HTPC System?

Hi there
@Winuser

no need for HTPC these days :

I'd suggest another EASIER system of streaming from computer to TV - (Smart TV or otherwise).

1) Buy Amazon 4K firestick --there are cheap deals on amazon now for these and plug into back of TV

2) Install on the firestick the "Downloader" -- free app which installs easily enough

3) install KODI on the firestick -- go to the downloader and select for the firestick armv32 version (ARM 32 bit)


Seemples -- no server or whatever required on the PC -- just enable the multi-media files to be shared and in the kodi app on the firestick add the video / audio libraries via SAMBA (SMB) sharing.

KODI is 100% Free -- you can also use "addons" like opensubtitles.org to dynamically get subtitles for movie and TV files etc.

current release is 19.4 but here's the full article -- was done for release 17.x but still works for 19.4. You need for the current 4K firestick to select ARMV32 bit version. The firestick remote handles easy enough for controlling it all.


I simply have my multi-media files on a NAS server and share those to KODI. For live streaming KODI handles all sorts of live streams. Saves messing around with needing server type apps on the computer system. Simple file sharing is sufficient !!!!

The only downside is you need a firestick for each remote TV - unless you have an android TV where you can "sideload" apps on it - however the firesticks are cheap enough.

A lot of TV's will have VLC enabled as an app -- that also works well and simply uses SMB file sharing too. --Take your choice !!!

On your Mini PC just attach sufficient HDD storage space and share the files - don't bother with multi-media servers -- for simple file sharing a very cheap PC will suffice - but decent internet connection (or wired if convenient) will be needed for the physical streaming over your LAN.

cheers
jimbo

Firestick 4k has multiple issues like it can't always handle 23.976Hz vertical refresh frequency or you need to force the system xray to show that yours can so maybe it can or still maybe it can't, etc. and with 4k content it forces SMPTE resolution which may not always be compatible with the TV or whatever the display device that you use so even though the OP said he won't be using 4k, this is hardly trying to convince people that there is no longer a need for HTPC these days. That plus the fact that it disables Dolby Vision.

Further, the suggestion that an HTPC always requires a server to function is laughable at best. The only difference between a normal PC and an HTPC is the goal you had in mind when you built/bought it so, even a cheap laptop with K-Lite Codec Pack Full installed (which is what I use) and plugged into a TV is technically called 'HTPC'. Mine is remote controlled also, as my keyboard is wireless and my mouse is on a side table and is connected through a simple USB extension cord.

The most important reason to buy a real PC instead of children's toys like Rokus and Firesticks is so you'll KNOW it will properly support the 23p display modes for 23.976fps (24000:1001) video playback and will do things like audio bitstreaming over HDMI with proper support to decode all formats also including all audio formats and optional downmixing to stereo channels for people who, like me, own an outboard stereo DAC setup worth multiple times more than the total cost of everything else.

I am in the dark about where so many people get so much misinformation from. Farcebook maybe?

The mini pc is setup and working great. It did take a while for Windows to update. I was starting to wonder if the Windows Update had frozen. I was very close to doing a restart when the installed percentage info appeared. I'm thinking about upgrading it to Windows 11 Pro. I ran WhyNotWin11 and the only thing that failed was the DirectX 12. When I ran DxDiag it shows DirectX 12, so I don't understand why it failed.

Edit: I ran PC Health Check and it say's the CPU isn't supported. I ran WhyNotWin11 again and it does have a ? on the CPU. I still might upgrade to Win 11 sometime in the future.

Winuser said:

The mini pc is setup and working great. It did take a while for Windows to update. I was starting to wonder if the Windows Update had frozen. I was very close to doing a restart when the installed percentage info appeared. I'm thinking about upgrading it to Windows 11 Pro. I ran WhyNotWin11 and the only thing that failed was the DirectX 12. When I ran DxDiag it shows DirectX 12, so I don't understand why it failed.

Edit: I ran PC Health Check and it say's the CPU isn't supported. I ran WhyNotWin11 again and it does have a ? on the CPU. I still might upgrade to Win 11 sometime in the future.

Click to expand...

You have probably seen this before, but here is the Win11 supported Intel CPUs list: Intel for 11 The J3455 isn't on the list.

bobkn said:

You have probably seen this before, but here is the Win11 supported Intel CPUs list: Intel for 11 The J3455 isn't on the list.

Click to expand...

So far, I'm pleased with how good this little PC works. Having a Celeron CPU, I wasn't sure it was worth buying.

I made a few minor changes to the mini-PC. I used the Reg hack and upgraded it to Windows 11. I had a spare 1TB laptop HDD, so I installed it into the mini-PC and moved all my user folders to it. I also uninstalled all the loaded apps that I don't need.