Cheapest PC to watch streaming video online(wireless) on TV via HDMI?

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sskk

Weaksauce
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Sep 9, 2008
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I am looking to buy a PC to watch steaming videos online, my TV us a Sony V series 42 inch, I think HDMI would work the best as it has both audio and video. It's mostly for online video only, maybe DVD once in a while, no blu ray what so ever. I am looking to buy one as cheap as possible, and won't be reusing anything. Thanks
 
If you are interested in video on your TV why not go a little further with it and build something capable of streaming .mkv (or whatever your preferred video codec is) from you PC to it also. XBMC works with linux if you don't want to get a Windows license. I use XBMC on windows and its great. Stream all the video you want and have access to all the videos, pictures and music on you PC as well.

$56.00 CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103210
$74.99 MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131318
$44.99 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154087
$21.99 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227060
$32.99 Hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145127
$24.99 Remote: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121003
-------
$255.95 Total
 
Depending on what you wanted to stream (and assuming you've already got a PC in the home), you may be able to get away with using an Xbox.
 
Are you thinking Hulu and/or Netflix type streaming? Or actual files from another computer?
 
robothunter said:
If you are interested in video on your TV why not go a little further with it and build something capable of streaming .mkv (or whatever your preferred video codec is) from you PC to it also. XBMC works with linux if you don't want to get a Windows license. I use XBMC on windows and its great. Stream all the video you want and have access to all the videos, pictures and music on you PC as well.

$56.00 CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103210
$74.99 MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131318
$44.99 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154087
$21.99 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227060
$32.99 Hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145127
$24.99 Remote: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121003
-------
$255.95 Total
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, sounds like a good deal
 
TorchV said:
Are you thinking Hulu and/or Netflix type streaming? Or actual files from another computer?
Click to expand...

Hulu or Netflix type, but if it can stream files from another computer it would be useful too, but not a primary concern.
 
There really is no substitute for a HTPC. Some of the dedicated solutions such as the Popcorn Hour offer more convenience and ease of setup, but you have so many more options with a dedicated HTPC, especially when they're relatively easy to build for under $300.
I would recommend just building a PC, and if you do decide to stream Blu-ray or HD videos later on the pc will easily handle those increased loads.
 
robothunter said:
$56.00 CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103210
$74.99 MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131318
$44.99 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154087
$21.99 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227060
$32.99 Hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145127
$24.99 Remote: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121003
-------
$255.95 Total
Click to expand...

For $17 more, you can get a 500gig hard drive with free shipping instead of 80 gigs.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145215
I know, "it's only to stream media". Think of the future when you start doing more with it, and say "I wish I had more storage space".
 
robothunter said:
If you are interested in video on your TV why not go a little further with it and build something capable of streaming .mkv (or whatever your preferred video codec is) from you PC to it also. XBMC works with linux if you don't want to get a Windows license. I use XBMC on windows and its great. Stream all the video you want and have access to all the videos, pictures and music on you PC as well.

$56.00 CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103210
$74.99 MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131318
$44.99 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154087
$21.99 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227060
$32.99 Hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145127
$24.99 Remote: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121003
-------
$255.95 Total
Click to expand...

Would something like that be strong enough to decode HD content?
 
robothunter said:
If you are interested in video on your TV why not go a little further with it and build something capable of streaming .mkv (or whatever your preferred video codec is) from you PC to it also. XBMC works with linux if you don't want to get a Windows license. I use XBMC on windows and its great. Stream all the video you want and have access to all the videos, pictures and music on you PC as well.

$56.00 CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103210
$74.99 MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131318
$44.99 Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154087
$21.99 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227060
$32.99 Hard drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145127
$24.99 Remote: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121003
-------
$255.95 Total
Click to expand...

would it be possible to put something like that together with a smaller case?
 
Enygma said:
would it be possible to put something like that together with a smaller case?
Click to expand...
You can go with a mini-ITX build.. but it's a little more costly.

ZOTAC IONITX-A-U Atom N330 1.6GHz Dual-Core 441 NVIDIA ION Mini ITX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500027

OCZ Vista Upgrade 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227189

APEX MW-100 Black Metal with piano finish Mini-ITX Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154090
(and you can rip the PSU out of that since the motherboard comes with one onboard)

Then add a laptop drive or whatever other parts needed.

But to the original poster or anyone else.. I wouldn't recommend wireless streaming of HD media.
 
Last edited:
If you want to go to a mini-itx it will be more costly. The Atom N330 will not be able to handle 1080p mkv files with 5.1 surround sound but it will save you some money if you just want to watch Standard Definition video.

Here is what I came up with. I included a 400GB recertified hard drive since it was only $5 more than a new 80GB drive. If you have an iPhone or ipod touch you can use that to control XBMC instead of the remote and save some money there.

$56.00 CPU: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009133&prodlist=froogle
$189.98 MB/Case combo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.201900
$22.99 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227189
$20.16 Remote: http://alrightdeals.com/Item.htm?Id=S3_Mouse_MediaGate___MD19002
$39.99 400GB Recertified Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148432
-------
$329.12 Total

Another option would be to go with a Shuttle. Newegg has an open box Shuttle Glamor XPC SN78SH7 for $211.99 which is a little larger then the Rosewell case in the combo deal above but more attractive.

$56.00 CPU: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009133&prodlist=froogle
$211.99 Shuttle Glamor XPC SN78SH7: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ogle-_-Barebone+Systems-_-Shuttle-_-56101073R
$22.99 RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227189
$20.16 Remote: http://alrightdeals.com/Item.htm?Id=S3_Mouse_MediaGate___MD19002
$39.99 400GB Recertified Hard Drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148432
-------
$351.13 Total
 
The Atom based board I listed has the nvidia 9400 chipset, and it will playback 1080p h264 in mkv containers just fine, as well as blu-ray and hd dvd.
 
There isn't an Atom board yet that can stream Hulu/Netflix hiccup free yet though is there?
 
w1retap said:
The Atom based board I listed has the nvidia 9400 chipset, and it will playback 1080p h264 in mkv containers just fine, as well as blu-ray and hd dvd.
Click to expand...

Yeah but he wants to watch streamed media like Hulu which totally won't work on the Atom. :( Which totally sucks.

OP, buy the 8200 series Zotac mITX board if you want something tiny and one of the super cheap dual cores on Newegg.
 
well, yeah, my Intel i7 doesn't even playback HD flash videos on the internet smoothly.. flash just blows.
 
not to hijack the thread here, but would you want to change up this setup at all if you were looking to run linux and mythtv as well? obviously you'd need a cable card, what's good there? would you need a different remote?
 
Enygma said:
not to hijack the thread here, but would you want to change up this setup at all if you were looking to run linux and mythtv as well? obviously you'd need a cable card, what's good there? would you need a different remote?
Click to expand...

You can't use CableCard in Myth or on Linux.
 
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