea if installing Intel's drivers in any way voids your warranty, nor do I know if this process will break or otherwise have to be re-performed if and when Microsoft issues any firmware updates to the Surface.

But so far, so good: my one biggest drawback for the Surface Pro as an HTPC is no longer an issue!

I'll be sure to report back to this thread if my Surface melts down or explodes in the next few days, but so far I may be one of the only people in the world with a Surface capable of bitstreaming HD audio codecs. The rest of the world probably doesn't care, but some AVS folks might

-R
Edited by rsinclair - 2/28/13 at 12:03am

@Dark_Slayer You're right. A somewhat clueless but ultimately helpful Microsoft support rep had sent me this PDF, which apparently was the wrong one for what's used in Surface. The Surface does have an Intel Core i5 processor, not a Xeon, so I've corrected my original post.

So although the incorrect processor was listed, the more relevant part was correct: the Surface Pro runs the Intel HD Graphics P4000 chip, which is the bit that supports the HD codecs and is governed by a driver.

@Cactys, I got this link to a manual download of the driver from an Intel support rep. It's findable on Intel's website, so I don't see a reason why I can't link to it here.

The only thing I can say is to exercise caution when installing, you're doing so at your own risk. Not sure if it voids the warranty, or if there's a way to re-install Microsoft's OEM version of the drivers over these generic ones from Intel if any unexpected issues develop later, nor do we know if these generic drivers will get overwritten if/when any system/firmware-level updates are pushed for the Surface in the future.

Cheers,
R

Sorry, didn't realize there was a difference between the 4000 and the P4000.

@Rbentley100, I haven't had any significant changes to my initial report after more usage. I'm in the process of moving right now so I haven't been able to use the setup as much as I've wanted to, but so far no problems.

I keep the Surface with me at work and it's plugged in the whole time (ironically I use it as a secondary display for my MacBook Pro ) so battery life hasn't been an issue for me, but on weekend use, sure I wish the battery lasted longer. But I could say that about virtually any mobile device I own. The heat is also still noticeable but tolerable, but here's to hoping they can make further improvements to battery life and heat dispersion in the next hardware rev—and there's still the strongly-hinted possibility of an external battery add-on forthcoming.

My first-week experiment in using the Surface exclusively over my iPad 3 has continued: since getting Surface, I actually haven't touched my iPad, or felt a strong need to use the iPad for anything specific. I'm not quite ready to sell it off or anything, since the ecosystem for it is so huge. Granted, I still use my iPhone more often than anything since it's pocketable and lets me do so much, but that's a different class of device.

In terms of Windows 8, that could be a post of its own, and there are of course tons of articles already written about its various strengths and weaknesses. I think the Modern UI (formerly Metro) side is indeed best-suited to touch devices like the Surface, and once you get it in your mind that the Start Screen is the replacement for the controversial removal of the Start Button, it's not that big of a deal. There are enough improvements in Windows 8 in general (such as incredibly fast startup times and other UI improvements to the Desktop) that it's probably worthwhile to upgrade even if you plan on spending 99% of your time in Desktop mode. As mentioned in the original post, now that Media Browser is compatible with Windows 8, I personally don't have any deal breaker set-backs using Win 8 over Win 7 for HTPC.

For now I'm quite comfortable with the choice of a Surface Pro over other devices (including the just-released Razer Edge) and the Helix, but like any other technology, eventually there will be a superior product on the market, and I imagine like all my other electronics (most notably Apple gear), I'll be selling off this device to pick up the next generation when it's available.

-R