Advice needed on HTPC 'receiver' system (1 Viewer)

matthewharmon102

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I am planning a new media setup, and i have pretty much everything sorted out apart from the recievers. Basically, there will be 4 TVs, all using HDMI and all running at 1080P. What i want is a small, quiet system that can handle streaming of HD content over the network. The main content to be streamed will be live TV, either via freeview, or via freesat. Either way, there will be HD channels. in addition to this, the ususal array of music, films and TV shows stored on a server. the network will be a gigabit shielded CAT5e/CAT6, each point will be connected to a switch, and the server will be located at the switch end. The server will be powerful enough to distribute the content (it will be custom built) but I am not sure about the recievers.

It seems that I have 2 options, either the Atom/Ion route, or the AMD route. I have been looking at the Shuttle XS35GT V2, with 4GB RAM and a 60GB SSD drive and an Atom D525 (1.8GHz dual core) and Ion2 graphics, but I have also found a ASRock barebones system, which has an AMD fusion 1.6GHz dual core, 60GB SSD but features 8GB RAM and AMD Radeon 6350 Graphics. The ASRock system doesnt look as pretty, and has fans in the case, but I am wondering if the 200MHz drop in CPU speed is worth gaining the extra RAM and if the Radeon will out perform the Ion2. Both will probably be hidden away behind the TV, and have a remote control via USB. Both running Windows 7 Professional and the latest version of media portal.

Any adive
 

JimCatMP

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    As as per thread couple below this one in listings, I have XS35GT V2, 4G RAM, 64G SSD setup (not main system yet - need couple of free days to update dedicated tuner to 1.2.2 as well.

    Having viewed HD content from simple NAS box on Micky Mouse Maplin 10/100 switch (actually wifi router with main ethernet, but I use only it as switch + ethernet over mains link), the XS works fine.

    With your networking, would expect it to be flawless - but oddly, all my other systems are AMD where a choice has been possible:)

    Good luck.

    TTFN - J.
     

    matthewharmon102

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    As as per thread couple below this one in listings, I have XS35GT V2, 4G RAM, 64G SSD setup (not main system yet - need couple of free days to update dedicated tuner to 1.2.2 as well.

    Having viewed HD content from simple NAS box on Micky Mouse Maplin 10/100 switch (actually wifi router with main ethernet, but I use only it as switch + ethernet over mains link), the XS works fine.

    With your networking, would expect it to be flawless - but oddly, all my other systems are AMD where a choice has been possible:)

    Good luck.

    TTFN - J.

    thanks for the reply, i had read your post, but i wasnt sure how the shuttle system compared to the ASRock one. you say that other systems have been AMD, is there a reason for this (other than personal preference)? Likewise, Most of my systems are Intel, but i would be interested if there is an advantage to using AMD in this particular setup
     

    JimCatMP

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    AMD vs Intel - simple personal preference when building system from scratch, in terms of quality of service, provided base hardware is upto job, only issue I've had was with video card that interfered with TV tuner (very basic KWorld unit) - replaced that and problem vanished (was still using the IR interface from blown Hauppague USB tuner, so you can see, I try for every inch out of hardware:)

    TTFN
     

    matthewharmon102

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    What I dont want to do is buy the hardware and find out that I actually should have got the other one! On paper, the ASRock (AMD unit) is better, as it supports more RAM and at a higher speed, and has SATA3. I just don't know if the lower clock speed is going to make much difference. Having virtually no experience with media portal, I dont know how true the required specs are (it lists a 2GHz CPU for HDTV). I was hoping to set up a bit of a test system, but my test PC has decided to stop working (I have kept it going for far, far too long!).
     

    JimCatMP

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    Hi Matthew.

    None of us ever want to buy system A only find system B is what we need:->

    What I can tell you, from running MePo for quite a while across a range of hardware, it works with fairly low power systems.

    Started with Laptop & USB tuner, moved to Shuttle XPC, single core Intel unit, standard graphics (later upgrade to £25 graphics card - GeForce 8400 for HDMI) with 4G ram ran fine, XP SP3.

    Now have Foxconn Cinema II Delux (embedded NVIDA graphics), Athlon II x2 e240 (low power unit, 45watts, with stock cooler), Kworld Dual Freeview tuner & 4G RAM. Had all content on 1 x 1G + 1 x 2G local drives, but moved off to 2 x 2G NAS unit (basic Freecom unit) with Shuttle XPC as TV tuner & SD delivered over mains Ethernet.

    Replacement will be XS35GT V2 - works fine on testing with 4GRAM, Win 7 (64 bit), SSD & NAS setup.

    If your running as a pure client, MePo in current release - 1.2.2 - your hardware options are both fully capable I think - provided you don't overload capabilities with lots of plugins that eat CPU cycles - the XS35GT is fine with current loading - I would hesitate however to step much beyond skin (Purevision or Avalon - not decided 100%), Weather (BBC or World). RSS feed and that's about it - you want to run more, have a more capable CPU, more RAM, nice but not essential by any means.

    MePo 2 may be different - not sure if there is a 64bit version planned or how CPU/memory intensive it will be?

    Also, for consideration (way I would have gone with option of having the Foxconn at the time)....

    Foxconn NT-A3500 Nettop
    AMD Fusion Dual Core Processor Gigabit LAN Barebone (Black) Supports DDR3 Memory
    £167.45

    64GB Kingston SSDNow V-Series V100 2.5" Solid State Drive - Upgrade Kit
    £74.78

    4GB Corsair DDR3 PC3-10666 (1333MHz), SO-DIMM
    £15.44


    Above from local supplier (happy customer, no more) but won't name in Forum.

    Rounds up to almost £260 per unit, with free delivery - build it yourself though, but I don't think that's a problem for you:)

    Bottom line, I think you'd be hard pushed to go wrong with either set up, or something similar - operating as pure clients.

    TTFN - J.
     

    TheBatfink

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    Not to hijack but when you say minimum of those plugins, does that mean no moving pictures / tv series / online videos with that foxcomm barebones?
     

    JimCatMP

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    That would be my recommendation - if you feel you MUST have these, as opposed to 'if it don't work, no worries' then I'd recommend something with more CPU power, so you avoid the risk you'll invest and then find your hitting brick wall. If you happy to try and share success & failures, then different story:)

    Good luck which ever way you go.

    TTFN
     

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