TVPC / HTPC input needed

My plan is to build a small-low power pc that can run Windows 8.1 and take care of that WMC tv, record shows, plex, all that stuff and also run headless, and maybe run any other 24/7 things that come up in the future. I haven't built anything for a while so I am a little rusty. Luckily the Hauppauge card is half height which will let me use some slim cases.

I am using Xbox360s as extenders on WMC with Windows 8.1 for OTA TV with HDHomerun and QAM through a Hauppauge WINTV-HVR-2255. I use Plex and also stream directly to a media player. I want to upgrade my pc (in sig) that is currently running all that stuff to Windows 10 because I think it is inevitable. That means no more WMC on my main PC and I have not found a good replacement for WMC that works with the xbox360 extenders.

It is important that it is cheap in both cost and power consummation, and quiet is good too.

This is what I came up with but please recommend cheaper/better options.

ASRock Motherboard Micro AM1H-ITX (mobo must have a PCIe slot)
AMD Athlon 5350 AD5350JAHMBOX 2.05 GHz Quad-core Desktop Processor
Some 120 gb SSD
Some 4tb HD
Probably 8gb ram
Windoze 8.1 pro
Some really small case that can take a half height card.. very open to suggestions.

I have - a POS 0.5 TB hd that I can use until the 4tb goes on sale
Also a OCZ 520W powersupply that is probably complete overkill and a power hog. I don't know, does it use a lot of juice when running low power stuff? I am not sure it would even fit in a small case.

Check out the QNAP 453A (or 253A).

Has all that, and an HDMI output.

You can even run a Windows virtual machine.

Don't own one...yet...have to pay for a wedding first!

JrClocker said:

Check out the QNAP 453A (or 253A).

Has all that, and an HDMI output.

You can even run a Windows virtual machine.

Don't own one...yet...have to pay for a wedding first!

Click to expand...

I did not see a PCIe card slot in there or windows 8.1

Are you only looking for input on a case? I went with the Silverstone ML06B, and you can see my build progress in the thread I created. The case uses a SFX sized power supply, so your OCZ wouldn't fit.

thideras said:

Are you only looking for input on a case? I went with the Silverstone ML06B, and you can see my build progress in the thread I created. The case uses a SFX sized power supply, so your OCZ wouldn't fit.

Click to expand...

Nice case choice and very cool build. Does anyone know if my 520W powersupply will make this a juice hog or will it only draw the power it needs?

I'd look for a 240gb ssd as that is the sweet spot price wise. A decent 120 is going to run you $45-48 and if you pay attention to sales you can grab a 240 for $60.

Nimblor said:

I did not see a PCIe card slot in there or windows 8.1

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You would need to get a license of Windows 8.1, and then install as a VM on the box.

The box has video output already, 4 GBE network ports (453A), and 4 drive bays for storage.

In your future plans for the box, what do you think you would need a PCIe slot for? (I'm curious as I plan to go this route.)

JrClocker said:

You would need to get a license of Windows 8.1, and then install as a VM on the box.

The box has video output already, 4 GBE network ports (453A), and 4 drive bays for storage.

In your future plans for the box, what do you think you would need a PCIe slot for? (I'm curious as I plan to go this route.)

Click to expand...

I need the PCIe for the Hauppauge video card. I don't need bays for storage, I share drives on my other PC. I don't back up my media because it isn't really worth it.

I had not thought about running a VM... it is worth some consideration. Presumabley I could keep my current setup (sig rig) and just run a VM within Windows 10 using 8.1 to handle all the TV stuff. I would have to check on the feasability of WMC and in VM. I wonder if my current 8.1 license would let me do that after I upgrade to 10...?

This build might already be complete.

You could always go with a USB TV tuner (they make one) and an INTEL NUC...now you got me thinking...hehe

JrClocker said:

You could always go with a USB TV tuner (they make one)

Click to expand...

News to me, but welcome news. Now Im not sure if this question is proper, but I am going to ask anyway.... if I put a splitter on the incoming coax from my internet line and run one side to the tuner card.... do I now have cable TV? My reading suggests that some chanels may be encrypted, but that otherwise the answer is yes. Can anyone confirm?

The local channels (at least) will probably be there. The encrypted channels will be above 99.

knoober said:

News to me, but welcome news. Now Im not sure if this question is proper, but I am going to ask anyway.... if I put a splitter on the incoming coax from my internet line and run one side to the tuner card.... do I now have cable TV? My reading suggests that some chanels may be encrypted, but that otherwise the answer is yes. Can anyone confirm?

Click to expand...

You might. There may be clear QAM broadcsts or other signals that you can get. Obviously many are encrypted and you would have to get something that takes a cable card to sort that out. Sometimes the cable is free, sometimes it is not. Plug it into the back of a newer TV and see what happens. I get things like Bravo, HGTV, Foodnetwork, History, Etc. free through the cable. For me those are 'MUST HAVE' channels in my house. My wife also likes to flip through live TV. I use the Hauppauge HVR 2255 for those signals. It has two tuners which is handy. There is also some channel duplication with the antenna. However the antenna signals are mainly in HD while the QAM signals are not. Luckily she is blind to HD.

I would rather not get a USB replacement for the card I have so now I am on a mission to figure out how to make it work in a VM.

Whether or not you will get local channels will depend on your cable provider. Comcast in Chicago switched over to an all digital signal back I'm 2010 so everything is encrypted now. You need a registered cable box to make any tv work.

Also, once you convert your win 8 license over to 10 you won't be able to use 8 again, not even in a VM. You could however use another copy of 10, you just won't be able to activate it though. Not a big loss though as you really only lost the ability to personalize the desktop. Everything else works. Microsoft really wants everyone in their store eco system and to collect data so they made 10 99% functional without having to activate it.

Apparently no VM will work with PCIe cards :/. So it looks like a build. Would a 5350 be good enough for plex encoding?

Nimblor said:

Apparently no VM will work with PCIe cards :/.

Click to expand...

What do you mean? I'm passing PCIe devices to virtual machines with ESXi.

thideras said:

What do you mean? I'm passing PCIe devices to virtual machines with ESXi.

Click to expand...

How do you do that?

The TV signals traveling in the coax (depending on the cable company) are sometimes filtered out. The filter blocks the frequencies in the analog channel range. The filter is usually installed in the outside junction box , inline on the cable. I have a Hauppauge card and have used it instead of a cable box for digital and analog signals. Hauppauge should have a CD available with software to use the card without WMC. I think replacement CDs are $10.

Nimblor said:

How do you do that?

Click to expand...

In vSphere, Hosts & Clusters > click on the host you want to modify > Manage > Settings > PCI Devices > Edit

Check any PCI devices you want to pass through, restart the host (required), then modify the virtual machines.

thideras said:

In vSphere, Hosts & Clusters > click on the host you want to modify > Manage > Settings > PCI Devices > Edit

Check any PCI devices you want to pass through, restart the host (required), then modify the virtual machines.
View attachment 174475

Click to expand...

Have you ever tried it with a TV card?

Nimblor said:

Have you ever tried it with a TV card?

Click to expand...

It doesn't matter what the device is, it will pass anything in.