Reference Hardware for an HD300-like Client Solution

[antplugger]

What about something like this ? http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/33...p_mini_pc.html

Alibaba has a lot options of small and cheap HTPC's

[ThePaladinTech]

Originally Posted by antplugger

What about something like this ? http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/33...p_mini_pc.html

Alibaba has a lot options of small and cheap HTPC's

No IR receiver - the ones I posted include that. I don't like the thought of buying one and needing to plug in a clunky IR receiver. On the other hand I suppose there is no reason you couldn't get one and hide the unit and only have the IR receiver visible.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by antplugger

What about something like this ? http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/33...p_mini_pc.html

Alibaba has a lot options of small and cheap HTPC's

Be careful with "Alibaba"!

I was searching for a HD clearqam modulator and found one on "Alibaba". My idea was to buy a HD clearqam RF moduator. I would feed the HD component video (and audio) from a set top box into the HD clearqam RF modulator. I would then feed that into a HDHomerun or HVR-2250, both which are far more reliable than a HD-PVR or Colossus. I have seen these HD clearqam RF modulators for sale and are very expensive, way over $1,000. They are normally marketed to schools and churches as a method to distribute video to their large buildings.

When Googling "Alibaba", I found lots of posts about "Alibaba" being a rip off company selling products that don't exist! On the Internet, you can find really bad reviews of even absolute great products. So, I could not verify that the "rip off" reviews were true or not. If you have successfully purchased items from "Alibaba", or know someone that did, I would like to know. Just be careful in case it is a "rip off" company.


Dave

[IVB]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

35W is maximum, it idles at less than that. Could probably shave a little more wattage off by running undervoltage. But face the facts, a general purpose CPU is bound to use more wattage than a dedicated solution, specifically designed for a single purpose.

Agreed, the bummer is that the backup plan involves using a general purpose CPU for only a single purpose.

good to hear on the idling, i've never messed with undervoltage so that would concern me a little. i have a tendency to screw things up...

[Fuzzy]

The i3 is not the cheaoest option that would work. Its advantage is in the size, giving a very decent gpu built into a very capable CPU. The cheapest method that would work well would be a celeron/sempron CPU with a dedicated low end gpu. Means going to a larger case, and not all miniitx boards even HAVE a PC I x16 slot. (Speaking of which, mini-itx itself is also a big addition to the cost)

EDIT: just built an AMD 880G based system on newegg with a sempron 140 cpu, and it is $341.94 with win 7included.

[LittleJohnny]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

The i3 is not the cheaoest option that would work. Its advantage is in the size, giving a very decent gpu built into a very capable CPU. The cheapest method that would work well would be a celeron/sempron CPU with a dedicated low end gpu. Means going to a larger case, and not all miniitx boards even HAVE a PC I x16 slot. (Speaking of which, mini-itx itself is also a big addition to the cost)

EDIT: just built an AMD 880G based system on newegg with a sempron 140 cpu, and it is $341.94 with win 7included.

what are you using for IR receiver?

[Spectrum]

Originally Posted by antplugger

What about something like this ? http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/33...p_mini_pc.html

Alibaba has a lot options of small and cheap HTPC's

For something like that a group buy would have to be worked out. That seller requires a 50pc min order so that would be 9k for the $180 config.... I don't know about you but I don't really need 50 clients

Originally Posted by davephan

Be careful with "Alibaba"!
...
Dave

I believe Alibaba just puts buyers and sellers in touch; they aren't actually selling anything. No experience with them one way or the other, but that was my impression of what they do.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by LittleJohnny

what are you using for IR receiver?

Usbuirt is by far the best.

[tmiranda]

Is there a viable solution if I wanted to build a totally silent (fanless) client? Any there any fanless CPU's capable of running SageClient or are there any fanless heatsinks available for the i3?

If it makes ANY noise my wife will complain.

Tom

[IVB]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Is there a viable solution if I wanted to build a totally silent (fanless) client? Any there any fanless CPU's capable of running SageClient or are there any fanless heatsinks available for the i3?

If it makes ANY noise my wife will complain.

Tom

+1. I have less of a issue with $$, i'd spend $500 on a mini-box if my extenders died and there were no other choice (as long as it can stream BR, DVD, TV), but it would need to be silent as we'd need one in the MBR.

I'm not spending $500 on an HD300 off eBay though, I'd feel better about the $$ if it were on a general purpose solution like a mini PC that I could re-use if need be.

Depressingly my HD300 purchase fell through, so if my extenders die i'll have to come back to this thread and start building.

[wayner]

Loom at the HD plex cases in my post above. These cases are made of Aluminum and the cases are the heatsinks for the CPU - they are attached to the CPU via heat pipes. They also have a fanless power supply. Put in a Sandy Bridge mobo and CPU and a SSD and the system Is totally silent with no moving parts and is a great Netflix client. Total hardware cost is probably around $500 or maybe a bit more.

[will]

I have been pricing out a silent SageTV client.

I think I have decided upon the Shuttle XS35GT for $239.99. It is pretty much the size of an HD200 and has no fans with the horsepower to do 1080p.

I was able to price it out with an SSD drive, Tivo Slide BT remote, RAM (2gb max), Cables, and VESA Mount for behind the TV at $444.99 shipped. Definitely more expensive that an HD300 but you do get a full computer with Hulu and Netflix access!

[leagle]

Originally Posted by wrems

How do you license them?

This.

[IVB]

Originally Posted by will

I have been pricing out a silent SageTV client.

I think I have decided upon the Shuttle XS35GT for $239.99. It is pretty much the size of an HD200 and has no fans with the horsepower to do 1080p.

I was able to price it out with an SSD drive, Tivo Slide BT remote, RAM (2gb max), Cables, and VESA Mount for behind the TV at $444.99 shipped. Definitely more expensive that an HD300 but you do get a full computer with Hulu and Netflix access!

Please post an update with a parts list if you're happy with what you see, I suspect many of us (including me) would be in favor of finding a silent option as a backup plan.

[stevech]

A Zotac box?

The key is if you want HD video decoding without dropped frames AND fanless.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by leagle

This.

That link did not work. How do you license them? Client licenses are not for sale. Do you run them with the trial and keep rolling them back every 21 days with an image?

Dave

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by davephan

That link did not work. How do you license them? Client licenses are not for sale. Do you run them with the trial and keep rolling them back every 21 days with an image?

Dave

I'd of thought you'd already be all over doing that dave, just for fun, just to be able to play with your many MANY images.. ;-)

[will]

Here is what I have priced out so far:

System: Shuttle XS35GT
Hard Drive: OCZ Vertex 2 40GB
RAM: CORSAIR 2GB
Remote Control: TiVo Slide
VESA Mount: Shuttle PV01
OS: Windows 7 Home/Pro

When I priced this, it worked out to $444.99 but I have noticed that some items have increased (SSD) and others have decreased in price (Tivo Slide) so pricing will change based on any given day.

[will]

Perhaps something like this would work. No price yet but this looks like a nice little system with no assembly required.

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by will

I have been pricing out a silent SageTV client.

I think I have decided upon the Shuttle XS35GT for $239.99. It is pretty much the size of an HD200 and has no fans with the horsepower to do 1080p.

I was able to price it out with an SSD drive, Tivo Slide BT remote, RAM (2gb max), Cables, and VESA Mount for behind the TV at $444.99 shipped. Definitely more expensive that an HD300 but you do get a full computer with Hulu and Netflix access!

Thanks will. If you purchase this setup please post your results. The HD100 in our bedroom is about to go Tango Uniform so I'll be in the market for something soon.