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Something wicked this way comes…the Dell Inspiron Zino HD
Posted by Jay Taylor in 6:33 AM
(19 votes, average: 4.68 out of 5)
Loading ...As the saying goes, great things come in small packages, and boy did Dell deliver on that adage!
Our friends at Dell sent over their new Inspiron Zino HD PC and I must say that this little Inspiron really inspired me. This box has the potential to be a great solution as a small form factor (SFF) HTPC as well as a very capable desktop computer for those that have limited work spaces. I would like to apologize in advance for the length of this particular blog post, but I wanted to make sure I provided an accurate write up.
Per my usual comments, this is not intended to be an official review of the device, but more of an overview of the platform and features offered, mixed with a little user feedback. Let me dive into some of the specifications first and then share a little on my experience with this computer.
Size
The first thing I noticed when I pulled the Inspiron Zino HD out of the box was small size. Measuring a mere 7 3/4 inches on each side and only 3 1/2 inches tall (approximately), this is a really small PC. I snapped a couple of pictures to give you some references for comparison (see below). After removing the protective packaging, it was very pleasing to the eye. The overall shape, fit and finish are beautiful –not something I often say about a PC. The unit has a mirror black piano finish.
As you can see, it is similar in size to a baseball cap–now that is pretty small. I also snapped a picture of it sitting next to the Lian Li C39 chassis (a low profile HTPC chassis).
Specs
Dell is offering the Inspiron Zino HD PC with multiple configurable options so customers have the ability to personalize the platform to a specific need or budget. The particular unit sent to me was configured with the following specifications:
| OS: Windows® 7 Home Premium | CPU: AMD Athlon™ X2 3250e processor | Chipset: AMD RS780G |
| LAN: On board Gb Ethernet | Wireless: Integrated Wireless N | Memory: 2GB DDR2 800 |
| Optical Drive: 8x DVD ROM | HDD: 250GB | USB wired mouse |
| Volume: 3.5L | LxWxH: 197.6mm x 197.6mm x 89mm | USB wired keyboard |
Performance
At the heart of this little beast is the AMD RS780G chipset and the AMD Athlon™ X2 3250e processor. Combined, these two pieces of technology deliver a very compelling experience in both processing and graphics power. Capable of handling excellent HD playback (when combined with an HD monitor), online streamed content and more, this unit delivers a great entertainment experience. While I did not run any benchmark utilities, I was impressed by the variety of applications and content the platform supported.
Do note though, none of my testing was done under rigorous lab conditions with repeated and averaged test results nor am I showing pretty graphs and charts. My testing was strictly limited to putting it in a real world environment and observing the results. See the User Experience section below for more details. I would also like to point out that this unit is not intended to be a high performance gaming system but neither is it an entry level nettop type platform. This is a solid performing, mainstream PC that offers a full PC experience for a variety of uses.
Optional Configurations
As mentioned above, this unit is configurable with many upgrade options. For example, you want a larger HDD? You can get up to a 1TB HDD installed. Higher end graphics? Yep, order an ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330 GPU and you have one powerful little work horse. Here is a list of upgrade options:
CPU: Up to an AMD Athlon™ Neo X2 6850e processor
Graphics: Optional ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330 GPU
Memory: Up to 8GB of DDR2 800
HDD: Up to 1TB
ODD: DVD or Blu-ray drive option available
Wireless: Optional 802.11 b, g, or n
Colors: 9 color lid options to choose from (see below)
OS Options:
Windows® Vista Home Basic 32bit
Windows® 7 Home Premium 64Bit
Windows® 7 Professional 64Bit
Windows® 7 Ultimate 64Bit
Pricing and Availability
According to my friends at Dell, the Inspiron Zino HD will start at $229 for the base configuration (AMD Athlon™ 2650e processor, 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 8X DVD drive, Windows Vista Basic). Yes, you read that correctly, $229! This is an incredible starting price point for such a capable system in such a small form factor. Dell also told me that the unit will be available both online and through retail outlets. Units are available online today from Dell but expect a month or two (typical retail stocking times) before systems will be available on store shelves. Prices are in USD, see your local Dell.com site for regional pricing.
User Experience
My initial goal was to test this as a great, small form factor HTPC. As such, I spent a good deal of time testing the box in a home theater environment. And it did most things very well.
From the moment I opened up the packaging, and powered it up, the process was smooth and user friendly. The device immediately went through the set up process without any hiccups. I was able to easily set up the user accounts and Media Center. Once everything was completed, I decided to install additional software to open up the experience a little, like Hulu’s Desktop application and Arcsoft’s Total Media Theater.
I wanted to test Blu-ray playback but since my unit did not have a Blu-ray player installed, I was unable to test that functionality.
Playing Content-
Once all that was done, the fun really began. I first played a couple of different DVDs to evaluate playback quality. I was not disappointed. With a handful of DVDs, some more intensive than others, the system played them all back smoothly without dropping frames thanks in part to AMD’s UVD hardware acceleration technology.
Next I loaded up some Hulu content via both the Hulu website and their Desktop application. With the latest Flash player from Adobe, the system did pretty well. I played content from both Hulu’s website and using their Hulu DT application. Both versions played very well. In addition to the Hulu content, I tried the new Internet TV functions integrated into Media Center. After updating the flash player plug in for Media Center, again, content played back smooth and without issues. Not wanting to limit the experience to Hulu or Media Center, I also tried content directly from ABC’s website, again smooth playback. Lastly, I tried content from YouTube with great success as well. Now this mix certainly does not reflect all the different websites and content that exists, but I think it does provide some idea of what you might expect.
When placing your order, it should be noted that the current version of Flash player does not take advantage of the hardware acceleration via the graphics chip. Therefore, flash playback is very CPU intensive and the more robust or faster the processor, the smoother the playback (assuming you are not limited by your internet connection). Likewise, if a future version of Adobe’s Flash player supports hardware acceleration, playback of Flash content should be even better.
Thanks to my coworkers in Canada, I managed to get my hands on a new USB TV Tuner (based upon the ATI Theater™ HD 750 tuner) and connect it to the Zino HD. Windows® 7 immediately recognized the tuner and installed the appropriate drivers. After a quick set up in Media Center, I was able to watch live and DVR local broadcast content in HD (using my HD capable monitor) without any issues. Playback of both live and recorded TV content was clear, smooth and stutter free. Signal strength was good but of course that is highly dependent on terrain, distance from towers, etc. but needless to say, it was a pleasant experience with the ATI Theater HD 750- based TV tuner and the Zino HD combination.
Now, I did run into a stuttering issue playing back recorded TV over the wireless N network. However, I don’t believe this to be an issue with the Dell hardware because when I watch the same content live or recorded locally on the HDD it plays back just fine. Likewise, if I pause the streamed recorded TV content being played back, it will play fine for a while before it starts stuttering again. Therefore, this would appear to be something limiting on my wireless network. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to debug the issue at the time of this posting.
Integrated Wireless-
The integrated wireless N adapter worked exceptionally well. I had full bars and it worked even better than my USB wireless N adapter that I normally use for my bedroom HTPC. The Windows® 7 Home Group functionality makes adding systems and sharing content very easy. With a couple of quick clicks, I was able to see the media on my main HTPC without issue. Movies streamed from my main HTPC played back very well– again no dropped frames and the picture quality looked excellent. Likewise, music and pictures were also easily streamed from the main HTPC to the Inspiron Zino HD without issue. Therefore, other than the minor issue with recorded TV content, streaming over the network was very solid and smooth.
Storing CDs to drive-
I also decided to load some music content on the local drive so I popped in a couple of CDs to see how well the system was able to convert music in different formats. The results were quick and again, local and remote content played back smoothly. Speaking of storage, the device does have 2 eSATA ports so external storage can be easily added if you run out of space on the HDD.
Power Draw-
After bringing the unit back to work, I connected it up to a Kill-A-Watt meter to see how the power draw was going to be on this machine. Now, power draw did vary as expected based upon different use cases (DVD, streaming internet content, etc.). At idle (staring at the desktop), the system was using a mere 29W. When I streamed content from Hulu (via Hulu DT), the system was drawing about 40W while DVD playback was about 37W. With such low power operation, no high speed fans were necessary to keep this unit cool, bringing me to my next topic — noise levels.
Noise Level-
While I did not have a noise meter handy, it is worth noting that under all these circumstances, the box remained very quiet. Even in the quietest of rooms, the system is only barely perceptible. In most cases, I needed to put my ear within a few inches of the PC to hear it. I even left it on overnight in my bedroom and it was only noticeable if you were listening for it. Dell did an excellent job of keeping this PC almost silent.
For me, this computer makes for an excellent small form factor HTPC. However I think it would be equally at home for college students in a dorm room for example that have little desk space and need a system to function both as a PC and an entertainment device. Likewise, this could make for a great kitchen PC, where you might want to have a PC nearby when cooking, looking up web recipes, and more. This unit could also function as a kid’s PC where you might not need high end gaming performance but want something small and quiet.
I am hoping to get my hands on the version that has the Blu-ray drive and the ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4330 GPU in the near future. If I do, I will certainly post a blog on that one as well so stay tuned.
There is so much more I would have like to have covered but I think I have rambled on enough. To our friends at Dell, I say congratulations on a job well done. To our AMD@Home blog readers, this is quite a capable little device that was whisper quiet with low power requirements. It was able to handle just about everything I could throw at it without issue. Even at the base configuration, to have such an elegantly designed, HD capable machine available at for $229 from Dell is astounding. It would be hard to build a similar machine yourself at that price. I think I know what is going on my Christmas list — now I just need to worry if I have been good enough this year.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Netflix and Internet TV on Windows® 7, have you seen it?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 1:34 PM
Microsoft updates Windows® 7, just before launch…and it is very cool!
Back in June, I wrote a brief blog on some interesting developments from Microsoft, Hulu and YouTube. I covered how each of these vendors had released news and/or applications to bring more content to the HTPC in new and exciting ways. At that point in time, Microsoft’s announcement of Netflix integration into Media Center was strictly limited to Windows Vista®. However, I had suggested that they would include this integration into Windows® 7 by launch time. Well, I am happy to say that Microsoft released an update for Windows 7 in the past couple of days that now adds Netflix. However, Microsoft did not stop with just the Netflix integration; the update includes support for the Adobe Flash player and even more mainstream content from content providers like CBS, NBC, PBS and others, offering both current shows like ‘How I Met Your Mother’, ‘Dateline’ and ’60 Minutes’ to classic shows like ‘Star Trek’, ‘Twilight Zone’, ‘MacGyver’ and more.
If you have not seen this yet, Hack 7MC has a nice overview on the new features added to Windows 7.
You can also find a discussion on these new changes at The Green Button
While some may raise concerns regarding viewing quality of the content, I think this change should be viewed from a larger perspective. This change puts the framework in place for delivery of real and interesting content on Windows 7 capable PCs. I have spent some time over the past couple of nights checking out the content and while it is not HD quality, it was certainly better than low resolution web video I have seen on other sites. I’m hopeful that the visual quality of the material will be improved upon as time moves forward; it is the framework that I find really exciting.
As I stated previously, these are exciting times for the HTPC. The role of PC technology in the home is constantly changing for the better. The industry is rapidly changing, bringing more content to the consumer in ever easier ways to navigate and enjoy.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
How To: Guide for the Assembly of an HTPC
Posted by Jay Taylor in 10:18 AM
Building your own AMD technology-based HTPC, where do you start?
For those of you that have been following along our AMD@Home blog, you know I have written multiple blogs on HTPC topics such as why you might want one and the cool things you can do with it. I have even covered how I am using one at home for my family’s TV viewing needs.
For this entry, I’m adding a little flair to the blog series by taking your through the videos for the assembly of an HTPC and show how easy it is to put one together. There are a total of 9 videos in this series — most are only a couple of minutes long so it should make for easy viewing.
One of the main advantages of building your own system is that you are in control not only of the cost, but also the features and functions. You get to choose exactly what components will go into the build and a sense of pride when the job is complete.
The video series highlights the basic steps needed to assemble an HTPC. It is not necessary to follow the steps in the exact order — these are just a guideline to the assembly process. The steps and order may be specific to the chassis you are using.
To keep me and AMD out of trouble (and to keep our lawyers happy), I need to toss in the disclaimer…With any DIY build, you should ensure that you are properly grounded and building in an anti static environment so as not to damage any components. You should wear the appropriate safety gear and it is always best that trained professionals do the building. With that said, let’s take a look at the videos.
For this video, I chose the Lian Li C39 for the video build. I wanted something low profile yet still able to support a full ATX PSU and have the additional ability to upgrade further as needed. However, there are many chassis options available to meet many different needs and budgets.
Optical and Hard Disk Drive Installation
As you can see from video, installing Optical drives and Hard Drives are pretty easy. You will likely need to adjust the optical drives position so that it properly aligns with the eject button on the chassis. Also note that HDDs can create a lot of noise and vibration while spinning. The rubber grommets will help isolate vibration and keep your HTPC quiet. It is also worth mentioning that some HDDs are more suited for HTPC use than others. See my earlier blog on Industry Changes to learn more.
Power Supply Unit (PSU) Installation
With this chassis, I chose to install the PSU after setting up the drives so that I would have more room to get to the drive bay. Other chassis may follow a different order depending on how it’s laid out. Note that for an HTPC, you typically don’t need a high wattage supply so look for one that is quiet and stable rather than high wattage which can create more noise. Typically, anything over 350W should be OK for most HTPC configurations, however, this is somewhat dependent on just how many different devices you are installing.
As you can see here, I waited to install the motherboard until the other components were set up. Be careful not to scratch the bottom of the motherboard on the board standoffs/mounts. This could cause shorting or stability issues.
TIP: If the board standoffs on the chassis do not provide enough support in critical parts of the board where you might be applying pressure (installing memory, cables, etc.), get some electrical tape and roll it up (like a sleeping bag) until it is about the thickness of the standoffs. Then using another piece of electrical tape, tape it down to the chassis in the areas where you want extra support. Since the electrical tape is non conductive, it will provide support without creating a short against the motherboard.
Consult your motherboard documentation for the exact layout of the pin headers and wiring. While I did not take all the time necessary for the video, I can’t say this enough: It is important that you wrap up and tie off any unused cables. Use zip ties (zip strips) or other non metallic material to get those cables out of the way. They are not expensive so be generous when applying those zip ties. Not only will this make the inside of your chassis look better, it will greatly aid in allowing air to circulate through the chassis more effectively. Bad airflow leading to overheating components is a common cause for system stability issues. Tie Off Those Cables!
Some boards use integrated audio so you may not need to follow this step. Refer to your motherboard manufacturer to determine how the audio on your system will be set up and connected.
You will also note that because the board I am using supports integrated video, I did not need to install a discrete graphics card.
As you can see here, there are a lot of different TV tuner options for your HTPC. If you are installing a TV tuner in your HTPC, find one that best meets your needs and budget. For North American builders, it is also important to know whether you are looking for an over-the-air solution, clearQAM solution or digital cable card solution. For those in regions outside North America, you will need to determine if you need a tuner that supports DVB-T, DVB-S or other regional formats.
Most motherboards will offer a dual channel memory configuration with 4 slots. While gaming PCs or high end workstations might benefit from installing the memory in the slots nearest the CPU, HTPCs are not high demanding memory implementations. Therefore, it probably won’t make much difference which slots you choose to install the memory in. However, refer to your motherboard’s manual for the recommended procedure.
One of the final steps in this build was to install the CPU and Heatsink. Our CPU sockets are often referred to as ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) sockets. This means it should require no force to install the CPU. The CPU should just drop into the socket once the lever is raised. If you have to apply any pressure to install the CPU…STOP. This means that there is a problem somewhere. Perhaps the pins are not properly aligned with the socket holes, the socket lever is not raised or some other issue has occurred.
With the assembly complete, you are just about ready to power up and start installing the operating system, drivers and applications. Soon you will be on your way to enjoying your new HTPC and all the functions and features it offers. Again, if you would prefer a pre built system, you might want to read through my Build or Buy blog post.
You can find these and other AMD related videos on our AMD Unprocessed Channel on Youtube.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Building an HTPC on a Budget (part 2)
Posted by Jay Taylor in 8:33 AM
A hardware roundup – The Mainstream/Mid Level Build!
As stated in the first part of this blog series, I have seen different sites put together a list of potential HTPC hardware for budgets under $1000 USD. While many of these sites are showcasing some nice systems, I think there are multiple ways to approach this project. As such, I put together my own list for a potential HTPC build while offering some options to hit different price points — entry level, mainstream/mid level and higher end systems — each less than $1000 USD. In part one, I covered the basic entry level system. It served as a starting point for a system that could be easily upgraded. This time, I want to look at some upgrades we can do to the entry level system to enhance the features/functions of the HTPC that make it more of a mainstream system.
So what can you expect from a mainstream HTPC build? It should be able to easily handle all the same tasks as the entry level build and more. With the mainstream system, we can add Blu-ray playback, transcoding content for portable devices, streaming content to other devices (other PCs, extenders, etc.) and TV tuning functionality.
I would like to point out, these are just guideposts to provide a frame of reference for feature sets, functions and price points. Some features may be more important than others to you as the reader. Therefore, you may want to consider changing individual components to better meet your needs. I am listing some optional equipment for your consideration. I have tried to note component choices that are unchanged from the entry build and those that are upgrades.
Motherboard (Unchanged)
Like before, at the heart of any HTPC platform is the motherboard and critical to the motherboard is the chipset. So, starting with the Gigabyte GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H board from last time, this board has a host of features that make for a good HTPC system. Being uATX, it can be put into a reasonably sized chassis (think ~VCR size). It is based upon the AMD RS785G chipset so it has great video performance and supports HD resolutions (including Blu-ray), when combined with an HD monitor. The UVD-2 support along with the powerful integrated graphics and 128MB of sideport memory provide smooth video playback. The HDMI output offers easy connectivity to your HD TV. All-in-all, this makes for a good solution for the HTPC.
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H $94.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128399&Tpk=GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H
CPU (Upgrade)
As stated earlier, processing power plays an important role in an HTPC. Depending on what it is you want to do with your HTPC, you may need more speed in your CPU or you may need more cores in your CPU. To improve the system responsiveness in transcoding as well as to deliver more horsepower to the system so it can handle multiple video streams to other devices on the network, I opted for the AMD PhenomTM II X3 705e triple-core processor. This is a nice balance between frequency and core count, yet still a low power processor at 65W.
CPU: AMD PhenomTM II X3 705e triple-core processor $129.00
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4695460&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE
CPU Cooler (Optional Upgrade)
This one can be a little harder to address. When buying an AMD Processor In a Box (PIB) product, the heatsink will generally come with the CPU purchase in a nice box. These can be very effective and quiet coolers for most HTPC tasks. However, there are some solutions out there designed for quiet operation. Some are low profile while others are passive (no fan) solutions. Therefore, in addition to the stock cooler, I am providing some optional cooling solutions for those that are interested. However, I am not adding these into the overall pricing since the stock cooler is great for most HTPC builds.
Scythe Mini Ninja is a nice cooler with a quiet design. However, it may not fit in all chassis designs. $35.99
http://www.directron.com/scmnj1100.html
Noiselimit Silent Flux Media Cooler is another nice option. It too is a quiet design with a low profile. $39.99
http://www.directron.com/3100003.html
Memory (Unchanged)
Now for memory. There are not a lot of optimizations a memory vendor can do for an HTPC type scenario. Unlike video games applications or other mainstream desktop applications, HTPCs don’t need the fastest memory available. Likewise, they don’t necessarily need huge amounts of memory to provide great performance. I have found that 2GB is a pretty good amount of memory to start with for an HTPC. Rule of thumb is to get as much as possible of the fastest memory that fits within your budget. For cost effectiveness, brand recognition and performance, I chose to go with memory from Kingston for this build.
Memory: Kingston 2GB Kit (2×1GB) of DDR3 1066 $46.49 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134492
Note: It is a good idea to check with your board manufacturer for compatible memory. It should also be pointed out that if you are using a 32 bit operating system, anything over 4GBs will not be recognized by the system (actually about 3.5GB will be seen by the OS).
Audio (Included)
One thing I did not mention last time was the audio solution. Depending on your audio requirements, the motherboard has multiple options to handle audio. Audio can be run over HDMI to your AVR or TV or alternatively, you can pass the audio over the optical SPDIF port controlled by the the Realtek codec on board (RT889 chip).
HDD (Upgrade)
Vendors like Seagate, Samsung, Western Digital, and Hitachi also offer a variety of products for the PC space. Like AMD, they have some products that target the lower power environment. Seagate’s Pipeline HD series, Western Digital’s Green series, Samsung’s EcoGreen and Hitachi’s Cinemastar series drives are optimized for low power and quiet operation. These drives typically have fluid bearings, improved firmware and thermals that make them well suited for HTPC applications. Like memory, more storage is usually a good thing for an HTPC.
For this system, I opted to go with a larger drive to allow more room for storage of content. However, one option to consider is having a multi drive system. For example, 1 drive for the OS + applications and 1 drive for content storage (shows, pictures, music, etc). In that case, 1 smaller drive and 1 larger drive might better serve your needs.
HDD: Samsung Eco Green 1TB Green HDD $79.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152173
Optical Disk Drive (ODD) (Upgrade)
Selecting an optical drive can be a little challenging because it is often hard to tell the advantages of one over another. I have used a variety of drives over the years — some more reliable than others and some quieter than others. However, for me when it comes to the HTPC discussion, it boils down to DVD vs. Blu-ray. With the format war over and Blu-ray drive prices coming down, it does make for a nice upgrade to the HTPC.
ODD: Lite-On Blu-ray ROM (OEM version) $59.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106325
Note: Drive listed is the OEM version. It may or may not ship with Blu-ray playback software Retail versions typically ship with additional software. However, I am listing some optional Blu-ray software below that has worked well for me.
Chassis (Upgrade)
In an earlier blog, I covered some of the different chassis solutions on the market. Selecting a chassis really depends on personal tastes, budget, room decor, etc. The criteria I used below included a combination of price and functionality, yet still fitting the overall HTPC look and feel. In this case, I am listing a couple of options that can be nice choices for an HTPC. However, adjust your choice and budget based upon your own goals.
The nMedia chassis has a nice feature set supporting multiple HDDs, full ATX PSU, good airflow and full size card support.
nMedia H1000b $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204030
The Antec chassis is a low profile solution that supports a pretty small footprint. It offers an integrated PSU, front panel display and remote control and adjustable speed chassis fans. However, note that being low profile, it may not work with your CPU cooler. Be sure to check the dimensions of your preferred cooler to ensure compatibility with this chassis.
Antec uFusion Remote 350 $99.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129046
Power Supply Unit (PSU) (Optional Upgrade)
In the previous blog, I mentioned that Power Supplies are an important part of an HTPC build. The Antec chassis I used this time also included a 350W PSU which is pretty good for most HTPC configurations using this chassis. However, the other chassis does support a standard ATX type PSU, which greatly opens up the option for selecting quiet, reliable supplies.
For the mainstream build with the nMedia chassis, I opted for the Corsair 450VX. This is one of the more quiet PSUs I have had the pleasure of working with on previous HTPC builds.
Corsair 450VX PSU $74.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139003
TV Tuner (Optional Upgrade)
Now, to me this is a really nice addition to an HTPC. There are some that will argue that TV tuners provide no real value since you can find just about anything online. For some, this may be true, but others find a great deal of value in a TV Tuner card. In fact, some people (like myself) install multiple tuners so they can watch/record multiple shows at one time. Being able to combine broadcast TV with online TV content is somewhat of a best of both worlds approach. Likewise, some tuners not only support ATSC content (Digital OTA broadcasts) but also support Clear QAM content from cable companies. Therefore, you may want to consider adding a TV Tuner to your HTPC build.
As mentioned in an earlier blog, I used this hybrid approach of TV tuners + online content to cancel my satellite service and save money each month. The TV Tuner provides me with some really nice HD content for free (over the air TV content) and I have the option of using my HTPC as a DVR as well. For everything else, I just go online.
For this build I opted for the TV Wonder 650 card from Diamond Multimedia. There is also a retail version of this unit that comes with additional hardware and software for just a little more money. It is nice to have but not required, since the OEM units will work just fine as well. I should also point out that the tuner listed is a combo tuner which means it has 2 fully functional tuners integrated into the design and both can operate at the same time. You can opt for a Hybrid tuner which also has two tuners, but only one can be active at a time. This can save you a little money if budgets are tight. I am using two of the ATI branded version of this card and it works great.
TV Tuner: Diamond TV Wonder 650 $84.99 (OEM Version)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815306018
Now, the unit does come with a remote, but I recommend using the standard MCE remote below along with the media center software from Microsoft. It makes things very simple to set up and use.
Note: Make sure you purchase the appropriate tuner card interface (PCI or PCIe®) to match the available slot on your motherboard.
Remote Control (Unchanged)
The Remote Control is another important piece of your HTPC. I have already posted about this in part 1 and part 2 of the series. Microsoft’s Media Center product that is included with some versions of their operating system does a very nice job of bringing the “10-foot experience” to the PC. While the basic remote is certainly one option, there are some remotes that provide more functionality than the basic remote and are programmable so you may be able to simplify at the same time. Therefore, you might want to read through the series on remote controls to see what options are out there. However, for the sake of simplicity, I am keeping the same remote option for this build.
Remote: Anywhere Media Center Remote with IR receiver $22.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121001
Keyboard/Mouse (Unchanged)
Similar to remotes, keyboards are another important part of your HTPC solution. See part 1 of the Remote Control series for more info on keyboard options. For this build, I kept the choice of the Logitech keyboard/mouse Bluetooth solution for both range and functionality. Having both keyboard and mouse functionality out of the same device makes it easy to use.
Keyboard: Logitech Mediaboard Pro $69.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16879212011
Operating System (Unchanged)
There are many different options here and many people will have their own opinion of what operating system to use. With Microsoft® Windows® 7 just around the corner (October 22nd expected release date), it is probably worthwhile to wait and use that as everything I have seen with Windows 7 looks to be very impressive for both general PC duties in addition to HTPC duties. (A Windows 7 capable PC configuration will be required.) Linux® is another very viable option and very cost effective. However, you might need more experience with setting up and configuring a Linux based system to get everything working to your liking.
Blue-ray Software (Optional)
Microsoft’s media player included with their OS works great for standard DVD playback. However, it is not capable of playing back Blue-ray discs. As such, additional software is needed. As mentioned above, some Blu-ray drives will ship with the necessary s/w for Blu-ray playback and like many drive s/w bundles, it may or may not work well for you. I have found some Blu-ray playback s/w that has worked pretty well for me.
Arcsoft Total Media Theater
http://www.arcsoft.com/estore/software_title.asp?ProductCode=TMT3P
Cyberlink Power DVD
http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdvd/overview_en_US.html
Conclusion
OK, that covers most of the components you will need for the mainstream system. The total cost of the hardware listed above starts at $688.42 USD + operating system. I did not include the playback s/w nor the optional coolers in the cost because as mentioned some ODD drives come bundled with playback s/w and the stock cooler works well for most HTPC builds.
Overall, you can see that by increasing the budget about $250, we can greatly increase the functionality and features of the HTPC by adding Blu-ray playback, Live TV playback via a TV tuner, DVR functionality, better CPU horsepower for streaming and transcoding, etc. and a more aesthetically appealing chassis. Still well below the $1000.00 USD and we get a very functional HTPC that can probably handle just about anything you throw at it. If your budget is somewhere between the entry build and the mainstream system, this should give you an idea of different upgrade options to get more features that fit within your budget.
Note, I am listing prices in US dollars found online as of the day this was written. These are not the only sources for hardware and there are plenty of choices on where to purchase. Likewise, this does not reflect shipping, rebates, bundle deals, etc. or online retailers for readers in other countries. So do your homework to get the best deals when you purchase and you may be able to get even better prices than what’s listed here.
For those that would rather purchase a pre configured HTPC, see my “Build or Buy?” blog posting.
So, as you can see, building a mainstream HTPC does cost more, but you also get more functionality. Again, don’t look at this blog as a hard requirement but more of a sign post to help you along the way. If there are functions that are more/less important to you, feel free to swap out a more suitable part for your needs and budget.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Anyone Seen the Remote? (Part 2 on Controlling your HTPC)
Posted by Jay Taylor in 12:02 PM
(5 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
Lean Back Technology for your HTPC!
So, you’ve got this fancy new HTPC, but how do you use it? Well, I thought we would take a look at the various options for controlling your HTPC. I am splitting this post into a two part series covering both keyboard and mice, plus wand style solutions. In the first post of this series, I covered a few options for keyboards and mice. This time, I will spend a little time covering the wand style remotes. Like previous posts on technology, products covered are limited to what I had immediately available — not intended to cover all the different options out there. Likewise, this is not intended to be a review of all the different solutions, just an introduction to a few available products.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a few of these different solutions for testing thanks to our technology partners. As such, I brought these devices home for a brief period so I could see how my family liked them. I know, I said I should never use my family as beta testers, but this seemed a little different and I felt it would be more useful to provide their feedback in addition to mine to provide a wider cross section of user experiences. More about their responses later on.
The ultimate goal of the HTPC for me is that I would never have need of a keyboard or mouse and that I could do everything with a remote in hand. As covered in the “What Can an HTPC Do?” series (part 1 and part 2), I showed you a lot of what you can do with just a remote in hand. So, it made a lot of sense to try out a few different wand style remotes and see how well they get along with Windows® Media Center.
Technology
Similar to technology used for wireless keyboards, wand style remotes leverage infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF) and Bluetooth (BT) based technologies. The difference can impact cost, reliability, line of sight, distance, and other factors. IR solutions are typically the cheapest solutions to implement and the most common. However, RF and BT technologies are starting to show up more in remote controls as well.
Some remotes have integrated cursor control via a track ball or gyro (like a Wii controller). Now, I personally feel that the integrated solution is a really nice feature that eliminates the need for a separate mouse, but if most of your time is spent inside applications like Media Center, then this may be less important.
Other features found in some remotes are touch screens and rechargeable batteries. These can be a nice touch (no pun intended) as the screens can make some functions easier to use. The recharging station is often handy and can save the consumer the hassle of changing batteries and can also be more convenient. This is especially true when the remote has a screen on it as well since that screen can drain the battery pretty quickly. Not all remotes offer recharging stations so be sure to check the package before making your purchase if that is important to you.
Some vendors will include software applications and drivers with their remotes. Some of these applications can be useful for media playback, programming hotkeys and buttons, etc. These may also automatically check for version updates for you, but this can also happen at less than ideal times. However, you often have control over when these updates should or should not take place. So, let’s look at a few different solutions (in no particular order).
nMedia PC
One of the first RF remotes I tried was the remote with the nMedia PC RF keyboard and remote combo package.
This has almost a pistol grip type feel. If feels very solid in construction with a rubberized coating. It offers a host of buttons for different operations along with an integrated track ball for cursor control. The array of buttons can be a little daunting as your fingers navigate their way around the remote, but with practice you will quickly learn where the most used buttons are located and be using them without looking. Using the trackball can take a little practice, especially if you are more familiar using a full size mouse in a desktop environment, but again it does not take long to get accustomed to the trackball. As mentioned, cursor control can add a nice touch when you leave the Media Center environment and have to navigate the desktop screen — having that trackball available can really add value. The included USB RF receiver is nice and eliminates the need for line of sight. There is an option to bundle the keyboard with a remote as well so this option can be a great, cost effective solution for those on a tight budget.
Microsoft
Another interesting solution comes from Microsoft. Microsoft has a basic IR Media Center remote control with a USB receiver. This has a very comfortable feel in the hand. Most of the buttons are large and easy to find. Microsoft also used back lighting on some of the more commonly used buttons (Play, Pause, FF, Rew, etc.) so they are easier to find in low light situations. However, they only light up after an initial button press and then stay lit for about 5 seconds or so. It has a clearly labeled “Green Button” so you can quickly launch Media Center or return to the main menu if already in Media Center. The quick access Guide button will pull up your EPG with ease (assuming you have a TV tuner installed), and the channel up/down and volume up/down all work as you would expect from a typical wand style remote. It also has the IR receiver (via USB connection) on an extended cable so you can easily route the receiver to just about any location (within reason).
While it does not offer cursor control, there is a 3rd party application that you can install that is supposed to provide that type of functionality, though I did not try it at the time of this posting.
Gyration
Gyration offers a couple of remote control solutions for the HTPC. They initially offered their Media Center Remote product, but are now offering a second remote called the Air Music Remote. The difference between the two remotes is that the Air Music Remote offers an LCD screen that can be used to navigate to music options. They both use 2.4Ghz RF technology so line of sight is not an issue. Range seems to be pretty good as well, though admittedly, my couch is only about 12 feet from the remote. I would recommend using a USB extension cable to get the USB receiver out from behind the metal chassis — it does help improve the responsiveness of the remote.
Unfortunately, I did not have access to the Air Music remote to give it a try but I am currently using the Media Center remote. The Gyration remote works very well for Media Center navigation and operation. What makes the remote interesting for me is the integrated cursor control. It does take some getting used to, but once you do, it works very nicely. The “Green Button” along with navigation control works well inside Media Center and by adding cursor control, so I can easily exit Media Center, open a browser window and quickly navigate my bookmarked sites. I can watch Internet streaming TV content without ever picking up a keyboard. Buttons are large enough to find easily by touch without being either too obtrusive or too small. It is programmable so you can set it up to power up/down other devices and gain some limited functional control over those other devices. Overall, I am pleased with the operation of the remote and I use it regularly for my HTPC.
Logitech
Logitech has some great products as well, two of which are nice remote controls for HTPC user. The Logitech Harmony OneTM and the Logitech Harmony 1100TM are programmable remotes for all your devices. Like the Microsoft solution above, the Logitech solutions listed leverage IR technology. Both Harmony remotes come with recharging stands to keep the batteries fresh. The Harmony 1100 can go through a charge within a few days so having the charging station nearby is great for keeping it handy and keeping it charged.
The Harmony One is a great remote and very flexible. One of the biggest features on the Harmony remotes is their programmability. If you are like many users, you may have multiple devices under your TV — perhaps a stereo amplifier, DVD player, HTPC and other devices. The Harmony One offers the ability to connect to a PC and sync up with downloaded command codes for different devices along with customized icons. While universal remotes are commonplace, the difference here is that you have the option to customize buttons. The Harmony One has “hard buttons” and “soft buttons” and you can program each of these buttons to specific functions if you wish. For example, you can change the function of the Menu hard button to act as the “Green Button” to launch Media Center. Likewise, you could program the Exit hard button to act as a “MCE back button”. Furthermore, you can program and label the soft buttons to various functions as well and then operate those soft buttons via a touch screen. This really drives a level of flexibility not found on many other remotes.
The Harmony 1100 is somewhat of the “uber” remote. It too provides a level of flexibility and programmability found in other Harmony devices. However, it has fewer hard buttons and does most of its magic through programmable soft buttons operated via a touch screen. Like many Harmony remotes, it provides extensive 1 button action to turn on multiple devices and set up the devices for a specific operation. For example, you can set up a remote soft button as a “play DVD” that will turn on your TV, select the appropriate input, turn on your DVD player and start playback of the DVD. This makes for a very easy to operate remote. Like the Harmony One, it also has the basic up/down/left/right navigation hard buttons for easy Media Center operation. Included are volume up/down and channel up/down as well. The Harmony remotes can also be used to access the various functions of your other devices as well. For example, screen layout, PiP, Picture swap, etc. can all be programmed to soft buttons. These are incredibly flexible remote solutions.
To me, the real strength of the Harmony remotes is when you have multiple boxes to control and you want full access to control all those other devices with an easy to use remote. It may take you a few times through the Remote Set up process on your PC to get everything exactly as you want it, but once you do, it is a really nice solution. It is important to note though that if your HTPC chassis does not have an IR sensor, you will need to pick up one (i.e. USB IR receiver) so the remote will work with your HTPC.
User Experience
Like the keyboard blog I posted, it is difficult to write in depth about the full user experience and functionality of all these remotes in a single post so I will be brief. Each one of these products could easily deserve its own post, therefore, I would suggest that you read some in depth reviews and go to the product pages to get a list of the full functionality offered by each of these products as well as to learn what other solutions are out there that might best meet your needs.
User experiences of these solutions differ from one unit to the next and also from one person to the next. Everyone in my family quickly adapted to all the different remotes. However, each also found their favorites. I found the Gyration remote to provide enough functionality to power up/down other devices along with easy navigation both inside and outside Media Center. While not as programmable as the Logitech products, the integrated mouse functionality was great. Others in the family really liked the one button ease of use of the Harmony products. Their flexibility to be able to operate so many things and the touch screen functionality was pretty impressive. For those on a tighter budget both the Microsoft Media Center remote and the nMedia combo solutions offer great value and functionality. I don’t think there is any one, right solution as each of these solutions should work equally well. It just depends on what your needs might be to determine which remote works best for you. If you have some feedback about this blog or have some info you would like to share on your favorite HTPC keyboard solution, please feel free to leave a comment.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied
Building an HTPC on a Budget (part 1)
Posted by Jay Taylor in 8:43 PM
A hardware roundup – The Entry Level Build!
I have seen different sites put together a list of potential HTPC hardware for budgets under $1000 USD. While many of these sites are showcasing some nice systems, I think there are multiple ways to approach this project. As such, I put together my own list for a potential HTPC build while offering some options to hit different price points — entry level, mainstream/mid level and higher end systems — each less than $1000 USD. So here’s the first part of the series: The Entry Level Build.
For me, there are two things that drive my decision process when making a component selection for an HTPC; product performance/features and cost. I want technology that will offer good performance, aimed at the HTPC space, yet will not “break the bank”. As I outlined in my previous blogs, the HTPC does not require the absolute highest performance products, nor should it be about buying the cheapest products. What the HTPC needs is a combination of more balanced products that offer good performance and low power draw — all within a reasonable budget. I have seen too many individuals less that satisfied with their HTPCs because they bought the absolute highest performance products on the market and their HTPC was just too loud. Similarly, I have seen many others buy the cheapest products they could find only to realize their HTPC could not handle the tasks they desired.
So what can you expect from an entry level HTPC build? An entry level system can handle many of your standard HTPC duties. It should be able to offer smooth HD playback without dropping frames. It should handle most streamed online content (think Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, etc.). It should be able to drive HD resolutions (1080p, 720p) and do a decent job of upscaling standard DVDs. It should be able to play most mainstream games at lower resolutions (1024 x 768, 800 x 600, etc.) and still look good. However, check with the game manufacturer for complete system requirements.
Motherboard
At the heart of any HTPC platform is the motherboard and critical to the motherboard is the chipset. For this entry level budget HTPC build, I opted for the Gigabyte GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H. This board has a host of features that make for a good HTPC system. Being uATX, it can be put into a reasonably sized chassis (think ~VCR size). It is based upon the AMD RS785 chipset so it has great video performance and supports HD Resolutions (including Blu-ray), when combined with an HD monitor. The UVD-2 support is really useful for hardware acceleration of video related content. The powerful integrated graphics eliminates the need for a discrete card (saving power and money). The HDMI output offers easy connectivity to your HD TV. All-in-all, this makes for a good solution for the HTPC.
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H $94.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128399&Tpk=GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H
CPU
Processing power plays an important role in an HTPC. Depending on what it is you want to do with your HTPC, you may need more speed in your CPU or you may need more cores in your CPU. For example, if you will be using your HTPC to do a lot of transcoding, a CPU with more cores will offer you better performance. However, some applications may benefit from higher frequencies. You should really look at all the applications you are going to be using with your HTPC and determine if those applications would benefit from more cores or higher frequencies. In any case, you will still want low power CPUs for their superior thermal performance. The processor I selected for this entry build is the AMD AthlonTM II X2 240 dual-core processor. It is a dual core, low power processor that offers a great performance for the price.
CPU: AMD AthlonTM II X2 240 dual-core processor $60.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103688
CPU Cooler
This one can be a little harder to address. When buying an AMD Processor In a Box (PIB) product, the heatsink will generally come with the CPU purchase in a nice box. These can be very effective and quiet coolers for most HTPC tasks.
Memory
Now for memory. There are not a lot of optimizations a memory vendor can do for an HTPC type scenario. Unlike video games applications or other mainstream desktop applications, HTPCs don’t need the fastest memory available. Likewise, they don’t necessarily need huge amounts of memory to provide great performance. I have found that 2GB is a pretty good amount of memory to start with for an HTPC. Rule of thumb is to get as much of the fastest memory that fits within your budget. For cost effectiveness, brand recognition and performance, I chose to go with memory from Kingston for this build.
Memory: Kingston 2GB Kit (2×1GB) of DDR3 1066 $43.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134492
Note: if you are using a 32 bit operating system, anything over 4GBs will not be recognized by the system (actually about 3.5GB will be seen by the OS).
HDD
Vendors like Seagate, Western Digital, and Hitachi also offer a variety of products for the PC space. Like AMD, they have some products that target this lower power environment. Seagate’s Pipeline HD series, Western Digital’s Green series, and Hitachi’s Cinemastar series drives are optimized for low power and quiet operation. These drives typically have fluid bearings, improved firmware and thermals that make them more suited for HTPC applications. Like memory, more storage is usually a good thing for an HTPC. If you plan on doing a lot of recording of TV, storing movies, music, etc. then again, purchasing as much storage as your budget allows is probably a good thing. For this build I chose the Western Digital 500GB Green drive.
HDD: Western Digital 500GB Green HDD $54.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136358
Optical Disk Drive (ODD)
Selecting an optical drive can be a little challenging because it is often hard to tell the advantages of one over another. I have used a variety of drives over the years — some more reliable than others and some quieter than others. However, for me when it comes to the HTPC discussion, it boils down to DVD vs. Blu-ray. With the HD DVD / Blu-ray format war over, it does make the decision a little easier, but you still really need to look at what you are planning to do and how much you want to budget for the ODD. Upscaled DVD content can look very good on an HDTV. In my opinion, the clarity of Blu-ray really starts to show up at screen sizes larger than 50 inches. At 50 inches and below, upscaled DVD can look very nice and can save the consumer some money. Therefore, to keep costs within an entry level price point, I opted for a standard DVD.
ODD: Lite-On DVD ROM $17.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106274
Chassis
In an earlier blog, I covered some of the different chassis solutions on the market. Selecting a chassis really depends on personal tastes, budget, room decor, etc. The criteria I used below included a combination of price and functionality, yet still fitting the overall HTPC look and feel. However, adjust your budget based upon your own goals.
Chassis: HEC SECC 7K09 $54.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121027
Power Supply
Included in Chassis for this build. PSU selection is an important topic and we will talk more about this in upcoming blog.
Remote Control
The Remote Control is another important piece of your HTPC. I have already posted part 1 of the 2 part series on remote controls and I am currently working on the second part of that series. Microsoft’s Media Center product that is included with some versions of their operating system does a very nice job of bringing the “10-foot experience” to the PC. They make it very easy to access things like live and recorded TV (assuming you have a TV tuner installed), music, photos and more with just a remote. In fact, I have my HTPC set up so that I rarely (if ever) need to pick up a keyboard. As such, I think every HTPC user should add a remote to their configuration. Some higher-end remotes can be very expensive while offering more functionality, but may not be required for many of the basic functions of the HTPC. For a budget solution, I opted for the basic IR-based Media Center remote from Anywhere.
Remote: Anywhere Media Center Remote with IR receiver $22.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121001
Keyboard/Mouse
Similar to remotes, keyboards are another important part of your HTPC solution. See part 1 of the Remote Control series for more info on keyboard options. For this budget build, I chose the Logitech keyboard/mouse Bluetooth solution for both range and functionality. Having both keyboard and mouse functionality out of the same device makes it easy to use. You could buy a separate keyboard and mouse as an option, but you would probably be close to this same price anyway.
Keyboard: Logitech Mediaboard Pro $69.99 USD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16879212011
Operating System
There are many different options here and many people will have their own opinion of what operating system to use. For simplicity, I am suggesting Microsoft’s Windows Vista® Home Premium solution. However, with Microsoft® Windows® 7 just around the corner, it may be worthwhile to wait and use that instead. Everything I have seen with Windows 7 looks to be very impressive for both general PC duties in addition to HTPC duties. (A Windows 7 capable PC configuration will be required.) Linux® is another very viable option and very cost effective. However, you might need more experience with setting up and configuring a Linux based system to get everything working to your liking.
OS: Windows Vista® Home Premium $99.99 USD (or wait for Windows® 7 Home Premium)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116485
OK, that covers most of the components you will need. The total cost of the hardware listed above comes to $420.92 USD + $99.99 USD for the operating system. Not a bad price for everything you are getting. Prices do not reflect any rebates or discounts that might be available nor does it include shipping costs. Sometimes you can get bundle deals, free shipping, etc. So do your research to get the best deals when you purchase and you may be able to get even better prices than what’s listed here.
Note, I am listing prices in US dollars found on Newegg as of the day this was written. They are not the only source and there are plenty of choices on where to purchase.
For those that would rather purchase a pre configured HTPC, see my “Build or Buy?” blog posting.
So, as you can see, building a budget HTPC is not all that expensive plus you can get very robust functionality. In the next part of this series, we will look at a mainstream, mid level build and bump up some of the functions and features to get a more robust HTPC experience.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Anyone Seen the Remote? (Part 1 on Controlling your HTPC)
Posted by Jay Taylor in 10:28 AM
Lean Back Technology for your HTPC!
So, you’ve got this fancy new HTPC, but how do you use it? Well, I thought we would take a look at the various options for controlling your HTPC. I am splitting this post into a two part series covering both keyboard and mice solutions in the first post while wand style remotes will be featured in the second post. Like previous posts on technology, products covered are limited to what I had immediately available — not intended to cover all the different options out there. Likewise, this is not intended to be a review of all the different solutions, just an introduction to a few available products.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a few of these different solutions for testing thanks to our technology partners. As such, I brought these devices home for a brief period so I could see how my family liked them. I know, I said I should never use my family as beta testers, but this seemed a little different and I felt it would be more useful to provide their feedback in addition to mine to provide a wider cross section of user experiences. More about their responses later on.
Keyboards and mice come in many different flavors; some are clearly aimed at the desk environment with their cables running to the back of your PC (aka the 2 foot experience). They provide little value in a living room setting while you are sitting on the couch. However, with the advent of wireless keyboards, you are no longer tethered to your PC.
The ultimate goal of the HTPC for me is that I would never have need of a keyboard or mouse and that I could do everything with a remote in hand. As covered in the “What Can an HTPC Do?” series (part 1 and part 2), I showed you a lot of what you can do with just a remote in hand. However, as mentioned, the HTPC is also a fully functional PC and therefore, the addition of a keyboard and mouse opens it up to just about all the things you could do on a traditional PC. Now, I don’t do my “PC” type activities on my HTPC, but there are a lot of different video websites that I routinely visit for TV content. Having a keyboard and mouse for searching content on those sites can be useful. So, let’s discuss some of the technologies and the options available for your HTPC.
Technology
First, it is important to understand there are various cordless keyboard technologies on the market. Some may be infrared (IR) based solutions, while others may be radio frequency (RF) or Bluetooth® (BT) based technologies. The difference can impact cost, reliability, line of sight, distance, and other factors. IR solutions are typically the cheapest solutions to implement and work in much the same way as a traditional remote control might work. Typically, they will have good range but would require direct line of sight to the sensor in order to send the keystrokes (your typing) to your HTPC. RF on the other hand is usually more common and uses radio waves to send those keystroke. These can vary in range from 3 feet to 10-15 feet or more but can be impacted by interference from other devices in the home (cordless phones, etc.) or home construction (metals used in the walls, venting, stairway rails, etc). BT keyboards are usually the most expensive solutions, but typically have the longest range and can work well at distances up to 30 feet.
Some HTPC keyboards integrate cursor control via a mouse pad (like those on laptops), a track ball or other forms into the keyboard design, while others bundle separate mice in the package. Now, I personally feel that the integrated solution is a really nice feature that eliminates the need for a separate mouse. However, these may not be ideal if you are trying to game on an HTPC. Integrated cursor control may not have the precision movement or ease of control offered by a separate mouse and therefore may not work as well in a gaming environment.
Another common feature found in HTPC style keyboards is a rechargeable battery. This is another nice touch because like any device, these can go through batteries quite often. Having a recharging deck can save the consumer the hassle of changing batteries and can also be more convenient. Not all wireless keyboards offer recharging stations so be sure to check the package before making your purchase if that is important to you.
Some vendors will include software applications and drivers with their keyboards. Some of these applications can be useful for media playback, programming hotkeys, etc. These may also automatically check for version updates for you, but this can also happen at less than ideal times. However, you often have control over when these updates should or should not take place. So, let’s look at a few different solutions (in no particular order).
Keyboards for HTPC
One of the first RF keyboards I tried was the nMedia PC RF keyboard and remote combo package.
This is a full size keyboard operating on a 2.4Ghz RF band. It has an integrated trackball on the right hand side with your left and right click buttons on the left side. Along the top edge are Internet hot keys and multimedia hot keys for quick access to common functions. The keyboard has a very nice tactile feel without being loud as you type. The overall shape has a very comfortable feel in your hands. Using the trackball can take a little practice, especially if you are more familiar using a full size mouse in a desktop environment. There is an option to bundle the keyboard with a remote as well (to be discussed in part 2 of this post). This option can be a great, cost effective solution for those on a tight budget.
Another interesting set of solutions comes from Microsoft. Microsoft has numerous wireless keyboards on the market, but they have some that specifically target Media Center type applications.
The Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 is another full size keyboard solution that integrates cursor control along with numerous other functions into the keyboard design. It is a popular choice among many HTPC enthusiasts. It uses BT technology so the range is very good. It is very thin and light and has a rechargeable battery for ease of use. It too is comfortable and quiet when typing. The many built-in hot keys bring a lot of functionality to the finger tips with a single button press. It comes bundled with a cordless mouse as well giving you a couple of options for controlling the cursor. Although more expensive than the nMedia solution mentioned above, it is quite a bit less costly than some of the higher end units on the market while delivering a great mid range solution. While I did not have one of these to test, I have seen it in several stores and found it a very compelling solution.
Logitech has some great products as well, two of which are nice keyboard solutions for HTPC users. The Logitech diNovo EdgeTM and the Logitech diNovo MiniTM are keyboard and mice solutions that provide two very different user experiences. Like the Microsoft solution above, the Logitech solutions listed leverage BT technology for great range.
The diNovo EdgeTM is a full size keyboard and mouse solution for the HTPC. It has back lit keys, integrated mouse pad, touch based volume slider all in a very slim, rechargeable design. This is probably one of the more sexy solutions I have seen in keyboards for the HTPC space. The elegant design is both aesthetically pleasing and very functional. The hot keys make for quick access to commonly used functions. The battery seems to last a long time on a single charge, but this depends on how often it is used so mileage may vary, so to speak. When not in use, the recharging station also makes for a convenient stand for storage. This falls into the mid to high end type price point, but you can often find it on sale online.
The diNovo MiniTM is a much smaller solution that uses a thumb style QWERTY keyboard and also includes a mouse touch pad. It comes with a charger and it has pretty good life out of a single charge. One particularly nice feature included in the diNovo Mini is a switch that converts the touch pad into an up/down/left/right select navigation control (like those found on traditional wand style remotes). This is pretty handy for having one solution that can navigate Windows® Media Center similar to a wand remote as well as operate as a keyboard and mouse solution for general PC duties. It has media control keys along the top for easy playback of your favorite media content along with channel up/down for TV control (assuming you have a TV Tuner in your HTPC). It also has back lit keys so you can easily find the letters in low light situations.
User Experience
It is difficult to write in depth about the full user experience and functionality of all these keyboards in a single post so I will be brief. Each one of these products could easily deserve its own post, therefore, I would suggest that you read some in depth reviews and go to the product pages to get a list of the full functionality offered by each of these products as well as to learn what other solutions are out there that might best meet your needs.
User experiences of these solutions differ from one unit to the next and also from one person to the next. Full size keyboards are easy to adapt to since most people use them daily with their PCs. Both my wife and I found the larger keyboards very easy to use and comfortable. Even my kids liked the full size keyboards. I personally liked all of them, but found the touch pads a little easier to use since it was the same technology used on my laptop. However, full size keyboards can take up a lot of space on coffee tables or entertainment shelves in your living room and don’t always fit the decor.
If you are space constricted, the smaller micro size keyboards or the thumb style like the diNovo Mini might be better suited. While I like the diNovo Mini a lot (its small size while being fully functional was great), I am just not as adept at the thumb style keyboard as my wife and kids. My daughter is a texting queen and her lightening fast fingers are a blur as she texts people on her phone. As such, she was able to quickly adapt to the smaller diNovo mini. She did mention that the keyboard is bigger than that of her phone, but it did not appear to throw her off at all. Heck, based upon some of her comments, I have to keep an eye on it just to make sure my daughter does not hijack it for her room.
Therefore, if you are comfortable and quick with texting on phones, the thumb style solutions like the diNovo Mini might make for a great solution for you. However, if you tend to fumble those smaller keyboards like me (I too often send out garbled messages or take forever just to send a two word response), a full size keyboard might be the answer for you. I only covered a small amount of solutions on the market; there are a lot of options out there to meet the needs of the consumers.
Next time, we will look at a few of the wand style remote controls to give you an idea of what is available on the market today. Stay tuned. If you have some feedback about this blog or have some info you would like to share on your favorite HTPC keyboard solution, please feel free to leave a comment.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Turning It Up to 11!
Posted by Jay Taylor in 7:11 PM
Getting More Out of Your Maui System.
Previously, I wrote a blog on What AMD offers the HTPC customer. It covered the MSI Media Live Diva platform (MSI 7411), which is produced in accordance with the AMD HTPC motherboard specification that we affectionately call “Maui.” I discussed the audio and video capabilities of the platform and some of the features that make it a little more unique in the HTPC space.
Today, I would like to offer a little more insight to this platform and show you just how much this platform can be customized. AMD, D2Audio and MSI worked hard to deliver a unique solution to the market. However, the work did not stop just because the platform was released. We have continued to innovate on this platform and we are quickly approaching the next phase of this solution.
One of the unique properties of the D2Audio designed chip is that it is programmable. Therefore, the firmware (f/w) of the audio cards can be updated to add new features and functionality. In some respects, this is similar to how a motherboard BIOS can be updated to add new CPU support or additional functionality. With respect to the D2Audio chip, it can be customized to overcome the weakness of a given speaker, customized frequency response curves, customized crossover frequencies, etc.
Well, D2Audio has taken the next step and is bringing some of this programmability to life to help enable our System Integrator partners to take full advantage of many features of the D2Audio DAE-3 chip. At the time of this posting, it has yet to be determined how to make some of these things available to the DIY user, but it is under discussion. What I am hoping you take away from this blog is just how powerful and robust this unique platform is and how much it can be customized to meet a user’s needs.
In this particular case, words won’t quite do it justice so I am including some screen shots of a D2Audio tool called Audio CanvasTM. Audio CanvasTM is an application that has the “buttons and knobs” that control the programmability features of the D2Audio chip.
Now, enough talk; let’s take a deeper look inside the “Maui” platform’s audio features enabled by Audio CanvasTM. Below is a view of the Audio CanvasTM control panel. It represents the signal flow of audio though the DAE-3 chip and the control blocks that can be optimized. (Click on images to enlarge)
Audio Canvas Control Panel
As you can see from the picture above, with the control panel there are tonal adjustments, 5 band parametric EQ, Matrix Switcher, High Pass and Low Pass crossover filters, Channel Router, Master Volume, Loudness, Compressor and individual channel volume. It should be noted that many of the controls you see here are available on each channel independently. Therefore, you can adjust each audio output (Left, Right, Center, etc.) independently of the others. All of this happens in real time; no need to recompile- make a change and you hear it immediately from the speakers (assuming you have content playing back as you make adjustments). Here is a closer view of some of these controls.
The images above show the tonal control response curve (left) and the 5 band parametric EQ response curve (right). On the Tonal control panel, there are 4 knobs used to control the frequency response and gain (volume) for the bass and treble frequencies. Rotating the knobs will change the frequency response and graph below the knobs. On the parametric EQ graph, there are 5 bands that can be adjusted for both gain (center green dot) and bandwidth (pair of green dots). Furthermore, the EQ has a summation effect where the bands can be added to increase the gain by setting the centering point on each band to the same frequency. This would allow you to boost the bass response in one channel, for example, or filter out a bad frequency that might be distorting. You could also use these controls in conjunction with your speaker’s response curves (contact your speaker manufacturer) to optimize the audio outputs to your speakers. Likewise, if you have a mixed set of speakers (for example, different surround sound speakers from your main left and right), you could adjust the audio outputs on a per speaker basis. Response curves shown are not necessarily recommended settings but purely an example to show some range of control available.
In the image above, you see how to set High Pass and Low Pass crossover filters. The panel provides control for the type of filter, in this case a Butterworth Filter, but there are Bessel and Linkwitz-Riley filter options as well. There are also settings for both the slope and the cut off frequency. The shaded blue area represents the frequencies being filtered out. By using both a low and high pass crossover filter it is possible to create a band pass filter if so desired.
The image above shows how the router can be used to remap the channel outputs. This is useful if you wanted to do a multi-zone environment where instead of 5.1 speakers in one room, you might have 3.1 in one room and 2 more speakers in another room.
Above is the Compressor/Limiter. This is useful when you have content that was encoded at different volume and/or gain settings. With the compressor, you can set a threshold and then automatically increase or decrease gain based upon the threshold setting and the ratio. Factors such as the attack and release are used to determine how fast it should ramp and release the gain.
Lastly, there are three different points in the control panel (next to the EQ buttons, LP buttons, and independent volume buttons) where you can open up a VU/Level meter to monitor the signal level at each point to ensure that you have the appropriate headroom as you make adjustments.
As you can see, the Audio CanvasTM application is more of a tool for engineers, system integrators and/or audio enthusiast and not something for the everyday user. However, what this represents is just how much control an individual can exert over their audio environment when using the MSI platform with the D2Audio chip on board. Furthermore, this new firmware enables the hooks necessary for programmers to develop their own user interface to control the audio experience. As mentioned in the earlier blog, the audio characteristics offered on this platform are certainly impressive on their own- combine such performance with such programmability and you have the makings of a very unique solution indeed. It is just another one of those things that set this platform apart from other HTPC solutions on the market.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Du Yu Hulu?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 11:52 AM
Note worthy News on Hulu, YouTube and Netflix
By now you may have already heard some of the exciting news for the HTPC space over the last few weeks. However, in case you had not, let’s spend a little time talking about it here.
Last week Hulu announced a desktop application that allows you to use a standard Media Center type remote to navigate and view content on Hulu’s website. Now, instead of the traditional mouse and keyboard interface in a two-foot environment to navigate the Hulu website (think watching Hulu at your desk on a computer monitor), you can now launch this desktop application while using your Windows® Media Center Edition remote in a 10-foot environment (think watching Hulu from your couch on your big HD screen). Adding this so called “Lean Back” interface technology is a big step for Hulu in making it easier for consumers to access and watch content in a much more user friendly environment. This experience can even be integrated into Windows Media Center Edition by using something like the MCE Menu Mender application so you can launch the Hulu application from inside Media Center Edition instead of the desktop.
Earlier this week, YouTube announced YouTubeXL. This is another 10 foot UI for YouTube content. While Hulu chose to release an application enabling the 10 foot experience, YouTube chose to launch a website that provides the 10 foot navigation. In either case, this is great news for consumers that want to enjoy content from their couch instead of sitting and staring at a desktop or laptop computer screen.
But it does not end with Hulu and YouTube. A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft announced that they have teamed up with Netflix to support integration of Netflix functionality into the Windows Vista® Media Center application. While you could always do this via a 3rd Plug In application, what makes this interesting is that Microsoft recognizes the need for easy access to more content and is taking steps to make that happen. Now, Microsoft has not yet (at the time of this posting) integrated Netflix functionality into the upcoming Windows® 7 platform. I can’t speak for Microsoft here, but I would expect them to offer this in Windows 7 as well given that they just launched it in Windows Vista.
These are exciting times. The role of PC technology in the home is constantly changing for the better. As content owners and distributors integrate more 10-foot user interface (aka Lean Back) technology into their distribution model and as Microsoft further integrates those things into their Media Center application, the usage model and viability of the HTPC type platform increases. The industry is rapidly changing, bringing more content to the consumer in ever easier ways to navigate and enjoy that content.
So, tell us what you think about these industry changes. Are you taking advantage of all the content out there? Are you finding it easier to access this content? What do these changes mean to you? Du Yu Hulu?
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.
Who Ya Gonna Call?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 3:18 PM
What do you do when you need a helping hand?
My first job at AMD was as a Support Engineer helping customers with our networking products. Back then, I was dealing primarily with engineers at companies like Cisco, Netgear, and even the federal government that used AMD’s networking chips at the time. After a while, I took on the role of CPU support engineer and eventually I supervised the whole North America support team. One thing I quickly learned is that there are a wide variety of support issues out there and no matter how well trained you might be, no one knows everything. It is important to have variety of resources available when you need that next level of support.
The Internet has become a great resource for getting support, sharing ideas, researching products and so much more. Forums, blogs, support sites, web review sites, the list goes on and on. There is almost limitless information out there that can greatly aid you in your endeavors.
To ensure we are all on the same page, let me provide a brief explanation on terms I am using.
Forums are community message boards where members can interact, and post questions/answers to other members. These are typically user to user environments. They are often organized by topic and in many cases free to join. Some forums may be regional in nature (language, etc.) while others are more international.
Blogs (like this one) are typically limited to a few (or even a single) author writing about various topics. They may be informal experiences or formal guides on a specific topic. It is usually one way communication but often also allows for comments that may or may not be addressed by the author.
Support sites are typically the official communication channel back into the manufacturer for any support related issues. They may include email forms, telephone support numbers, knowledgebases and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) along with product documentation. Some support sites will also have their own forums dedicated to their products.
Web Review sites are typically 3rd party sites that independently review products in the market. These vendors may buy hardware off the shelf and review it or be sent products from the manufacturer for review. Review sites try to maintain an independent voice when reviewing products to maintain their credibility.
In keeping with the HTPC theme I started, I thought I would share some specific resources that I have found useful in my HTPC travels.
Some of these sites are forums (community gatherings of people with similar interests) while others are blogs (like our own blogs here) written by people that may have some level of expertise in the HTPC arena. Sites are listed in no particular order and are a mix of Forums and Blogs.
AVS Forum. One of the premier sites for anything audio/video related and a great resource for the HTPC.
Australia’s XP/Media Center Forum. A great bunch of blokes sharing an interest in the HTPC community in the land of Oz.
AV Forums in the UK. A great forum for HTPC and general computer related topics.
Ian Dixon’s website. A great source and early pioneer for HTPC and Home Server related topics.
Chris Lanier’s blog. Another one of the pioneers of the HTPC space.
Missing Remote. A general HTPC resource.
HTPC Forums. A small forum community dedicated to all things HTPC related.
The Green Button. Another great resource for Microsoft’s Media Center.
Hack 7MC. Another great resource for Microsoft’s Media Center that is focused on Window’s 7.
Geek Tonic. A great resource for Sage TV related content.
Silent PC Review. 3rd party review site and a great source of info for helping keep your HTPC quiet.
If you are having difficulties with your HTPC, there are plenty of people out there willing to lend a helping hand. Sometimes, it is just a matter of knowing where to look.
The sites listed above are just a few of the great resources and communities that can help you on your way and only begin to scratch the surface. If you know of some great HTPC support sites and communities, please leave a comment. I am sure others would love to hear about new places where knowledge can be shared and gained.
Till next time, Happy Trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.