Has Anyone Tired Using a Micro PC asa HTPC?

[Benedict_Arnold]

Thinking of a micro PC, the sort that's the size that will fit in your hand, to use as an HTPC for the living room, as 'er indoors probably won't stand for even a slimline "proper" HTPC box.

So, has anyone tried using one?

The idea is to use it to stream movies from the main HTPC in the media room over our home wired LAN down to the living room.

It doesn't need to "do" surround sound, as I really don't want it downstairs anyway, although sooner or later I expect I will be asked "why not?" so probably best that it can from the get-go.

Other than that, I would assume my basic spec would be a half-decent i5 CPU or an equivalent AMD offering, 8 gigs of RAM and a 64 or 128 gig HDD for Windows 10 Home and the playback software (Cyberlink PowerDVD in my case), plus a graphics card and HDMI port that is HDCP2.2, HDR, etc. compliant.

If there's not one available off the shelf, has anyone built their own?

I really don't want to get into Raspberry Pis or Linux boxes or anything like those because I have other people who aren't quite as OS savvy as me. And that's not saying a lot, believe me.

 

[daveh75]

Why bother?

Kodi on either an NVidia Shield or Fire TV is a far more elegant solution imo...

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Will look into theNVidea Shield more.

WIll it stream stuff from a networked PC? If so, one of those might be the amswer, though not as versatile as a full-on PC, I expect.

 

[daveh75]

Yes.Kodi will stream from network shares...

 

[expat_mike]

I have seen posts for gear like this https://www.amazon.fr/display-Windows-Android-2-16GHz-set-top/dp/B01CYJ2LJW

There seem to be various rebadged versions, but each offer the functionality of a touchscreen that could be placed on a coffee table, to play media stored elsewhere.

It is true that a conventional tablet could do the same - there seems to be no shortage of options available at the moment.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Cheers for that, but I really want a wired network solution (I had this house wired with CAT6 ethernet throughout when it was built, we've got 15 ethernet wall plates around the house, and an ethernet switch hanging off each wall platein about every room after that), and I'm using Amazon Fire tablets as universal remotes, also to control the Z-wave light switches, thermostats, etc.

I saw an Nvidia Shield in Bestbuy yesterday (the wife wanted to go in, but wouldn't let me buy a second receiver for downstairs or the Shield, grrr..), but it was boxed up and not connected. Incidentally, they're cheaper (US$200 here) if you buy them directly from Nvidia or from Bestbuy than from Amazon (which only has them listed from 3rd party sellers).

 

[Feral]

I have one of these and the KODI fork SPMC is great. 4K output, HDR, great interface and reads all my BR rips from the NAS. For me worth the additional money for a stronger and more stable solution than the RaspberyPi which topped out at 1080p.

I have mine wired via unmanged network switches but would recommend a static IP via your home router to avoid having to recan the libraries and reset the folder locations if you have to power off kit.

 

[Feral]

stay away from the pro version. My understanding is that there are many issues with the hard disk implementation so the 16gb version is cheaper and quieter. I'm not using for gaming duties as have a dedicated PC for that side of things.