i want a HTPC

[kurtgoh]

Hello,

thinking of building a HTPC or buying off the shelf if there's any.
ITX or MITX if I got it correct

Current equipment:
60' sharp TV, not 4K type. bought like 4 years back. intend to upgrade to 85 or 90' once it fails.
2 x sound bar and woofer.

wants:
Karaoke, allows family singing at a convenience
watch movies, live tv, soccer.
occasionally surfing.
is there any family games that I can play with my wife?

hate:
complex..
currently I have android box and paid IPTV.
despite snapdragon processor, 2G ram.. It still hang and slow..
as for paid IPTV, quality is poor and lagging at times.
I'm paying like $100 per year for subscription.
and this is the 3rd android box that I have invested.
Hence, I was thinking if I ought to invest in a HTPC.
something futureproof.

I saw someone in carousel, he actually charge $70 for converting pc to android platform that allows soccer, live channels, movies etc.
probably Kodi?

As I not savvy, hence please make it easy for me.
Budget: less than 800?

so gurus, what do you suggest?

 

[kurtgoh]

an i5 with a SSD, followed by 1T HDD for karaoke, will be good.

I don't do download, streaming is suffice for me.

 

[yusoffb01]

anything with nvidia 1050

 

[wwenze]

As technical support for my mom, I can tell you from experience, that unless you subscribe to paid content or you know how to "find" content, x86 Windows PC is very difficult to find content compared to Android and iOS. You don't get as many apps, and even on the same app, search smartphone version can find and play, search PC version cannot find or cannot play.

PC is more for serious users who know what they want and how to get. Usually results in higher quality than using apps.

Don't convert x86 PC to Android platform, x86 hardware is more expensive and more powerful, and Android OS cannot utilize the power properly end up more lag than using Android hardware.

And x86 platform can do lots of things more powerfully than Android so you're downgrading the features...

There is this dunno what eleven soccer sports channel that only support Android or iPhone app, I install Android emulator on the PC to view. Forgot which one I used. It is one of the more popular emulator, but NOT the one that claims optimized for gaming because that one sucked and lagged.

Karaoke... If you want KTV experience, get a KTV box. For me, I don't need mic to sing so... Many of the songs I saved as singles that come with karaoke track so I just play them. If you want mic, get a USB audio interface that has mic in and hardware mixing, or even just a mixer will do. Don't bother with trying to route the mic signal through the computer OS.

And finally, good thinking identifying HTPC as future proof. Many low cost Android boxes get too slow quickly. While x86 retains PC Master race performance since Sandy Bridge. Plus once you dump in the initial infrastructure investment of casing and PSU and HDD and remote control and shyt, you can reuse them for the next CPU + Mobo. Even better if you reuse your CPU + Mobo from your main system. Even if this mean you need to buy ITX for your main system.

 

[kurtgoh]

As technical support for my mom, I can tell you from experience, that unless you subscribe to paid content or you know how to "find" content, x86 Windows PC is very difficult to find content compared to Android and iOS. You don't get as many apps, and even on the same app, search smartphone version can find and play, search PC version cannot find or cannot play.

PC is more for serious users who know what they want and how to get. Usually results in higher quality than using apps.

Don't convert x86 PC to Android platform, x86 hardware is more expensive and more powerful, and Android OS cannot utilize the power properly end up more lag than using Android hardware.

And x86 platform can do lots of things more powerfully than Android so you're downgrading the features...

There is this dunno what eleven soccer sports channel that only support Android or iPhone app, I install Android emulator on the PC to view. Forgot which one I used. It is one of the more popular emulator, but NOT the one that claims optimized for gaming because that one sucked and lagged.

Karaoke... If you want KTV experience, get a KTV box. For me, I don't need mic to sing so... Many of the songs I saved as singles that come with karaoke track so I just play them. If you want mic, get a USB audio interface that has mic in and hardware mixing, or even just a mixer will do. Don't bother with trying to route the mic signal through the computer OS.

And finally, good thinking identifying HTPC as future proof. Many low cost Android boxes get too slow quickly. While x86 retains PC Master race performance since Sandy Bridge. Plus once you dump in the initial infrastructure investment of casing and PSU and HDD and remote control and shyt, you can reuse them for the next CPU + Mobo. Even better if you reuse your CPU + Mobo from your main system. Even if this mean you need to buy ITX for your main system.

sorry, what is X86 or x86 platform?

if I understand your message correctly, you are saying htpc and android box works different. hence I can't have that kind of mentality or expectation as compare to my current android box.
Furthermore, I am not savvy.

I actually have a sound bar, call moment. some crappy stuff from ac ryan.
thinking of using it with karaoke box or with the htpc.
so mic and sound, this area should not be an issue.

 

[ronnie_gogs]

x86 is basically an architecture type for PC based systems developed by Intel. Basically most PC is x86. While most Android boxes are mostly ARM based which is different architecture. Simple layman terms x86 Intel CPU. Android Box mostly ARM architecture.

As mentioned before HTPC is not a simple if you want a plug and play experience. You have to set it up and some things require constant maintenance.

For example Kodi can give you thousands of channels but to set it up can take long time looking at guides and links. Sometimes the links stop working they you have setup again to find something that works.

If you want a non laggy powerful entertainment system I would highly recommend to get the Nvidia Shield. Probably the most powerful Android box. Has a very good app selection and you can run kodi fine with it. No point to get a HTPC just to run Kodi on it. Also it can do 4k.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/shield/shield-tv/

Specs wise it has a Tegra X1. ARM Cortex with separate Graphics processor.
RAM: 3 GB RAM

 

[kurtgoh]

x86 is basically an architecture type for PC based systems developed by Intel. Basically most PC is x86. While most Android boxes are mostly ARM based which is different architecture. Simple layman terms x86 Intel CPU. Android Box mostly ARM architecture.

As mentioned before HTPC is not a simple if you want a plug and play experience. You have to set it up and some things require constant maintenance.

For example Kodi can give you thousands of channels but to set it up can take long time looking at guides and links. Sometimes the links stop working they you have setup again to find something that works.

If you want a non laggy powerful entertainment system I would highly recommend to get the Nvidia Shield. Probably the most powerful Android box. Has a very good app selection and you can run kodi fine with it. No point to get a HTPC just to run Kodi on it. Also it can do 4k.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/shield/shield-tv/

Specs wise it has a Tegra X1. ARM Cortex with separate Graphics processor.
RAM: 3 GB RAM

wow, looks good.
Thanks for sharing this.

mind me asking, those apps that come with, is suitable for local usage?

 

[ronnie_gogs]

wow, looks good.
Thanks for sharing this.

mind me asking, those apps that come with, is suitable for local usage?

Yes I have been using for a few months bought it last year from qoo10 after coupons was like 250 as I recall.

Apps wise you have the android market place access so all android TV apps will work. Then you have the Nvidia market place which allows access to games which run pretty good.

It has the same processor as a Nintendo Switch I think.

My typical usage (Singapore)
Netflix, Spotify, Plex (playing movies from my plex server running on my NAS), Kodi and playing games from my main PC streamed to the shield. Works only if you have a gaming PC with nvidia GPU and plays games from you library.

One of the most used gadgets I have and I would highly recommend it.

 

[kurtgoh]

Yes I have been using for a few months bought it last year from qoo10 after coupons was like 250 as I recall.

Apps wise you have the android market place access so all android TV apps will work. Then you have the Nvidia market place which allows access to games which run pretty good.

It has the same processor as a Nintendo Switch I think.

My typical usage (Singapore)
Netflix, Spotify, Plex (playing movies from my plex server running on my NAS), Kodi and playing games from my main PC streamed to the shield. Works only if you have a gaming PC with nvidia GPU and plays games from you library.

One of the most used gadgets I have and I would highly recommend it.

is this the one?
http://list.qoo10.sg/item/NVIDIA-NV...-SHIELD-4X-HIGHER-PERFORMANCE-APPLE/465101451

they don't mentioned anything on the content, hence I believe its barebone ?

 

[ronnie_gogs]

Yes the same. There are 2 versions mine is basic 16gb storage only can put a micro SD for max 128GB, other is a 500 gb version called where you can store a few movies on the device itself.

Content wise when you setup it will ask you to create or login to ur google account and it should migrate all the apps from the older android TV box. The preinstalled apps should already be installed.

Controller wise it comes with a controller which looks like a Xbox controller but you can get a apple TV type controller for extra. I didn't need it as gaming controller works fine
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XO7AK9M/

Check out a few reviews and see if the product suits your needs.