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Smallest HTPC for steam streaming

H

Hitokiri Batohsai

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 22, 2003
Messages
429
Hi,

Since steam just announced streaming capability and there is a tv in the living room, and 90% of the games I own are Xbox360 controller based local-coop games (lego/trine), I was thinking of building a PC based on these specs:

MSI A88XI AC has wireless and BT which is good since I don't need to run cables everywhere.
AMD A6-5200
Antec ISK 310-150
A bluray drive

Is this the smallest HTPC I can build which supports an optical drive? I still need to figure out how to remotely control the pc, since I don't want to attach mouse/keyboard to it and want it to replace the PS3.

Thanks for the help
 
What is your budget?

IN WIN BQS656 is almost Antec ISK 110 sized, and can hold an optical drive. Note that you want the BQS656 and not the BQ656 because the "S" version has the external brick while the other one has some strange half-FlexATX PSU with a tiny noisy fan (I own one, unfortunately). Also, you may be limited on cooler height. Older versions required the cooler to be super low profile and not be taller than the I/O shield. The current ones have a bulge on the top like the Antec ISK 110 to hold taller coolers. One 2.5" drive and the slim optical goes below the motherboard in a separate chamber.

Requirements for the client end is merely something that can decode H264 video streams in the resolution you want. I think even the latest Intel Bay Trail (Atom/Celeron) can do that just fine because they have IGP similar to HD 2000/2500/3000/etc with 4EU. The server end needs to be a reasonably beefy gaming rig with a quad core CPU.

The trick of course is the network connection.

Supposedly you need a really good WiFi N or AC signal, or a strong powerline ethernet signal for it to be lag free.

Note that slim BluRay drives are rare and expensive, plus likely will not come with decode software which will cost up to $100 extra. Keep that in mind for BluRay playback.

For remote you will need something that can at minimum simulate a mouse, and preferably with a keyboard too. My preference is a Logitech K400, but a lot of people like the Lenovo N5901/N5902. I had an N5901 and didn't like the trackball, but the current N5902 ditches it for an optical finger sensor.
 
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