htpc ebook 2014

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

1/67

A Publication byMy Media Experience

Home Theater PC:

Lessons Learned

Things I Wish I Would Hae !no"n #e$ore I #uilt My %irst HTPC

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

2/67

TA#LE &% C&'TE'T(

)* +ETTI'+ (TA,TE-

.* +E'E,AL LE((&'( LEA,'E-

/* H&W T& #0IL- A HTPC

1* H&W T& C&'%I+0,E IT

2* H&W T& (ET 0P (&%TWA,E

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

3/67

CHAPTE, &'E

+ETTI'+

(TA,TE-

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

4/67

About this e#oo3

4.5)1 edition6Choosing the right hardware and software for your first Home

Theater PC (HTPC) can be a difficult process.

I wanted to make it easy for you and keep you from wastingyour time and your money on tedious research, so I built and

tested four reference HTPC builds myself and combined all of

the key lessons learned into this compact and practical eook.

If you are looking for some e!cellent hardware and software

tips, this eook will definitely sa"e your time and money. The

content in this eook is for informational purposes only.

#ou should always seek the ad"ice of a professional before

acting on something that I ha"e published or recommended. $o

part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted or sold

without the prior consent of the author.

I7m the $ounder o$ the popular HTPCresource called My Media Experience8$ounded in .559* I hae oer )/ years o$experience in building HTPCs*

Tuu33a !omssi8 Author

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

5/67

Introduction% Home Theater Personal Computer, HTPC for short, is a

computer connected to your T& which plays media files

(mo"ies, music, and photos) and internet media content.

If you want to reach the full potential of connected home

entertainment, then getting a HTPC is the way to go. HTPC

brings most of the home theater de"ices into one bo!.

HTPCs are often smaller and 'uieter compared to the desktop

computers as they are designed to be used in the li"ing room.

The notsosilent hum of your desktop PC might not be aproblem at the office, but it can be a significant annoyance to

people in your li"ing room trying to enoy the mo"ie.

What are the benefits of a HTPC?

It reduces the number of home theater de"ices

It pro"ides a large degree of fle!ibility

It has large storage capacity for media files It supports many media formats

In this chapter, I will introduce four reference HTPCs that I

currently use in my home*

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

6/67

+tarter HTPC is the most affordable and smallest build that

features the aspberry Pi board. aspberry Pi has

de"eloped a lot as a media center during the past year and

can be now used as an e!cellent starter le"el HTPC.

aspberry Pi is capable of luray 'uality playback, using

H.-/ at /01its2s. #ou can also play 1P34- and &C5"ideo files, but you need to buy a separate license.

+o, if you are looking for an ultracheap HTPC, then this

starter system is the right choice for you.

Starter HTPC)

Learn more about this system

http://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/raspberry-pi/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/raspberry-pi/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

7/67

This budget build is designed to be used with 61C 1edia

Center (either 7indows 8.5 or 9pen3:3C 9+) to watch

5080p H; "ideos, play music and "iew photos.

The system is powered by %1;,

which is a great choice for those looking for good graphics

performance without the need for a discrete 4P>.

The latest %1; ichland generation pro"ides slightly

higher clocks and better power management than the

pre"ious Trinity platform.

Budget HTPC.


http://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/budget-htpc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/budget-htpc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

8/67

This "alue HTPC pro"ides the best H; "ideo and ?; luray

performance with an e!cellent "alue to price ratio.

7hen using the aftermarket CP> cooler and case fan, this

build is practically silent. This is the HTPC at the moment.

This system includes an Intel Core i? processor, whichmany people regard as the standard in HTPC applications.

If you are not planning to play the latest games with your

HTPC, you will be fine without a separate graphics card.

Value HTPC/


http://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/value-htpc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/value-htpc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

9/67

This performance HTPC is a proect for building a near

silent HTPC that is capable of 5080p gaming.

I ha"e chosen an Intel Core i@ processor, which is a @7

CP> that runs super cool and keeps e"erything 'uiet while

pro"iding enough performance e"en for games.

4raphic card coolers can easily be the noisiest component

in your computerA this is why I chose a passi"e cooled

+apphire adeon >ltimate H; BB@0. This is the fastest 4P>

that can run under B@ watts.

Performance HTPC1


http://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/performance-htpc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/htpc-builds/performance-htpc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

10/67

CHAPTE, TW&

+E'E,ALLE((&'( 2)/

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

11/67

The rule o$ thumb#ou already own a camera or smart phone to take photos. #ou

already own an 1P? player to listen to digital music. #ou

probably watch online "ideos from #ouTube or other online

ser"ices. 7hy wouldn

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

12/67

efore you proceed in selecting the parts, you should stop

and think about how you intend to use your HTPC.

Here are few questions you may want to contemplate

How much are you willing to spend

;o you want to watch 5080p or /= "ideos

;o you want to watch luray disc mo"ies ;o you want to watch li"e T&

;o you want to play modern games

#ou should focus on the key use of your home theater

system. #ou will need to know this in order to decide on

the type of components you need.

!etermine your needs2

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

13/67

uilding a home theater computer is about finding the

right balance among*

acceptable noise le"els

power consumption and performance

the appearance and siEe of the case

how much you are willing to spend on it

+ome common considerations when choosing parts are

cost, performance, form factor (siEe) of parts, power

consumption, ease of cooling, storage capacities, dri"er

stability, etc. #ou should focus on the two often ignored

factors, noise and power efficiency.

"ind the right balance>

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

14/67

$oise is a "ery important consideration when choosing

components for your HTPC.

The key to 'uiet HTPC is to use low power parts such as

slower or solid state hard dri"es, 80 plus certified power

supplies, and low power CP>s, which generate less heatand thus re'uire less cooling.

The more power efficient components you will use, the

less cooling you will need. The less cooling you will need

(and the more passi"ely cooled components you will use),

the 'uieter your system will be.

Silence is golden?

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

15/67

% form factor means the physical dimensions of a system.

In practice, the motherboard form factor defines the siEe

of the case you can use, so choose the case, motherboard

and CP> first. The most popular form factors among HTPC

users are %T6, micro %T6, and mini IT6.

7hen considering a case form factor, it is good to keep in

mind that smaller mini IT6 form factor cases usually ha"e

smaller fans, which are louder than the larger ones used in

micro %T6 cases. % larger case also means that you can

ha"e a better airflow and room for more hard dri"es and

other peripherals.

Si#e does matter@

%T6

1icro%T6

1iniIT6

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

16/67

% processor and graphics processing unit are the main

sources generating heat inside a case.

7hen choosing a processor or graphics card, it is ad"isable

to check not only the performance but also its Thermal

;esign Power (T;P), which indicates the power

consumption of a CP> or graphics card.

The T;P describes the ma!imum amount of power in the

cooling system in a HTPC is re'uired to dissipate. #ou

should choose a processor with a ma! T;P of no more

than @ watts. The lowpower CP> runs at reduced

"oltages and emits less heat, which re'uires less cooling.

"ocus on low T!P rating9

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

17/67

I would recommend to store all media files to a separate

$etwork %ttached +torage ($%+) or backend home media

ser"er that also does all the hea"y lifting such as recording

li"e T& or transcoding "ideo files.

$etwork %ttached +torage ($%+) is storage that can be

accessed o"er a home network as opposed to single

computer access. In other words, a $%+ ser"er allows you

to share media between se"eral PCs and other de"ices.

%n additional benefit is that $%+ ser"ers include multiple

H;;s that allow you to back up and mirror media files.

Store media on $%S)5

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

18/67

$owadays, many people are downloading or streaming

digital content from iTunes, +potify, $etfli!, Hulu or by

other means from the Internet. If this is the case for you,

perhaps you do not e"en re'uire a ;&; or luray dri"e.

In fact, you do not necessarily need an optical disk dri"e at

all, as it is possible to install both 7indows and :inu!operating systems from a >+ dri"e.

In general, it is a good idea to remo"e the optical disk dri"e

from your HTPC as they use power and are noisy. If you

occasionally need to watch ;&;s, you can ha"e an e!ternal

>+ ;&; dri"e on hand.

!itch optical dis& dri'e))

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

19/67

Cable management impro"es internal airflow by reducing

cable clutter to promote accelerated heat remo"al. In

order to reduce the cable clutter, it is recommended to use

modular P+>s and cable ties.

% modular power supply pro"ides connectors at the power

supply end, allowing unused cables to be detached fromthe power supply. #ou should also use cable ties that will

help you to make your cabling clutter free and thus

impro"e the airflow.

%nother tip is to run the cables along the edges or under

the motherboard.

Clear that cable clutter).

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

20/67

>se temperaturemonitoring apps to such as +peedFan to

ensure you ha"e enough cooling after finishing the build.

+peedFan is a hardware monitoring software that is able to

change fan speeds according to system temperatures. In

the +peedFan application, you should look at the Core G for

the best temp gauges. The optimal temp is about @ to 8degrees C warmer than the ambient temp in the room.

#ou may need to play around with the number of cooling

fans, fan speeds and temperature le"els o"er time to find

out what nets you the best balance between good

temperatures and good noise le"els.

(onitor temperatures)/

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

21/67

CHAPTE, TH,EE

#0IL- ITLE((&'( )1/1

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

22/67

Media (treamersIf getting a HTPC sounds too complicated for you, then another

option is to get a media streamer such as %pple T&, oku or

4oogle Chromecast.

These de"ices allow you to stream content from the Internet

and other computers to enoy "ideos on T&. They are not as

"ersatile as HTPCs, but as streamers, they are good alternati"e.

If you want to ha"e more fle!ibility but still don

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

23/67

aspberry Pi is an amaEing little computer that can be used

as a complete 61C media center solution.

I ha"e written a complete and uptodate tutorial on how

to install and configure 61C media center on aspberry

Pi that you can find by clicking the link below.

#ou will learn how to build a HTPC frontend by installing

and configuring a aspberry Pi 61C distribution called

aspbmc. #ou will also learn how to optimiEe aspbmc to

run significantly faster for better user e!perience.

)inu*+based ,aspberry Pi)1

Learn more about ,aspberry Pi

http://mymediaexperience.com/raspberry-pi-xbmc-with-raspbmc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/raspberry-pi-xbmc-with-raspbmc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

24/67

If you are looking for optimal hardware for use as an 61C

media platform, the %ndroidbased 9uya game console is

the right choice for you.

In a complete guide that you can find by following the link

below, I will show you easy and ad"anced ways to set up

61C on %ndroid to turn 9uya game console onto theultimate media bo!.

9uya is great for anyone who wants an affordable and

good media center with the ability to run retro games.

%ndroid+based -uya)2

Learn more about &uya

http://mymediaexperience.com/xbmc-on-android-based-ouya/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/xbmc-on-android-based-ouya/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

25/67

Custom HTPCs$owadays, there are all kinds of small media streamers and

smart T&s, so why would you need a HTPC in your li"ing room

1any of my friends "iew "ideos through their 6bo!, Play+tation

or luray player, yet they had no idea what an HTPC was. %fterthey saw my home theater PC setup for the first time, they

were amaEed by what you can do with your T&.

The key reason to build your own HTPC is the fle!ibility and

'uality. #ou can ha"e e!actly the kind of hardware and user

interface you need.

%n HTPC is only as e!pensi"e as you make it. #ou can build an

HTPC for less than ?00 dollars. #ou can e"en build one using old

PC components you might already ha"e. Furthermore, most of

the media center software such as 61C or Ple! are entirely

free. %nd by the way, they look stunning

;I enBoy using an HTPC in my liing room8because it is tailored exactly to my$amily7s needs* %aorite T sho"s andmoies are easily accessible8 and eenmy young children 3no" ho" to accesstheir o"n ideos $rom the main menu*

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

26/67

It is good to start choosing components with a case. The

case siEe will determine the siEe of the motherboard you

will need for the system.

The height of the case will also determine whether or not

you can use full or halfheight graphics or T& tuner cards.

There are three common form factors* miniIT6, micro%T6

and %T6. For HTPC use, the miniIT6 and micro%T6 are

preferred and most common siEes.

Start with a case)>

Chec3 out my Case %inder tool

http://mymediaexperience.com/case-finder/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/case-finder/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

27/67

$owadays, integrated graphics processing units inside the

processors are powerful enough for HTPC use.

Intel Haswell processors are currently the best choice

when it comes to performance and power efficiency. The

recommended Intel Haswell options are Intel Core i?

/5?0T (?@7 T;P) and Intel Core i@/@B0+ (@7 T;P).

If you want to ha"e cheaper alternati"es, the

recommended %1; CP>s are %1; %/00= and %1;

%50 B00, which both ha"e @7 thermal design power.

.se a low power CP.)?

Learn more about HTPC CP0s

http://mymediaexperience.com/best-htpc-cpu/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/best-htpc-cpu/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

28/67

The type of motherboard you choose will depend on the

CP> chipset you choose. I ha"e been fa"oring 4igabyte

brand in my recent builds, but %sus, %srock and 1+I are

good alternati"es as well.

#ou should pay attention to the number of +%T% ports.

>sually, miniIT6 and micro%T6 motherboards include / or +%T% ports. If you plan to ha"e se"eral H;;s, be sure to

choose a motherboard that has +%T% ports.

For Intel Haswell, I would recommend getting H8B or 8B

series motherboards. For %1; ichland, you should get

%1; F1- or the newer F1-J motherboard.

Compatible motherboard)@

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

29/67

I would recommend applying a good thermal paste such as

%rctic +il"er @ and $octua $TH5 to the processor as it will

help to drop the CP> temperatures couple of degrees.

#ou should use no more than a peasiEed amount and

spread it in a thin layer o"er the entire processor surface.

%dding too much thermal paste will slow the transfer of

heat, making it more difficult to cool the CP> 'uickly.

Ideally, you should use slightly less thermal paste than the

amount shown in the abo"e image.

.se good thermal paste)9

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

30/67

+tock CP> coolers come free with your CP>, but are often

too noisy for HTPC use. Intel HaswellDs + (power sa"ing)

and T (thin chasis) models ha"e slightly 'uieter cooling

fans, but they still are not in par with the best coolers.

I would recommend getting an aftermarket CP> coolersuch as $octua $H:K% (%1;), $H:KI (Intel) or +cythe ig

+huriken - (%1; and Intel) that are designed to be 'uiet.

It is important to install the aftermarket CP> cooler with

the motherboard outside the case, as the cooler retention

plate mounts underneath the motherboard.

.se a quiet CP. cooler.5

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

31/67

The most important thing to remember about memory is

to get at least - 4 for :inu! and / 4 for 7indows.

The ;;?5??? 1HE and ;;?500 1HE %1 memory

are supported by the most motherboards, and while the

5??? is enough for HTPCs, 500 is better for o"erclockers.

#ou should not use memory modules with heatspeaders,

especially with larger CP> coolers as they may not fit

under the heatsink. #ou should use lower "oltage memory

modules as less power consumption means less cooling is

re'uired. #ou will also sa"e on the electric bill.

.se low 'oltage ,%(.)

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

32/67

9ften stock case fans are too noisy for the home theater

en"ironment, so I would recommend to use $octuaLs

aftermarket case fans.

>sually one case fan is enough in addition to a CP> cooler,

but itLs good to test with stock case fans to disco"er how

many fans you need to reach optimal temperature insideyour case.

I would recommend using the lownoise adapter (:$%)

that comes with $octua case fans to lower the "oltage to

make it spin slower and 'uieter. #ou can also adust the

speed of fans from the I9+ settings.

.se low noise case fans..

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

33/67

% solid state dri"e (++;) is the single best upgrade you can

make for an HTPC to impro"e the speed while making the

system 'uieter.

%n ++; will make your user interface feel snappier, for

e!ample by helping with the loading of 5080p fanarts and

other metadata.

%s an additional benefit, your system will boot and shut

down much faster, and the system will ust feel much

snappier o"erall. ++;s are really light weight, so e"en if

your case does not ha"e a slot for it, you can use an

adhesi"e tape to attach it anywhere inside the case.

.se SS! as a boot dri'e./

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

34/67

#ou should use a standard hard dri"e for storing media

files and recordings, since you won

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

35/67

If you are going to get a discrete graphics card for gaming,

be sure to check the dimensions of the card carefully

before purchasing.

For e!ample, I bought a passi"e cooled graphics card, but it

did not fit inside my case because it was slightly higher

than regular cards due to its passi"e cooling solution. For

this reason, I chose the itFeni! Prodigy case that has

enough space e"en for large gaming graphic cards.

%lso, make sure that the power supply you ha"e chosen is

powerful enough for the graphics card.

Passi'e graphics card.2

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

36/67

$owadays, an optical disk dri"e is not necessarily needed

as you can install an operating system using a >+ stick.

Howe"er, if you ha"e a large ;&; or luray disc collection,

you will need either an internal or e!ternal disc dri"e.

%n internal dri"e integrates better with your case, but disc

dri"es can ha"e compatibility issues with aftermarket CP>coolers, so be sure to check that. %n e!ternal dri"e might

be a better choice if you need the disc dri"e only rarely.

:ast but not least, many optical disk dri"es ha"e a lot of

te!t in the front panel, so choose the one that has the

most stylish front panel for your HTPC.

-ptional optical dri'e.>

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

37/67

I would strongly recommend to get a good'uality power

supply with an 80 Plus ronEe, +il"er, 4old or Platinum

efficiency rating. The better efficiency means less heat. If

possible, choose a modular power supply.

:ess cables mean less clutter and better air flow. Howe"er,

be sure to choose a P+> that fits into the case as modularP+>s are often longer compared to standard %T6 P+>s.

%nother alternati"e is a PicoP+> that is small and efficient

P+> that can be used with small miniIT6 cases. #ou will

need to get a PicoP+> and an e!ternal %C2;C adapter. I

would recommend PicoP+>s only to ad"anced builders.

/et a quiet power supply.?

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

38/67

%fter you ha"e installed all the components, it is time to

plug in all the cables. #ou should follow the motherboardDs

and P+>Ds manuals to plug in all the connectors properly.

7hen plugging in the frontpanel connectors, keep in mind

that colored wire is usually the positi"e (J) and the white isnegati"e (). +ometimes the positi"e side is marked with a

small triangle on the connector.

I would not recommend connecting the case power light or

hard dri"e light cables to the motherboard as the blue light

in a dark li"ing room can be "ery annoying.

Plug in all the cables.@

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

39/67

If you want to watch li"e T& with your HTPC, be sure you

find the right T& tuner that fits your needs. For e!ample,

do you need multiple T& tuners, and do you need an

internal PCIe or an e!ternal >+ tuner

It is impossible to gi"e a T& tuner recommendation that is

compatible with all broadcasting technologies around theworld, so it is important that you do your own research. e

sure to check that the selected tuner works with your 9+.

For e!ample, if you are using :inu!, it is a good idea to

4oogle first if this particular tuner has :inu! dri"ers and

the e!periences of others with the product.

.se a .SB TV tuner.9

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

40/67

#ou donLt necessarily need to get a new remote control,

but you can use either the H;1I C3C adapter or Flirc >+

adapter and pair it with your e!isting remote control.

If you ha"e a modern T&, a H;1I C3C adapter allows you

to use your e!isting remote to send key presses to HTPC

"ia the H;1I interface on your T&.

If you ha"e an older T& or you need more fle!ibility, Flirc

remote companion is another interesting adapter that

turns I signals of any remote into keyboard commands.

.se any remote control/5

Learn more about the %lirc

http://mymediaexperience.com/flirc-remote-control-companion/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/flirc-remote-control-companion/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

41/67

% remote control plays an important role in the user

e!perience. If you ha"e multiple home theater de"ices, a

uni"ersal remote is a must. :ogitech

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

42/67

3"en if you use a remote to control your HTPC, it is good to

ha"e a keyboard and mouse combo a"ailable in the T&

cabinet in case you need it. I

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

43/67

If you intend to play games with your HTPC, I would

recommend getting the 6bo! ?0 wireless game controller.

The latest 7indows 8.5 supports the 6bo! ?0 controller

outofthebo!, and I ha"e not e!perienced any lag when

playing games like ;irt ? or %ssassinDs Creed / with myperformance HTPC.

#ou can also use the game controller to control your media

center software if you wish. There is e"en a chatpad

keyboard for 6bo! ?0 game controller that allows you to

type te!t.

/et a game controller//

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

44/67

7hile the wireless network is con"enient, it is also too

slow when it comes to steaming highdefinition "ideo files

from the e!ternal backend ser"er to your frontend HTPC.

Therefore, it is a good idea to get a gigabit router and

connect your frontend and backend systems with Cat ethernet cables.

=eep in mind that your Internet connection will not going

to be faster than 500mbit, but your internal home network

will be much faster.

Set up a gigabit networ&/1

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

45/67

CHAPTE, %&0,

C&'%I+0,ELE((&'( /2/@

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

46/67

Con$iguring your HTPC+o, you diagrammed your system, spent hours assembling the

hardware for your HTPC, and spent an entire day putting the

system together.

$ow, how do you make most out of it efore you can start

enoying all the media files with your HTPC, you need to

configure the I9+, install the operating system and configure it

properly.

In this chapter, you will learn how to configure the I9+ to set

the correct boot priority and other important settings. I will alsointroduce the two main operating systems I use in my HTPC

builds* 7indows 8.5 and 9pen3:3C.

;I$ you "ant to sae some money in theoperating system and get a realappliancetype o$ loo3 and $eel8 I "ouldrecommend installing the &penELECoperating system $or your $rontendhome theater computer*

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

47/67

Press the N;eleteN key to enter the I9+ setup on startup.

Change the boot priority if you want to install an 9+ from

a >+ stick. Change the >+ dri"e as the first line in the

NHard ;ri"e I9+ PrioritiesN in the NI9+ FeaturesN menu.

#ou can undercloc& your CP. to consume less powermaking it run cooler. I underclocked the %1; %/00=

from 5./& to 5.-&, reducing the comsumption by -0 watts.

If you wish to wa&e up the HTPC o'er )%$, for e!ample

with your iPhone, you need to enable the M:%$ P63 oot

9ption 91N setting in the MI9+ FeaturesN menu.

Configure B0-S/2

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

48/67

1icrosoft 7indows B and 8.5 are the most common

operating systems and they are often used in HTPCs.

:inu!based operating systems such as 9pen3:3C, 1int or

>buntu are good and free choices for tech sa""y users who

are knowledgeable enough to fi! any issues that occur.

If you are wondering between ?-bit and /bit "ersion, you

should get a ?-bit 9+ if you ha"e older hardware or less

than /4 %1 memory. =eep in mind that there can be

some compatibility issues with /bit 9+ on some software,

but this has become less in the past years.

0nstall operating system/>

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

49/67

7indows 8.5 is the recommended operating system if you

wish to watch luray disc mo"ies, use media ser"er

applications such as Play9n or play games.

%fter installing 7indows 8.5, remember to install all

necessary dri"ers such as the graphics dri"ers.

IDd recommend to set up an automatic login and launch

your fa"orite media center app automatically to make your

7indowsbased HTPC feel more like an appliance. IDm

using 7indows 8.5 with my "alue and performance HTPCs.

Windows 123/?

Learn more about Windo"s

http://mymediaexperience.com/windows-8-xbmc-appliance/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/windows-8-xbmc-appliance/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

50/67

61C 1edia Center has been the fa"orite HTPC software

of ad"anced users for years, but thanks to the distribution

called 9pen3:3C, it is easier than e"er to install 61C on

:inu! to turn your HTPC as an appliance.

The benefit of using :inu! instead of 7indows is that you

will get a fast booting computer that is instantly ready tobe used as a media center.

%s 9pen3:3C ad"ertises, I was able to install the 9+ and

media center to my budget HTPC in less than 5@ minutes.

-pen4)4C/@

Learn more about &penELEC

http://mymediaexperience.com/how-to-install-xbmc-linux-in-15-minutes-with-openelec/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/how-to-install-xbmc-linux-in-15-minutes-with-openelec/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

51/67

CHAPTE, %IE

(&%TWA,ELE((&'( /925

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

52/67

%rontend so$t"are% lot of people donDt see the point in using a thirdparty media

application when the builtin capabilities of the PC already play

music and "ideos. The reason that you might want to get the

e!tra application is both easy of use and superior playback.

The user interface makes a huge difference to the way you "iew

your media center, so by getting an open source media player,

you are gi"ing yourself more control o"er what you are able to

watch and how easily you are able to watch it.

+econdly, media centers like the 61C are able to supportdifferent "ideo and audio codecs, so no matter what your

media is, you should be able to play it without a problem. In

this chapter, I will introduce the most popular media center

software that you should choose as a frontend.

;While there are many good media centeralternaties8 I pre$er using #MC as itallo"s me to customi=e the userinter$ace exactly the "ay I "ant*Ho"eer8 I7d recommend testing seeral$rontend options to $ind your $aorite*

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

53/67

61C was originally designed as a media center interface

for the 6bo! game console. Today, it has e"ol"ed as

powerful media center for 7indows, :inu! and 1ac 9+ 6

that is capable of playing most a"ailable media file types.

The user interface looks "ery elegant e"en without any

customiEation. Howe"er, you can customiEe the interfacewith the skins that you can download online.

There are se"eral addons a"ailable, which allow you to

truly customiEe your media e!perience.

5B(C (edia Center/9

Learn more about #MC

http://mymediaexperience.com/xbmc-guide/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/xbmc-guide/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

54/67

7indows 1edia Center is no longer included by default in

7indows 8 and 8.5, so youDll need to install it separately.

Howe"er, it is still great media center software for

beginners (and for ad"anced users) who wish to, fore!ample, get li"e T& working "ery easily.

7indows 1edia Center is one of the few media centers

that allows you to integrate luray player into the

interface.

Windows (edia Center15

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

55/67

%nother good media center with T& tuner support is

1ediaPortal. It is an open source application similar to

61C for turning a computer into a ;&.

1ediaPortal does not limit the number or type of T&

tuners, so it is a good choice if you wish to ha"e multiple

tuners recording different channels and doing timeshifting

at the same time.

1ediaPortal allows you to do ad"anced customiEation such

as selecting which codes you use for different media

formats.

(ediaPortal1)

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

56/67

Oi"er 1edia Center is a ukebo!style media center like

iTunes. Howe"er, it comes with a nice 50foot optimiEed

interface called Theater &iew. The great thing about Oi"er

is that it supports e"en the most ad"anced codecs out of

the bo!, and it is known to playback your music with

e!cellent sound 'uality.

Oi"er e"en comes with $etfli!, Hulu and #ouTube ser"ices

integrated, so it is suitable for playing online "ideo

content, too. It is a perfect choice, especially if you are an

audiophile and like to play lossless formats of audio such

as F:%C, %C?, %P3, or 71 files. Oi"er costs about @0.

6,i'er (edia Center1.

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

57/67

&al"eDs +team is the most popular game platform and

using +teamDs ig Picture mode allows you to buy and

launch PC games from your sofa.

7hen you integrate +teamDs ig Picture mode with 61C

1edia Center, you will get a really powerful combination

that gi"es much more control o"er your media e!periencecompared to any commercial game console.

%s this is essentially HTPC, you can use 61C media center

as the main platform where the computer will boot. Then

you can integrate +team ig Picture to the 61C main

menu using an %d"anced :auncher addon.

Steam Big Picture1/

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

58/67

#ac3end so$t"areHa"e you e"er wondered about creating a media ser"er to link

multiple T&s and to store all the media into a centraliEed ser"er

(as opposed to a dedicated hard dri"e) In this chapter, I will

co"er the main backend software you will need to set up yourown media ser"er backend to store all your media in a cloud.

$etwork %ttached +torage ($%+) is a media ser"er that can be

accessed o"er a home network, as opposed to a single

computer access. #ou can use your HTPC as a backend as well,

or you can build another computer as a media ser"er.

The main ad"antage of the $%+ ser"er is that you can store all

your media files in one centraliEed place and then stream the

files to your HTPC or other de"ice. %n additional benefit is that

$%+ ser"ers often include multiple hard dri"es, which allow you

to back up and mirror data between multiple hard dri"es.

;I pre$er using a combination o$ Plex andPlay&n media serer so$t"are* Plexallo"s me to transcode media $iles toportable deices such as iPad "hile I usePlay&n to stream premium contentchannels to #MCbased HTPCs*

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

59/67

efore installing and setting up backend media ser"er

software, you should to take a moment to think about how

you will organiEe your media files.

I would recommend using folders and subfolders to

organiEe your media files. emember to put each mo"ieinto a separate subfolder with the full mo"ie title so that

the media scrapers can find the artwork and other details.

:ast but not least, do something special for your spouse,

too. 1ake sure that your spouse

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

60/67

Ple! 1edia +er"er is a backend application for 7indows,

:inu! and 1ac 9+ 6based computers that is great for

streaming media files across your home network.

In addition to its own frontend software, Ple! Home

Theater, the backend ser"er application is compatible

with many other frontends such as 61C (with Ple!bmc).

There are also mobile frontend apps a"ailable. The most

interesting feature is the ability to transcode your "ideos

depending on your de"ice and network speed.

Ple* (edia Ser'er12

Learn more about Plex

http://mymediaexperience.com/plex-media-server/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/plex-media-server/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

61/67

:inu!based un%I; $%+ software has some "ery

impressi"e plugins that enable your media ser"er to ser"e

all your media with their meta data information and li"e T&

stream on any de"ice such as HTPC, iPad, or aspberry Pi.

y following the link below, you will find a guide that will

help you to set up :imeTechnology

Learn more about un,AI-

http://mymediaexperience.com/unraid-nas-with-plex-media-server-and-tvheadend/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/unraid-nas-with-plex-media-server-and-tvheadend/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

62/67

uilding a centraliEed storage for your media files does not

necessarily need to be e!pensi"e.

y following the link below, you will learn how to build

your own home media ser"er with a :inu!based Free$%+

software by utiliEing old computer parts.

Free$%+ is an open source storage operating system that

supports sharing files across 7indows, 1a! 9+ 6 and

:inu!like systems. Free$%+ is an e!cellent choice if you

want to use +amba (+1) protocol to share files.

"ree$%S software1?

Learn more about %ree'A(

http://mymediaexperience.com/how-to-build-your-own-home-media-server-with-freenas/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/how-to-build-your-own-home-media-server-with-freenas/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

63/67

If you use your 7indowsbased HTPC primarily for

watching mo"ies and T& shows from your media

collection, then 1ediabrowser ? might be the right choice.

#ou can e"en launch all your games from the frontend.

1ediabrowser ? is similar to Ple!, but its strength is

definitely the beautiful user interface. 1ediabrower ? hasthree applications that work well together* 1 +er"e

(backend), 1 Home Theater (standalone frontend) and

1 Classic (7indows 1edia Center frontend).

In addition, 1 +er"er supports clients such as oku, web

client, %ndroid, 7indows Phone, and %pple I9+.

(ediabrowser 71@

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

64/67

7indowsbased Play9n 1edia +er"er allows you to stream

premium content channels into 61C running on any

operating system or other >PnP compatible de"ice.

%s the 61C 1edia Center supports >PnP standard, you

can ser"e media files with Play9n 1edia +er"er e"en to

:inu!based HTPCs or aspberry Pis.

The software is around @0 (onetime fee) and you will get

access to your fa"orite T& shows, mo"ies and sports from

Hulu, $etfli!, 3+P$, %maEon &9;, H9 4o and more.

Play-n (edia Ser'er19

Learn more about Play&n

http://mymediaexperience.com/integrate-netflix-and-hulu-into-xbmc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learnedhttp://mymediaexperience.com/integrate-netflix-and-hulu-into-xbmc/?utm_source=mme&utm_medium=ebook&utm_campaign=lessons_learned

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

65/67

luray playback is not supported outofthebo! in

7indows, but there is a simple way to play luray mo"ies

with your fa"orite media center such as 61C. The secret

to play luray discs is to get and install a software called

%ny;&; H;. %fter installing %ny;&; H;, ust launch 61C

and start playing the luray disc. %ny;&; H; will do thenecessary decryption in the background.

%s the %ny;&; H; uses decryption technology that

circum"ents ;1 protection used in luray discs, it is up

to you to follow this suggestion, and 1y 1edia 3!perience

cannot be held responsible for any issues.

%ny!V! H!25

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

66/67

%inal thoughtsCongratulations If youD"e made to this point, youDre an HTPC

e!pert who knows more about HTPCs than K8Q of other people.

There is always a balance between the price you pay and the'uality you get. The best thing you can do is to only buy what

you really need for HTPC use.

Focus on getting a good'uality case with a ?00/007 80J rated

P+>, Intel Core i? or %1; % series processor and a compatible

motherboard. Then add -/ 4 %1 memory, get an ++; as a

system boot dri"e. #ou can buy a separate graphics card, 'uietercooling fans and other components later if needed.

I would recommend testing different kinds of media center

software to find out what best suits your needs.

;

8/20/2019 HTPC eBook 2014

67/67

WHAT7( 'ET

This eook contains recommendations on optimal components that

are suitable for HTPC use.

I thought it would be helpful to create an HTPC comparison page

that you can always come to for the latest and tested componentrecommendations.

Please note that some of the links at 1y 1edia 3!perience are

affiliate links, and I will earn a commission (at no e!tra cost to you)

if you purchase through those links.

Thank you for supporting my hard work.

So8 what are you

waiting for? Clic& below

to build your own9

htpc ebook 2014

Documents