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HTPC Upgrade

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  • 24-03-2016 12:03pm
    #1
    Cossax
    Registered Users Posts: 2,055 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I'm looking to do a small upgrade on what I currently have - it's fine by and large but I'd like to future proof it and make it a quieter.
    I think it's the power supply that's noisy as even when it's idling at 1% CPU usage it's whirring away and always has been since built - at the moment it's in a room away from the bedrooms but it'll be moving over the next few months so quietness is important.
    A higher passmark would be nice too, it's at 3800ish now but I may be serving more people so 2 or more 1080p streams at once is important.

    1. What is your budget? Lets keep it under €300
    2. What will be the main purpose of the computer? Upgrade of existing HTPC
    3. Do you need a copy of Windows? No
    4. Can you use any parts from an old computer? No
    5. Do you need a monitor? No
    6. Do you need any of these peripherals? No
    7. Are you willing to try overclocking? No
    8. How can you pay? Bank Transfer/Credit Card/Laser
    9. When are you purchasing? Now

    My build was suggested in this thread but for ease of viewing it's the following:
    Intel Core i3-2120 Box, LGA1155
    ASRock H61M-ITX, Sockel 1155, ITX
    4GB Patriot AMD Entertainment Edition PC3-10600 1333MHz
    WD Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 3 6Gb/s
    Thermaltake Element Q, mini-ITX, 200W-Netzteil
    Samsung SH-222AB bare schwarz SATA

    Any suggestions on a new CPU, extra RAM and a good, quiet power supply?
    At least I presume it's the power supply as mentioned above. Need to keep it as quiet as possible so I won't get murdered by the OH.


Comments

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    #2
    Digital Solitude
    Registered Users Posts: 11,397 ✭✭✭✭Digital Solitude


    Have you tried pulling a couple of streams from it? I doubt the CPU needs an upgrade, or the RAM.

    For the PSU, Upgrading to a larger one with a quieter fan is the handiest way, you can also just change the fan in your PSU. I doubt that's a recommended step though, I've done it and it's easy to do.

    4gb DDR3 is about €20-25, ideally you'd want to get the same as the RAM you have, but as before, I don't know if you'll need an upgrade


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    #3
    Cossax
    Registered Users Posts: 2,055 ✭✭✭Cossax


    I've rarely had to pull more than 1 stream at a time but I'm thinking more of when 4k becomes more common and I will have to do more remote streaming rather than local streaming so network speeds may mean transcoding may become more of an issue.

    I run a few small programmes out of it like Sonarr, CP, Plex, PlexPy, Sabnzb etc so I thought more RAM might come in handy.


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    #4
    Xenoronin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,307 ✭✭✭Xenoronin


    Quickly googling for a psu: http://www.quietpc.com/sst-st30sf
    A media graphics card should allow it to pump two video streams a little better.
    I was doing a little research and this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigabyte-Nvidia-Graphics-Card-PCI-E/dp/B00NM3BWVS/ref=sr_1_4?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1458818117&sr=1-4&keywords=gtx+740
    Looks good. Was looking at the 730 originally but that is only a tiny step up from onboard. Then the price difference between 740 and 750 and 750TI was like... 20 pounds.

    I think your amount of RAM is fine. So is the processor honestly.


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