mrogers Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 I'm getting tired of my hacked Apple TV's limitations, and I'm interested in building a small, quiet hackintosh to use sort like a Mac Mini-style media center. I already have a fully operational hackintosh desktop, so I'm somewhat familiar with the process around here, but I'm having trouble settling on the smallest/quietest/most affordable solution for what I'm trying to do here. Obviously something along the lines of the Shuttles or Asus mini PCs are in order, but I'm kind of lost right now. I've been looking at the HCLs, but I was just wondering if anyone has built a hackintosh like this and if you have any recommendations. One thing I'm particularly unfamiliar with is how to get an IR receiver working on a hackintosh (I never bothered to do it with my desktop) -- that will be a necessity here. I'd like to try to keep this to around $300, $400 *max* because if it costs more than that I might as well just buy a real mini. I don't know if this matters, but it will be hooked up to a 42" 720p Samsung plasma and the primary purpose will be to stream my gigs and gigs of video over a gigabit network from my main machine. Thanks everyone! EDIT: This Shuttle in particular is very attractive for its clean looks and low price, but I can't find hardly any discussion of it being used as a Hackintosh on the forums (it's in the HCL, but I'd love more info than that). Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
~pcwiz Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Looks good, the 945 chipset is well supported. However you do need to add in the cost of CPU, RAM, Optical Drive, Hard Drive, and I think even a video card as well, because if you are gonna hook it up to a 42" the integrated GMA 950 won't hold IMHO. I don't even know if you can add a dedicated video card in there, you should look into that. But even with those extra costs, I think if you choose carefully you could get it around $300-$400 and it will be more powerful than a mini. One thing though, it only supports a max of 2GB of DDR2 667 so overall I think you should go for a little bit better barebones. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813293 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrogers Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 Well I know a couple people that use the Mini as a media center on 720p and even 1080p TVs, and for playing videos it works just fine. This has the same video card. If it couldn't power a 720p TV, then it wouldn't be able to even handle an old 1024x768 15" LCD. It's not the size of the screen that matters, it's the resolution -- the GMA950 can handle 720 pixels of vertical resolution. I'll probably go with a very inexpensive C2D processor, and I only need 2GB of RAM -- infact I really only probably *need* 1GB, this isn't going to do anything other than play movies. I certainly don't need much horsepower or RAM for that. People use Minis with 512MB for this purpose. I'm really liking that enclosure, so if it looks compatible I'll probably go for that. I already have a hard drive. My biggest remaining question, I guess, unless someone thinks that barebones kit is no good, is how to do the IR remote. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813318 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaap Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Newegg user reviewers claim the onboard can handle 1080p playback, even if just barely. Just encase, why not step up to this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16856101059 Yes, it's $70 more, but for the PCIe 16x slot to be absolutely certain you can get the video performance you want, now and the foreseeable future, it could be worth it. And I just noticed the other doesn't even have an optical drive- for me, that'd be a deal-killer in an HTPC. The above has bays for both optical drive and card-reader. Rather than IR, I'd go for a bluetooth, or RF remote solution- no worries about line of sight operation. I'm itching to build a little OSX media center myself just to see how it'll perform. FrontRow and EyeTV with the HDHomerun work beautifully on all the Hackintoshes I've built so far. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813374 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrogers Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 ^ Thanks, good suggestion. I'd just started eyeing that one as well, I think it would give me a little more flexibility. I don't think I would use the optical drive much if at all, but it might be good to have. I don't want to do Bluetooth or IR (well, I'll have Bluetooth for the keyboard and mouse but I still want IR) because I have a Logitech Harmony 550 and want to keep everything in one remote. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813446 Share on other sites More sharing options...
~pcwiz Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 ^ Thanks, good suggestion. I'd just started eyeing that one as well, I think it would give me a little more flexibility. I don't think I would use the optical drive much if at all, but it might be good to have. I don't want to do Bluetooth or IR (well, I'll have Bluetooth for the keyboard and mouse but I still want IR) because I have a Logitech Harmony 550 and want to keep everything in one remote. Em...what if you wanted to watch a DVD or play a Music CD? I think an optical drive would come in handy Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813557 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheese N' Pancakes Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 i would find a good solid micro atx motherboard with intel GMA 950 onboard and HDMI output, an intel core 2 duo, 2gb of ram and a MMC case. If you have the money throw in a Blu Ray drive so you can play hi-def movies on your tv. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813576 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrogers Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 Em...what if you wanted to watch a DVD or play a Music CD? I think an optical drive would come in handy I've already got equipment to do that. Namely my 360, which does a much better job at DVD upscaling than a PC would do, I think. i would find a good solid micro atx motherboard with intel GMA 950 onboard and HDMI output, an intel core 2 duo, 2gb of ram and a MMC case. If you have the money throw in a Blu Ray drive so you can play hi-def movies on your tv. An advanced search specifying onboard GMA950 and DVI or HDMI turns up zero mATX boards on NewEgg. They have VGA, but not DVI out. Why wouldn't they all provide DVI out and then ship with an adapter? At any rate, I found a nice board for $50; now to find a slimline case and power supply. And an IR solution...still wondering about that. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813594 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheese N' Pancakes Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 nice board for $50? good like with that. i'd check NCIX for computer parts not newegg. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813620 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaap Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 An advanced search specifying onboard GMA950 and DVI or HDMI turns up zero mATX boards on NewEgg. They have VGA, but not DVI out. Why wouldn't they all provide DVI out and then ship with an adapter? At any rate, I found a nice board for $50; now to find a slimline case and power supply. And an IR solution...still wondering about that. MicroATX board? If so, you could use a decent HTPC case. Why do you need IR? I only use it with HTPCs for 'blasting' a channel-changer, but not for a remote. It's outdated. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813650 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrogers Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 nice board for $50? good like with that. i'd check NCIX for computer parts not newegg. Yes, there's highly rated Asus and Gigabyte mATX boards available for $50, with GMA950 built in. Why wouldn't I use NewEgg? I've ordered from them for 7 years and never had a problem. MicroATX board? If so, you could use a decent HTPC case. Why do you need IR? I only use it with HTPCs for 'blasting' a channel-changer, but not for a remote. It's outdated. Yeah I found some pretty good looking HTPC cases. Again, I need IR so that I can control the Front Row/Plex interface with the Logitech Harmony remote. That ONE remote controls ALL of the stuff -- TV, TiVo HD, receiver, Xbox 360, video switcher -- and I'm not going to confuse my wife and guests (and ruin my own convenience) because I was too lazy to install an IR receiver. I appreciate everyone's responses, but I guess on that note I'll have to experiment and figure it out myself, because everyone seems more interested in telling me that I don't really want IR. Yes, I do really want IR. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813700 Share on other sites More sharing options...
nano2nd Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 I recently finished a Shuttle K45 based hackintosh. More information on this particular bit of kit can be found in this thread: Insanely Mac Shuttle K45 It is a lovely little machine. Key points of interest are: - GMA950 will run 720P HD - Audio line out works - Onboard LAN works - Sleep/Wake/Shutdown etc work It is actually possible to install a slimline optical drive but you will have to cut or remove part of the front panel and use a slim adapter to connect to the IDE. There is a guy who makes new front panels for the K45 at: Larry at Zigs Place While Leopard performance is flawless on this device, be aware that it is not the quietest and may not be best suited to home theater use. I used a Zalman CPU cooler in mine and may replace the stock 92mm rear fan as well but it is still louder than my main Hackintosh. Full specs below in my sig... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813701 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaap Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Again, I need IR so that I can control the Front Row/Plex interface with the Logitech Harmony remote. That ONE remote controls ALL of the stuff -- TV, TiVo HD, receiver, Xbox 360, video switcher -- and I'm not going to confuse my wife and guests (and ruin my own convenience) because I was too lazy to install an IR receiver. I appreciate everyone's responses, but I guess on that note I'll have to experiment and figure it out myself, because everyone seems more interested in telling me that I don't really want IR. Yes, I do really want IR. Sorry, I missed that you were using the Logitech Harmony. Maybe one of these might work? Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813786 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrogers Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 I recently finished a Shuttle K45 based hackintosh. ... Thanks! That's very helpful. Sorry, I missed that you were using the Logitech Harmony. Maybe one of these might work? Perfect, I knew I'd seen something like that before! Thank you very much. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813801 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrogers Posted July 10, 2008 Author Share Posted July 10, 2008 Ok If I do this, I'm leaning toward Gigabyte GA-945GCM-S2C - $50 Slimline HTPC case with power supply - $60 - that's one of the smallest and best-looking mATX HTPC cases I could find Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 ($120) or E7200 ($130) - which one would run cooler (and therefore quieter)? Really don't care about the performance, any processor sold these days will be enough for my purposes here. Any suggestions for the coolest/cheapest Intel proc? And $40 or so for a 2GB DDR2 stick and another $25 for a DVD-RW. Already have the hard drive, so my total so far is a little under $300. If I can knock some off the processor cost I'll really feel great, especially if it means I can make it run nearly silent. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-813838 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaap Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 mrogers, I don't think the board you've chosen can take the E7200 processor, since it's 45nm. I don't think the 954GM chipset supports those. You should be fine with the E4600 though. I've used those, and they run very cool. Also, for future reference, you can stick a low-profile ready PCIe card in those half height cases if you ever want to upgrade the video. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-816048 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheese N' Pancakes Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 you can barely get a hard drive for $50..... Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-816131 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyell Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Hey all, im a newbie on these forums (registered to be part of this thread), and trying to build a hackintosh. This is what I'm thinking right now, but I don't what to do about graphics: IN WIN IW-BL631.300BLP Black Steel MicroATX Slim Case Computer Case 300W Power Supply - Retail Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJS 160GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM PNY OPTIMA 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory ASUS P5K-VM LGA 775 Intel G33 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 Allendale 2.4GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E4600 - Retail + IR receiver and gfx card. Any suggestions for gfx or other problems that I haven't noticed? Thanks a lot, lyell Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-816145 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrogers Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share Posted July 11, 2008 you can barely get a hard drive for $50..... And what's your point? Seriously, do you have a problem that we should know about? For some reason you seem hell-bent on getting people to spend as much money as possible. Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-816177 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiaboliK Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 the ultra tiny osx media center setup: intel d945gclf cpu/mobo combo ddr2 667 ram of choice (1 stick) hdd of huge porportions dvd drive of the sorts silverstone mini-itx case w/ psu if you go banana's on the ram and hdd and dvd drive you will spend upto $400, but you can easily get away with 250$. (yes fully working, vanilla also) it isnt all about power or anything just like the appletv. -D- Link to comment https://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/114841-want-to-build-a-mini-hackintosh-to-use-as-media-center-need-recommendations/#findComment-816321 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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