Topic: AMD Livebox & Intel NUC (HTPC)

[spyder9]

I've been holding off on a HTPC until I saw this today.  Love the size and that it runs Windows 7.  Debuted at Computex today.  Prototype.  No idea when it will hit market. 

http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/07/amd-livebox-hands-on/


AMD Fusion APU (1GHz C-60 chip)
1GB RAM
Radeon HD 6200 graphics
Samsung 64GB SSD
two USB 2.0 ports
Gigabit Ethernet jack
HDMI socket
memory card reader
SIM slot for quad-band 3G (WCDMA)
Bluetooth 4.0

 

[Gordon]

that is pretty bad ass!

[rastasean]

nice graphics card!

[adrianf74]

YAWN.   

Zotac released this late last year:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856173027

Has an E-350 with Radeon 6310 graphics, Bluetooth, a wireless remote, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. 

I had one which I worked with for about 5 months before I ended up selling it off -- simply because the E-350 because it would choke on some HD media playback.  Zotac has released a newer version (uses the E-450 APU) but it's yet to hit shelves.  My E-350 system ran HOT all the time with my SSD normally sitting around 42c.  Don't know if this will be any better but I'd still rather build my own system based on, at the minimum, an AMD A6 series APU.  In fact, I picked up an A6-3670K and built my own new HTPC in a regular mid-size case (to also house five hard drives plus an SSD with GOOD airflow) and the A6 smokes the E-x50 APU's.   Smaller isn't always better and this proves it.  In the new build, my SSD never gets above 25c.

[spyder9]

I'm not a fan of Zotac.  Thanks for the link any way.   

[Gordon]

I wouldn't consider 42c as running hot in such a small form factor.  warmer than I'd like but not hot

[flipp]

I wouldn't consider 42c as running hot in such a small form factor.  warmer than I'd like but not hot

42c isn't hot at all since Intel reports their new NUC runs at 79c

[dnsacks]

Kinda off topic, but is there a demonstrable NEED for an htpc to be located with one's playback system?

I'm doing a big remodel/rebuild on my house and am considering distributing hdmi throughout my house from a centrally located pc (actually through a pair of centrally located pcs with the ability to source select between the pcs at the various hdmi distribution endpoints).  That way, I coudl either have the same music/video/radio/tv (windows media center) playing throughout my house (distributing the first computer's hdmi to all playback systems) or listen to tunes in the kitchen while my wife's watching tv in the den (send the first computer's hdmi output to the kitchen playback system and send the second computer's hdmi output to the den's playback system).  I'm looking at doing this with hdmi>cat5>hdmi cabling (which I understand to be stable/relatively inexpensive for my requirements) -- this would enable me to put the traditional desktop cpus in a central location and remote control them through a combination of remote desktop access (when the playback system doesn't include a computer interface) or usb/wireless keyboard/mouse (when the playback system includes a computer interface).  In non-critical listening environments, speakers would be in-ceiling . . . HAPPY to open a new thread on this if interest, but given the continued interest I see in traditional "local" hdtv boxes, I thought I'd see if I'm missing something fundamental here.

Thanks,

[spyder9]

This is what I would do, if I was you:

1) Wait till Xmas and get a Wireless-AC router when they come out.
2) Then, hook it to a bigass NAS Server. 
3) Then, get a bunch of these Liveboxes and sprinkle them around the house.


Golden!!!!   

[adrianf74]

I wouldn't consider 42c as running hot in such a small form factor.  warmer than I'd like but not hot

Umm, I don't like 42c when that was with an SSD.  With a hard drive, the temperature of the drive was hitting well over 50c.   Thanks, but that is not healthy for a scratch drive. 

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

Something like this is my next step for a small low power seedbox at home, if I can't get the Raspberry Pi to do it.

...so far so good on the Pi front. The thing is PAINFULLY slow when you're logged into it via the GUI...but it's fine to SSH into it.

I'm just hoping the Pi has enough power to seed all the stuff I want to keep seeded. I don't expect a lot of people downloading at the same time, so hopefully it's okay.

[spyder9]

Intel's NUC debuted today.   


http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/11/intel-nuc-costs-around-400/