HTPC Build for the old folks (And spending almost no money on it!)

NorthLights · 2008-04-21, 13:31

Just thought I'd share with you guys some of my ideas for a HTPC for my old folks (they have NO idea what a HTPC is). Me, I have some idea

, but thought I'd hear with the pro's and the newbies like myself in order to get some ideas for my build.

Here's the deal: I've got two/three computers that I'd thought I'd steal the components from so that I don't have to pay anything for it. But from the beginning I see that my feeble attempts to upgrade an old SONY DDU-1621 DVD-player failed miserable and rendered it useless. Piece of shit S1.7 firmware.

So I will buy a new DVD, but hey 300 SKr or 50$... I'll live!

Without blabbering on too much, here's my main question:

Can I build a HTPC with a Intel Celeron 1.5 GHz and a GeForce 2 MX/MX400? I do not need to capture or watch TV from it yet (no TV-card), but maybe in the future. The RAM will be somewhere around 512 MB (DDR) I think. And a 160 GB HD for audio and video files. Oh, and AC-97 vs. Sound Blaster Audigy 2 for the audio???

This project is for my own educational purposes. If everything turns out OK, then I'll build one for my self. With a lot better specs of course!

Appreciate all and any input in this matter...

Paranoid Delusion · 2008-04-21, 13:38

Quote:

GeForce 2 MX/MX400?

Really hit\miss whether that will work with MP, as not DirectX9 card and usually only have 64Mb of memory.

Try it, if you find GUI really slow\non existant, there's your problem.

NorthLights · 2008-04-21, 14:05

Thanks for the quick reply Ray, I appreciate it. So, it's the video card that's potentially the problem...

I'll let you guys know how it works out, maybe this will be a computer specs version of "how low can you go".

Let's hope it's a hit. I just love MP.

A few follow up questions for anyone who can help:

- Know anyone who has gotten MP to work with computer specs lower then those minimum system requirements?
- Older versions of MP? Or will RC1 be the way to go?
- Soundcard choice: Onboard AC97 vs. Sound Blaster Audigy 2

jaminben · 2008-04-23, 09:20

I have a GeForce 2 MX/MX400 and it just wont work with MP. It throws up an error saying something like "Unable to render screen" and then just sits there with a blank screen and a border.

NorthLights · 2008-04-24, 07:31

OK, I'm still hoping I'll get it to work, but I haven't gotten the Celeron yet (it was a 2.6 apparently, my bad) I'll post my results asap.

Thanks for your input jaminben, I just hope I have better luck...

Anyone who has any really low specs and got MP to work?

solis66 · 2008-04-24, 08:25

In my bedroom I have my old PC standing with MP installed, WinXP SP2.
It has an AMD Duron 800 MHz, 512 MB RAM and NVidia GeForce2Pro, think it has 64 Mb.

It actually works with normal movies, avi, divx, xvid, dvd(only with FFDshow,. else it stutters). Of cource, no HD is possible...

Every low performance skins works nice, like Indigo, Monochrome, Blue Two and even Xface(OK, it is a bit slow sometimes).

This is very "on the edge" of not working but at least on the right side, so for a bedroom HTPC it'll do for now.

hakuna · 2008-04-24, 12:42

I started MP with a 667MHz and FX5200, it was not able to play DVD but xvids were alright.
Now I have a 1GHz with a FX6200 as TV client in the bedroom and it is alright with everything but 720p tv series!
Note that RC1 has some issue with the GUI, so it is slower than it used to be. Read about some bugfix so I guess next RC will be smooth again.

NorthLights · 2008-04-25, 10:46

Those are some pretty low specs guys. You've kept my hopes up.

To Solis: Geforce2Pro... hmm, I need to look into how that compares to a GeForce 2 MX/MX400... since you got it to work.

To Hakuna: Thanks for the info on RC1. I wasn't aware of that, I need to read the forum more thoroughly. Looking forward to RC2...

I actually got MP running (but not being useful

) on a PII 450MHz, but I didn't even bother to try to do anything with it (except MyWeather) and mostly the GUI got totally screwed up. Can't remember what kind of video card it had...

Spragleknas · 2008-04-25, 10:49

FYI: The FX5200 is a DX9 card

And yes: next SVN will fix GUI performance.

Gixxer · 2008-04-25, 19:32

running an amd 1600xp which has 1400mhz, 512mb RAM, 500+250+20 gb of hard drives and radeon 7200.

the radeon should not work with mediaportal but IT DOES !!

it was quite a surprise cause i didnt want to buy a graphic card for a old computer.

right now its doing...
- File server for the whole network
- MP 1 client
- TV Server with a hauppague T500
- Various small backups

i am really pleased with it, as i didnt think it was going to handle everything so well.

2008-04-21, 13:31	#1 (permalink)
NorthLights Portal Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	HTPC Build for the old folks (And spending almost no money on it!) Just thought I'd share with you guys some of my ideas for a HTPC for my old folks (they have NO idea what a HTPC is). Me, I have some idea , but thought I'd hear with the pro's and the newbies like myself in order to get some ideas for my build. Here's the deal: I've got two/three computers that I'd thought I'd steal the components from so that I don't have to pay anything for it. But from the beginning I see that my feeble attempts to upgrade an old SONY DDU-1621 DVD-player failed miserable and rendered it useless. Piece of shit S1.7 firmware. So I will buy a new DVD, but hey 300 SKr or 50$... I'll live! Without blabbering on too much, here's my main question: Can I build a HTPC with a Intel Celeron 1.5 GHz and a GeForce 2 MX/MX400? I do not need to capture or watch TV from it yet (no TV-card), but maybe in the future. The RAM will be somewhere around 512 MB (DDR) I think. And a 160 GB HD for audio and video files. Oh, and AC-97 vs. Sound Blaster Audigy 2 for the audio??? This project is for my own educational purposes. If everything turns out OK, then I'll build one for my self. With a lot better specs of course! Appreciate all and any input in this matter...

2008-04-24, 08:25	#6 (permalink)
solis66 Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 54 Thanks: 2 Thanked 13 Times in 8 Posts Country:	In my bedroom I have my old PC standing with MP installed, WinXP SP2. It has an AMD Duron 800 MHz, 512 MB RAM and NVidia GeForce2Pro, think it has 64 Mb. It actually works with normal movies, avi, divx, xvid, dvd(only with FFDshow,. else it stutters). Of cource, no HD is possible... Every low performance skins works nice, like Indigo, Monochrome, Blue Two and even Xface(OK, it is a bit slow sometimes). This is very "on the edge" of not working but at least on the right side, so for a bedroom HTPC it'll do for now. __________________ /Solis ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks everyone for contributing to this excellent piece of software

2008-04-25, 10:46	#8 (permalink)
NorthLights Portal Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	Those are some pretty low specs guys. You've kept my hopes up. To Solis: Geforce2Pro... hmm, I need to look into how that compares to a GeForce 2 MX/MX400... since you got it to work. To Hakuna: Thanks for the info on RC1. I wasn't aware of that, I need to read the forum more thoroughly. Looking forward to RC2... I actually got MP running (but not being useful) on a PII 450MHz, but I didn't even bother to try to do anything with it (except MyWeather) and mostly the GUI got totally screwed up. Can't remember what kind of video card it had...

2008-04-25, 10:49	#9 (permalink)
Spragleknas Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rogaland Age: 32 Posts: 3,181 Thanks: 126 Thanked 53 Times in 44 Posts Country: My System	FYI: The FX5200 is a DX9 card And yes: next SVN will fix GUI performance. __________________ -=\| How to start a support thread \|=- -=\|MediaPortal manual (wiki)\|=--=\| Please fill out your system specification \|=- Support MediaPortal - DONATE HERE! Dedicated HTPC board (Norway) -> MSPC.no

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2008-04-21, 14:05	#3 (permalink)
NorthLights Portal Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	Thanks for the quick reply Ray, I appreciate it. So, it's the video card that's potentially the problem... I'll let you guys know how it works out, maybe this will be a computer specs version of "how low can you go". Let's hope it's a hit. I just love MP. A few follow up questions for anyone who can help: - Know anyone who has gotten MP to work with computer specs lower then those minimum system requirements? - Older versions of MP? Or will RC1 be the way to go? - Soundcard choice: Onboard AC97 vs. Sound Blaster Audigy 2

2008-04-23, 09:20	#4 (permalink)
jaminben Portal Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Norwich Age: 33 Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	I have a GeForce 2 MX/MX400 and it just wont work with MP. It throws up an error saying something like "Unable to render screen" and then just sits there with a blank screen and a border.

2008-04-24, 07:31	#5 (permalink)
NorthLights Portal Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country:	OK, I'm still hoping I'll get it to work, but I haven't gotten the Celeron yet (it was a 2.6 apparently, my bad) I'll post my results asap. Thanks for your input jaminben, I just hope I have better luck... Anyone who has any really low specs and got MP to work?

2008-04-24, 12:42	#7 (permalink)
hakuna Portal Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bollebygd Age: 32 Posts: 344 Thanks: 6 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	I started MP with a 667MHz and FX5200, it was not able to play DVD but xvids were alright. Now I have a 1GHz with a FX6200 as TV client in the bedroom and it is alright with everything but 720p tv series! Note that RC1 has some issue with the GUI, so it is slower than it used to be. Read about some bugfix so I guess next RC will be smooth again.

2008-04-25, 19:32	#10 (permalink)
Gixxer Portal Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Age: 23 Posts: 363 Thanks: 15 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Country: My System	running an amd 1600xp which has 1400mhz, 512mb RAM, 500+250+20 gb of hard drives and radeon 7200. the radeon should not work with mediaportal but IT DOES !! it was quite a surprise cause i didnt want to buy a graphic card for a old computer. right now its doing... - File server for the whole network - MP 1 client - TV Server with a hauppague T500 - Various small backups i am really pleased with it, as i didnt think it was going to handle everything so well.