Completed semi-inexpensive HTPC setup (1 Viewer)

jman06

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June 8, 2009
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So I finally got my HTPC setup and after days of tweaking of it, here it is:

Specs:

Case: nMEDIAPC Black Aluminum panel & Steel HTPC 1000B Micro ATX Media Center
Processor: Intel 2 Duo E8400 (3.0 GHz)
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-G31M-ES2L LGA 775
Video Card: HIS Hightech H260XTP512DDN-R Radeon HD 2600XT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16
Audio Card: 2.1/5.1/7.1/SPDIF (On-board)
Memory: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
DVD Drive: LiteOn Blu-ray Player
Cooling: Just all stock, such as CPU, 3 case fans, and the PU fan
Harddrives: 2-WD 750 GB SATA
Power Supply: Athena Power AP-MP4ATX47FE 470W MicroATX / SFX12V / EPS12V / ATX V2.2 Nickel Coating (haha, my bad here - I ordered the MicroATX version and not the ATX size. oh well. Powers everything just nicely.)
IR Remote: Snapstream Firefly RF (not IR) remote - not yet added.
PVR: not yet added.
TV: Sony Bravia 40" LCD (KDL-40S4100), up to 1080p @ 1920x1080, 3HDMI, 2 HDcompn, 43 lbs.
Audio Receiver: Soundworks DTT 2500 (5.1) - great for how small they are; just no support for DTS. Had this for over 6years now! They did come with flimsy and ugly looking base stands, but I bought some medal ones and now they look more professional and still sound awesome!
Game Controller: X-Box 360 Controller via wireless.

Total Price: $523.95 (all from Newegg.com) (except for TV and Audio Receiver)


So after buying all the parts from Newegg I got all the software together and here is what I did:

-Fresh install of WinXP SP3 (with latest updates)
-Using 9.5 Catalyst Drivers, and fixed the Overscan by 5% via CCC so it completely fills up the screen.
-Only installed CCCP as my codec pack, hence the awesome sticker that I made for it.
-Installed AC3Config so I can finetune my audio a bit more.
-Installed Haali's Media Splitter (newest version)
-Installed the latest Mediaportal using only blue3wide skin. I have tried StreamedMP, and Xface, but I'm still trying
to figure out which one I like the best. Blue3wide is minimal, looks good, doesn't crash as StreamedMP has on me a few times, and doesn't overwhelm the eyes with so much eyecandy.

The only plugins I am using is "My Emulators" which I renamed "My Games and Emulators" for my PC games and various emulators.

I would use Moving Pictures, and My TVseries - but only if I could rename their titles. Their names are hideous as it blends in with "My Pictures" and "My Movies" and "Moving Pictures". wtf - is moving pictures my friends have asked... Actually I did change the name of Moving Pictures in xml but it wasn't stable and at the loading screen of Media portal - it would just hang on the "loading plugins" screen. I didn't give it a second chance really - maybe I just didn't read the readme completely. anywho, no big loss.

Now I only own 3 Blue-ray movies, LOTR-Fellowship of the Ring (1080p), 300 (720p), and Sunshine (720p). I tested these all with mediaportal, and the CPU pulls anywhere from 12%-17% of the load, and the 17% being 1080p with the most intense fighting scenes.

And after watching the full LOTR movie - the temps in the HTPC unit for close to 61.1 C (which is the Unit's highest temp so far (according to SpeedFan)).

Also I tested a sample of Planet Earth dubbed the "killa" sample on the XBMC forums which is 40Mbs/1080p and the CPU load is 16% and runs at fullspeed with no stuttering or slowdowns.

I really recommend using the Xbox 360 controller via wireless, to play all your emulator, and PC games. All the games, shown below via emulators run pefectly with it (I can even map the save/load buttons to the gamepad). The PC games, such as Gears of War 1, and Burnout - Paradise use it just perfectly too. Other games, such as Starcraft and Diablo II, obviously need to use the keyboard and mouse. Other than that - I recommend this controller. Easy setup and best part is, it only uses 1 USB and I can have 4 controllers all connected at once - such as playing Super Smash Brothers on Project 64 using just the 1 USB. Cool stuff.

The first emulator, I have to demonstrate is: Dolphin (Gamecube emulator). It's playing Zelda - Wind Waker, and Star Fox: Assault and both run close to 30 FPS continually except for a few scenes here and there which drop down to 10 FPS - but both look great on the HD TV! Good stuff.

1st picture: my basement setup. Not that great but works. You can see my Gamecube and Xbox next to my HTPC. Middle shelf is where my Receiver is and game controllers.
2nd pic: front cover of HTPC pic. notice the custom made CCCP sticker. heh
3rd pic: is what it looks like without the lid, everything fits in nicely. The Zalman (for the ATI video card) cooling system just makes it too.
4th pic: mediaportal startup
5th pic: "My Emulators" screen along with PC games.
6th pic: Dolphin Emulator running Zelda @ 29 FPS.
7th pic: Dolphin Emulator running Starfox @ 33 FPS
8th pic: running Megaman 2 on emulator.
9th pic: is from the movie LOTR - Fellowship. Looking good, sounding great at 15% CPU load @ 1080p
10th pic: is the movie Sunshine. Great movie, looks great, and sounds awesome at 12% CPU load @ 720p
11th pic: running Super Metroid via Zsnes. Works great with Xbox 360 controller.
12th pic: showing the couch and otherside of TV setup. Not too great, but works for the time being.
13th pic: playing with the Internet. Works great, large screen so everyone can see.

So that's pretty much everything. All I need to do now is install the Snapstream Firefly remote, which will be a time saver and then I can hide the mouse and keyboard. And then later to install the PVR - I'm still deciding which one to buy.

Other than that, when you turn on the computer, it boots right up into Mediaportal, and when you hit the power button it goes into Standbye mode. You have to hold down the power button for 3 seconds for it to shutdown properly, which is nice.

Now I just need some HTPC or mediaportal boot screens to hide Windows XP, and plugin for Mediaportal which on the front of most HTPC units have a card reader - so a plugin in mediaportal that will read this, instead of it minimizing mediaportal and showing WinXP, but one that will play inside it. Then it would be mostly complete.

I'm impressed in what I accomplished for less than $600 and plays anything I throw at it, for the most part. It plays all my videos, music, pictures, PC games, and emulators. My roommates love it and even my GF is in love with it (and she'll love it more when I add the firefly remote to it), especially her playing Mario World. haha.

Any feedback, suggestions, advice, praise, criticism is welcome.
 

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jman06

Portal Member
June 8, 2009
13
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well i found a bootscreen i almost like - it will work for the time being till I can photoshop one.
kai_black_pre.jpg

Other similar bootscreens are found here: Bootscreens

Also, I found another essential HTPC program which everyone should have is MKVToolNix. It is muxer and its free and works really well. I had .mp4 and .avi files that I wanted to change to .mkv (allow for more audio channels within the container) and I had it muxed and changed within 10min. Very nice program. Definitely an esential in my book.

Also, another essential HTPC program which everyone should have is Unlocker. See the link for more details. Plus its free and works extremely well.

Now my HTPC is getting more and more complete - although it will be interesting to check out what Mediaportal 2 will have to offer in a year or so...
 

DaFixer

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  • August 26, 2007
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    Very nice setup :cool:

    I have almost the same case :D I have the nMEDIAPC HTPC 2000B it is a nice case.
    But i have mod some things.I have replace the led's and fans;)
     

    jman06

    Portal Member
    June 8, 2009
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    Very nice setup :cool:

    I have almost the same case :D I have the nMEDIAPC HTPC 2000B it is a nice case.
    But i have mod some things.I have replace the led's and fans;)

    thanks!

    I'd like to see your mods, if ya don't mind. And what fans are you currently using?
     

    jman06

    Portal Member
    June 8, 2009
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    I would use Moving Pictures, and My TVseries - but only if I could rename their titles.

    You can change the displayed name of Moving Pictures from the GUI settings tab of the Plugin configuration, within MP Configuration.

    So I gave Moving Pictures another shot. I really liked it for XBMC better, but not bad at all though. So tell me, is there a way to make the movie listings show the "The" part of the movie, so instead "Curse of the Golden Flower" it would be "The Curse of the Golden Flower". That would be great. Also, can I add a hierarchy to Moving Pictures? So in the movie listings - it lists all of the "scanned folders." But I also have National Geographic and History Channel, and HD movies that I'd like to keep separate in their folders, instead of mixed into the rest of the movies (which makes it a pain to find, especially one there is no "the"). make sense?

    One thing that I really do enjoy with Moving Pictures is creating the custom movie intros. I've downloaded a few of the THX to test them out and its kind of cool to show off the intro before diving into a HD movie. Also, I saw this thread on creating your "20th Century Fox" logo - so maybe I'll look into more down the road, after I mess around with all these THX/DTS ones first.

    And for those who have wallmounted their TVs - which wallmount did you use? and how did you hide your cables, by going via the wall, or hide with some plastic molding, covering, etc.?
     

    DaFixer

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  • August 26, 2007
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    Sorry for the long wait for my reply. But i'm busy to make my second build page in the completed htpc.
    When it is ready you get a link :D
     

    DaFixer

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    Hi

    If you want to see my mods to my nMEDIAPC HTPC 2000B case :D
    go to "Fixer's second htpc build" in this threat ;)

    Can you use 2 x360 controllers at the same time with emulators?
    Like you play a 2 player game?
     

    jman06

    Portal Member
    June 8, 2009
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    Hi

    If you want to see my mods to my nMEDIAPC HTPC 2000B case :D
    go to "Fixer's second htpc build" in this threat ;)

    Can you use 2 x360 controllers at the same time with emulators?
    Like you play a 2 player game?

    Yea cool - I'll check your new setup!

    I really need to update my thread here. I have significant upgrades that I need to update on this list, including a Onkyo 7.1 receiver and speakers! sweet.

    Oh yes...on the one PC receiver you can actually SUPPORT up to 4-controllers. But not many games are even 2 players. Unless it's emulators in which case it works great for, like Smash Brothers....just saying.
     

    DaFixer

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    Ok thanks for you fast reply ;)

    I have some USB controllers, But the probelem is that USB controllers have the same hardware ID :confused:
    When i remap a controller for player 2 in mame. And when i plug in de first USB controller and the second USB contoller.
    To play PACMAN both controller's won't work :s

    And i discover a problem with the case, I can see dust in the LCD window :confused:
    Do you have the same problem?
     

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