Topic: JRiver Synapse PC available now -- $695 (Read 12308 times)

JimH · « **on:** October 17, 2009, 06:21:16 pm »

JRiver is now offering a Synapse PC. It's a very good PC on its own, but it has JRiver Media Center installed, configured, and ready to connect to your television, or your mom's.

It will be priced at $745, but $695 for the first 30 days. If you buy an early model, we'll swap it for the latest model anytime during the first year.

Here are some pictures of Serial Number Zero being set up at my house tonight.

Optional accessories:

JRiver Media Center Remote -- $35 + shipping. (U.S. or International)

USB TV stick (ATSC) -- $45 + shipping (U.S. only)

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2009, 06:51:07 pm »

This one has an AMD CPU and a 500 GB drive. It was intended to be a mid-range Media PC, and that's what the benchmark says:

Running 'Math' benchmark...
Single-threaded integer math... 8.827 seconds
Single-threaded floating point math... 4.670 seconds
Multi-threaded integer math... 9.010 seconds
Multi-threaded mixed math... 4.697 seconds
Score: 698

Running 'Image' benchmark...
Image creation / destruction... 1.553 seconds
Flood filling... 3.308 seconds
Direct copying... 3.616 seconds
Small renders... 4.601 seconds
Bilinear rendering... 4.189 seconds
Bicubic rendering... 3.633 seconds
Score: 1053

Running 'Database' benchmark...
Create database... 0.741 seconds
Populate database... 3.195 seconds
Save database... 0.233 seconds
Reload database... 0.087 seconds
Search database... 3.725 seconds
Sort database... 3.259 seconds
Group database... 2.633 seconds
Score: 1550

JRMark (version 14.0.83): 1100

JimH · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2009, 06:55:04 pm »

I brought Synapse Serial Number Zero home tonight and put it on the kitchen counter, expecting it to be a little bit of a struggle to set up. I was wrong.

I purposely didn't add a keyboard or mouse. I wanted to see what would happen. I powered it up with just the HDMI cable connecting the PC and the TV. It almost worked. The input on the TV had to be changed to HDMI 1. Then it worked.

Most everything else just worked the first time. It was one of the best experiences I've ever had hooking up a new PC.

Thanks to the whole MC team and to Steve Bartle, our hardware guru at engen.com.

raym · « **Reply #3 on:** October 18, 2009, 02:15:36 am »

What's it configured to do out-of-box? How do you add music, images and video with just a remote? Does it come with a new wiz-bang Theater View setup wizard to find media on your home network? I'm being facetious but of course these questions are bound to come up if you're targeting the htpc market.

Congrats on getting this out so quickly!

JimH · « **Reply #4 on:** October 18, 2009, 07:31:40 am »

Quote from: raym on October 18, 2009, 02:15:36 am

What's it configured to do out-of-box? How do you add music, images and video with just a remote? Does it come with a new wiz-bang Theater View setup wizard to find media on your home network?

Early models will probably need a keyboard and mouse to load files. Files could be loaded from the network or a DVD. A better way might be to run MC on a second computer, and use Library Server to copy the data to the Synapse.

The black DVD, by the way, will be replaced with silver to match the case.

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** October 18, 2009, 07:43:51 am »

SPECS:
CPU: AMD 3 GHZ with 6MB cache
Disk: 500 GB
Memory: 2 GB
Keyboard, mouse and speakers not included

IlPadrino · « **Reply #6 on:** October 18, 2009, 11:00:06 am »

What sort of fan noise does this rig produce? I recently bought a new quiet power supply for my desktop but was disappointed to realize now the graphics card makes too much noise!

MGD_King · « **Reply #7 on:** October 18, 2009, 11:18:19 am »

Quote from: JimH on October 17, 2009, 06:21:16 pm

USB TV stick -- $45 + shipping

Jim, what's the specs on this USB TV stick? I'm looking to get one for my PC and this seems like a good price. Does it handle HD/Digital TV channels?

glynor · « **Reply #8 on:** October 18, 2009, 11:23:38 am »

Quote from: JimH on October 18, 2009, 07:43:51 am

SPECS:
CPU: AMD 3 GHZ with 6MB cache
Disk: 500 GB
Memory: 2 GB
Keyboard, mouse and speakers not included

Just because I'm curious... Could you give us more detailed specs? Is it a Phenom II? What model? What model of RAM (or at least what type and speed)? Which motherboard?

JimH · « **Reply #9 on:** October 18, 2009, 12:12:18 pm »

Quote from: glynor on October 18, 2009, 11:23:38 am

Just because I'm curious... Could you give us more detailed specs? Is it a Phenom II? What model? What model of RAM (or at least what type and speed)? Which motherboard?

Steve Bartle of En.gen is the expert on this, but ...

CPU: AMD Phenom II X2 545.

Motherboard: ASUS M3N78-VM picture specifications

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2009, 01:20:08 pm »

can we make modifications to the order?

solid state 60 -120GB drive instead?
a component card? I still have an older high end hdtv, that i refuse to get rid of.
etc...

also from my other post here.. will this one have the power to list more then 100,000 personal images in theaterview?

TY.

JimH · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2009, 02:01:32 pm »

I can't say about the Theater View issue.

On customization, my thinking is to eventually offer three models:

1. A very small PC to be used as a client for MC on another PC. This is more like a UPnP receiver. Around $400.

2. A mid-range PC capable of serving most people well as a media PC. Around $800. That's the PC in this thread.

3. A high end PC with high capacities. More than $1000. Custom orders.

We're starting with #2. Both #1 and #2 will be stock models, with no substitutes. #3 will be the only customizable option.

Here's a thread about this from a few months ago:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=53877.msg367092#msg367092

HTPC4ME · « **Reply #12 on:** October 18, 2009, 02:03:41 pm »

ok thank you.

dcwebman · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2009, 07:23:52 am »

You should definitely provide more specs to produce orders. One of the missing mentions is network. Gigabit? Basically everything else a computer manufacturer would provide.

JimH · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2009, 08:29:19 am »

Quote from: dcwebman on October 19, 2009, 07:23:52 am

You should definitely provide more specs to produce orders. One of the missing mentions is network. Gigabit? Basically everything else a computer manufacturer would provide.

Here's a link to the specifications of the motherboard. I also added it above next to the motherboard.

glynor · « **Reply #15 on:** October 19, 2009, 11:09:53 am »

Quote from: JimH on October 19, 2009, 08:29:19 am

Here's a link to the specifications of the motherboard. I also added it above next to the motherboard.

That is a very nice and highly-rated AMD AM2+ board. I assume you are using on-board video? There's nothing wrong with that Nvidia chipset's on-board video (and it is vastly superior to anything from Intel) but I just wanted to be sure.

FastKayak · « **Reply #16 on:** October 19, 2009, 06:44:36 pm »

Might be too early to ask but on future option #3 any chance the case would come in black?

PS 1 - nice looking kitchen by the way
PS 2 - I live and work in Minneapolis, so howdy neighbors!

JimH · « **Reply #17 on:** October 19, 2009, 06:47:05 pm »

Hi neighbor. The Synapse 3 will be customizable, so the answer is yes. If you'd like to get a quote, please e-mail me. I'm jimh at jriver.

JimH · « **Reply #18 on:** October 20, 2009, 06:45:14 pm »

Quote from: IlPadrino on October 18, 2009, 11:00:06 am

What sort of fan noise does this rig produce? I recently bought a new quiet power supply for my desktop but was disappointed to realize now the graphics card makes too much noise!

It's on the quiet side, but not completely silent. Not noticeable in the places I've had it, but if I put my ear next to it, I can hear it.

I know this issue is important. I just don't know how to balance cost against sound yet.

I expect the higher end machine to be silent.

AoXoMoXoA · « **Reply #19 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:52:21 pm »

Quote from: MGD_King on October 18, 2009, 11:18:19 am

Jim, what's the specs on this USB TV stick? I'm looking to get one for my PC and this seems like a good price. Does it handle HD/Digital TV channels?

I am anxious to see this info also

JimH · « **Reply #20 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:23:08 pm »

I started a new thread for the USB TV stick.

dynobot · « **Reply #21 on:** October 29, 2009, 09:04:08 pm »

Is a High-End version coming??

One with Firewire, SPDIF [coax/toslink] perhaps....

tjobbins · « **Reply #22 on:** November 02, 2009, 06:20:57 am »

Any thoughts on whether you'll offer it for non-US shipping?

I'm guessing shipping costs will be too much - it's already $45 for the US - but just wondering.

It would make a great lounge media center PC for my parents

JimH · « **Reply #23 on:** November 02, 2009, 06:53:17 am »

No plans yet. Maybe in the future. Thanks for asking.

JimH · « **Reply #24 on:** November 02, 2009, 06:55:21 am »

Quote from: dynobot on October 29, 2009, 09:04:08 pm

Is a High-End version coming??
One with Firewire, SPDIF [coax/toslink] perhaps....

If you want to post your proposed specification, I can get you a quote. Or mail me at jimh at jriver. Thanks.

fitbrit · « **Reply #25 on:** November 05, 2009, 01:13:05 pm »

For the low end, maybe you could team up with these guys?
http://myka.tv/

I'd get a couple of those for various rooms in my new house if they were running MC - at least a version that will remember my settings in its library.

tboy34 · « **Reply #26 on:** November 08, 2009, 06:39:26 am »

This is very interesting. Will there be a disc that comes along with this. Just in case it needs to be re-installed???

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Author Topic: JRiver Synapse PC available now -- $695 (Read 12308 times)