# Tips for media sharing/streaming



## jonathan1107 (Feb 26, 2015)

Alright so I've been putting a lot of thought into improving my setup at home to make my life easier. 

I'm the proud owner of a really good Klipsch home theater system and I watch a lot of my movies/family memories etc in my living room... 

My problem is that at the moment I always have to go back and forth between my living room and my office to transfer files. I'm looking for suggestions to fix my problem. 

What you NEED to know:

- I have a Panasonic st60 smart tv
- I have 2x computers. One laptop running w8 (had no Hdmi outputs) and 2 PC. Both are connected to the home network. MY desktop PC tho is connected to the router using an Ethernet cable. Router's in my office (with the desktop pc). 
- I know of some solutions but dislike them: (stream files using smart tv features... Hate it, lag, unsupported formats and trash UI just make this option depressing) 2. (use my blu ray usb input to hook in my external hard drive... That's the solution I'm using right now but it involves lots of back and forth between the office and the living room) 
3. Using a second usb router in the living room, smart idea but I would also need to buy another adaptor plus the said 2nd router because my desktop PC doesn't currently have wi fi. 
4. Using a wireless external hard drive: would be awesome but it's quite expensive for my needs. I'm looking for a cheap solution 
5. Using a wifi usb hub. Don't know if that exists. I haven't found much results but that would be awesome because it would be the equivalent of coverting my current external hard drive to a wireless one 
6. Use a media sharing device to stream my content and files... Not a bad idea. But personally I hate every single device of that kind I've come across again trash UI and sometimes too expensive for my liking
7. HTPC that would be the dream come true, but again I'm guessing I'd have to pour in a lot of $$$

What are your thoughts?


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## newtekie1 (Feb 26, 2015)

Honestly, the HTPC streaming media directly from your computer would be the best option.

I'm not sure what you consider a lot of money, but you can build a pretty good HTPC for around $250,  maybe even less if you use some spare/used parts.

Example: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/VWzMK8


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## Rhyseh (Mar 2, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Honestly, the HTPC streaming media directly from your computer would be the best option.
> 
> I'm not sure what you consider a lot of money, but you can build a pretty good HTPC for around $250,  maybe even less if you use some spare/used parts.
> 
> Example: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/VWzMK8



+1 for HTPC, or a laptop if you don't use it often.

Wireless should be enough for most things, depending on environmental factors and how good your WIFI is. For Bluray quality you will need to go with a gigabit copper solution to the device.


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## rtwjunkie (Mar 3, 2015)

+2 for HTPC.  You'd be surprised at how little it can cost to put together a decent HTPC.  No need for top of the line stuff to make it happen.


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 13, 2015)

If I were to use an HTML what would you recommend for controlling it? 

Wireless keyboard plus wireless mouse? 
Anything more easy to use when I'm sitting in da lazy boy?


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## Jetster (Mar 13, 2015)

Logitech K400 Keyboard and pad

Kodi UPnP Server (previously XBMC)

http://kodi.tv/

Will even run on a Raspberry Pi


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 13, 2015)

I'm not very familiar with the terms upon server and xmbc... Care to educate me a little 

Also I've finally found something that seems to allow me to stream my mkv files straight to my tv with less hassle. Found that there are mutilate dlna servers out there (other than Microsoft Windows media server) 

Si I've installed the ps3 media server which seems to work fine BUT I've encountered a small problem. I have a trilogy of movies in one folder. I moved 2 of the movies to another folder and then back to that folder. The 2 "moved and moved back movie files don't show up in the server whereas the movie that did not move does. As if moving then messed something up. When I click on file properties on the moved ones I can see their" file location " has been messed up. Says" users/Jonathan/down~har~"... 

With those "~" weird symbols showing up which don't show up for most my other files


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## Jetster (Mar 13, 2015)




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## jonathan1107 (Mar 14, 2015)

ok so my PS3 media server has been working well up to now. Movies stream ok. A very few select times I get a little bit of stutter. I'm guessing I might be due to upgrade my router.

so I have 2 questions:

*Is there any Video/Audio quality loss from streaming mkv movies from desktop PC to Panasonic st60 smart tv using PS3 Media Server (dlna) ??
Would it improve my overall streaming/wifi access speeds to upgrade my current router?? (d-link dir-615)*


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## Jetster (Mar 14, 2015)

Streaming WiFi would be the issue. Stick to wired or powerline


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 14, 2015)

Jetster said:


> Streaming WiFi would be the issue. Stick to wired or powerline



Yes I heard lots about how wireless is a big issue. a few more questions regarding that suggestion of yours:

*If I use a long HDMI cable to connect from my PC to my Receiver in the living room, what can I use to control the PC and Mouse from a distance? (something user friendly). I was told I can get a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, but will they actually work? my PC is not in the same room at all, a wall seperates both rooms.*

*If I want to use "Powerlines" to connect both rooms together, to stream in a "wired" fashion, HOW do I do this? I've never heard of another way to connect to a network than ethernet and wifi, what do you mean powerlines?*


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## Jetster (Mar 14, 2015)

Nothing is easier then setting up a powerline adapter. Plug one here, one there and go.  If you want a good one check the R45 connection that it is gigabyte. But a 500 should do nicely.

It really depends on the distance and what is in the way. Bluetooth not good. You want RF.   Just get a Logitech K400 and be done and hope it works. Maybe a USB extension if it doesn't

I can't stress this enough. Logitech K400

Why put the PC in another room? HDMI has limits


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## remixedcat (Mar 14, 2015)

mediabrowser FTW for a streaming server/client. Much better performance then plex


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## kn00tcn (Mar 14, 2015)

Jetster said:


> Streaming WiFi would be the issue. Stick to wired or powerline


i dont understand why, if the bitrates are like 8mbit (or even 20), how would it be a problem on a slowest 54mbit G network? is DLNA not comparable to reading files directly off a network drive?


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## st2000 (Mar 14, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> If I use a long HDMI cable to connect from my PC to my Receiver in the living room, what can I use to control the PC and Mouse from a distance? (something user friendly). I was told I can get a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, but will they actually work? my PC is not in the same room at all, a wall seperates both rooms.


i've got a budget msi z77a-g45 and in control center got "mobile control" tab
from android/iphone i can easily access to any function of control center(even OC, fan control) + multimedia control(play/pause/volume/next/previous........), also got not very comfortable keyboard and touchpad(in android app)
powerline(just for example tp-link):
http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/?categoryid=206
or just take this HTPC
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/compute-stick/intel-compute-stick.html
noname sticks(3735f+2Gb RAM+32Gb eMMC) from allknown resources cost about 100$


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## Jetster (Mar 15, 2015)

kn00tcn said:


> i dont understand why, if the bitrates are like 8mbit (or even 20), how would it be a problem on a slowest 54mbit G network? is DLNA not comparable to reading files directly off a network drive?



Bit rate does not have much to do with it. Well a little but its network throughput you need. And that includes successful packet transfer. 802.11 G only is about 6 Mbps.  I'm no expert on this but all I know is with 1080 H264 your need 8 Mbps min to have no buffering. That's not including interference, walls, dropped packages and so on.  That's why power-line is a better option. Even though 500 divided by 8 is 62Mbps you really only get  about 30Mbps then if you cross a breaker circuit it drops to 15Mbps. Now add in with with wireless there is Latency but with power-line very little.


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 15, 2015)

other question: If I decide to consider buying an HTPC (I can build it it myself), how DIFFERENTLY would I go about purchasing and building it compared to a normal dekstop PC?

I mean: let's say I put in 200-400$ budget for the HTPC, what's important to buy? strong GPU? good cooling solution? or strong CPU?
where to focus?

for my gaming rig it's easy, I focus on CPU/GPU/cooling and good storage... and that's about it... I'm guessing an HTPC is a bit different. Looking forward to read your advice


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## rtwjunkie (Mar 15, 2015)

For HTPC 8GB of RAM would be ideal. Most modern Intel CPU's with graphics or AMD APU's would be fine for handling HDMI video and sound. You can also choose to unload most of the video and sound duties to a basic GPU if you want, as long as they process HDMI sound. If you want, you can always put a more powerful GPU in if you anticipate using htpc for some games.

Take a look at my signature block for a general idea, but even that is overkill for streaming video. Mine purely serves to take streaming movies from my server and push it on to the television through MyMovies embedded in WMC.


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## newtekie1 (Mar 15, 2015)

Jetster said:


> Bit rate does not have much to do with it. Well a little but its network throughput you need. And that includes successful packet transfer. 802.11 G only is about 6 Mbps.  I'm no expert on this but all I know is with 1080 H264 your need 8 Mbps min to have no buffering. That's not including interference, walls, dropped packages and so on.  That's why power-line is a better option. Even though 500 divided by 8 is 62Mbps you really only get  about 30Mbps then if you cross a breaker circuit it drops to 15Mbps. Now add in with with wireless there is Latency but with power-line very little.



Wait, what... I think you are massively confused.

54M*b*ps = 6.75M*B*ps

M*b*ps = Mega Bits Per Second
M*B*ps = Mega Bytes Per Second

There are 8 Bits in a Byte, that is why you divide M*b*ps by 8 to get M*B*ps.

Now, that conversion is 100% completely unneeded here though.  Video bitrates are measured in bits(hence the name *bit*rate). So, in a perfect world, an video with an 8Mbps bitrate would need at least 8Mbps network connection, which 54Mbps Wireless G can deliver(usually, but not always).  But even still, a reasonably well encoded H.264 1080p video only requires between 2-4Mbps.  A lot of movies I've pulled directly from Blu-Rays have bitrates anywhere from 10-25Mbps.  Which that often times can actually overwhelm wireless G.  So if Wireless G will be enough largely depends on the source content, even if it is all just 1080p, the bitrate can vary greatly.




jonathan1107 said:


> other question: If I decide to consider buying an HTPC (I can build it it myself), how DIFFERENTLY would I go about purchasing and building it compared to a normal dekstop PC?
> 
> I mean: let's say I put in 200-400$ budget for the HTPC, what's important to buy? strong GPU? good cooling solution? or strong CPU?
> where to focus?
> ...




HTPCs don't have to be super powerful in any area really.  An inexpensive AMD APU or Intel Pentium using the integrated graphics will easily handled 1080p H264 video.  You don't really even need a lot of memory, 4GB is easily enough.

My HTPCs consist of the following:

AMD Athlon 5350
4GB DDR3-1600 RAM(Cheapest DDR3-1600 on newegg)
ASUS AM1I-A
60GB SSD(Corsair Refurbs for ~$30 off newegg)
An In-Win mini-ITX case w/ PSU
DVD-RW Drive(Again cheapest one off newegg, but really not even necessary, but I use my HTPC to play DVDs so I don't need a dedicated DVD player)

They cost about $225 and easily handle 1080p videos.  I've got 3 of these machines around my house connected to the different TVs.  While playing 1080p video in Kodi the memory usages barely breaks 2GB.  Also, no server software is required on your main computer/server that holds the video files.  You just map a network drive from the HTPC to your main computer and play the files directly.  You don't need anything beyond stock cooling.  The computer uses so little power it is ridiculous.  During playback it pulls like 25w from the wall, with that small of power being consumed there really isn't a whole lot of heat to dissipate.

Here is a link to the wishlist for the last one I built: http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=34925148

There is a $5 promo code on the DVD drive.


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## rtwjunkie (Mar 15, 2015)

Yeah, I overstated, simply because as an enthusiast I usually overdo everything. Newtekie is right, 4GB of RAM is fine, and my i3-4130 is stronger than you will need.

I built mine in a wooden case that had plenty of room and ventilation, and it blends in well in the living room: http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc8000.htm


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## Mussels (Mar 15, 2015)

you can also go android HDMI devices. some like the amazon HDMI fire stick can be sideloaded with ES file explorer (which supports windows shares) and MX player, and you can just play the files straight from the shared folder on your download PC.

i've got a $200 NAS that streams to $30 android sticks to my dumb HDTV's - i find using SAMBA shares (windows file shares) a *LOT* better than DLNA streaming or transcoding. faster, higher quality, less hardware needed.


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 19, 2015)

Mussels said:


> you can also go android HDMI devices. some like the amazon HDMI fire stick can be sideloaded with ES file explorer (which supports windows shares) and MX player, and you can just play the files straight from the shared folder on your download PC.
> 
> i've got a $200 NAS that streams to $30 android sticks to my dumb HDTV's - i find using SAMBA shares (windows file shares) a *LOT* better than DLNA streaming or transcoding. faster, higher quality, less hardware needed.



Here's the deal though, to me (at least) it seems like Wi-Fi ALWAYS brings about lag problems, skipping ... buffering problems...
ESPECIALLY if I "pause/Fast Forward/Rewind" ... that just kills everything right off. I have a D-Link dir-615 N type router, so I expect the wi-fi performance should be ok. I'm in an appartment, so the office ain't very far from the living room (where my HT setup is) and yet I get terrible performance over wi-fi. Believe me if there was anything capable of giving the same performance as wired through wi-fi, I'd like to know... at the moment that seems unlikely...

As for the HTPC, I have a few remaining questions before I go ahead and build myself one: *(Keep in mind the movies I play on my HT setup are 1080p 15-25gb files HQ)*


*How does the HTPC manage NOT to lag when streaming movie files I have on my main PC (office) if it's also using wi-fi? Didn't we establish that wi-fi was the problem? Isn't it better to download the said movies straight to the HTPC hard drive? And then again, if I do that I'd expect the transfers to be too slow correct? we're talking 15-25b files here*
*Do you have any free "multimedia" software to recommend for usage with the HTPC to make navigating my files and playing them easier? (or paid software)*
*as for the future of entertainment (4k+ movies and eventually 21:9) should I consider anything else for the HTPC?*
*I'd like my HTPC to be able to display info such as (minutes, file name, bit rate, sound type, file type etc...) as it's playing the files. Whilst I know it can do this using some overlay from some streaming software, I'd like it to be able to do that in a seperate led screen or something like that. is it possible to achieve?*


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## newtekie1 (Mar 19, 2015)

I recommend Kodi(previously known as XBMC) as the software on the HTPC.


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## Batou1986 (Mar 19, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> If I use a long HDMI cable to connect from my PC to my Receiver in the living room, what can I use to control the PC and Mouse from a distance? (something user friendly). I was told I can get a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, but will they actually work? my PC is not in the same room at all, a wall seperates both rooms.


Unified remote is best android remote app ever, well worth the 4$ 
https://www.unifiedremote.com/


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## CAPSLOCKSTUCK (Mar 19, 2015)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WIRELESS-...151?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aa565bc4f


My one of these works up to 10m;s away.........tested, through 2 brick walls.
Cheap as chips.....does everything.   All the keys work as do the function keys for BIOS.


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 19, 2015)

bump for the 4x questions in bold black. still need some answers if u know em


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## rtwjunkie (Mar 19, 2015)

1.Well, to answer your question about not lagging when streaming from Wi-Fi, the answer is, you can't guarrantee it.  Wi=Fi is a gamble when streaming.  At least Cat 5 LAN cable is needed from the movie origin pc to the HTPC to guarrantee that you have lag and stutter free viewing.  My server is on the end of a good 25 feet of CAT 5 from the HTPC (which is hooked to TV by a short HDMI cable), and my movies play beautifully.

2. Newtekie1 rcommends Kodi.  I use a paid program called MyMovies.  This allows me to scroll thru my movie collection based on movies or tv series, and each movie, when selected has all the appropriate information and pictures you would expect for a title.  This however is not anything exclusive to the program I use.


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## Jetster (Mar 19, 2015)

IF your looking for an easy way to share an external drive. Get a Router with a USB. Right now I have a Netgear WNDR4300 with a USB and I can plug an external drive into it and share it across the network. I'm getting ready to upgrade my router so ill be selling mine.


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## st2000 (Mar 20, 2015)

Jetster said:


> IF your looking for an easy way to share an external drive. Get a Router with a USB.





Jetster said:


> Stick to wired or powerline


stable connection + shared hdd for movies(i prefer wired connections cause they are not so dependent on weather, closed/opened doors etc)
for 4K - you need 35Mbit(it's standart) of bandswitch - better go for wired connection(even cable from router to HTPC/NAT/Pc(you can go for simple 2-core, 2-4GB ram and integrated grafics)
also, as i mentioned wait a bit/order for 100$(win 8.1 is more comfortable than laggy android)


st2000 said:


> http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/compute-stick/intel-compute-stick.html
> noname sticks with win 8.1 on board(3735f+2Gb RAM+32Gb eMMC) from allknown resources cost about 100$


thats all for non-laggy use,with all sub/audio chanels/blackjack&wh*res;
if you want to save money - go for media server program on PC and use laggy TV app


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 23, 2015)

Another question:

About wall plugs to create a "wired" connection between the TV and the Router any particular ones to recommend?
And let's say I'd like to try and Game using my PC (in my office) with a long HDMI cable running to my HT receiver (using audio drivers from my gtx +970):
do you guys think I'd lose some quality due to the 24 feet hdmi cable? Is it feasable to play in the living room (off of my office desktop) using maybe a bluetooth keyboard and mouse? or do you think that would be too much input lag introduced into the system?


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## Aquinus (Mar 23, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> How does the HTPC manage NOT to lag when streaming movie files I have on my main PC (office) if it's also using wi-fi? Didn't we establish that wi-fi was the problem? Isn't it better to download the said movies straight to the HTPC hard drive? And then again, if I do that I'd expect the transfers to be too slow correct? we're talking 15-25b files here


As long as you have enough bandwidth and the connection isn't flaky, streaming should be fine. 1080p might be pushing it over 802.11g because 54Mbps is the max aggregate bandwidth which would in reality be 27Mbps which is barely within reason for streaming 1080p video. All in all, I would go with a HTPC on something like AM1, but that's me.


jonathan1107 said:


> Do you have any free "multimedia" software to recommend for usage with the HTPC to make navigating my files and playing them easier? (or paid software)


Kodi/XBMC is good.


jonathan1107 said:


> as for the future of entertainment (4k+ movies and eventually 21:9) should I consider anything else for the HTPC?


Yeah, a bigger budget that $250 USD. 


jonathan1107 said:


> I'd like my HTPC to be able to display info such as (minutes, file name, bit rate, sound type, file type etc...) as it's playing the files. Whilst I know it can do this using some overlay from some streaming software, I'd like it to be able to do that in a seperate led screen or something like that. is it possible to achieve?


Kodi/XBMC should be able to do this.


jonathan1107 said:


> do you guys think I'd lose some quality due to the 24 feet hdmi cable?


HDMI doesn't degrade the way analog ones do since it's a digitial signal. If the signal is so bad that HDMI is having trouble reading it, you won't get a picture. 25 feet is the upper bound of what HDMI can do. I would try to keep it under 20ft without an HDCP compliant amplifier.


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## newtekie1 (Mar 23, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> *How does the HTPC manage NOT to lag when streaming movie files I have on my main PC (office) if it's also using wi-fi? Didn't we establish that wi-fi was the problem? Isn't it better to download the said movies straight to the HTPC hard drive? And then again, if I do that I'd expect the transfers to be too slow correct? we're talking 15-25b files here*



Kodi uses buffering.  On a slow network connection when you play a file it won't start right away, it buffers some of the file.  Usually it is pretty smart about how much to buffer to get a smooth playback, but it isn't always perfect. The issue you were having is DLNA streaming is different than what Kodi would be with a HTPC.  DLNA is very sensitive to network bandwidth and in my experience suffers more from slower network connections like wireless.  Straight file sharing through windows file sharing works a lot better over wifi than DLNA, and that is what you would be using with Kodi and a HTPC.



jonathan1107 said:


> *Do you have any free "multimedia" software to recommend for usage with the HTPC to make navigating my files and playing them easier? (or paid software)*



Kodi.



jonathan1107 said:


> *as for the future of entertainment (4k+ movies and eventually 21:9) should I consider anything else for the HTPC?*



Not right away.  Worst case is if 4k starts to overload the computer just throw a more powerful video card in it.  Since Kodi(or any good media player) uses GPU hardware acceleration to playback the video, simply adding a more powerful GPU will allow you to continue to play higher and higher resolution movies.



jonathan1107 said:


> Another question:
> 
> About wall plugs to create a "wired" connection between the TV and the Router any particular ones to recommend?



Any of the 500Mbps ones should work.  I use the trendnet micro adapters in my house.



jonathan1107 said:


> And let's say I'd like to try and Game using my PC (in my office) with a long HDMI cable running to my HT receiver (using audio drivers from my gtx +970):
> do you guys think I'd lose some quality due to the 24 feet hdmi cable? Is it feasable to play in the living room (off of my office desktop) using maybe a bluetooth keyboard and mouse? or do you think that would be too much input lag introduced into the system?



Going over that length I'd say there is definitely some input lag introduced.  There wouldn't be a quality loss due to HDMI being digital, but I'd definitely say there would be some input lag.

You know, another alternative for all of this might be the NZXT DOKO.  It might just take care of everything you need.


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## jonathan1107 (Mar 24, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Kodi uses buffering.  On a slow network connection when you play a file it won't start right away, it buffers some of the file.  Usually it is pretty smart about how much to buffer to get a smooth playback, but it isn't always perfect. The issue you were having is DLNA streaming is different than what Kodi would be with a HTPC.  DLNA is very sensitive to network bandwidth and in my experience suffers more from slower network connections like wireless.  Straight file sharing through windows file sharing works a lot better over wifi than DLNA, and that is what you would be using with Kodi and a HTPC.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



DOKO does sound nice... but... if it's using Wifi like other streaming devices... I suspect it can't be as good as "claimed"
It is true that I "already" have a PC and don't feel like having another one in my living room... but yeah, I can see myself getting a HTPC somewhere down the road...

As of right now, my wife and I just had a child and are living on a tighter budget (we're buying a house this summer) so yes I have the money for an HTPC but as of right now every dollar is going towards the house project 

if DOKO proves to be what it says it can be, I might be interested, I'm definitly gonna look into it
thanks for letting me know


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## newtekie1 (Mar 24, 2015)

Yeah, I think using WiFi it is limited to something like a resolution of 1366x768, but if you are willing to run a 25ft HDMI cable from your office to your living room, why not a 25ft network cable.  At least the network cable should be a lot cheaper than the HDMI, and not as thick as a 25ft HDMI.


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## erixx (Mar 24, 2015)

After having had HTPC, AndroidTV. now I just use a laptop or Surface tablet next to my tv to access my shared drives with movies.  All run Windows 8.1, easier is impossible.

You can use WiFi or Ethernet (powerplugged or real) with them, you can plug a USB ethernetport to the Surface...

Ethernet is much more stable of course. And i dont need a mini PC collecting dust in the livingroom (although fun when you have guests)


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 1, 2015)

rtwjunkie said:


> Yeah, I overstated, simply because as an enthusiast I usually overdo everything. Newtekie is right, 4GB of RAM is fine, and my i3-4130 is stronger than you will need.
> 
> I built mine in a wooden case that had plenty of room and ventilation, and it blends in well in the living room: http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc8000.htm



For an HTPC, what OS software you recommend using? 
windows 8.1 or 7 ?
linux or free based OS ?


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## Jetster (Apr 1, 2015)

Kodi makes a Linux OS for an HTPC

http://kodi.tv/download/ otherwise 7 would be my choice


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 1, 2015)

Is any of them OS free?

I know windows is not but the upcoming windows 10 will be (at least that's what I've heard)

I'd also like to know if there are any disadvantages to getting kodi OS rather than windows?

Can I still browse the Web, use a program like utorrent on the htpc and transfer files to usb drive or external hdd as well as import them?
EDIT: Omg I'm such an idiot lol. I just remembered that I have a mobo laying around and a CPU (from my brother's PC which I just upgraded for him a few months back, I had forgotten I still had his older parts)

Do you guys think I could make a decent HTPC out of these 2x parts (of course I'd buy the missing parts to complet it):


http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=12200BD6142&vpn=BX80637I53350P&manufacture=INTEL
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130653


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## newtekie1 (Apr 1, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> Is any of them OS free?



The Kodi Linux distro is free.  However, I'd recommend Windows because it works best with connecting to Windows file shares.  You can just map a network drive and then point kodi to the drive letter and it reads all your media files.

It is possible to connect to a network share inside of Kodi, however I've had less than perfect results with that.  Often times requiring me to completely delete the connection and re-create it.  This problem is actually why I switched to all Windows based HTPCs in my home.



jonathan1107 said:


> I know windows is not but the upcoming windows 10 will be (at least that's what I've heard)



Windows 10 won't be free, just a free upgrade if you already have Windows 7/8.  Of course for a basic HTPC, even Vista is fine.  If you've got a key laying around for Windows, just use that.



jonathan1107 said:


> I'd also like to know if there are any disadvantages to getting kodi OS rather than windows?



I already addressed the issue with network shares.  But also updating Kodi and be more of a pain.  Since the KodiOS is really just Ubuntu modified, you occasionally have to have some Linux knowledge to get Kodi updated properly.  With Windows it is just as easy as downloading the latest version and installing it.



jonathan1107 said:


> Can I still browse the Web, use a program like utorrent on the htpc and transfer files to usb drive or external hdd as well as import them?



Yes, since a HTPC is just a PC in your living room, you can do anything you would normally do on a PC with it.



jonathan1107 said:


> Do you guys think I could make a decent HTPC out of these 2x parts (of course I'd buy the missing parts to complet it):



Yep, those would make a very good start to a HTPC.  The motherboard being ATX size might mean the computer will end up a little big, but if you're fine with that then I say go for it.

You can even use the onboard video as it should be enough for what you need right now.


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 1, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> The Kodi Linux distro is free.  However, I'd recommend Windows because it works best with connecting to Windows file shares.  You can just map a network drive and then point kodi to the drive letter and it reads all your media files.
> 
> It is possible to connect to a network share inside of Kodi, however I've had less than perfect results with that.  Often times requiring me to completely delete the connection and re-create it.  This problem is actually why I switched to all Windows based HTPCs in my home.
> 
> ...



atx means mid size pc case right ?
that i5 i linked doesnt feature integrated graphics right?
I'd be using the onboard (mobo) graphics features. mobo good enough to handle playback of 1080p 40+gb files coorect?


----------



## Jetster (Apr 1, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> atx means mid size pc case right ?
> that i5 i linked doesnt feature integrated graphics right?
> I'd be using the onboard (mobo) graphics features. mobo good enough to handle playback of 1080p 40+gb files coorect?




There is no more "Onboard graphics"  The Intel i5 has integrated graphics. It will be sufficient for streaming

ATX is the size of the board and PSU and is considered standard


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## newtekie1 (Apr 2, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> atx means mid size pc case right ?



ATX is the size of the motherboard.  Yes, you'd need at least a mid-sized PC case.



jonathan1107 said:


> that i5 i linked doesnt feature integrated graphics right?
> I'd be using the onboard (mobo) graphics features. mobo good enough to handle playback of 1080p 40+gb files coorect?



You are correct, that i5 doesn't have integrated graphics, I didn't realize that.  That means the onboard graphics on the motherboard won't work.  You'll have to get a dedicated graphics card.

Also, why do you have 40+GB 1080p videos?  Even straight blu-ray rips aren't that big...


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## Jetster (Apr 2, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> You are correct, that i5 doesn't have integrated graphics, I didn't realize that.  That means the onboard graphics on the motherboard won't work.  You'll have to get a dedicated graphics card..



My bad didn't realize what i5 he was talking about. Just get one with integrated graphics


----------



## newtekie1 (Apr 2, 2015)

Jetster said:


> My bad didn't realize what i5 he was talking about. Just get one with integrated graphics


I think the point is he already has it.


----------



## jonathan1107 (Apr 2, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> ATX is the size of the motherboard.  Yes, you'd need at least a mid-sized PC case.
> 
> 
> You are correct, that i5 doesn't have integrated graphics, I didn't realize that.  That means the onboard graphics on the motherboard won't work.  You'll have to get a dedicated graphics card.
> ...



So if I got this right, if I were to use the mobo and CPU I linked, I'd have to consider getting a dedicated graphics card to compensate for the lack of "integrated graphics" in the i5 3350p. 


If I do this, I need to get a graphics card that includes audio drivers as well Correct? _(in order to get video and sound through my 1x HDMI cable running from the Graphics Card HDMI out to my Marantz Receiver)_

And If I get a dedicated graphics card for that HTPC, which one would you suggest? _(considering I'll do NO gaming, only playing movie files locally and streaming and web browsing)_
And yes some full hd 1080p movies I have are Lossless video/audio @ 35+gb

Which is why I ask again: Would the 2x items I linked along with a dedicated graphics card (prob add an SSD and a decent HDD) allow me to play them large video files without issues?
I'm a gaming/movie enthusiast... so yeah... that explains lossless formats


----------



## jonathan1107 (Apr 2, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Honestly, the HTPC streaming media directly from your computer would be the best option.
> 
> I'm not sure what you consider a lot of money, but you can build a pretty good HTPC for around $250,  maybe even less if you use some spare/used parts.
> 
> Example: http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/p/VWzMK8



Last thing I'm tryin to figure out is if I stick to my current Mobo/CPU combo (lga 1155 i5 etc...) or go with a small tiny PC like the ONE LINKED by newtekie1 just above this sentence. Thing is, I checked those parts on pcpartpciker.com and I wonder: How does that PC handle graphics? That amd processor, couldn't find mention of integrated graphics. Am I missing something?


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## newtekie1 (Apr 2, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> So if I got this right, if I were to use the mobo and CPU I linked, I'd have to consider getting a dedicated graphics card to compensate for the lack of "integrated graphics" in the i5 3350p.
> 
> 
> If I do this, I need to get a graphics card that includes audio drivers as well Correct? _(in order to get video and sound through my 1x HDMI cable running from the Graphics Card HDMI out to my Marantz Receiver)_
> ...



Correct, you'd need a dedicated graphics card.

All the modern graphics cards out have a built in audio device for outputing sound over HDMI.

You don't really need a super powerful GPU, even for high bitrate video decoding.  Something like a GTX650 or R7 240 would do the job.



jonathan1107 said:


> And yes some full hd 1080p movies I have are Lossless video/audio @ 35+gb
> 
> Which is why I ask again: Would the 2x items I linked along with a dedicated graphics card (prob add an SSD and a decent HDD) allow me to play them large video files without issues?
> I'm a gaming/movie enthusiast... so yeah... that explains lossless formats



Yeah, they should handle them no problem.



jonathan1107 said:


> Last thing I'm tryin to figure out is if I stick to my current Mobo/CPU combo (lga 1155 i5 etc...) or go with a small tiny PC like the ONE LINKED by newtekie1 just above this sentence. Thing is, I checked those parts on pcpartpciker.com and I wonder: How does that PC handle graphics? That amd processor, couldn't find mention of integrated graphics. Am I missing something?



The processor has integrated graphics, just like all AMD APUs.


----------



## jonathan1107 (Apr 2, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Correct, you'd need a dedicated graphics card.
> 
> All the modern graphics cards out have a built in audio device for outputing sound over HDMI.
> 
> ...



Thanks man for all them tips, really appreciated. helps a lot
was wondering (after reading your last post):

if the amd you mentionned has integrated graphics, how come the i5 3350p doesn't (even if that CPU is like 120$ more expensive).
I guess the bottom line question is:

What do I gain by going with the mobo/i5 cpu/dedicated graphics card (3350P)
that I wouldn't get should I go with the parts of pcpartspicker linked earlier?

EDIT: Thought I'd mention that I own a HARMONY smart control remote (with the app on my cell phone) I was wondering if I could use that to control my HTPC as well


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## Aquinus (Apr 2, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> if the amd you mentionned has integrated graphics, how come the i5 3350p doesn't (even if that CPU is like 120$ more expensive).


Intel CPUs are more expensive, period. P-edition CPUs are specifically missing the iGPU because it was removed which is why a discrete card would be required, in fact I think missing the iGPU is the only special thing about P-edition CPUs. If you got a different CPU that was a T, S, K, or regular edition CPU, it would have an iGPU on it.


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 2, 2015)

Aquinus said:


> Intel CPUs are more expensive, period. P-edition CPUs are specifically missing the iGPU because it was removed which is why a discrete card would be required, in fact I think missing the iGPU is the only special ithing about P-edition CPUs. If you got a different CPU that was a T, S, K, or regular edition CPU, it would have an iGPU on it.



Basically I'm trying to make up my mind about the 2 possible scenarios. And I'd like to know what you guys would do:


*Would you build the htpc out of the components I already have?* _(i5 3350p + msi mobo that I linked)_

*Or would you build the htpc from the ground up with a smaller case?                    *_(keep in mind I want enough horse power in my HTPC to handle LossLess 35gb+ 1080p movies)_

Also, if I were to go with the 1st option, what case would you recommend considering the mobo is atx? I'd like to find a rather small case even a mini one if the atx mobo can fit


----------



## Aquinus (Apr 3, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> *Would you build the htpc out of the components I already have?* _(i5 3350p + msi mobo that I linked)_


Yes, I would. I fact I would and have used lesser hardware to decode 1080p video for ~12GB/hr video. Even without GPU acceleration it probably could handle it, but it would be nice to either get QuickSync by having a CPU with an iGPU or a standard AMD or nVidia GPU for video processing. You shouldn't need more than GeForce GTS 720 or 730 or an AMD R7 240 to get decent 1080p playback with high quality (5.1 high profile?).


jonathan1107 said:


> *Or would you build the htpc from the ground up with a smaller case? *_(keep in mind I want enough horse power in my HTPC to handle LossLess 35gb+ 1080p movies)_


35GB 1080p video is high quality encoded video. 1080p RAW video would take up over 100GB, so trust me when I say, I seriously doubt you have lossless 1080p as not even BD is lossless. With respect to the case itself, it make no difference on the performance of the HTPC.


jonathan1107 said:


> Also, if I were to go with the 1st option, what case would you recommend considering the mobo is atx? I'd like to find a rather small case even a mini one if the atx mobo can fit


ATX boards *do not fit in MiniITX cases.* ATX boards fit in ATX, and E-ATX boards, but doesn't fit in mini-ITX or micro-ATX cases. For aboard to fit in a mini-itx case, you must have a mini-ITX motherboard and hardware that can fit in such a small area.

See this diagram to understand why this is the case (ATX is almost twice as big as Mini-ITX):


----------



## jonathan1107 (Apr 3, 2015)

Aquinus said:


> Yes, I would. I fact I would and have used lesser hardware to decode 1080p video for ~12GB/hr video. Even without GPU acceleration it probably could handle it, but it would be nice to either get QuickSync by having a CPU with an iGPU or a standard AMD or nVidia GPU for video processing. You shouldn't need more than GeForce GTS 720 or 730 or an AMD R7 240 to get decent 1080p playback with high quality (5.1 high profile?).
> 
> 35GB 1080p video is high quality encoded video. 1080p RAW video would take up over 100GB, so trust me when I say, I seriously doubt you have lossless 1080p as not even BD is lossless. With respect to the case itself, it make no difference on the performance of the HTPC.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your answers.

Indeed, yes I know that I wouldn't be able to fit my ATX form factor mobo in a mini-itx case. Basically, I've been torn between the 2 choices, because in 1 scenario I do not need to purchase a 120$+ GPU (because I'd use a CPU with integrated graphics) and in the other scenario I HAVE TO consider getting a GPU because the i5 3350p doesn't have integrated graphics.

So basically, it doesn't really come down to which scenario COSTS me the least (because both will cost about the same, the price of a decent GPU to go with my i5 is the same cost as getting a mobo/cpu (with int. graphics). 

Which is why I believe it all comes down to whether I want a small tiny case or a mid-size tower. I started looking thru the available MINI-ITX cases (in case I decide to build the HTPC from the groud up NOT using my spare parts) and there are so many of them, hard to know which ones are the best.


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## Aquinus (Apr 3, 2015)

I would just find a cheap GPU if you're fine with the size of an ATX board as you already have plenty of parts to get this going. I would personally use smaller hardware for such a device if it's feasible, but I say this as my gateway is sitting in a mid-tower with an ATX motherboard humming (as it's very much so audible) away in my living room. 

All in all, I did try making an HTPC with an ATX board once. I found an "okay" desktop HTPC case for it, but I found that it still took up a lot of room by virtue of supporting an ATX board. I would say work with what you have but if you want to try to make it smaller, you may want to consider keeping the 3350p, replace the motherboard with a mini-itx board, and get a low-profile discrete card for it. You'll want to make sure the GPU has a low-profile bracket as well if you go that route. I could see someone with an i3 with an iGPU wanting an i5 without one. Maybe another member would do a trade to get you that iGPU without getting a graphics card if you're willing to downgrade to an i3 to get the iGPU? Performance wise, it wouldn't make much of a difference.


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## newconroer (Apr 3, 2015)

Jetster said:


>



Other than UPnP providing some quick transfer/streaming speeds, I can't see the need for it if you already have a working home network with SMB or NFS.


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## Jetster (Apr 3, 2015)

newconroer said:


> Other than UPnP providing some quick transfer/streaming speeds, I can't see the need for it if you already have a working home network with WINS or NFS.



Because you haven't tried it. It organizes all your movies including DVD covers, ability to watch the previews and ability to search by name director, actor and so on. Without adding any space to your hard drive. And it will resume the movies from one room then you go to another and start where you left off


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## newconroer (Apr 3, 2015)

Jetster said:


> Because you haven't tried it. It organizes all your movies including DVD covers, ability to watch the previews and ability to search by name director, actor and so on. Without adding any space to your hard drive. And it will resume the movies from one room then you go to another and start where you left off



You can do all that without UPnP enabled. Try again.


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## newtekie1 (Apr 3, 2015)

newconroer said:


> Other than UPnP providing some quick transfer/streaming speeds, I can't see the need for it if you already have a working home network with WINS or NFS.





newconroer said:


> You can do all that without UPnP enabled. Try again.


Who said anything about uPnP? You're the one that brought up uPnP.


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## newconroer (Apr 3, 2015)

He linked a video explaining UPnP in Kodi.


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## newtekie1 (Apr 4, 2015)

newconroer said:


> He linked a video explaining UPnP in Kodi.


Yeah, like 3 pages ago, and not really to display the uPnP function but to show him Kodi.  We've already decided the best thing for him is to use SMB/Network Drives.


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## rtwjunkie (Apr 4, 2015)

If you want to use an ATX boards, have plenty of room and airflow, and not look like you have a pc in your living room, you can get one of these: http://www.nmediapc.com/htpc8000.htm I replaced the rear fan with a cougar 140mm quiet fan as an exhaust(I screwed it to the outside instead of inside to allow room for cpu cooler tower heatsink), and put two 92mm fans behind the front grills for intake.

It's quiet, takes 4 hard drives and a BD or dvd drive, and everything stays cool.


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## newconroer (Apr 4, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Yeah, like 3 pages ago, and not really to display the uPnP function but to show him Kodi.  We've already decided the best thing for him is to use SMB/Network Drives.


Great, well one more KODI user is another welcome user!

Let's hope SMB holds up for him in his future setup. It usually does in all theory, but sadly I personally had to turn to NFS to keep local files from buffering over the network. 
Anything above 6000kbps starts to break down via SMB on my 10/100 computer downstairs(it works 90% on Gigabit devices).

Fortunately KODI + NFS is easy and works right out of the box.


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 4, 2015)

Some of them terms I'm not familiar with:

What's "smb" "nfs" "upnp"?


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## newtekie1 (Apr 4, 2015)

SMB is the protocol standard Windows network file shares use.

NFS stands for Network File System, it is a different protocol that can be more efficient than SMB but isn't natively support by Windows.

UPnP is very similar to DLNA(they are often used interchangeably).  It is the protocol that PS3 Media server and programs like it use to stream media files over a network.  It is also the least efficient way to stream media(but compatible with the most devices).


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 13, 2015)

Update:

I've finally decided to make my life easier and have ordered all the parts I wanted to build myself a solid HTPC. I spent above 600$ because I decided to spoil myself a little and decided I'd rather focus on the "PC" part of an "HTPC". 

So: I'll be having an HTPC with a cool case to allow for future upgrades should I decide to give it a stronger GPU for either gaming or 4k+ files. I got myself a small SSD and a BIG azz HDD (3tb) so I don't EVER have to deal with wifi lag again or having to run servers which piss me off (because they won't let me fast forward or can't take a 20gb+ file).<

So yeah, now I'll be able to do anything I want in the living room. I'll copy all my pictures/music/movies/tvshows onto my big 3tb hdd and keep a backup copy of everything on my other big external hdd for safekeeping. I went with my mobo/cpu (i5 3350p) and added a gt720 with some ram, the big hdd, the ssd, windows 8.1 so I'm not too limited when it comes to installing specific programs onto the HTPC. Basically I'll be working off of my HTPC at times when I could do it on my normal PC just because I can be cozy in the living room, browsing the web and running some of my favorite programs there.

all in all: very satisfied. spent a bit more money than needed... but then again: that last sentence does represent my philosophy when it comes to buying anything at all. I prefer spending a little extra to get exactly what I want, being that I'm a perfectionnist


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## Aquinus (Apr 13, 2015)

Keep some space open on the SSD so you can install a linux distro that does just Kodi, it doesn't need to be more than 8GB in size. Linux can read NTFS, so if your media files are on the big HDD, then you can switch between OSes and still have the files available to you but if you want a full blown OS you're used to, just boot up Windows.

I dual boot on my own tower for different reasons, but all without a boot loader. Both have UEFI boot records, so I can just open the BIOS can pick which I would like to boot with. I do recommend playing with Kodi, you might like it and it's not like you have to pay for it or anything.


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## newtekie1 (Apr 13, 2015)

Aquinus said:


> Keep some space open on the SSD so you can install a linux distro that does just Kodi,



Why?  Just run Kodi inside Windows...


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## Aquinus (Apr 14, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Why?  Just run Kodi inside Windows...


You may want Windows to be passworded, but Linux Kodi could be wide open and use auto-login without exposing anything too big. It depends on how you want to figure it, I suppose.
Do you question the use of Linux, sir?


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## newtekie1 (Apr 14, 2015)

Aquinus said:


> You may want Windows to be passworded, but Linux Kodi could be wide open and use auto-login without exposing anything too big. It depends on how you want to figure it, I suppose.


That is why they make multiple user accounts. 

All my HTPCs that are in the "public" areas of the house are all set up to auto-login to a standard user account and immediately start up Kodi.  Yeah they see the desktop for a brief time, and can exit back out to the desktop and do things, but since they are using a standard user account they can't make any changes to the computer and can't access areas they aren't supposed to.



Aquinus said:


> Do you question the use of Linux, sir?



No, I question over-complicating the setup and wasting space on a dual boot when it isn't necessary.  I love linux.


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## Aquinus (Apr 14, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> No, I question over-complicating the setup and wasting space on a dual boot when it isn't necessary. I love linux.


My RaspberryPi barely even uses 2-4GB of a SD card with Linux + Kodi. I wouldn't call the loss in space huge. Also, there is no need for a boot loader if the OP installs using UEFI. Once the UEFI record is made, you can boot from each directly from the BIOS. I'm not at home right now, but I will be later. I can screenshot my BIOS to show you what I mean.

I just think that if 90% of the time if you just want a media player, not not keep it simple for that? Also it's a learning experience. Don't forget what forum you're posting on.


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 15, 2015)

Indeed, I absolutly Looooove this forum. I've gone from a complete PC noob to building PCs myself and tweaking things related to the OS and video games I never thought could even be tweaked... I mean my other PC gaming friends are astonished at the tweaks I know of and the tricks I've learnt over time...

and that's all thanks to this forum and the reviews found here. You guys are awesome. big thanks for your input


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## newtekie1 (Apr 15, 2015)

Aquinus said:


> My RaspberryPi barely even uses 2-4GB of a SD card with Linux + Kodi. I wouldn't call the loss in space huge. Also, there is no need for a boot loader if the OP installs using UEFI. Once the UEFI record is made, you can boot from each directly from the BIOS. I'm not at home right now, but I will be later. I can screenshot my BIOS to show you what I mean.



Yes, but that is 2-4GB vs. ~150MB...  If you can achieve the same thing for 150MB, it is a waste of space to use 4GB to do it, especially on a "small ass" SSD like he said he is using.

I know what you mean with the UEFI setup.  IMO, that is a worse solution than just using a boot loader.  It gets really annoying when you miss hitting the button to get into the UEFI to select what to boot, then you have to reboot and try again.  I mean, the same goes for a boot loader actually.  It is really easier to just boot to one OS and then double click on the icon you want to use.



Aquinus said:


> I just think that if 90% of the time if you just want a media player, not not keep it simple for that? Also it's a learning experience. Don't forget what forum you're posting on.



Or better yet, set up Windows like KodiBuntu which is what you'd get with a dual boot anyway and just have Kodi auto start with Windows.  This is what I do.  It isn't like the setup for this is super complicated.  Just install Kodi like normal and drop the shortcut into the startup menu.  

Why install a second OS, deal with either a boot loader or having to boot into the UEFI interface every time, and waste SSD space just to do what dropping the shortcut into the Startup folder would do?


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## Aquinus (Apr 15, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Why install a second OS, deal with either a boot loader or having to boot into the UEFI interface every time, and waste SSD space just to do what dropping the shortcut into the Startup folder would do?


Because it's fun and a learning experience.


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 22, 2015)

Last question:

For my HTPC I intend a more PC usage then the traditional htpc usage. 

I'm planning on having lots of TBs of data stored in there. Would it better for my setup to run say a raid 0 setup with 2x 3tb drives? Or its not worth it? 

Will have thousands of pictures, music and movies on there


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## newtekie1 (Apr 22, 2015)

If the data is important to you, don't run RAID 0.


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## Kursah (Apr 22, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> If the data is important to you, don't run RAID 0.



This.

RAID 0 is for performance, if one drive has an integrity issue or fails, you just your data. It uses interleaving bits, that means half the bits on one drive, half on the other, but all are needed to interperet your data to the OS. Run RAID 1 for a mirror, which would keep your data the safest if as it will create an exact image on the second drive. You could add a third drive and run RAID 5, which allows for a drive to fail and be replaced without losing data...but rebuilding takes a long time, and depending on what you're driving that RAID with, might not be beneificial to your needs.

You could dedicate one 3TB drive to pictures and downloads, and another 3TB drive to music and movies and so on. That would be the simplest option. If the data on there is crticial, I'd suggest you go simple now, and have another workstation setup where you can play with other technologies such as RAID...otherwise that's like running through a minefield heavy-footed with your eyes closed.


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 22, 2015)

Thanks a lot. Another question about Disc Partitions.

If I use my 3tb green drive (just realized since it's a green, raid 0 would be kinda pointless)
How do disc partitions affect my future projects?

For instance: If I divide my current 3tb hdd into say 2 or 3 disc partitions (one for pictures, another for movies and another for music). What is there to gain with creating disk partitions? is it better not to have em or is it better to have em?

What about the future, let's say somewhere down the road (I expect I'll buy another 3tb drive in maybe 1 or 2 years). Can I export all my movies (for instance) to the new drive and keep the pics and music on the old drive and then remove the "movie disk partition" ? (because then I won't need it and that partition will be created on the new drive)


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## rtwjunkie (Apr 22, 2015)

I think you can.  It should be a simple matter of telling whatever program you are using to run your movie watching experience where to find the movies. 

As to the RAID of any kind, for this purpose, I agree with @Kursah just keep it simple.  Yes it takes a long time to put your movies back on an HDD if it dies, but it's still not critical enough to need the intricacies of RAID.  What I have done is make backup copies of my 5 2TB HDD movie drives, with all file structures the same, with "Backup" added to the first part of the disk name.  I've already tested it, and by inserting that disk in for it's parent and removing backup from the name, and giving it that drive letter designation, it gets treated just like the original, because the movies for that disk are in the same place they were.   That way I've got my backup, but a simple operation, even if the intitial work is alot to do.


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## newtekie1 (Apr 22, 2015)

Don't bother partitioning, there is no benefit for what you are doing.  Just use folders.


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## jonathan1107 (Apr 23, 2015)

newtekie1 said:


> Don't bother partitioning, there is no benefit for what you are doing.  Just use folders.



ok guys. I've setup my HTPC and am ready to install something like KODI. I've run through some youtube videos introducing people to the basics of KODI but I haven't quite got the feeling that I know how to use it (the way I want to)

Here are my questions about KODI:


Unless I'm mistaken KODI seems to be a sorta Huge Media playing software (kinda like Windows media player) I've seen countless videos on youtube where people ADD repositories (http links and whatnot) to STREAM a bunch of internet based stuff. That's all good but my focus is going to be MUCH more on LOCAL content (my pictures,movies,music etc.) *What are the MAIN features of KODI one needs to be aware of?*
*How can I customize KODI so that it has all the apps I want? (Like facebook/youtube/web browser/movie player) Can I get different Skins and/or wallpapers? How do I add CoverArt for Movies/music? Is it kind of like Itunes?*
*Can I use KODI as a "user friendly" platform for many devices in my house? such as my Android Cell Phone, my Desktop PC (other room) and my laptop? If so, what steps must I take to make all of them communicate together? I can already send my music and pictures from my cell phone to my smart tv... but my videos don't have the "share button" that shows on pictures and music...*
*Does KODI interfere with the way files are played? Can I play DTS HD master movies? Do I need to download PLUG-INs ?? (is Kodi versatile like VLC media player?)*
Those are the questions floating in my mind right now, and I've been searching youtube, but what I find is constantly stuff about tv shows which I 100% don'T care about. Thanks again for your input you guys. Very much appreciated


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## newtekie1 (Apr 24, 2015)

jonathan1107 said:


> Unless I'm mistaken KODI seems to be a sorta Huge Media playing software (kinda like Windows media player) I've seen countless videos on youtube where people ADD repositories (http links and whatnot) to STREAM a bunch of internet based stuff. That's all good but my focus is going to be MUCH more on LOCAL content (my pictures,movies,music etc.) What are the MAIN features of KODI one needs to be aware of?



Kodi is a media player.  It doesn't particularly care where the media is coming from.  It works very well with local content, you just point it to your local files.



jonathan1107 said:


> How can I customize KODI so that it has all the apps I want? (Like facebook/youtube/web browser/movie player)



This is a PC(hopefully running Windows), you do all that stuff on the PC part of it.  You use Kodi to play your media, you use the internet browser of your choice for facebook and youtube and obviously browsing the web.



jonathan1107 said:


> Can I get different Skins and/or wallpapers?



Yes, you can download them through Kodi I believe, but I find the skin it comes with to work the best.  You can set the background to whatever picture you want though.  However, I leave it to the default because a lot of times when you are browsing media the background is replaced with artwork anyway, so I find changing the background rather pointless.



jonathan1107 said:


> How do I add CoverArt for Movies/music? Is it kind of like Itunes?



For the most part, it does it automatically for you.  You just add the media, tell Kodi what it is(Movies, TV Series, Music) and it scans through and retrieves the artwork and information(ratings mostly).



jonathan1107 said:


> Can I use KODI as a "user friendly" platform for many devices in my house? such as my Android Cell Phone, my Desktop PC (other room) and my laptop?



Yes, you can install Kodi on pretty much anything.  If all your media is being stored on your "HTPC" then you can enable the Kodi media server on that computer. Then you can connect to that computer with Kodi on the other devices and view your media.  Again, though, this is using DLNA/uPnP which can be hindered if you are using a wifi connection.



jonathan1107 said:


> I can already send my music and pictures from my cell phone to my smart tv... but my videos don't have the "share button" that shows on pictures and music...



You are probably going to have to do this the old fashioned way, by connected the phone to the computer and transferring the movie files.



jonathan1107 said:


> Does KODI interfere with the way files are played? Can I play DTS HD master movies?


Yes and no, depending on how you set up Kodi.

Video wise there are several options you can adjust.  You can set it to stretch 4:3 images to 16:9 if you want. 

You can also set it so that videos that aren't exactly 16:9 are stretched to fit your 16:9 TV.  This setting has an adjustment to it that lets you control exactly how much difference is allowed.  It goes from 0%-20%.  Say you have it set to 5%.  If the video you play is 5% or less different in aspect ratio, Kodi will stretch the video to eliminate the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.  If it is more than 5% it will leave the video alone(or maybe it will only stretch it but not all the way, I forget).

Either way, you can play around with these settings to see what you prefer.

Audio wise, there is an option for audio passthrough.  When this is enabled, the DTS or Dolby Digital audio stream will be output directly to the audio output device you pick.  If you don't have passthrough enabled, Kodi will decode the stream for you and output it to your speakers.



jonathan1107 said:


> Do I need to download PLUG-INs ?? (is Kodi versatile like VLC media player?)



For the most part, if you are playing standard formatted/encoded video, Kodi will play it.  I haven't found anything Kodi won't play. It isn't as versatile as VLC, it won't play flash videos and crap like that AFAIK, but for standard movie files it is pretty close to VLC.  I haven't had to download any codecs or plugins.


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