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Slaps
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Location: Sitting on top of the world
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 Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:57 pm Post subject: Can anyone recommend me a good media center? |
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I'm looking for a new HD media center to play downloaded movies on my TV and to work as a TiVo type PVR.
Does anyone know of any good ones available in Korea or should I just buy a new computer to do this? |
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tatertot
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| XBMC is a fantastic media player that can run on some pretty basic computer hardware. If you get an Acer Aspire Revo or Mac Mini you can get full hardware acceleration of 1080p playback. However, neither of those has space for a tuner card. Even if they did, though, I'm not sure that XBMC supports video capturing. There are bittorrent and automatic download plugins, though. Food for thought. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: Can anyone recommend me a good media center? |
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| Slaps wrote: |
I'm looking for a new HD media center to play downloaded movies on my TV and to work as a TiVo type PVR.
Does anyone know of any good ones available in Korea or should I just buy a new computer to do this? |
Can i ask why you don't just use a computer.
Mine has an hdmi output, will play anything, easy to add extra harddrives.
I used to use a mvix, but then realised that while it was good what was the point of having two devices? |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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I'm probably going to get this;
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=177573708
It's identical to the Acer Aspire Revo, but it has no OS pre-installed. I will probably play around with some free distros like Ubuntu or XMBC before getting frustrated and shelling out for Win7. All the reviews of XMBC, I have read, have been glowing though.
Here is the Acer.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=179366769
It's more expensive, but comes with Win7 and wireless keyboard and mouse.
EDIT: If money is not an issue, I would go for this. It has a blueray drive and a remote, as well as all the same bells and whistles as the other rigs mentioned here.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=179272452
There is also a DVD version.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=167229687
But, it doesn't have wifi, which is a bit of a joke.
EDIT 2: Just found the ASrock DVD with wifi and remote.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=179272447
If this were 100K cheaper, it might feature in my calculations, but compared with the Zotac, it's 200K for a remote and DVD player. I haven't watched a DVD in years and I have a remote on my iPod Touch.
Last edited by Senior on Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:57 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: Can anyone recommend me a good media center? |
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| blackjack wrote: |
| Slaps wrote: |
I'm looking for a new HD media center to play downloaded movies on my TV and to work as a TiVo type PVR.
Does anyone know of any good ones available in Korea or should I just buy a new computer to do this? |
Can i ask why you don't just use a computer.
Mine has an hdmi output, will play anything, easy to add extra harddrives.
I used to use a mvix, but then realised that while it was good what was the point of having two devices? |
I looked at a normal desktop, but I don't like their size and noise. Plus I want to take the thing with me when I leave. Plus they use more gas than a HTPC, if you worry about that sort of thing. Especially if you are running torrents on it non-stop. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Or you could try this.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=173517855
I have the "Mini" version, and it's a big pain in the ass swapping the USB Drive from PC to TV and I can't get subtitles to work (unless they're hard encoded into the file). This version came out 6 weeks after I bought it and is only a little more expensive. I'm not sure if it would work as a PVR, though. |
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tatertot
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Senior wrote: |
Or you could try this.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=173517855
I have the "Mini" version, and it's a big pain in the ass swapping the USB Drive from PC to TV and I can't get subtitles to work (unless they're hard encoded into the file). This version came out 6 weeks after I bought it and is only a little more expensive. I'm not sure if it would work as a PVR, though. |
I've got the WD HD Live and I love it. It works flawlessly. I didn't recommend it to the OP because it doesn't have a hard drive and I thought he wanted something that could actually store the files.
If you are having a hard time with subtitles, make sure that they are named the same thing as the file you are playing and that they are located in the same directory. For instance, if you are watching a video called "Entourage.avi" make sure the subtitle is named "Entourage.smi" or "Entourage.srt" and then it will automatically load (at least, that is how the WD HD Live works). I hope this fixes your problem. |
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tatertot
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Senior wrote: |
I'm probably going to get this;
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=177573708
It's identical to the Acer Aspire Revo, but it has no OS pre-installed. I will probably play around with some free distros like Ubuntu or XMBC before getting frustrated and shelling out for Win7. All the reviews of XMBC, I have read, have been glowing though.
Here is the Acer.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=179366769
It's more expensive, but comes with Win7 and wireless keyboard and mouse.
EDIT: If money is not an issue, I would go for this. It has a blueray drive and a remote, as well as all the same bells and whistles as the other rigs mentioned here.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=179272452
There is also a DVD version.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=167229687
But, it doesn't have wifi, which is a bit of a joke.
EDIT 2: Just found the ASrock DVD with wifi and remote.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=179272447
If this were 100K cheaper, it might feature in my calculations, but compared with the Zotac, it's 200K for a remote and DVD player. I haven't watched a DVD in years and I have a remote on my iPod Touch. |
If you go with the Aspire Revo (or maybe the MAG HD-ND01) check out these instructions on lifehacker to install XBMC. http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2009/10/build-a-silent-standalone-xbmc-media-centre-on-the-cheap/ |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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I just built a full-powered HTPC with the Silverstone LC-17b HTPC case........E7500 CPU........... HD4870 GPU.........4GB RAM.......I'll put a blu-ray drive in it eventually.....
For me, a net-top style device isn't powerful enough. I want to be sure of smooth 1080p playback on my 47'' TV. And play games on it sometimes. I've read quite a few user reviews and the Atom processors and integrated graphics don't quite cut the mustard.
Build a full-powered HTPC and you know it can handle anything. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
I just built a full-powered HTPC with the Silverstone LC-17b HTPC case........E7500 CPU........... HD4870 GPU.........4GB RAM.......I'll put a blu-ray drive in it eventually.....
For me, a net-top style device isn't powerful enough. I want to be sure of smooth 1080p playback on my 47'' TV. And play games on it sometimes. I've read quite a few user reviews and the Atom processors and integrated graphics don't quite cut the mustard.
Build a full-powered HTPC and you know it can handle anything. |
Also spend at least three times as much for 20% more performance.
I've read about a dozen reviews of both the Zotac and the Acer, and they all raved about the ability of the Atom paired with the nVidia chip to output full HD. Just because you have a vendetta against a certain piece of tech, doesn't mean you should spread false info about it. |
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tatertot
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
I just built a full-powered HTPC with the Silverstone LC-17b HTPC case........E7500 CPU........... HD4870 GPU.........4GB RAM.......I'll put a blu-ray drive in it eventually.....
For me, a net-top style device isn't powerful enough. I want to be sure of smooth 1080p playback on my 47'' TV. And play games on it sometimes. I've read quite a few user reviews and the Atom processors and integrated graphics don't quite cut the mustard.
Build a full-powered HTPC and you know it can handle anything. |
For some people, the physical size of their media center is important, and they just want to playback media. Any ION powered device is powerful enough to play back 1080p media with hardware acceleration. The CPU isn't used at all. I know that Linux XBMC supports GPU acceleration, and I think Windows XBMC might. I know that OS X XBMC doesn't, however. I strongly encourage anyone looking for a simple media center to look into XBMC on ION. Of course, you won't be playing any current games on it. You probably could play original Xbox and PS games, and anything older than that, via emulator, though. Setting up XBMC can be a bit challenging, however.
edit: Senior beat me to it by 7 minutes |
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tatertot
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Another good point to the Acer, Zotac or Mac Mini is that they are low-power and completely silent. According to Apple, my Mac Mini uses 1W while sleeping, 13W at idle and 110W maximum. According to real world testing, it uses only around 35W of power. While I don't generally fret about excessive power consumption, for a media center size and heat are very important. You can easily place the Mini, Acer or Zotac inside your entertainment center, something you can't easily do with a full-size computer. |
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Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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| Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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| tatertot wrote: |
| Senior wrote: |
Or you could try this.
http://english.gmarket.co.kr/challenge/neo_goods/goods.asp?goodscode=173517855
I have the "Mini" version, and it's a big pain in the ass swapping the USB Drive from PC to TV and I can't get subtitles to work (unless they're hard encoded into the file). This version came out 6 weeks after I bought it and is only a little more expensive. I'm not sure if it would work as a PVR, though. |
I've got the WD HD Live and I love it. It works flawlessly. I didn't recommend it to the OP because it doesn't have a hard drive and I thought he wanted something that could actually store the files.
If you are having a hard time with subtitles, make sure that they are named the same thing as the file you are playing and that they are located in the same directory. For instance, if you are watching a video called "Entourage.avi" make sure the subtitle is named "Entourage.smi" or "Entourage.srt" and then it will automatically load (at least, that is how the WD HD Live works). I hope this fixes your problem. |
Ahhh, cool. Thanks for the tip. It's quite a good device for what it is. I'm going to give it to my parents with 600 gb of their favorite TV shows and movies. When I get my HTPC set up going.
EDIT: Twenty phhb critical errors in a row. That's a record for me. Let's try submit again.  |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:00 am Post subject: |
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| Senior wrote: |
| eamo wrote: |
I just built a full-powered HTPC with the Silverstone LC-17b HTPC case........E7500 CPU........... HD4870 GPU.........4GB RAM.......I'll put a blu-ray drive in it eventually.....
For me, a net-top style device isn't powerful enough. I want to be sure of smooth 1080p playback on my 47'' TV. And play games on it sometimes. I've read quite a few user reviews and the Atom processors and integrated graphics don't quite cut the mustard.
Build a full-powered HTPC and you know it can handle anything. |
Also spend at least three times as much for 20% more performance.
I've read about a dozen reviews of both the Zotac and the Acer, and they all raved about the ability of the Atom paired with the nVidia chip to output full HD. Just because you have a vendetta against a certain piece of tech, doesn't mean you should spread false info about it. |
I have a vendetta against the Atom processor?? I didn't know that!! 
I just wouldn't use one because I might want to stoke up Modern Warfare 2 on my HTPC......the Atom and Nvidia ION would crash and burn drastically.
A basic HTPC can be built for 600,000.......about twice as much as a cheap net-top.....but it would give you a lot more than 20% more power......I'd estimate at least 150% more.....depending on exact spec.
The main purpose of the design behind the Atom is to allow extreme device portability and extreme low power usage. If you're plugging something into the mains which will sit under your TV, then you don't need the Atom for its portability, and unless you really want to save a few dollars a month in electricity costs, then you don't need an Atom for its low power.........so why use an Atom-powered device as a HTPC? |
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Slaps
Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Location: Sitting on top of the world
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| Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the advice chaps.
I'm still not sure what to go for though!
At the moment I think it's a choice between the AsRock or a straight up PC. Both have their advantages and disadvantages which is making the decision harder.
A PC would probably be ideal if it were not for the size and noise. I'm not so worried about the juice it uses.
The AsRock is the ideal size but it is quite pricey. |
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