HTPC HTPC/NAS build advice and hasslefree OS suggestion.

I was looking for MCE remotes today and they are either cheap 9 quid ones on Amazon or nonexistent.

I'm sure I read that you can use most IR remotes and just have a program to remap the buttons in windows?

Edit: Just found Hama MCE Remote. That should do the trick, yes?

 

while that would be right the build i showed was using OPENELEC not windows which reduces costs massviely as you dont need a HDD you can use a flash drive and dont need an expensive copy of windows

 

We have a copy of windows already, and we still need hdd storage as it will be used as a NAS too.

 

I suppose it depends. I could try it in plex. If its not up to scratch, then I'll install OPENELEC and give that a whirl.

 

What TV are you going to be using?

I ask because I have a Samsung 60F5500 which can run a Plex app from the Samsung store.

It connects to my Plex server and plays everything flawlessly, and I don't need a separate box to do the playback.

 

They'll be buying a tv with at least an HDMI port.

Their current TV, which i don't think they'll be taking with is a Samsung 46c series. It runs the plex app but its terrible. Way too slow and laggy as hell. Thats why they were using a Roku 2XS.

 

Ah shame, I have heard its a bit slow on the older Smart TV's.

Mines a 2013 model and it runs beautifully, if they are getting a 2014 model they aren't likely to have any issues.

My Plex server is a hp proliant microserver g7 n54l, with a 160gb SSD, 8gb RAM, and Windows 8.1. It currently has 18tb of internal/external storage and works perfectly for me as a Fileserver/Download box. I can even press it into HTPC duties is required, although the TV takes care of all that these days.