Media Center PC requirements?

[Migel]

Hi, I'm about to buy a TV, however in the past, smart TVs have been rather impractical and annoying for me. I'd like to use the TV as a monitor for a small PC on which I can use windows and browsers to play youtube, twitch, spotify, as well as all streaming services with plugins such as adblockers. I'd like to control it with bluetooth M&K from the coffee table and have the option of listening to the media via bluetooth headset as to not annoy my neighbors when watching movies late at night. I'd also like the option to download and save video as well as connect an external DVD / CD drive via USB.

These things aren't something the TV I'm going for can do on its own, so my plan is to buy a barebones PC or laptop and hook it up via HDMI or DisplayPort, so the TV only functions as a display for the PC.

My question is, what are the minimum requirements to use browsers and play (pre-rendered) 4k video smoothly and without too much of a wait? Do you have any recommendation for prebuilt barebones PCs or laptops at a reasonable price point that can do the job?

And another question, I haven't owned a laptop since Windows XP days, is it possible to close a laptop and still continue using another display with your laptop playing the PC role, or will laptops automatically go into standby mode when closed?

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

I have an old Ryzen 2600 paired with an old 3060 sitting below my TV as my HTPC. HDMI 2.1 to the TV (4k), both optical audio from TV and digital audio from the PC to a USB powered receiver that passes through a powered amp that can do both wired and wireless (bluetooth dongle) for headphones and M&KB.

[emoticorpse]

I would think anything from 2017 and newer should handle play 4k videos without any problem. Even tv's and Roku's can do it. The wait comes to the speed of the storage.

Probably can just build a cheap $500 system without a dedicated GPU and you have something decent?. I rushed this, so don't quote me on that. Just trying to offer a starting point.

[xSOSxHawkens]

Migel původně napsal:

Hi, I'm about to buy a TV, however in the past, smart TVs have been rather impractical and annoying for me. I'd like to use the TV as a monitor for a small PC on which I can use windows and browsers to play youtube, twitch, spotify, as well as all streaming services with plugins such as adblockers. I'd like to control it with bluetooth M&K from the coffee table and have the option of listening to the media via bluetooth headset as to not annoy my neighbors when watching movies late at night. I'd also like the option to download and save video as well as connect an external DVD / CD drive via USB.

These things aren't something the TV I'm going for can do on its own, so my plan is to buy a barebones PC or laptop and hook it up via HDMI or DisplayPort, so the TV only functions as a display for the PC.

My question is, what are the minimum requirements to use browsers and play (pre-rendered) 4k video smoothly and without too much of a wait? Do you have any recommendation for prebuilt barebones PCs or laptops at a reasonable price point that can do the job?

And another question, I haven't owned a laptop since Windows XP days, is it possible to close a laptop and still continue using another display with your laptop playing the PC role, or will laptops automatically go into standby mode when closed?

Basically any modern computer, laptop or desktop, that shipped with Windows 10 installed and cost more than 300 bucks when new. Anything that shipped with windows 10 but cost less is probably chrome book power or weaker. Anything above 300 should be at least a basic Intel CPU with Intel iGPU that should handle HD and 4K video playback and web browsing.

^^Thats the minimum^^

Now for better usability and a good experience? I would stick to something with at least 4c/8t on the CPU, on the GPU side either go with a low end dGPU (GTX-1030, RX6600, RX560, etc) or go for a CPU with known acceptable iGPU for video playback (I would stick to Intel HD4k or better, or anything that is Modern Ryzen APU).

[retro_Ed]

Cheapest Steam Deck 64Gb model and dock.


It can be a gaming handheld, traditional console and when boot to desktop it is a just a PC.

And 64Gb model is cheap. No other device can offer better prize/performance ratio.

With PS4,PS5 controller desktop mouse cursor can be used as a gyro mouse pointer with built in onscreen keyboard (Steam client running background.)

Basically it is out of the box fully functional desktop media pc. And 4K content runs great.

[emoticorpse]

If you do end up making it a Media Center PC, consider messing with Milkdrop visualization thing when you want to trip out https://github.com/milkdrop2077/MilkDrop3

[Talby]

Mine is an old i3-2120 on a GA-Z68AP-D3 / 4gb ram / 128gb a400 ssd / GTX760 2gb (to get 4k on the hdtv) running win10...

Honestly you can get pretty much any old office refurb and throw in a 2gb gpu with hdmi and you are good to go, they are still pretty cheap last time I looked.

[_I_]

you could use a pi

pi3 or better to stream games from a capable host pc

[A&A]

Small form factor computer with 4 cores and 8GB of RAM.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

My 10th Gen i3 backup Laptop with 8GB RAM and a WD Blue SSD has no problems playing 4K content all day long. It's connected to 5G Network w/ 500 Up / 150 Down; so no buffers even for 8K content on YT

[[N]ebsun]

I have a very old PC running smoothly as a media / TV PC, running linux
I5 3570K
can't remember gpu, but think its nvidia and is passive cooled - no fan
16gb ddr3 ram

can run most basic games including some recent ones on low settings

[Bing Chilling]

any cpu made in the last 15 years ish
and any gpu made within the last 10 ish
6gb-8gb of ram
with an SSD will be good enough

my old phenom iix 4 955be (released in 2009)
and r7 250 2gb DDR3 (released in 2013)
and 8gb of DDR2 800Mhz ram. (dual channel)
run everything on the internet just fine and really smoothly actually.
i have it set up in my living room for the same reason you are going to.
even 4k 60fps videos run smoothly.

it's mainly down to the SSD. you could buy a insanely old Optiplex off FB market or Craigslist
and throw an SSD in there and it would easily be better then 99% of smart TV's.

[Electric Cupcake]

Cube cases are so cute.

I use a Coolermaster HAF XB EVO in the TV stand. It fits a full ATX motherboard and GPU, but a media center PC would work fine with just a Ryzen APU.

Kodi is good.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

3570K w/ 16GB RAM would be fine; stick an SSD in there and clean install Win10 64bit 22H2 on there and load up ShutUp10 and turn off all that MS junk. It'll be even faster, more responsive.

[Pocahawtness]

I have two media PC's, used just for that. They are MATX PC's that use 12400T CPU's. They are 35W CPU's so they use a tiny amount of power, and yet they do everything you want and more.
The advantage of the 12400T's is that they support 4K at 60Hz without a GPU, which greatly reduces the cost and running costs.

[Electric Cupcake]

As for using a docked laptop, I did that for years.
I made a laptop sling/hammock (slightly different design than these instructions) and hung it off the side of the TV stand.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/03/diy-how-to-make-a-laptop-hammock-for-a-dollar/

But if you do that, you'd better set your laptop battery to max health mode so it only charges to 80% or so, or better yet, use a laptop that lets you remove the battery entirely and use straight AC passthrough.