Recommendations for low end HTPC (2 Viewers)

[fshagan]

I bought a Compaq EVO D510 SFF PC on ebay for $60 shipped to use as a low end HTPC, streaming standard def to my Toshiba 36" tube TV. We also want to be able to browse to sites such as Hulu.com, and purchase rentals from Amazon.com. In addition, we want to display pictures and stream music to our stereo (2.1 system). We do not plan to move to the HD world any time soon (at least until our tube TV dies). WAF is dependent on the system being quiet, so I'd like to avoid as many fans on components as I can. And being able to control things with my Harmony 880 remote.

The system is shipping tomorrow, but as far as I can tell, the EVO D510 SFF has:

• P4 Processor, 1.7 GHz
• 20 GB harddrive
• 256MB RAM (can have up to 2GB)
• Win XP Pro
• Intel 845G chipset with Intel Extreme integrated graphics
• AGP Interface - 4x, for half height cards

Upgrades planned:

• Install 320 GB hard drive for content
• Increase memory to 1GB RAM
• Add AGP video card with TV-Out
• Add IR receiver
• Use Media Portal

AGP video card:
I'm thinking a 128MB AGP 4x video card would be sufficient for this, something like:

• ATi Radeon 128MB V9000-128A with S-Video TV out ($28.50 at geeks.com)
• Sparkle SF8834T128 128MB Nvidia with S-Video TV out ($27.99 at newegg.com)
• Sparkle SF8834T256 256MB Nvidia with S-Video TV out ($31.99 at newegg.com)

Any preference for Nvidia over ATi cards? All of these are quiet, fanless designs. Any others I should consider that are AGP 4x?

IR Receiver:
Not sure what to do on this front. I've looked at snapstream.com's Firefly Mini IR remote and receiver, at $30. Also the MS Media Center IR Remote and Receiver ($29.97 at TigerDirect.com). Any preference here?

Link for the system specs is at Compaq Evo Desktop D510 845G - World Wide QuickSpecs ("Small Form Factor" or SFF)

 

[dcwp]

Hello and welcome,

You should be able to make this system work as long as you steer far clear of HD content.

A couple of thoughts on your post:

Remote - I use the MCE remote and absolutely love it. Integrates seamlessly with MediaPortal, worth every dime in terms of WAF and general usability.

Graphics - I don't have a preference b/w ATI and NVidia, but my last couple of cards have been NVidia. I'd go with the larger card for a few extra bucks. It will really make a difference, especially when you try streaming content from HULU, etc.

Other thoughts - are you planning to do any live TV on this machine? The DVR functionality of MP is great.
Netflix streaming is a great service for HTPC use in the states.

Hope this helps.

 

[fshagan]

Hello and welcome,

You should be able to make this system work as long as you steer far clear of HD content.

A couple of thoughts on your post:

Remote - I use the MCE remote and absolutely love it. Integrates seamlessly with MediaPortal, worth every dime in terms of WAF and general usability.

Graphics - I don't have a preference b/w ATI and NVidia, but my last couple of cards have been NVidia. I'd go with the larger card for a few extra bucks. It will really make a difference, especially when you try streaming content from HULU, etc.

Other thoughts - are you planning to do any live TV on this machine? The DVR functionality of MP is great.
Netflix streaming is a great service for HTPC use in the states.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, that does help. I'm looking at the MS MCE remotes right now. I'll probably map the functions to my Harmony remote, but I want to make sure whatever IR receiver I get works. The system has XP Pro, not MCE, so I suspect I'll have a learning curve on what's required to make the IR receiver work (there's a windows version of Lirc out there somewhere).

I'm not sure on the live TV; we have a Dish DVR already. I see this more as a way to stream content and view/listen to our other media.

I did pick up a cheap 128MB graphics card on eBay; if it doesn't work well with Hulu, I've only lost a few bucks.

 

[dcwp]

As I understand it, the MCE IR receiver is a universal receiver, so it should be able to handle your harmony. I only use the MCE remote so I could be wrong, but I think the remote setup you're talking about is common around here.

As for working with XP Pro, I don't think you'll have to do much Lirc work. I use XP Pro with my remote and I have never used Lirc. It will natively support basic media functions. If you want to map buttons to launch applications or do special tasks, then you'll need a third party program. Again, I won't be much help on that since I have set up my HTPC so that pretty much everything I could want to do can be handled from within MediaPortal and MP has complete MCE remote support. Hulu is the major exception on this front though.

 

[fshagan]

As I understand it, the MCE IR receiver is a universal receiver, so it should be able to handle your harmony. I only use the MCE remote so I could be wrong, but I think the remote setup you're talking about is common around here.

As for working with XP Pro, I don't think you'll have to do much Lirc work. I use XP Pro with my remote and I have never used Lirc. It will natively support basic media functions. If you want to map buttons to launch applications or do special tasks, then you'll need a third party program. Again, I won't be much help on that since I have set up my HTPC so that pretty much everything I could want to do can be handled from within MediaPortal and MP has complete MCE remote support. Hulu is the major exception on this front though.

Thanks, that does help! I have read where the Harmony works with the MCE receiver, but I didn't know if the "plain vanilla" version of Windows XP Pro would respond to the IR commands. I suppose the driver with the MCE remote takes care of the integration.

There was another thread where remotes and receivers specifically for Vista were not working, but all it required was a tweak to a config file to add the receiver as a device.

 

[customized]

Hey, if you're still looking for a remote solution: I use a logitech harmony remote with this receiver: Newegg.com - Antec Mult-Station EZ External IR receiver and remote - Case Accessories

It's cheap and works. There's a program that runs on your HTPC for receiving and mapping your keys. It does basic functions out of the box, and does everything with some tinkering.

That video card should work fine. Flash is pretty intensive, hopefully it can handle the high quality video feed. But you're aOK for Divx, etc.

I ran similar machines for a couple years with the early versions of Media Portal before I upgraded to the current rig. MP has come a log way, it's a lot nicer now.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[kiwijunglist]

another receiver to look at is USB-IRT , it works with any remote and can do IR blasting.