[KOROR]

Hi Guys

I've almost settled on the setup for my first HTPC, but since this is my very first, I would greatly appreciate any comments/feedback you might have:

Case: CFI Group - A8989B, Cube Mini-iTX Case - Black
http://www.chyangfun.com/pro04_1_1.asp

Motherboard/CPU: IONITX-A-E, ION N330, MCP7A-ION, Intel Atom N 330
http://www.mini-itx.com/reviews/zotac-ion/

RAM: 2 x Kingston - 2048 MB DDR2, PC4200 DDR2-533
http://www.pricebat.ca/Kingston-2048MB-P..._10070305/

HDD: Western Digital - 1000 GB, SATAII, 5400 - 7200 RPM
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=559

Disc drive (ODD): LG - GH22NS40 Super Multi Black, DVD±RW ATA, DVD±R
http://www.lge.com/products/model/detail/gh22.jhtml

"Remote": Logitech diNovo Mini (Bluetooth)
http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/200...eview.html

Hope you guys can help me out :-)

PS. Thinking about running Windows 7 on the machine.

[badmoviesnbeer]

Windows 7 will probably have issues with 1080p with that mobo unless you use an external player.

[KOROR]

What if I use another OS? Any suggestions?

[DarkMasterCh1ef]

i use on my HTPC Windows XP SP 3 and it runs perfektly!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmWdroaa8j4
heres is a video from juli

[pre1014]

Windows 7 will probably have issues with 1080p with that mobo unless you use an external player.

WTF is wrong with people in the hardware forum? there are 80000 threads about the ion platform. the ION platform cannot handle 1080p without hardware acceleration - which is only available in linux.

DarkMasterCh1ef - what? the hardware in that video is not even close to the hardware KORROR is planning on using.

If people are too dumb/lazy to understand that the ion platform will not run correctly if linux is not used, they should just look at better (more powerful) hardware

[natethomas]

Whoa, whoa, pre, calm down. Koror never actually asked about HD video. He just asked if this setup would work. Ion should theoretically play regular SD video fine without acceleration. Further, badmovies pointed out that even the HD limitation has a current workaround. No need to get angry before knowing the whole story.

Aside from that discussion, that setup should be fine, unless you really ARE going for HD, in which case that harddrive could fill up pretty quickly.

[KOROR]

Thanks for your replies guys, I've stumpled upon this box:
ASRock Nettop ION 330
http://www.asrock.com/nettop/spec/ION%20330.asp

Would love to be able to watch HD stuff (I plan on perhaps hooking up an external HD as the built-in is kinda small, or perhaps putting in a lager HD when prices for 2,5 HDD drops a bit).

However, as you guys point out Vista or W7 would slow the machine down, so I'm thinking Windows XP might do the trick, but is playing HD stuff like 1080p even possible on XP? I have no idea how Linux works and would love to connect this box running XP to my regular PC running W7.

Any ideas??

[natethomas]

As stated previously, HD stuff is possible, but only if you use an external player like MPC-HT. Search for external player and you should get an idea for how it works.

[KOROR]

I tried searching for external player, none the wiser, are you saying it's not possible to play for instance 1080p .mkv files with XBMC?

I ditched the whole build you own box idea and ordered:

ASRock NetTop ION 330-BD
http://www.asrock.com/nettop/overview.as...N%20330-BD

"Remote": Logitech diNovo Mini (Bluetooth)
http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/200...eview.html

[stokedfish]

Buy an Asrock, go with Linux and grab this: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?p=4...post410058

[KOROR]

Thanks stokedfish, but i've already ordered the box and the "remote" and it's been shipped :-) Can anyone tell me if I will be able to playback 1080p movies from XBMC with the box, according to the productsite, the box should be able to do so, but will XbMC support this?
Also it it a complete necessity running some kind of Linux or should XP or W7 be able to do so as well? I've never used linux so I have no Linux skills/experience whatsoever :-(

[stokedfish]

For smooth 1080p movies, linux is the way to go!

Just follow this:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=54705

Linux isn't that hard to learn, give it a try!

[mikes1p]

This thread is what got me spec'ing an HTPC to connect to my Component projector (thread) so poke holes in this system if you care. I'll run either XBMC Live or run XBMC on top of XP. I've read several threads here about the Ion, Acer's, home builds, etc. Rather than start yet another HTPC build thread I'll jump on the back of this thread...

This what I came up with that in theory "should" output Component so I can use my projector:

~$270 US at NewEgg
mobo: $75 ASRock G43Twins 775
video: $33 ASUS EN8400GS GeForce 8400 Silent (appears to have a component adapter included)
cpu: $68 Intel E5200 2.5Ghz 775
ram: $33 Crucial 2 x 1GB sticks
case: $50 APEX DM-318 MicroATX
dvd: $20 Lite_ON DVD player

Thanks
Mike S

[ccMatrix]

This thread is what got me spec'ing an HTPC to connect to my Component projector (thread) so poke holes in this system if you care. I'll run either XBMC Live or run XBMC on top of XP. I've read several threads here about the Ion, Acer's, home builds, etc. Rather than start yet another HTPC build thread I'll jump on the back of this thread...

This what I came up with that in theory "should" output Component so I can use my projector:

~$270 US at NewEgg
mobo: $75 ASRock G43Twins 775
video: $33 ASUS EN8400GS GeForce 8400 Silent (appears to have a component adapter included)
cpu: $68 Intel E5200 2.5Ghz 775
ram: $33 Crucial 2 x 1GB sticks
case: $50 APEX DM-318 MicroATX
dvd: $20 Lite_ON DVD player

Thanks
Mike S

Why do you use a Mobo with integrated Intel GPU and an additional separate GPU ? For the price of Mobo + GPU you could easily get a mobo with integrated Nvidia GPU (Geforce 9300 or 9400).

[mikes1p]

Why do you use a Mobo with integrated Intel GPU and an additional separate GPU ? For the price of Mobo + GPU you could easily get a mobo with integrated Nvidia GPU (Geforce 9300 or 9400).

I know it's odd, the dongle that allows the video card to send the HDTV Component signal uses the S-Video port, I haven't seen a mobo with that. Only way I can think to make this work. I was looking for a micro-atx mobo with socket 775 and a PCI 2.0 slot, don't care about onboard video, there are so many mobo choices it'll make your head explode.

Turns out I'll need a low profile card with that case, or a different case that allows a full height card.
Mike S