Wisdom of using a refurbed Optiplex 780 as a HTPC?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Wisdom of using a refurbed Optiplex 780 as a HTPC?

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#160223 28-Dec-2014 19:50

Some questions for those with more knowledge of HTPCs than me.

I have an unexpected opportunity to purchase an ex-corporate SFF Dell Optiplex 780 for around $250 (including Windows 7). As far as I can figure out from googling, it has a Core2Duo E8400 chipset with integrated x4500 graphics. It also has 4GB of ram, (I think) a 160GB drive, and displayport & VGA graphics output.

I hadn't really been planning a HTPC yet, as I have been sorting the rest of the network and this was going to wait. However, the price seems good. Plus, the SFF size is really dinky and should fit nicely in my cabinet below the TV, where the VCR used to go (actually still is - blush).

The low drive storage doesn't worry me particularly, as I only need onboard storage for immediate recordings, it will be networked and anything I want to keep for longer than a day or two can be easily moved to my NAS. Plus, I have a spare 1TB USB portable hard drive that I can plug in the back if I need to.

What I contemplate doing is:

install XBMC and MythTV (and/or MediaPortal).
install a USB terrestrial tuner for Freeview (I already have a single tuner unit lying around).
install a USB satellite satellite tuner as well (eventually) for better EPG and to allow more options, and
install a Hauppauge HD PVR 1212 USB capture box for HD captures (which I already have).

I'm reasonably confident that it should do most things (including HD capture, as the Hauppauge unit does the capture & compression in hardware). However, I'm concerned that the CPU/GPU might be far too underpowered to cope with Freeview and playing 1080i recordings, or playing HD recordings. It would eventually be upgraded in a year or two, depending on performance and budget.

I know I could start adding low-profile graphics cards etc, but after a point that starts to defeat the point of a cheap-ass interim solution. Is it worth taking a punt, or is the unit simply too old and underpowered to contemplate using in this way?

I have to decide whether to acquire it this week.

sdavisnz

1015 posts

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#1205111 28-Dec-2014 19:53

for most dvb-t cards they reccommend a 2.4GHZ dual core to decode the signal

your e8400 is a 3.0Ghz dual core so it should suffice.

i would look at using a 64bit os and upgrade your ram to 8gb.

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sdavisnz

1015 posts

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#1205112 28-Dec-2014 19:54

and yea get a cheapo card with an hdmi port so you can connect to your panel.

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blackjack17

1705 posts

Uber Geek

#1205120 28-Dec-2014 20:19

$250 sounds quite high

Some thing like this http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=EXWKSHP7901&name=OFF-LEASE-A-Grade-HP-DC7900-SFF-INTEL-3GHz-2GB-DDR

This one is only $126

but it does only have 2 gig of ram.

This one is slower
but should still play anything that you need

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=EXWKSDEL0522&name=OFF-LEASED-A-Grade-DELL-OPTIPLEX-755-SFF-C2D-2.2GH

Just make sure you can fit everything in the case, there is not a lot of room in these cases.

I don't have any experience with video capture cards as quite simply there is nothing on NZ tv that I want to capture. Generally HTPCs don't need to be high specd, a raspberry pi can run xbmc and handle most videos thrown at it.

Good luck

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JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1205150 28-Dec-2014 21:15

Thanks guys. Useful thoughts.

Not really interested in purchasing and then spending more to upgrade ram and video etc. It all starts to add up and before you know it you are getting close to just buying something new and modern like an i3 NUC, while having what is still in essence and old and refurbed unit. Plus, I think they are the ultra small form factor version of the Optiplex (its tiny size was a major attraction), so I'm not even sure I can do such upgrades. It's more a case of whether it's worth being opportunistic and grabbing a deal, or whether it isn't such a useful unit after all.

The cheaper boxes suggested look interesting. But they are even more underpowered, have less ram, and have Vista Home rather than Win7 Pro so they are also a whole lot less. Plus, they aren't SFF, so wouldn't likely fit in the space I have in the cabinet. Not worth saving the $100 IMO.

The Optiplex apparently has displayport, so should connect to my panel just fine. Displayport->HDMI cables are only around $20. It's more a question of whether the box is suitable for intended use or not, as is, rather than whether after buying it I could spend more and do surgery to make it fit for purpose. If that's what I would have to do, I will hold off and buy a new purpose-configured box when I can afford it.

Budget plan is NAS this year (just sorted), sound system next year, new telly and HTPC in 2016. I just had an opportunity to buy this for what appeared to be a cheap price, and am thinking "I wonder......."

driller2000

935 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#1205180 28-Dec-2014 22:55

i scored an old sff dc7800 from work for $50 a couple of years back for my 3rd xbmc client

installed a $45 raedon 5450 in it + windows + xbmc and it hasn't missed a beat as a media machine streaming from my unraid server + online content (incl full bluray rips/isos)

admittedly no tv card in my machine - but there is a spare slot if i wanted to

so in my exp use of such machines will do the trick and in my case for the princely sum of $95 :)

Notes:
1. The std fans on mine are a little noisy - so you may want to check this / swap it out if need be on your machine.
2. I also purchased a logitech remote to control this family room set up - which worked ok after some fiddling

turb

881 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1205226 29-Dec-2014 07:08

That is similar to how I started in HTPC and I think it's a good idea, and fun, to have a machine to mess around with before building "The One".
I agree with what people have said, but I'd recommend a homerun HD network tuner - it has given a much more stable picture than the Hauppage 2210 card I had first (in my system). But it does prefer a gigabit network (in my system) - even though it shouldn't make a difference in theory.
Does displayport carry sound?

Let us know how you go!

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

PANiCnz

990 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1205260 29-Dec-2014 08:21

At stock it wont do hardware x264 decoding, instead will do it in software.

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SepticSceptic

2190 posts

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#1205304 29-Dec-2014 09:43

Plan on watching any of the NZ on demand channels ? SkyGo ?
The Silverlight requirements tend to ramp up the CPU requirements - at least that is what I have found. YMMV

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1205666 29-Dec-2014 18:24

SepticSceptic: Plan on watching any of the NZ on demand channels ? SkyGo ?
The Silverlight requirements tend to ramp up the CPU requirements - at least that is what I have found. YMMV

No, just Netflix and Hulu, and my WD Live should cope with those.

I was more thinking of something to:
- integrate HD capture (via HDMI) into my workflow
- record Freeview - and also try and run Comskip as part of the workflow to try and render FV actually watchable

But, after further reflection, I have decided that these units are just too old and marginally capable to be worth bothering with. I have thanked the offeror and said I don't want one. I think I will hold out until the budget runs to something like one of Intel's i3 NUCs.

hashbrown

463 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1208821 5-Jan-2015 21:59

I run an OptiPlex 980 as my HTPC. Got it from Graysonline for < $300. Added a video card for HDMI out with audio and upgraded to a 1TB hybrid drive.

It works really well. Nice and quiet even on these hot summer nights :)