Mini TV PC recommendations

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#225568 24-Nov-2017 14:51

Well, looks like the Dell Zino I bought from @freitasm many moons ago, is finally starting to give up the ghost.

So on the look out for a similar sized unit to replace it - must be Windows based. Will primarily be used for streaming. I would look at the Android solutions, but the wife visits some odd sites to get her "midday drama" fix, so rather just get something I know works rather than trying to find work arounds and have SWMBO grumpy while doing so ;)

Something along these lines - https://www.gearbest.com/tv-box-mini-pc/pp_616709.html

Any recommendations ?

Will be connected an "aging" Panasonic plasma (HD), so dont need 4k support :-p

TIA

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#1907136 24-Nov-2017 14:52

That Dell Zino survived a decade!

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#1907140 24-Nov-2017 15:06

freitasm: That Dell Zino survived a decade!

Technically its still working, its just taken to power cycling itself at random :) I'm going to strip it down this weekend and give it a good clean up with fresh paste etc but from what I've seen, I'm not holding out much hope for it. Been a great little unit :)

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#1907144 24-Nov-2017 15:10

You could try something like an Intel Compute Stick (PB Tech Link) or a Intel NUC (PB Tech Link)

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#1907166 24-Nov-2017 15:38

Yeah thought of Compute stick, could be a good option, hides it away which would keep wife happy :)

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#1907167 24-Nov-2017 15:39

I wasnt impressed with the intel compute stick I had but I do use a Intel NUC for my TV in my room. Running LibreElec / Kodi. Dual booting to Windows 10. Chuck in an SSD and good amount of RAM and they are damned good machines. Only issue I have is every now and then when it turns on the fan goes crazy and stays that way till I shut it down again. Plus the NUC has an IR receiver built in which works perfectly with MCE compatible remotes.

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#1907175 24-Nov-2017 15:54

Not concerned with remotes etc, have a Logitech K400 to control it with :)

Why were you not impressed with the Compute ?

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#1907340 24-Nov-2017 20:27

Hmm some new paste wont go amiss..... https://imgur.com/a/vgAsY

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#1907453 25-Nov-2017 07:07

I found the compute very limited with only 32gb of storage. It was just not a quick machine. I liked the idea of the size though.

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#1913489 5-Dec-2017 19:29

I set up an Intel NUC today to replace the notebook I've been using as HTPC.

The box was basic 7th gen core i3 - as I wanted to be reasonably sure it would do UHD @ 60Hz, but other than that, not interested in processing/graphics grunt, as that's not what it's for.

Slimline - which is lower cost and smaller, but there's no internal SATA drive slot, so I put a 275GB M2 drive which cost a little more that an equivalent capacity SATA drive. With 8GB ram and buying a licensed copy of W10 home, I got a little bit of change out of $1,000. FWIW, IMO that (NUC) not really a low cost option. The box itself only cost $482 (PBTech). (Yes - I could have saved by shopping around etc - but I'm old, life is short etc, and that's not too bad - some were asking ~ $600)

Easy to set up hardware - 10 minute job. Some minor gotchas, the internal wireless card was completely no-go until OS was installed - so was a bit of a PITA to install updates later as I don't have ethernet handy on my workbench. The 2.5mm analogue audio out did not work at all until BIOS was updated - not a major but leaves you with the sinking feeling you've got a faulty unit. The default monitor refresh set itself at 50Hz - this had me thinking that I wasted some $$$ by being frugal, and should have bought the i5 or i7 options - but these add about $120 per step. Anyway, 50Hz (at least with the monitors I was using) was a very ugly thing, skippy and nasty. Set to 60Hz, and it's very perfect - fine.

So far it seems to be effectively silent, for general HTPC use seems to be practically as fast for what it's needed for as the laptop it replaced (i7/16GB).

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#1913560 5-Dec-2017 21:19

@xpd - did the new paste resurrect it? Be grand to hear that it'll survive another decade ;-)

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#1913678 6-Dec-2017 07:54

wazzageek:

@xpd - did the new paste resurrect it? Be grand to hear that it'll survive another decade ;-)

Havent had time to pick up some paste (although I could swear I had a couple tubes somewhere), but will do this weekend and report back how it goes :)

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#1921893 19-Dec-2017 13:32

wazzageek:

@xpd - did the new paste resurrect it? Be grand to hear that it'll survive another decade ;-)

@wazzageek

Replaced paste this past weekend, blew fans etc out, but still crapping out after about 30mins of use. It is still running rather warm, so might make it a project and make my own little case for it with extra cooling and see if that does anything but suspecting not.....

Might be a funeral coming up for a battle weary little Zino.

"I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them."

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#1922041 19-Dec-2017 16:03

xpd:

Yeah thought of Compute stick, could be a good option, hides it away which would keep wife happy :)

Be wary of the Compute stick, the early versions (not sure about later versions) had a 32bit UEFI which made running normal operating systems a PITA. There are ways around it but there painful.

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