Basic HTPC out win every media player, but the only problem is that HTPC is really a geek item. Your average grandmother may not know how to operate it.

Otherwise any computer/HTPC can have software solution to any conceivable problem to any media files.

My HTPC runs an A75M (Mini ATX) Mobo with A6 AMD chip, and the A75M mobo comes with optical output with decent graphic capability. I just add Hardisk and 6GB Ram, thats all. OS is Win 7 home premium, installed XBMC (latest Beta) that comes with Lossless HD audio decoding capacity. I don't have latest AV Amp that take in HDMI video and audio, so just an optical output from the Motherboard into the AV Amp and I am truly happy.

Your specs seems more than enough to get a good HTPC.

You can use native Window Media Centre, or install other media centre softwares to replace XBMC if you want to. Its up to you.

Just change the CPU casing to make it pleasant looking for sitting room use. My casing is Coolermaster elite 360 and I am happy with it.

If XBMC or window media center can be configure to reduce icons that will be great. As I said its a geeky item. One thing I love about the window media center is the photo viewing. It has excellent screen saver mode where it plays music and it will randomly choose photos of your collection. This will be one feature I miss the most by swapping to XBMC.

It sounds like the monitor issue actually.

Can you set your graphic card to default setting first, and test the playback again ?

Typical horizontal placed HTPC casing has relatively poor ventilation. So its definitely not suitable for resource intensive computation such as hardcore gaming or industrial Design work. Unless you mod the casing to allow effective fan assisted ventilation.

If someone introduce one that does, I would also change my casing

This post has been edited by peter32: Mar 7 2013, 06:50 PM

I think the new FM2+ chipset with at least A6 AMD chip will be sensible for HTPC purposes. I think it can play even the 4K video files.

Any sifu can confirm that ?

Brilliant spec. If you don't play game on it, try to consider latest A6 chip with A88+ mobo. Its cooler, energy saving and fast enough for all Full HD videos.

So far I have built two. So managed to do some minor research before building my 2nd one 2 months back.

Here's my take.

1. Best so far, if just for multimedia eg. Kodi (XBMC) with windows 8, just use a Haswell i3 chip with built-in Intel HD Graphic chip 4400. Its capable of decoding 4K. I am using one now, its smooth for Full HD thus far. Haven't tried 4K content though. i5 is a bit overkill if you just use it for full HD video viewing.

2. AMD A6 Chipset, cheaper overall if DIY.

If you were to opt for the first option, do look at Intel NUC mini set that comes with everything inside ! It costs about RM800++, I think is worth all the effort.

The reason I didn't buy the NUC is that I wanted to use the HTPC to serve as server as well. So I need a bigger casing for multiple hard drives.

If you install XBMC or Kodi, just follow some simple instruction for video playback. Nothing amazingly difficult. You can connect HDMI to Av Amp, or connect S/pdif optical cable to Av Amp for full audio playback too.

In short, the chip nowadays is so fast and advance that simple HD video decoding is no longer a problem.

I think the max that Intel HD 4400 can deliver in 4k is 30fps.

In my Kodi, initially there was jitterring in video playback, which I thought was due to lower Graphic Chipset capacity. Despite other online suggestion to set video playback to 'Software' instead of 'hardware' with DXVA disabled, I enabled the DXVA2 with 'Hardware' graphic Acceleration actually make the full HD playback smooth as silk. Problem solved.

My Chip is the i3 Haswell only. It saves power, runs cooler (using a fanless cooling). So yes it works.

From the web info, AMD APU model does run full HD better especially with minor gaming without any additional Graphic card. But it still does not run 4K effectively.