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BES

What is BES?

BES stands for Bedroom Entertainment System.  The BES will be computer based and allow for my multimedia system to reach the bedroom.  This will share the same frontend visual as both the HTPC and MediaPVR systems, so to keep a common theme.  Most parts in the system are virtually the same as what are found in those two systems.  Basically I took what has worked in the past, and didn't deviate from the success I've had in playing back all content as on those two machines.

A couple of years ago, I did a concept BES system based on matrixing video to two different destinations.  Namely a TV in the bedroom and one in the bathroom.  Though I may still take on that en-devour in the future, the beginnings will be to a designated TV only in the bedroom.  Though the capabilities will certainly be there for future upgrading.

CURRENT HARDWARE

Motherboard: ASRock N68C-S UCC


I was looking at motherboards on eBay, but this one is still stocked at a local computer store.  I compared pricing and this one comes out cheaper than buying off ebay (especially once you add in shipping).  It is also new, and has all the extras (like the IO shield and cables), something that ebay boards don't always include.  It is a low budget board, but since I'm using an external video card (Asus EAH2600 Pro), it should work and playback whatever I throw at it.  I'm also judging this assumption on the fact that googling has shown that others have used this motherboard in HTPC builds successfully.  It comes out to $45 at the local computer store after a mail in rebate.  It is an AM2/AM3 motherboard, with two DDR2 and two DDR3 RAM slots depending on what type of CPU installed.  Has 4 SATA ports, 1xPCIx1, 1xPCIx16, and 2x PCI slots.  It also includes on-board video (not using), on-board audio, LAN, and lot's of USB.  The motherboard also has CPU fan speed control incorporated in the BIOS.  Hoping a good bang for the buck.

 
CPU: Athlon 64 x2 4800+ Dual Core Windsor @2.5GHz


I've had great success in using this type of CPU to playback HD material in the past, so when I saw one on sale on Ebay, I snagged it for about $31+shipping.

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master TZ3 CPU Cooler


-This CPU cooler was chosen for use with the M2A motherboard in the HTPC, and has worked just fine, so I decided to use it in this system too.  It seems to be working well as it is good for CPU's up to 130W.  It was under $20 now from the local computer store.
 

RAM: Mushkin Silverline 996527 PC2-6400 2x1GB RAM 

This RAM has performed flawlessly in the MediaPVR system, so I figured I'd use it in this system too.  Picked up 2x1G sticks (for dual-channel) for $29.


Case: GMC R2 Toast

Finally bringing back this cool case again.  I used it briefly in my previous Gen1 MediaPVR build, but decommissioned it once that system moved out of view.  No sense in using a cool box if people can't see it.  So it will be great to get it going again. 

The coolness factor with this case is the fact the the opitcal drive pops upwards, like toast popping out of a toaster as pictured below.

  


Video Card: Asus EAH2600 Pro Dual DVI


-PCI-E video card with onboard HD decoding capabilities.  Can output to 1920x1080 resolutions.  It's also HDCP complient.  It has dual DVI-I ports and a TV (SVGA/multi-port) output.  Since it can do decoding onboard, it will help take pressure off the CPU.  I originally used this card in the HTPC system before replacing it with the 4350 Silent card.  I had nothing against this board and wanted to use it again...now's the opportunity.  Even if I decide to go dual video out, this card should be able to handle it.


HDD: Western Digital WD400BD



This is a basic SATA drive from Western Digital that is about 40G in size.  I picked this up from a recycled computer that someone was getting rid of.  This drive will be mainly for the OS and the software/drivers to get everything working right.

DVD-ROM: LG GSA-H50N

Received this drive from a recycled computer, so it cost me nothing.  It works well and should be fine for a basic DVD drive in this system.

Power Supply: OCZ StealthXStream OCZ500SXS - 500W

 

 
I had one carried over that I was using in my Workhorse computer.  I ended up picking up an Antec VP450 for that computer, so I could use the OCZ supply in BES.  I love the OCZ StealthStream in the HTPC, but it is coming to EOL in the stores.  It is being replaced with a 550W supply that supposedly is not as silent as this one.  Depending on how silent the Antec is, I may actually end up using it instead down the road, since they make excellent supplies too.

Control: WinLIRC Serial Adapter


This simple circuit is used in conjuction with Girder to allow for system control by using an IR remote control.  For BES, I'm using an older Panasonic VCR remote with a scroll wheel.  Also, I'm not using a TSOP IR receiver, but a Panasonic 4602M, which is a slightly different pinout.  The WinLIRC now resides in the computer case where the IR reciever is positioned over an opening that originally was used as an AT keyboard connection (full DIN connector).  The connector was removed and now this reciever as well as the one which will be used with the MayIR project will be positioned there.

Gyration Mouse pack


If the system is indeed going to be in the bedroom, I picked up this wireless Gyration mouse kit off ebay.  It works up to 100'.  This way I can use one in the bathroom, should a TV ever get placed in there, and have control of the system, as well as use the second in the bedroom for the same purpose.  Though unfortunately after receiving the kit, it would appear that only one actually is able to sync to the receiver module.  The other seems to work but I have not been able to get it to sync yet.

EXPECTED SOFTWARE

Main Software:

Win XP w/SP3

MediaPortal v1.2.2 using the latest StreamedMP skin

      Extra Plugins loaded: Moving Pictures, TV Series, MCE to Girder, myFilms, aMPDroid, myNetflix, OnlineVideos

 Not my screen, will add when I get some screen captures


Windows Media Player 11 Upgrade - mainly for the wmv-hd and other HD codecs

MPC-HC - mainly for video playback verification.  If I can play it in Media Player Classic, then I should be able to play it back successfully in MP

Drivers and Codecs:

SAF 6.09 codec pack used by MP for all video media playback

Real Alternative Codec

CoreAVC - codec used for HD movies that cannot be played via DXVA

Utility/Management Software:

mc2xml - Media Center EPG scrapping software

RealVNC - server for remote access control


LOG

*Sept 17th, 2011*

Started to piece together the BES system.  Installed the power supply, hard drive and DVD drive into the case.  Ran/routed some of the supply wiring, and left the CPU, memory and video card in the case to store them.

Just making the final decision on the motherboard, but it looks to be the ASRock board stated above in the hardware section above.


*Sept 28th, 2011*

Bought the ASRock motherboard and Cooler Master CPU cooler and pieced everything together last night.  Installed the operating system, and most drivers and had the system up and running before morning.  Tonight I installed Xlobby with the xStreamed skin, and fired up a couple of HD movies.  The system played them back flawlessly.

A little bit more tinkering and the system will be good to go up to the bedroom.  I will most likely install a wireless G network card into the box in the interim, until I get a chance to run the LAN wire in the attic down the wall and terminated.  Once in the bedroom, using wireless will render HD playback useless, but I should be able to playback DVD movies off the server.  Below are some pics of the system during setup and test.









*Sept 29th, 2011*

Was trying to get working the last couple of night an old USB IR.  Had a Girder plugin that recognized the device, but I couldn't get it to do anything more.  I then found an old LIRC circuit that I had built and low-behold, it worked.  I'm now using it with an old Panasonic VCR remote as shown below:



*Oct 23rd, 2011*

So I had successfully used the above remote, and it was neat scrolling through my xStreamed main menu using the scroll wheel, but I ended up reverting back to a Happauge remote that I had extra laying around.  I did this to keep some commonality between the systems, now that two systems (BES and the MediaPVR) are using the same type of remote.  I've tried to keep the functionality between the two remotes on both systems the same too.

On of the other things that I did since the last post almost a month ago, was to do some nice cabling between BES to the TV, since I didn't bury it behind the wall like I did with the MediaPVR to the livingroom TV.  I think I did a wonderful job by tie-wrapping the LircIR cable, HDMI, audio and Coax cables together in a bundle.

Finally the last thing I did was to drop a CAT5e cable, that had been run into the attic when I ran speaker cabling for my music distribution project a few years back, down the wall, so I could get a wired network connection to BES.  Up until now, I had been using a wireless adapter (G) to connect, and it was horrible on media playback.  DVD movies streamed would skip, and most HD content was un-watchable.  Everything runs smooth now.  I've also allowed for future upgrading where I can now run drops to the other bedrooms back to this location, add a network switch (I have an 8-port spared up just for this reason), and the other bedrooms will to have wired network access.

So unless I do some xStreamed updates, or I do decide to run a second monitor to the bathroom, this project is pretty much completed.


*Feb 20th, 2011*

So like I mentioned in the HTPC and MediaPVR threads, I swapped the Xlobby frontend over to a full run of MediaPortal.  The main reason for doing this was because of major crashing issues when flowing through the movie database, but there were other reasons for the switch over.  It took about 5 days for switching the main components on the three machines, and there will be continuous tweaking and updating for the next little while I'm predicting, but so far I've been very satisfied with the results.