HTPC HTPC/NAS build advice and hasslefree OS suggestion.

Hi All,
I'm adding this to my multitude of unfinished threads. I really need to sit down and end them all.

I'm looking to build an HTPC for ....simple folk. Budget is GBP500 (sorry no pound symbol on this keyboard). I'll set it up initially but after that it must run and just work without hassle. I must stress that its for a complete layman with no desire to tinker or fix anything software related.
It will have a media centre remote for ease of use, and preferably boot into the media centre OS. Must be able to play DVD's from inside the media centre menu too.

I've considered PLEX as I use it myself, but i'm open to other suggestions.

For the moment it will be hooked up directly to the TV via HDMI/VGA, but in future it will be incorporated into their network as a NAS.

Hardware so far:

Pentium G3258
Gigabyte GA-H81N itx board
4GB DDR3
Cooler Master Elite 110
2x 2TB in RAID1 for storage


Still need a boot drive (60GB SSD maybe), remote, cooler and psu.

Any suggestions or alterations?

P.S. If you have an optical drive with OPENELEC or PLEX home theater, does it pick up when a DVD has been inserted?

 

HTPCs are for tinkerers. Get a Sky box if tinkering is not acceptable. The state of the HTPC ecosystem - for both hardware and software - is pretty rough and ready right now. If this is for anyone who doesn't feel like spending hours trying to work out why the remote won't connect, don't do it.

 

Simplest answer would be a "smart" Bluray or DVD player.

I know Samsungs offerings use their "Allshare" system, which will pick up any DLNA server like Plex, MiniDLNA or Serviio perfectly well.

 

The samsung All Share on their tv is absolutely terrible. I don't know if its the firmware or what, but its abysmal. Keeps dropping connection etc.

I can go with a roku, but that means they will need a router too.

 

I built my dad an htpc back in the heady days of vista. Set it up to boot to windows media centre. Got him a remote and a wireless keyboard with track pad. He still uses it to this day without any problems.
Actually that is not true this week he had a problem because all of the TV stations got re tuned apparently and he has a had an issue with getting them to tune correctly again, which I should probably go and fix, if he didn't sort it himself.
He gets on fine with it. Though to get mce on win 8 is about 100 quid IIRC. unless you have 8 pro, then it is about 10 I think.

Be aware though that there is always an element of tinkering required.

 

Was he the one doing the tinkering or did you tinker while doing the initial setup and then just leave it?

 

Kinda. When it works, I cannot think of a better system though.

It's really frustrating that the technology is there, and dirt-cheap, but nobody has come up with a satisfactory home solution yet that covers all the bases as well as a HTPC does. Some crucial element is always left out --usually the TV tuner.

 

I'm after the basics though. I need something to play the movies on the hdd. If I can use a remote control, then great!

 

build an XMBC box based on a AM1

i priced one the other day for my dad and it was about £250-260 with 3TB of storage and using a flash drive for the OS instead of a SSD

will build a kit list when im less busy just wanted to throw my 2p in quickly

 

How are you controlling the UI? Wireless keyboard?

 

i use the the app for android

there are 2 - the official XBMC one and the more feature rich Yatse which i use.

 

If you could post more details when you get a chance I'd be very interested. Thanks!

 

As mentioned a recent smart device plus NAS box should do what you want, for me Allshare reads everything off my NAS and plays back no issues. My Samsung is a couple of years old but since getting it I have not needed to fire up PS3 or HTPC for stuff as it generally does everything those things did.

 

ok here we go

Silverstone PT13B Petit Thin Mini-ITX - £37
300W Silverstone ST30SF Strider SFX, £37
MSI AM1I AMD Socket AM1 Mini-ITX - £23
AMD Athlon 5350, Kabini, Quad Core, AM1, 2.05GHz, 2MB, 25W, Retail - £41
4GB Corsair DDR3 Desktop PC3-12800 (1600)- £32 (AM1 is single channel ONLY)
16GB SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0 - £6 (use OPENELEC for the OS)
2TB WD Green WD20EZRX - £61

TOTAL £240 roughly

http://xbmc.org/
http://yatse.leetzone.org/redmine
http://openelec.tv/

 

I'm looking at a WD TV Live and it seems to have some good reviews. That can then access the NAS via DLNA. The roku 3 is another option, but pricier.

For some reason nobody is selling the Roku 2XS for less than 90 quid. My friend bought some a couple of weeks ago for 48 quid.

 

im anal about my media collection so ive never gone down the route of a WD live and NAS.

how does the WD live handle high bit rate HD content ?

 

I honestly couldn't tell you. You'd have to google that. I'm still a bit concerned about using a WDTV because its using DLNA and that brings its own issues. Might have to keep the NAS under budget and fork out for a ROKU 3 at 100 quid, which means also buying a router as the roku can't have a static IP.

Edit: Dammit why can't they make a decent IR/RF remote control for windows so I could avoid the roku and just use Plex home theater?

 

I'm sure that you can get a half decent remote. I have a logitech harmony and it is great, although it requires programming correctly and may need tinkering with occasionally to keep working.

Also my dad is happy to tinker for the most part, he is in his 60's and has basically the same level of IT skills as my 6 year old, but he tries to figure stuff out so far play. It is only when there is a driver update that screws up his over scan or something like this weekend when the tuner stops working, and he did try to fix it himself.

I suspect that a harmony will be out of budget but you should be able to pick up an mce remote for not a lot. My old man uses the one that came with his hauppage tv tuner. He gets on Ok with it. Bit of a learning curve but if it boots straight to media software then you should be Ok with it. They're designed to be used with remotes after all.

 

What sort of control do you need, I use this on my HTPC with Media Centre and its fine even the missus can use it.

http://www.shuttle.eu/_archive/older/en/pn31.htm

Works as IR mouse so OS independent really.

 

if the XBMC box looks appealing look at the supported remotes. im pretty sure it works with some media centre ones if you dont want to use the android app