Thin client system recommendations

[SickBoy]

Hey all - been inactive for a while but am now looking to shift my htpc system from a single machine to a server/client setup. Basic idea is to move all of the recording hardware (namely, capture cards and storage) down to my desktop machine that can run 24/7 and turn the other machines into thin clients that sleep when not needed, with ssd's for quick bootup.

I'm looking to acquire at least one net-top type system - any recommendations? Something significant enough to do playback of H264 streams, if possible. I'll likely find a way to run ethernet cables so that I don't have to fuss with wireless, so gigabit ethernet is a must.

thanks!

[Elmo Putney]

I run a zotac zbox ad02 it does everything I need it to do but you'll need to add a remote of some sort.

[smacrae]

I run 4 x Zotac XS Nano AD11's around the house....nice little units...I run these as just barebones connecting back to my server that has 6 tuner cards for the NPVR Service and Plex Media Server for my downloaded/ripped TV shows/Movies....it works very very nicely...

[SickBoy]

That's pretty much what I am looking to do - create some thin client machines with ssd's so that they can quick boot when needed and sleep the rest of the time.

Newegg has a mini PCI-E H.264 hardware decoder card that looks rather interesting as well. I'm not finding it at the moment but it looks like it might be the ticket for getting smooth playback without tons of processing power or video hardware.

[ga_mueller]

I run an Acer 1600 (single core Atom/ion graphics) as my client, and I'm not particularly pleased with it. Sluggish, delays for menu changes, and occasional crashes. I've never gotten live tv to work, as it always crashes.

[glenb7]

i am using a foxconn nettop with amd e-450 apu processor. i am using it to run all of npvr (client/server), so the processor is probably a little weak for that. but as a client this would be great. the graphics processor is really nice and fast. runs xbmc perfectly and i have a lot of 1080p high bit rate files. newegg had this one on a special with a 60 gig ssd for 149; i plan to put all storage and npvr backbone (or myth if i switch) on a server type machine. the unit is tiny and has been very stable. i would recommend it.

[reven]

theres the xbmc route where you can use a raspberrypi or a android based client.

xbmc doesnt support all features of nextpvr, but nextpvr also doesnt support all features of xbmc.

so use what is best for your needs (i watch a lot of online content so xbmc is better, and tv i mostly record so xbmc is a perfect client).

[Jakesty]

Would it work that the server being set up as a Windows based NEXTPVR system and the clients being linux, like ubuntu? I would think that linux would be a bit faster on clients than windows and a lot of these systems you buy are barebones and you supply the OS.
I would like to run XMBC as well. But still being inbetween PVR systems it's difficult to test all of these things

[reven]

personally i have

windows 7 nextpvr server
2x openelec (linux xbmc distro) machines
3x raspberrypis running raspmbc

works well

[martint123]

Would it work that the server being set up as a Windows based NEXTPVR system and the clients being linux, like ubuntu? I would think that linux would be a bit faster on clients than windows and a lot of these systems you buy are barebones and you supply the OS.
I would like to run XMBC as well. But still being inbetween PVR systems it's difficult to test all of these things

There was a linux client that worked for me - unsure of it's current status though.

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post400077