Quantcast
XBMC Build - Beyond.ca - Car Forums
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 33

Thread: XBMC Build

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Eagle Talon
    Posts
    857
    Rep Power
    21

    Default XBMC Build

    Just showing off my new XBMC build.
    Recently I have become fed up with my boxee box. The lag is starting to get old, and it seems to have trouble streaming large (13GB) files across my network. Boxee was good at sporting every file type under the sun, great for live TV, and great for streaming online shows. It just didn't have the horse power to do all that smoothly. I wasn't impressed when the boxee box 2 came out last month and seemed to be morphed into more of an online streaming box.
    I needed to step up my game and decided to put together this guy.

    I started with an old RROD Xbox, replaced the guts and installed a modern PC.
    Specs:
    Asus H77 mini-ITX MOBO
    Intel i3-3220T (35W) CPU
    Intel 330 series 60GB SSD
    4GB of memory
    150W power supply
    Windows 8
    XBMC 11
    ... and waiting on XBMC 12 to become stable so that I can enjoy DTS-MA and live TV again!

    First standoffs in place


    SSD mounts first


    MOBO mounts over top the SSD


    Test fit


    Just fits, notice the massive stack of standoffs!


    Testing cutouts


    150W power supply next to a 60W


    Using DVD drive from my PC to install windows


    Still need to glue the chrome CD cover into place to match my chromed out power button!


    Settled into place below my xbox slim
    Last edited by ryanallan; 11-25-2012 at 03:15 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Grimace
    Posts
    6,815
    Rep Power
    26

    Default

    Have always wanted to build an XBMC box but I need to get a nas box first and some wireless AC of course

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Eagle Talon
    Posts
    857
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    There's some good deals on 3TB HDD's this weekend!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Strathmore
    My Ride
    2005 Dirtymax
    Posts
    2,222
    Rep Power
    22

    Default

    You can actually get a XBMC-HD patched edition that does DTS-MA and such.

    http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=121877

    I haven't been able to test it as unfortunately my gpu doesn't support DTS-MA formats

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Accord
    Posts
    58
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    I'm just running it on an ATV2... it works, but holy balls is it slow/unstable

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Eagle Talon
    Posts
    857
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    Originally posted by firebane
    You can actually get a XBMC-HD patched edition that does DTS-MA and such.

    http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=121877

    I haven't been able to test it as unfortunately my gpu doesn't support DTS-MA formats
    Nice, thanks man!

    V12 is just around the corner though.
    What to do, what to do.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Grimace
    Posts
    6,815
    Rep Power
    26

    Default

    Originally posted by ryanallan
    There's some good deals on 3TB HDD's this weekend!
    I am holding out because I want (2) 3 tb wd red's and a nas box so I am waiting to see if the prices are lower in the new year.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Eagle Talon
    Posts
    857
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    I feel ya.

    Sometimes you can get lucky at mem-ex with "special order" items that have been returned and are now "open boxes".
    And it seems most of the NAS servers they carry are special order.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    521
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    the WD Red, 3TBs are on sale this weekend. until 11/26
    I just picked up 4.

    $159.99 each, down from $199.


    http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX40404

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Grimace
    Posts
    6,815
    Rep Power
    26

    Default

    Those are still fairly expensive though no?
    Since the 'flood', prices still haven't returned even close to what they were.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Calgary AB
    My Ride
    2020 Subaru Forester Sport
    Posts
    2,969
    Rep Power
    41

    Default

    If you want a sweet nas that's actually fast, build your own. I have tried freenas and the other popular one I can't remember, but settled in nexenta. Their community edition is free and good for up to 18th. I use it as my nas as well as block storage over fiber channel to my esx hosts, all of the same 10 2tb disks

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    521
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    Originally posted by schocker
    Those are still fairly expensive though no?
    Since the 'flood', prices still haven't returned even close to what they were.
    I dont think will ever be that price for a long time to come.


    NCIX.COM has them even cheaper

    $149.99 CAD
    Savings Code 74269-1030. SAVE $29.99 off our regular price of $179.98 if you buy today!
    Special price ends 11/28/2012.
    Limit 5 per customer.

    And shipping is $8. so you save $30 over local memx.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    My Ride
    Bicycle
    Posts
    9,271
    Rep Power
    49

    Default

    Originally posted by Alterac
    the WD Red, 3TBs are on sale this weekend. until 11/26
    I just picked up 4.

    $159.99 each, down from $199.


    http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX40404
    Don't waste you money on reds. Most software raid system don't care and only hardware raid adapter cares.

    That said. If you are getting those cheap ass barracuda from seagate, pick something that will do double parity.
    Last edited by Xtrema; 11-24-2012 at 08:29 PM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Grimace
    Posts
    6,815
    Rep Power
    26

    Default

    Originally posted by Alterac
    I dont think will ever be that price for a long time to come.
    NCIX.COM has them even cheaper
    I am hoping next year a small dip as they are losing ground in sales now that SSD's have dropped in price so fast. I still need to choose a nas box though and figure out how I want to set up my network properly as my house was not wired.
    Memx would still price match that though so it would be less there I think.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    165
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    I've started using these for storage for my systems, great units for the price, easy to set up and maintain:

    http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX38689

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Edmonton, AB
    Posts
    259
    Rep Power
    16

    Default

    That's pretty sweet OP... I've had my eye on those mini boards.. they're pretty nice for a HTPC or XBMC.


    Originally posted by Xtrema
    That said. If you are getting those cheap ass barracuda from seagate, pick something that will do double parity.


    I've had no problems yet! but I do have one spare loaded and two on my desk...

    The 3TB are $90 a pop this weekend too!
    Last edited by ipeefreely; 11-24-2012 at 09:16 PM.
    Originally posted by Xtrema
    ZenOps is like everyone's crazy uncle.
    Originally posted by DayGlow
    How do you respond to stupid?
    Originally posted by rage2
    Jesus fucking christ Rob Anders, learn to read your own links.
    Originally posted by Seth1968
    Zenops: Ok, but remember my dick is made of nickle.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    521
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    Originally posted by Xtrema
    Don't waste you money on reds. Most software raid system don't care and only hardware raid adapter cares.
    thats not true at all.

    MDADM (software raid) has problems with WD Greens, and Blues, especially on certain HBA SATA adapters.

    What happens is they talk to long to respond to certain drive commands.. Especially SMART commands, and then they timeout error, and drop right out of the array.

    the RED drives fix that problem because the firmware is tuned to not let the drives do as much head parking, and such.

    A long with a longer warranty, and a special Warranty RMA number to call for advance replacement, its worth the extra money in my mind.

    Originally posted by Xtrema
    That said. If you are getting those cheap ass barracuda from seagate, pick something that will do double parity.
    My buddy had a huge problem with seagates, and WDs, he was running raid 6, had 1 drop out on him (with above problem, stupid WD greens), and then while rebuilding he had 2 more go down at the same time (a WD Blue, and a Seagate). Lost all his data.

    When it comes to data/raid, there is no replacement for good backups.

    I have my personal partitions backing up to the cloud using CrashPlan software, it does run headless on unix also. Which is great.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Edmonton, AB
    Posts
    259
    Rep Power
    16

    Default

    Sorry OP!
    Originally posted by Alterac
    My buddy had a huge problem with seagates, and WDs, he was running raid 6, had 1 drop out on him (with above problem, stupid WD greens), and then while rebuilding he had 2 more go down at the same time (a WD Blue, and a Seagate). Lost all his data.
    What card? Why was he mixing all sorts of different drives??
    Originally posted by Xtrema
    ZenOps is like everyone's crazy uncle.
    Originally posted by DayGlow
    How do you respond to stupid?
    Originally posted by rage2
    Jesus fucking christ Rob Anders, learn to read your own links.
    Originally posted by Seth1968
    Zenops: Ok, but remember my dick is made of nickle.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    521
    Rep Power
    21

    Default

    Well, we have 2x LSI 1068e cards with IT Firmware, and the Oboard intel.
    For a total of 24 sata ports in a Norco-24 bay case.

    There were a ton of seagate 1TB's (the ones with the massive failure rate cause they suck) that were getting replaced with diff brands to avoid that problem.

    (Hitachi, Samsung, WD, etc)

    The problem came in when stock at a certain store started to suck, so WD Green's were used.


    Its fairly common place to see different vendors of same size drives used in a large soho raid.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    220
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    OP nice work on the case!

    I was going to get another Boxee Box for the home theater, but I'm not entirely happy with the scrapers plus it's end of life now. Custom XBMC builds can get spendy, and I don't need local storage or gaming capability.

    WDTV, PBO, O!Play and the like are not an option because I like the DVD covers and info that XBMC, Boxee, etc offer.

    $225 spent on HWC forums bagged me a EDGE HD-3 system, with Win7 installed for Netflix(Ubuntu doesn't support).

    A trip to MemEx for click for larger version
    » Click image for larger version and click for larger version
    » Click image for larger version and I'm satisfied. It's not the snappiest system, but I'm not asking much of it. The Xonar was required for DTS and AC3, my Onkyo doesn't want to play nice with the HDMI output on the Edge.

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. FS: XBox with XBMC

    By megavolt in forum Video Games / Consoles
    Replies: 4
    Latest Threads: 11-06-2008, 04:05 PM
  2. XBMC for all platforms

    By beecue in forum Computers, Consoles, and other Electronics
    Replies: 0
    Latest Threads: 09-18-2008, 06:06 PM
  3. Xbmc

    By dragonone in forum Computers, Consoles, and other Electronics
    Replies: 2
    Latest Threads: 05-18-2007, 01:51 PM
  4. WTB: XBMC Xbox

    By vtec96 in forum Video Games / Consoles
    Replies: 0
    Latest Threads: 12-07-2006, 05:14 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •