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[undertow]

I stumbled upon J River as an alternative to Kaleidascape.  I'd like to keep my HTPC under $5K, which should be VERY easy to do.  I am in a rush to jump in and set it all up.  Can anyone provide some good pre-built recommendations that would...

1) Fit in a HiFi rack
2) Audiophile playback via optical out or HDMI
3) Videophile playback via HDMI
4) Server grade redundant storage/backups (family videos and photos will be stored here)


For my budget, I should be able to get something pretty awesome with a ton of storage, no?    Looking for expert input!

[undertow]

This looks pretty solid! 

http://www.planethtpc.com/htpc-jupiter/

Thoughts?   

[RC23]

This looks pretty solid!  http://www.planethtpc.com/htpc-jupiter/

The Silverstone Case SST-CW02 is solid and looks classy in a HiFi rack. Only the remote and the HTPC software of Silverstone get poor notes. But with MC17 you will work miles better.  

The surcharge for a prebuilt HTPC by planethtpc is hefty. I will advise you to plan and build the HTPC by yourself. It is a good feasible work. With the help of a friend or/and the visit of PC forums the project HTPC can be done even by a HTPC starter.

Silverstone is a good choice for HTPC. My coming HTPC (built-in in a HiFi rack) gets the new Silverstone model GD07 which accepts even ATX boards. http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=330&area=en&tid=

For standard HTPCs an ATX board is oversized thereby you can go to a Micro-ATX board. A suitable and good looking case would be the GD06 model. http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=293&area=en

For more information please check the reviews available in the web. Here a good search machine which fade out the shops and deliver only PC specific web sites in English or other languages. http://www.3dcenter.org/techweb-suche Please scroll down and there you find the filter for the English spoken websites. (I am coming from Germany.)

You are speaking as Audiophile/Videophile so I. My concept will use a multichannel audio interface (Focusrite Saffire Pro 40) to deliver the audio signal to the power amps. This is under audiophile aspects the better solution than to go by a surround receiver. MC17 takes the surround decoding and sends PCM to the audio interface. Thereby you are able to use other MC17 benefits as i.e. VideoClock http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/VideoClock and audio video sync by adding a specific delay time.

[undertow]

I appreciate the input.  I've built many PCs in the past for my business, but my time is limited these days with 2 little ones running around.  I know I'd pay a premium for pre-built, so I am looking to find the best I can.  If it costs an additional $1K then so be it.


The audiophile in me is VERY impressed by MC17.  I haven't even installed it yet (just been reading) and am already considering selling my Meridian 861v6.  I'll hook up MC17 to output to the 861 first, but may decide to ditch it and just pick up some good DACs.

[RC23]

The audiophile in me is VERY impressed by MC17.  I haven't even installed it yet (just been reading) and am already considering selling my Meridian 861v6.  I'll hook up MC17 to output to the 861 first, but may decide to ditch it and just pick up some good DACs.

o.k. I understand if you are coming from a Meridian 861v6.

A well designed and equipped HTPC in combination with a high end DAC are able to top a Meridian 861v6. 

[undertow]

I'm starting to think the same.

First I'll tackle adding the HTPC server.  Then I'll consider adding a replacement for the Meridian.  It looks like I can get about $15K for it used so I should be able to buy a pretty nice DAC with that.

[undertow]

Any recommendations on a pre-built HTPC?

[RC23]

Google is your friend. 

Perhaps can other users give you a hint for pre-built HTPCs. I assume you are living in USA. This locates the search for HTPC suppliers. I am living in Germany and therefore I donīt know good HTPC suppliers in the states.

Most time I need to find the best hardware and software to get an optimal solution. The PC building is a thing of 2 hours. The fighting with hiccups and other problems needs .. hours and is a hobby. 

[RC23]

Some local dealers offer to build and start running a PC as service. You give the dealer a list with hardware and software to install. He buys the parts and launch the ready PC. Before paying you are making a PC test with all features which the HTPC should accomplish.

You have only to create a requirement profile with defined tasks for the HTPC. Important is to know the design and the material quality of the PC case. Should the case be suitable to HiFi equipment? I prefer a silent PC with noiseless fans. Passive PCs possess limits by performance.

HTPC tasks --> Blu-ray, HDTV, converting Blu-ray to MKV, surround decoding, music and image collection as database, WLAN, LAN, NAS, software active X-Over, convolution, ...

HTPC prize range

If we know all these points then we are able to give you a HTPC setup proposal.

[redscare24]

These guys look to have exactly what you need.

In fact they have a system called Audiophile and one called vidoephile!!

www.assassinthpc.com

[jmone]

I'd suggest a different config:
1) Back End - Put your Media HDDs on a PC/Server/NAS that is then not located in the HT Room.  Use something like www.drivebender.com to "glue" all the media drives into one managed big logical volume (I just use my main PC and fill up the 6 sata drives so it only costs the extra for the HDD capacity and Drive Bender!  Note: I'm just moving from 2TB to 4TB drives as after a few years of use I'm starting to see the 2TB drives becoming unstable.  HDD do and WILL fail so remember to invest in a back up system such as another PC/NAS or WHS box (I use a small Atom based WHS 5-Bay Box) that keeps a copy of all the stuff you don't want to lose.  IMO - don't bother with RAID, it was designed to provider higher uptime and is not a backup solution (software like Drive Bender does a much simpler and easier job of making drive pools).

2) Font End - You want to keep only the minimum in this unit so it is small, quite and unobtrusive.  I use a Shuttle SFF (same height as AV Equipment but under half the width), and with the latest Sandy Bridge support http://au.shuttle.com/products/productsDetail?productId=1581 I don't think you even need to add a GPU (I'm running the iGPU from my i7-2600K Ivy Bridge just fine for high quality HDMI output using madVR).  All you need to then select is your CPU (suggest i7) say 6GB RAM, an SSD (for the OS and MC), Blu/DVD drive (for physical playback) and hook it up to the NW to playback media.  Add a IR receiver and a good RC (I like the Harmony One) to then control it all.

The result will be top quality Audio and Video over HDMI in a small and quiet unit with all your data safely backup and heaps of $ still left in your pocket.

[RC23]

Interesting solution with the new Shuttle SZ77R5 in combination with DriveBender as file server which is by LAN connected with an old discarded Desktop PC.

The Shuttle SZ77R5 is minimal equipped: only 1x 5.25" drive for Blu-ray / DVD / CD and 2x 3.5" HDD

http://au.shuttle.com/products/productsDetail?productId=1581

Therefore you use a second PC as file server with DriveBender. Do I have to install the server PC as WHS or is it possible to use the file server as normal Windows PC?  

DriveBender is actual available for $20 USD (normal $40 USD). http://www.drivebender.com/


My HTPC solution with a Silverstone GD07 comes with:

ATX board with full additional PCI and PCIe slots

5x 3.5" HDDs
 
2x 5.25" drives horizontally mounted and 2x 5,25" drives vertically mounted

The two 5.25" vertically mounted drives I will use for mobile 3.5" Jou Jye HDD racks. These racks are able to be switched off electrically by key.    
http://www.jj-computer.com/Products/Storage/Mobile_racks/For_35_hdd/Sata/St135sata
Good user recommendations on heise.de http://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/?sr=263300,-1

This abundance of HDDs (up to seven 3.5" HDDs !) requires place for a case with a depth of 435mm / 17.1".  http://www.anandtech.com/show/5796/silverstone-grandia-gd07-review-centering-and-serving-your-media

Interesting alternatives are the new Fractal HTPC case models which are looking very well designed.
Node 304 http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=94
Node 605 http://www.fractal-design.com/?view=product&category=2&prod=95  

With Cobian Backup 11 (freeware) I will do my file backkups. http://www.cobiansoft.com/cobianbackup.htm

System Backup comes by Paragon Backup & Recovery 2012 Free http://www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free/index.html

[jmone]

Thats right.  Load up an existing Windows PC with a bunch of HDD (eg the 4TB HDD are now $300ea).  Group them all together with Drive Bender ($20) and then create this as a UNC Network Share so all PC's on you NW can see this "Media Volume".  Run MC Media Server on this PC 24/7 and this will now allow any PC (including your new HTPC) to connect to it as a "Library Server Client" so the one MC Database is now used by all PC's yet the media will still play directly off the UNC Share you setup.  This way you get one consolidated view and NW connected access to the actual media.  These Library Server Clients then only need the horsepower to decode and render the files (not store them) so they will be smaller, lighter, cheaper etc....  There is no need (or desire IMO) to have all the discs in your HT room.

[RC23]

Several ways are guiding to Rome.    DriveBender is a very good solution for a PC network.

My HTPC will be a noiseless system with powerful decoding by an i5-2500K and big storage possibilites with quick HDD change by mobile HDD racks.

[jmone]

...and that is what makes it all fun 

[RC23]

Can anyone provide some good pre-built recommendations that would...

1) Fit in a HiFi rack
2) Audiophile playback via optical out or HDMI
3) Videophile playback via HDMI
4) Server grade redundant storage/backups (family videos and photos will be stored here)

For my budget, I should be able to get something pretty awesome with a ton of storage, no?    Looking for expert input!

Premium HTPC cases come by Origen which deliver cases in HiFi equipment quality - 5 or 8 mm (0.2 or 0.3") Alu panels - and operating by touchscreen.

http://www.origenae.co.kr/en/index.htm  

[jmone]

FYI - my WHS Backup just saved me (well in the process of restoring all my info) as I managed to reverse a Molex power plug in the back of my Hot Swap case on the Main PC and blew 2 x 2TB drives and all the info they contained

[RC23]

Which Hot Swap case model was the evildoer? I am asking because I would like to built-in two JOUJYE SNT-135 Hot Swap cases.
http://www.jj-computer.com/Products/Storage/Mobile_racks/For_35_hdd/Sata/St135sata/

So the case is not hot swap-able. 

Thanks for the info thereby we donīt have to make this experience.