4k/60Hz HTPC Build

SiliconSwitch

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 6, 2006
Messages
233
Hi Everyone,

So I am in the process of putting together a parts list for a new HTPC. The goal is to make a future proof HTPC which can do the following:

  • 4k @ 60Hz (HDMI 2.0 needed)
  • HDCP 2.2 compatible (netflix 4k streaming)
  • HDR
  • Onboard graphics
  • Quiet
  • mITX form factor (small)
  • Budget $500-600
  • Ideally play UHD Blu-rays from an optical drive

None of the current intel CPUs (except Gemini Lake) handle HDMI 2.0 from the onboard graphics so I decided to return to my old roots and build and AMD system. Most of the Intel boards convert the DP to HDMI 2.0 via an LSPCON chip which has given many people headaches. The Ryzen 2400G seems to be the ideal candidate for an HTPC with the built in Vega 11 GPU. The Ryzen 2400G supports HDMI 2.0 on most of the current motherboards so that is a huge plus. The one major drawback from the AMD cpu is that it seems the DRM for UHD Blu-ray playback only works with the Kaby Lake Intel CPUs, I will probably pass on this requirement.

Here is what I have come up with:

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 5 2400G 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($159.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock - B450 GAMING-ITX/AC Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard ($123.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($100.98 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung - 970 Evo 250GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive ($99.88 @ Newegg)
Case: Fractal Design - Core 500 Mini ITX Desktop Case ($60.84 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: SeaSonic - FOCUS Plus Gold 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG - WH14NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer ($60.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $676.64

In this build I have dropped UHD blu-ray and just put a regular Blu-ray drive. The PSU may be overkill but I am a big Seasonic fan, I may drop it down to a 550W.

My questions:

  1. Will this build support HDCP 2.2? Does Ryzen 2400G support it now?
  2. Is it true that you need Kaby Lake for UHD?
  3. Do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks for any feedback!
 
So, I'm not going to answer most of this, I'm just gonna speak to one particular topic: HDR support

HDR support on PC is balls. For PC use, you probably want 4K@60Hz@4:4:4 chroma subsampling. In order to get the HDR though, you have to drop to 4:2:2 or lower chroma, and toggle the switch in Windows for HDR mode on Win10. Unfortunately, this is a manual button-press and not something your media playback software can press for you on an as-needed basis, and playing back SDR content when in HDR mode is less ideal thanks to the chroma subsampling and shitty weird behaviors by Windows in general.

If you just want to play back media, seriously, just buy a Shield. I say this as someone who owns a HTPC. If you aren't going to couch surf the internet a lot, or play games a lot, then a standard thick HTPC isn't really needed anymore and a Shield will handle all the media playback you like. For optical playback, well, you're on your own for that, but it's likely a small percentage of your use so maybe just buy a standalone BD player the day that problem comes.
 
If you just want to play back media, seriously, just buy a Shield.

Yup. Because this is true:

HDR support on PC is balls.

I don't know why it's true, but I can confirm it. This is why I haven't been very excited about HDR on the desktop and an HTPC is unfortunately no different. I really don't know why it's still a bit of a mess but it is.

All while my Shield works great.
 
my TV don't have HDR and Find the need for it
so I am going ahead with PC Build Just want 4K
I had Android they are throw away boxes even the shield .
 
NVIDIA shield and just rip your blurays to a network device and share off NFS and be done with it.
 
my TV don't have HDR and Find the need for it
so I am going ahead with PC Build Just want 4K
I had Android they are throw away boxes even the shield .

Shield is not a throw away box and is the only device to support i beleive 4k 60FPS, while nothing in the PC market does for video
 
4k 60FPS, while nothing in the PC market does for video

Er, I'm a big proponent of the Shield here, but PCs can definitely play 4K content @ 60FPS. Not that there is a ton of 4K60 content out there, but there's a bit on Youtube and it plays fine.
 
Er, I'm a big proponent of the Shield here, but PCs can definitely play 4K content @ 60FPS. Not that there is a ton of 4K60 content out there, but there's a bit on Youtube and it plays fine.

I think what is getting blurred here is that the shield will do 4k content extremely well and is also VERY cheap when compared to a PC that can.

There is now a few other products that can also do 4k content to the TV but I believe the Shield is still the cheapest? I haven't looked into it in a while.

Actually at this point I'd only consider the Roku Ultra or the Apple TV 4K
 
Last edited:
I think what is getting blurred here is that the shield will do 4k content extremely well and is also VERY cheap when compared to a PC that can.

As the guy who originally suggested the Shield in this thread, I don't think I'm missing that point. I've advocated for the Shield as a 4K content player in this thread since the very first response. WIth that said, these are separate arguments and the bit you quoted me saying was in direct response to:

the only device to support i beleive 4k 60FPS, while nothing in the PC market does for video

And that is factually untrue. You can argue about the Shield/Roku/Chromecast Ultra/Apple TV whatever being a better value fo 4k60, or easier to use, to your heart's content, but you can't make the argument that the PC (or other platforms) doesn't support it because they do.
 
Mmmmm, perhaps i am confusing something then, when i got my shield it was the only thing that could do 4k/60FPS, and is it HDMI 2.0? or 2.1? where as nothing in the PC market had 2.0 or 2.1 HDMI?
 
Mmmmm, perhaps i am confusing something then, when i got my shield it was the only thing that could do 4k/60FPS, and is it HDMI 2.0? or 2.1? where as nothing in the PC market had 2.0 or 2.1 HDMI?

No clue. The GTX 900 series was contemporary to the release of the Shield, and has HDMI 2.0 and 4k60 support, so my guess is confusion :) Plus, I wouldn't put it past Nvidia's marketing to pitch themselves as the only set-top box to support 4k60, which they very well may have been at that time.
 
Having both a Shield Pro and a dedicated HTPC I would enthusiastically recommend the Shield. I have even been debating upgrading the HTPC and weighing the pros/cons of just replacing it with another Shield and designate the HTPC to fileserver.
 
Having both a Shield Pro and a dedicated HTPC I would enthusiastically recommend the Shield. I have even been debating upgrading the HTPC and weighing the pros/cons of just replacing it with another Shield and designate the HTPC to fileserver.

Yup.

Until there's say a Linux distro that can actually do the HTPC thing, which the Shield Pro arguably already is (!!!), then I don't really see the need to fix what isn't broke. Which reminds me that I need to get my wireless keyboard/touchpad hooked up to it...
 
Having both a Shield Pro and a dedicated HTPC I would enthusiastically recommend the Shield. I have even been debating upgrading the HTPC and weighing the pros/cons of just replacing it with another Shield and designate the HTPC to fileserver.
My HTPC is still spare parts, if I ever needed to upgrade it I’d probably throw it away.
 
Thats how i went, QNAP to host all my content and the shield in the living room. I have 2 Dell SFF's in my basement and one in the bedroom, bedroom runs win 10 and basement is Ubuntu. I had kodi linux for a while but i liked just having a desktop OS to do other things on.
 
Back
Top