Media-PC

[Majesticii]

So i've decided to make a HTPC. However im currently undecided between AMD and Intel based system regarding media pc's.
How well does the Intel HD Graphics 2500 scale up to the counterparts of say AMD-A6's AMD Radeon HD 7540D.

Also noteworthy, i'm going to be placing them in a Streacom FC5 OD Fanless Black

Together with a picoPSU / brick combo for power supply: http://www.ebay.nl/itm/picoPSU-90-12...ht_1207wt_1397

So if i can get a say.. i3-3220T rated @ 35W that would be allot better than a 65W rated A6.

Question is quite simple: Does the Intel's HD2500 lack any features/speed, in which i would reget the purchase later.

[vesseblah]

Intel processors have weaker integrated graphics, so if you have any kind of plans to game on the computer even a little bit AMD will be better choice. If you arent gaming, take Intel for lower wattage.

[Majesticii]

No gaming, it's purely for HD playback and Television (Anysee E30).
Also, can anyone recommend a Remote/IR-receiver combo?

[BicycleMafioso]

Always AMD for HTPC, they have better implementation of the codecs and are the ones getting closest to 23.976 FPS.

[vesseblah]

Always AMD for HTPC, they have better implementation of the codecs and are the ones getting closest to 23.976 FPS.

23.976 is pretty much dead already. BluRays are 24fps.

[Majesticii]

Always AMD for HTPC, they have better implementation of the codecs and are the ones getting closest to 23.976 FPS.

Which model in particular would you recommend. TDP limit for the case is 65W.

AMD A6-5400K?

[BicycleMafioso]

I am unsure how much accessibility one gets with AMD non-K CPUs for over/underclocking and over/undervolting, so a K-model is preferrable and just undervolt and underclock it.
Your suggestion is already 65w and should fit. I would still undervolt and underclock the CPU parts of it. I was looking at that myself for a fanless streacomm build myself, but unsure whether I'd get a quad and undervolt.

If you do want to go intel though, I would recommend something with HD4000. HD3000 and HD2500 are too weak.

[Majesticii]

So that would be a Intel Core i3 3225 (55W, HD4000), or a Intel Core i5 3475S (65W, HD4000).
Choices..

Looking at some of the benchmarks, the HD4000 isn't all that different. The CPU on the other hand...

[BicycleMafioso]

I see no point in going for the quad core. Even for gaming at stock frequencies, they're only a fraction better than the i3's. For media-PC and surfing, two cores is almost overkill already.
You'd notice no difference. Especially as you'd only use the CPU with surfing anyway.

[Majesticii]

I see no point in going for the quad core. Even for gaming at stock frequencies, they're only a fraction better than the i3's. For media-PC and surfing, two cores is almost overkill already.
You'd notice no difference. Especially as you'd only use the CPU with surfing anyway.

So far for the build i've accumulated

Gigabyte GA-H77M-D3H
Intel Core i3 3225 (HD4000)
Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB DDR3-1600 CL9 kit
Samsung 830 Series 128GB (might even go 64GB, want to combine it with a NAS).
Streacom FC5 OD Fanless Black
picoPSU-90 / 12V 7.5A 90W AC-DC switching adapter combo

Should be sweet, no?

[BicycleMafioso]

64 GB should definitely serve you right. For media PCs, you could go as low as 2GiB RAM, 4GiB would be fine as well. 8GiB is more than necessary, but if you don't mind the (admittedly little) extra cost, sure.

Question: Why mATX and not go for a fanless mITX, like the Streacom FC8?

[Majesticii]

Cause the Streacom FC8 is 500E And when i'm also gonna buy a NAS with 4x3TB disks i need to watch the costs a little. Just a little
Also, the shape of the FC5 is more suitable to where i want to place it. And yeah, 8GB or 4GB is hardly worth mentioning when i'm about to drop 1600E. Also, i'm gonna use a AnySee E30 for digital TV, and record off of it. So maybe a little extra memory might be useful (?).

Buy US layout KB, can't type Euro. #firstworldproblems

Btw for the NAS i was thinking:

Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 4
4x Western Digital Red 3TB (NAS Optimized, or so they claim)
or
4x Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB

Router i'm using btw is the ASUS RT-N66U, should be quick enough.

[BicycleMafioso]

Oh. The FC8 is like 130€ and the FC5 is close to 100€ more in Sweden. Are you sure you are looking at the right places?

I'd go with the red ones. They are better for RAID and NAS use, but not by as much as they claim. They've had harsher quality control on them and have much less MTBF.

[Majesticii]

FC5 is like 230E in holland D: I feel violated. Can you show me a few links? Maybe one ships overseas.

[BicycleMafioso]

http://www.ebay.nl/sch/i.html?_nkw=s....c0.m270.l1313

?

[Majesticii]

Yeah, but the FC5. I really cannot place the FC8 due to it's height.

[n0cturnal]

http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/...ml?language=en

http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/...er::20025.html

[Majesticii]

Also, i think the EVO still requires a fan? Or does it just have an optional hole.
And how much worse are onboard audio solutions on mini-ITX in regard to m-ATX.

Additional question, anyone got a good IR Receiver-Remote combo they can recommend?

[n0cturnal]

http://komplett.nl/Komplett/product/...t/details.aspx

145€ from NL.


"The Streacom FC8 EVO is an updated model of the FC8. It now offers USB3.0, direct touch heatpipes and improved compatibility."

http://nl.hardware.info/productinfo/...reacom-fc8-evo a bunch of stores have it for nice prices in NL.

[Majesticii]

I gotta admit though, for case-systems this expensive they could've been a tad bit more informative on what the specs of the unincluded devices should be.
For example the power supply, and optical slim drive. You gotta take a rough guess that the eject button coincides..

Just double checked, i can fit the FC8 Evo. So i guess i can go for it. And just include a ASUS Xonar DG for audio.