Hello,
After giving up looking at barebone PCs and streaming media players, after reading the threads here I decided to explore HTPC builds.
I tried looking at Assassin's guides, but the problem is I kept looking for nice components and it easily goes $500+..
So I tried looking builds in this forum instead.
My purpose is simple
Play Hi10P 1080p h.264 animes in my TV, connecting the player to a network so I don't have to plug/unplug my USB all the time to my current ASUS O!Play Mini that I'm using, which doesn't go well with Hi10P, of course, though it still plays it. Small form factor is also a preference, will be putting it below my TV with a limited vertical space.
I need advice how should I go about this
1. Find a decent htpc from eBay?
2. Find a barebone in newegg (~$200) and add CPU and HDD? But that would quickly go over the limit
3. A decent build I see here is http://www.avsforum.com/t/1489606/design-me-a-htpc-below-300-to-do-what-i-need#post_23718887 didn't realize this is too big also, and I will still need the case
4. Found another build at http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1800144/300.html#11530323 too big.. oops
Or can anyone suggest me a build?
Also, do I need a Haswell?
And I was looking at this thread http://www.avsforum.com/t/1404685/cheapest-ever-htpc-thats-decent-proud-of-myself/ but I got.. really lost. I just don't know the minimum requirements.
Thanks for all your help! I'm not 100% sold on HTPC yet but I want to know my options.
I'm currently running an Alienware m11x R1 - that's Core 2 Duo 1.3GHz with 1GB video card and 8GB RAM.
I can't play Hi10P 1080p on MPC-HC. The video loves to stop (while the audio is running). Thinking about replacing it soon once a decent mobile replacement comes out but I can't find any better alternative for something I can leave on 24/7 for my uses than HTPC, except if you have other alternatives for me.
EDIT: So the decent $300 ones I found are ATX build with tall towers or they already have some parts which makes them
Hello,
After giving up looking at barebone PCs and streaming media players, after reading the threads here I decided to explore HTPC builds.
I tried looking at Assassin's guides, but the problem is I kept looking for nice components and it easily goes $500+..
So I tried looking builds in this forum instead.
My purpose is simple
Play Hi10P 1080p h.264 animes in my TV, connecting the player to a network so I don't have to plug/unplug my USB all the time to my current ASUS O!Play Mini that I'm using, which doesn't go well with Hi10P, of course, though it still plays it. Small form factor is also a preference, will be putting it below my TV with a limited vertical space.
I need advice how should I go about this
1. Find a decent htpc from eBay?
2. Find a barebone in newegg (~$200) and add CPU and HDD? But that would quickly go over the limit
3. A decent build I see here is http://www.avsforum.com/t/1489606/design-me-a-htpc-below-300-to-do-what-i-need#post_23718887 didn't realize this is too big also, and I will still need the case
4. Found another build at http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1800144/300.html#11530323 too big.. oops
Or can anyone suggest me a build?
Also, do I need a Haswell?
And I was looking at this thread http://www.avsforum.com/t/1404685/cheapest-ever-htpc-thats-decent-proud-of-myself/ but I got.. really lost. I just don't know the minimum requirements.
Thanks for all your help! I'm not 100% sold on HTPC yet but I want to know my options.
I'm currently running an Alienware m11x R1 - that's Core 2 Duo 1.3GHz with 1GB video card and 8GB RAM.
I can't play Hi10P 1080p on MPC-HC. The video loves to stop (while the audio is running). Thinking about replacing it soon once a decent mobile replacement comes out but I can't find any better alternative for something I can leave on 24/7 for my uses than HTPC, except if you have other alternatives for me.
EDIT: So the decent $300 ones I found are ATX build with tall towers or they already have some parts which makes them