My Mini-ITX HTPC Build

Dan C

Dan C

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So I decided to build a solution for my extra mini lounge. Probably should have just bought an Android box, but thought it will be more fun doing a PC :p

So what I had in stock was RAM and a 60 gig SSD.

Needed was :

1) Case + PSU
2) Motherboard
3) CPU

1) So I settled for this as the case - main reason for not going flat is that I had room for the taller one.

http://www.wootware.co.za/cfi-8989-...-power-supply-compact-cube-size-mini-itx.html

It comes with a 150 watt psu which should be enough.

2) The motherboard, nothing fancy.

http://www.wootware.co.za/asus-am1m-a-all-in-one-am1-socket-micro-atx-desktop-motherboard.html

3) The CPU

http://www.wootware.co.za/amd-athlo...28-micron-quad-core-1600-mhz-desktop-cpu.html


Let's start building :p

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

and finally ...

4.jpg


Now this was probably the most difficult PC I had to put together. The space is so confined and it's hard to keep the wires tidy. But all-in-all it plays whatever I throw at it and it's pretty fast with 4gig ram installed.
 
Nice - I have almost the same machine except in an Antec ISK 110 case.

My 5150 struggles with high bitrate 1080p x265...in open space scenes (not tightly-focused), it drops frames.
 
Neoprod said:
Nice - I have almost the same machine except in an Antec ISK 110 case.

My 5150 struggles with high bitrate 1080p x265...in open space scenes (not tightly-focused), it drops frames.
Click to expand...

Have not tried x265 on 1080p yet. Let me see if I can test that.
 
Useful thread - been thinking of retiring my rpi2 because of x265 struggles. Interested to know how your setup handles x265 @1080p.
 
x265 compatibility should be at the top of the list when building a current HTPC.
 
Dan C said:
The mobo does have a PCI slot. So one could try a more powerful GFX card. But obviously you want to keep noise down.
Click to expand...

The cheapest GPU that has hardware HEVC decoding is another R2000 and you will more than likely have to upgrade the PSU too.
 
Last edited:
I don't want to be that guy but if you bought something with a Braswell CPU, something like the ASUS N3150M-E, it has full HEVC decoding up to 4K @ 30FPS and it would've cost less than the AMD you bought.

It would've also been fanless and used less power.
 
Soul Assassin said:
The cheapest GPU that has hardware HEVC decoding is another R2000 and you will more than likely have to upgrade the PSU too.

If this was a what parts should I use thread I would've recommended the G3258 and Gigabyte GA-H81M-S2PH, sure it would've been R500 more but it does 1080P x265 with a smile, even transcoding from x265 to x264 for my iPad no problem.
Click to expand...

Just downloaded a HEVC sample 1080p and it played just fine on the onboard graphics !! Suck it 265 :)
 
Soul Assassin said:
I don't want to be that guy but if you bought something with a Braswell CPU, something like the ASUS N3150M-E, it has full HEVC decoding up to 4K @ 30FPS and it would've cost less than the AMD you bought.

It would've also been fanless and used less power.
Click to expand...

Dan C said:
Just downloaded a HEVC sample 1080p and it played just fine on the onboard graphics !! Suck it 265 :)
Click to expand...

Just as long as you're happy.

You have to admit the Braswell all in one motherboard I posted does look great for a HTPC, it will be dead silent use almost no power and play 4K x265 at ~10W.
 
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Dan C said:
Just downloaded a HEVC sample 1080p and it played just fine on the onboard graphics !! Suck it 265 :)
Click to expand...

Cool, post a link to the sample, please.

I'll try to find a file at home that gives me stutter and post it here.
 
ponder said:
gtx 1050 & 1050 ti, no external power required. Think they draw max 75W.
Click to expand...

Those are the exact one I was thinking about when posting that, or the RX 460.

I didn't mention the PSU because external power I mentioned it because 150W can only go so far and we can only assume the included PSU isn't exactly gold rated.
 
Soul Assassin said:
Those are the exact one I was thinking about when posting that, or the RX 460.

I didn't mention the PSU because external power I mentioned it because 150W can only go so far and we can only assume the included PSU isn't exactly gold rated.
Click to expand...

Nope PSU is probably not that good. But CPU is running at 25w max and SSD drive should be low. Rest is just wifi dongle and remote and obviously whatever the mobo uses.
 
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