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I'm ready to join the HTPC (home theater pc) revolution - what to get?
wraith808:
well, i think we should distinguish two kinds of devices, that may have different roles to play.
You found the WD TV -- that will have LESS flexibility, LESS expandability, and LESS POWER (?) -- but it will be a set top box, preinstalled with software ready to be a media player with a nice interface.
I gather that the Zbox unit is basically a windows box, designed for use as an htpc. So you'll still have to install media software, show the person how to run the right programs, etc.
So for setting up a non-pc-savvy family relative, you might still have some pros and cons to weigh..
-mouser (July 23, 2015, 11:29 PM)
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Yes, less on the flexibility. It really depends on what you mean by expandability. If it's storage, then the answer is no. Less power? Than these zotacs? Not by much if at all, and definitely less noticable, since the interface is made for the power. I've had one of these mini-devices, and it was a lifesaver when my wife and children's mains went down... we just cycled them through it, and other than the fact that my wife lost use of photoshop, they were great for browsing and using office. But they were definitely quite slower.
superboyac:
well, i think we should distinguish two kinds of devices, that may have different roles to play.
You found the WD TV -- that will have LESS flexibility, LESS expandability, and LESS POWER (?) -- but it will be a set top box, preinstalled with software ready to be a media player with a nice interface.
I gather that the Zbox unit is basically a windows box, designed for use as an htpc. So you'll still have to install media software, show the person how to run the right programs, etc.
So for setting up a non-pc-savvy family relative, you might still have some pros and cons to weigh..
-mouser (July 23, 2015, 11:29 PM)
--- End quote ---
Yes, less on the flexibility. It really depends on what you mean by expandability. If it's storage, then the answer is no. Less power? Than these zotacs? Not by much if at all, and definitely less noticable, since the interface is made for the power. I've had one of these mini-devices, and it was a lifesaver when my wife and children's mains went down... we just cycled them through it, and other than the fact that my wife lost use of photoshop, they were great for browsing and using office. But they were definitely quite slower.
-wraith808 (July 24, 2015, 08:10 AM)
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are you saying the zotac will struggle more with video playback than the WD TV?
wraith808:
well, i think we should distinguish two kinds of devices, that may have different roles to play.
You found the WD TV -- that will have LESS flexibility, LESS expandability, and LESS POWER (?) -- but it will be a set top box, preinstalled with software ready to be a media player with a nice interface.
I gather that the Zbox unit is basically a windows box, designed for use as an htpc. So you'll still have to install media software, show the person how to run the right programs, etc.
So for setting up a non-pc-savvy family relative, you might still have some pros and cons to weigh..
-mouser (July 23, 2015, 11:29 PM)
--- End quote ---
Yes, less on the flexibility. It really depends on what you mean by expandability. If it's storage, then the answer is no. Less power? Than these zotacs? Not by much if at all, and definitely less noticable, since the interface is made for the power. I've had one of these mini-devices, and it was a lifesaver when my wife and children's mains went down... we just cycled them through it, and other than the fact that my wife lost use of photoshop, they were great for browsing and using office. But they were definitely quite slower.
-wraith808 (July 24, 2015, 08:10 AM)
--- End quote ---
are you saying the zotac will struggle more with video playback than the WD TV?
-superboyac (July 24, 2015, 08:49 AM)
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Not necessarily. But in my experience, it was so.
The box I have is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119072, so my experience was a couple of years ago. But it was a bit slower to decrypt, and of course you had to put on all of the codecs, and it still wasn't enough.
Deozaan:
You could go with something like the Odroid-XU4 ($74) with the CloudShell ($39) to connect a hard drive and use that as your NAS/HTPC.
superboyac:
What do you guys think about these alibaba products that have enromous specs and cheap prices? Take this one for example:
8GB RAM
intel i3
fanless/silent
~$300
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