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 the man
still tappin caps
Registered: 08/13/99
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 cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it 
#9921022 - 03/06/09 03:21 AM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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eh guys just looking at building a little box here. want it to be super cheap and compatable with OSX86 (not crucial but unless there was a reason not to get components that would work).
anyway just looking for opinions. im thinking dual core atom
either http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167037 in this barebones
or put my own mobo in a bought case. there is a few differences b/w purchased motherboard cpu combo and barebones. seperate has normal pci and a svid out(sort of nice for what im using but vga-svid cables are cheap) and barebones has a mini pci slot perfect for adding a apple airport extreme card. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350173526655&_trksid=p2761.l1259
anyway what do you guys think? is there a better option out there? i like those new eee pc novas but dont want to pay for windows.
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the man
still tappin caps
Registered: 08/13/99
Posts: 4,530
Loc: C A N A D A
Last seen: 5 months, 18 days
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: the man]
#9921085 - 03/06/09 04:02 AM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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oh and this is just for regualr torrent 700 mb movies. obviously no hi def
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And Moses Said "Let my mushrooms grow!"
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zouden
Neuroscientist
 
Registered: 11/12/07
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: the man]
#9923873 - 03/06/09 06:01 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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How much is the cheapest Mac Mini? Or an Apple TV, even better.
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I know... that just the smallest
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Edited by zouden (03/06/09 06:01 PM)
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the man
still tappin caps
Registered: 08/13/99
Posts: 4,530
Loc: C A N A D A
Last seen: 5 months, 18 days
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: zouden]
#9924081 - 03/06/09 06:43 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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mac mini not gunna get anything really for under 500 CAD.
apple tv is not nearly as good. to watch anything you need to chane all your movies into itunes compatibility. or i imagine you could hack it so you dont. but why not have a functioning computer aswell  but look nice and kinda slicki guess.
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http://www.fsrc.caand FSRE are now accepting edible/medicinal spores. please donate
And Moses Said "Let my mushrooms grow!"
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zouden
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: the man]
#9924110 - 03/06/09 06:49 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yeah that's what I'd do - hack an Apple TV and install XBMC on it. Then you can stream whatever file you want. It's a much smaller, neater box than anything you could make yourself.
--------------------
I know... that just the smallest
part of the world belongs to me
You know... I'm not a blind man
but truth is the hardest thing to see
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the man
still tappin caps
Registered: 08/13/99
Posts: 4,530
Loc: C A N A D A
Last seen: 5 months, 18 days
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: zouden]
#9924164 - 03/06/09 07:01 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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oh and apple tv doesnt have svid or RCA not gunna work with old school large tv.
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http://www.fsrc.caand FSRE are now accepting edible/medicinal spores. please donate
And Moses Said "Let my mushrooms grow!"
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zouden
Neuroscientist
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: the man]
#9924348 - 03/06/09 07:37 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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--------------------
I know... that just the smallest
part of the world belongs to me
You know... I'm not a blind man
but truth is the hardest thing to see
|
the man
still tappin caps
Registered: 08/13/99
Posts: 4,530
Loc: C A N A D A
Last seen: 5 months, 18 days
|
Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: zouden]
#9924430 - 03/06/09 07:48 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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but what about auddio through the composite? i dunno if that works or not.
and apple tv is really expensive for what you get i think.
--------------------
http://www.fsrc.caand FSRE are now accepting edible/medicinal spores. please donate
And Moses Said "Let my mushrooms grow!"
Edited by the man (03/06/09 08:22 PM)
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zouden
Neuroscientist
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Loc: Australia
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: the man]
#9929209 - 03/07/09 06:12 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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There's RCA plugs on the back for audio.
It's kinda expensive for the hardware, I suppose, but it's so small and neat, not to mention quiet (I think it has no fan) which is important for an HTPC. How much is it compared to what you're thinking of building?
A cheaper option is to get an old Xbox 1 and soft-mod it. There are instructions online, and plenty of people on this forum (including myself) have done it. XBMC runs on the Xbox, as well as on Windows, Mac, Linux and Apple TV. But the Xbox hardware can't handle HD video, which is why if I were building a new Media Centre, I'd probably get an Apple TV.
--------------------
I know... that just the smallest
part of the world belongs to me
You know... I'm not a blind man
but truth is the hardest thing to see
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supra
computerEnthusiast
Registered: 10/26/03
Posts: 6,446
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: zouden]
#9930109 - 03/07/09 09:16 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
zouden said:
There's RCA plugs on the back for audio.
It's kinda expensive for the hardware, I suppose, but it's so small and neat, not to mention quiet (I think it has no fan) which is important for an HTPC. How much is it compared to what you're thinking of building?
A cheaper option is to get an old Xbox 1 and soft-mod it. There are instructions online, and plenty of people on this forum (including myself) have done it. XBMC runs on the Xbox, as well as on Windows, Mac, Linux and Apple TV. But the Xbox hardware can't handle HD video, which is why if I were building a new Media Centre, I'd probably get an Apple TV.
so an apple tv would be able to play 1080p .mkv files streamed? I would like to use something else other than my ps3, just because its a pain in the ass to have to convert every mkv into something the ps3 will play...i just wish sony would just build support for the codec in already, its ridiculous they haven't.
peace
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zouden
Neuroscientist
Registered: 11/12/07
Posts: 7,091
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 3 years, 8 months
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: supra]
#9930132 - 03/07/09 09:20 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yeah a hacked AppleTV can play whatever codecs are installed, and XBMC comes with every codec and supports every file type.
Even my xbox running XBMC can play mkv files, though it can't do 1080p because there's not enough ram or cpu.
--------------------
I know... that just the smallest
part of the world belongs to me
You know... I'm not a blind man
but truth is the hardest thing to see
|
supra
computerEnthusiast
Registered: 10/26/03
Posts: 6,446
Loc: TEXAS
Last seen: 2 years, 1 month
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: zouden]
#9930175 - 03/07/09 09:26 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
zouden said:
Yeah a hacked AppleTV can play whatever codecs are installed, and XBMC comes with every codec and supports every file type.
Even my xbox running XBMC can play mkv files, though it can't do 1080p because there's not enough ram or cpu.
yeah, i was asking about its performance. My xbox could play mkv files as well, but not anything HD...not enough power...so my question really was is the apple tv powerful enough to play all mkv?
Oh, and i also read today that the newest update to apple tv makes installing 3rd party software impossible, do you know about this? Also, what links do you have about how to do this, i can google them myself, but if you have one off hand, that would be nice.
peace
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zouden
Neuroscientist
Registered: 11/12/07
Posts: 7,091
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 3 years, 8 months
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Re: cheap HTPC just to stream. want to put OS X on it [Re: supra]
#9930269 - 03/07/09 09:39 PM (4 years, 3 months ago) |
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I don't know that much, since I don't have an Apple TV - I just looked into it as a possible future media centre. I can only assume it does HD because why would Apple make a device that's not capable of HD?
But then:
Quote:
Question: Will the Apple TV playback 1080p videos encoded with the H.264 codec (like Blu-ray rips)?
* Answer: No, the Apple TV hardware is only powerful enough to decode 720p videos encoded with the H.264 codec.
Wikipedia also says that the maximum resolution the hardware can decode is 720p, though it can still output 1080 by upscaling. Lame.
Also, I think the patchstick method of hacking it still works with the new update. If I was seriously going to buy one I'd confirm that first.
--------------------
I know... that just the smallest
part of the world belongs to me
You know... I'm not a blind man
but truth is the hardest thing to see
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