Just because you need a new PC doesn't mean the entire thing is trash. Your existing (broken) PC still has a working bluray drive. In fact, there's probably only one piece that needs to be replaced and the whole machine will be up and running.
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need a new HTPC
My 10 year old gateway windows 7 desktop that I was using as an HTPC died this morning. I was using the computer only to play MKV rips of dvds and blu rays connected to my 4k tv - really as an alternative to a stand alone blu ray player. I know to many a stand alone is more convenient, but the HTPC works for me because it enables me to connect the audio via usb to my usb dac. I was considering a higher end blu ray player such as an oppo 205, which would have sound quality that would rival my usb dac, but they are very expensive on the pre-owned market. I have a friend who would assist with building one, but for my limited purpose was hoping for suggestions for an off the rack pc, preferably something that would resemble a stand alone player in terms of small form factor, but that is not absolutely necessary. thank you. PS I would need a blu ray drive as I was using my PC also to perform the ripping.
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Agree. Define "died." As long as the motherboard isn't cooked (been there) there may be hope, unless you just don't want to bother with it.
I lost my HTPC to a lightning strike, but was able to salvage both BD burners, the system SSD, the hard drives holding all of my rips, the TV tuners and the RAM. Everything got stuck into my office Win 7 computer, which now handles the ripping and recording duties.
If that 10-year-old BD drive still works, hang on to it. Some of those have "advantages" over more recent ones.
Doc
I lost my HTPC to a lightning strike, but was able to salvage both BD burners, the system SSD, the hard drives holding all of my rips, the TV tuners and the RAM. Everything got stuck into my office Win 7 computer, which now handles the ripping and recording duties.
If that 10-year-old BD drive still works, hang on to it. Some of those have "advantages" over more recent ones.
Doc
Thank you. Had a friend who was able to fix the pc. But I'm looking for something smaller - the size of a shield or mac mini - I will keep the tower and use for ripping purposes. I can't use a shield because I need mpc with the lav filters to decode the lossless audio to pcm. Will use to play blu rays ripped to mkv. Any suggestions - would a laptop work?
Intel NUC or zotac mini pc are smallest one
Probably true, but 10 years old is pretty old. Probably almost every fanless device is both more powerful and uses less energy (heat). And new might cost less than whatever part needs replacing.Just because you need a new PC doesn't mean the entire thing is trash. Your existing (broken) PC still has a working bluray drive. In fact, there's probably only one piece that needs to be replaced and the whole machine will be up and running.
This is a complete fallacy. CPUs have not followed along this path for the last decade. My main HTPC, which is running an RTX 3090 and plays all the latest games, still is running an Intel 4790K CPU from 2014, 7 years old and not struggling, wont be replaced anytime soon. Adding some ram, upgrading a GPU, in most cases this is all you need.Probably true, but 10 years old is pretty old. Probably almost every fanless device is both more powerful and uses less energy (heat). And new might cost less than whatever part needs replacing.
I didn't say that older devices couldn't continue to function. It's software that hasn't changed that much, so not only can they function they can be updated (Windows 11 being the exception). What I said almost every new device is probably more powerful than a 10 year old device, and that includes new inexpensive devices relative to older then higher end devices.This is a complete fallacy. CPUs have not followed along this path for the last decade. My main HTPC, which is running an RTX 3090 and plays all the latest games, still is running an Intel 4790K CPU from 2014, 7 years old and not struggling, wont be replaced anytime soon. Adding some ram, upgrading a GPU, in most cases this is all you need.
And I don't know what you mean when you say CPUs have not followed a path for the last decade. They have continued to improve both performance and energy efficiency.
Up until around 2010 CPUs followed <a href="Moore's law - Wikipedia">Moore's Law</a> and resulted in doubling of performance every couple cycles. That hasn't so much been the case since then. No, your average super cheap fanless device is not likely to be faster than a decent CPU from 2010. That's the part that I was referring to as fallacy. CPUs have improved a lot, but they've focused on efficiency, more cores, etc.I didn't say that older devices couldn't continue to function. It's software that hasn't changed that much, so not only can they function they can be updated (Windows 11 being the exception). What I said almost every new device is probably more powerful than a 10 year old device, and that includes new inexpensive devices relative to older then higher end devices.
And I don't know what you mean when you say CPUs have not followed a path for the last decade. They have continued to improve both performance and energy efficiency.
You're only looking at CPUs, where the main gain may be in energy efficiency (heat) due to smaller processes. But a newer computer will have faster memory, faster USB ports, better video, faster boot times, etc.Up until around 2010 CPUs followed <a href="Moore's law - Wikipedia">Moore's Law</a> and resulted in doubling of performance every couple cycles. That hasn't so much been the case since then. No, your average super cheap fanless device is not likely to be faster than a decent CPU from 2010. That's the part that I was referring to as fallacy. CPUs have improved a lot, but they've focused on efficiency, more cores, etc.
I'm a big fan of keeping computers running, and for an HTPC probably would never throw it out if it didn't need repairs and was running smoothly, but at some point when it needs repairs there become a lot of benefits to new. Ten years is a long run.
Yea all those things are true. My 2014 HTPC boots in about 5 second from complete cold off though.You're only looking at CPUs, where the main gain may be in energy efficiency (heat) due to smaller processes. But a newer computer will have faster memory, faster USB ports, better video, faster boot times, etc.
I'm a big fan of keeping computers running, and for an HTPC probably would never throw it out if it didn't need repairs and was running smoothly, but at some point when it needs repairs there become a lot of benefits to new. Ten years is a long run.
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