Cheapest HTPC that can run XBMC and play 1080p media?

BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseurThere's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
edited July 2012 in Hardware
As the title says, I'm going to need XBMC for the living room when I move. Anyone know what's the cheapest way I can run it?

Comments

  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    Raspberry Pi - $35

    http://hackaday.com/2012/01/24/raspberry-pi-runs-xbmc-reliably-decodes-1080p/

    Unfortunately, they're backordered most places.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Only decodes H.264 MKV, but if that's all you have, then yes. It's a pretty sluggish XBMC UI, though.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    not just mkv, it will handle any h.264 wrapper, for example I've seen it demoed with h.264 in a .mov wrapper. The XBMC interface isn't super snappy, but it is definitely usable, especially if you need something as cheap as possible. Also, what else would you use for high def movies these days besides h.264? As much as I'm loathe to admit it (because it's a closed standard), it is king at this point.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    Well I would be starting to download 1080p media but most of my current media is XviD/DivX.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    do you own an Xbox?
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    I own a non-functioning 360.
  • fatcatfatcat Mizzou Icrontian
    BlackHawk said:

    I own a non-functioning 360.

    ah, never mind then. was going to say the cheapest way would have just to put XBMC on the XBOX360
  • When you say play 1080p is that all you really care about? Do you also want 1080p output?
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    It's that I want something capable enough to handle 1080p not that it only has to be 1080p. A lot of my media is not HD.
  • In that case you can't beat the apple tv 2 (not the current model) with XBMC. You can pick them up for about $50 used online or a little more new. I have two in my house and they work great. XBMC is smooth and they handle everything I throw at them, 30gb+ 1080p video with ease. Not to mention you also get everything else the apple tv offers.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    Went with the Foxconn nT-A3700 in a combo with a 4GB stick of ram for $182. Comes with a VESA mount and the comments on Newegg says it runs XBMC just fine. Specs look similar to the one @Thrax recommended.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    I believe that model doesn't come with a hard drive.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    According to the Newegg details it has 1x SATA II port.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Yes, but you'll need to buy a hard drive to connect to that SATA II port, because that's a barebones unit.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    I have a spare SSD.
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