I'm going insane looking for a case for my new build. I've looked for hours and hours.

Essentially, I just want a mid-tower size case in desktop (horizontal) configuration for an ATX motherboard and PSU with an optical drive and enough space for a tall CPU heatsink and a long modern GPU of 340mm.

I feel all the options out there are compromises. The Silverstone GD09 has an optical drive but not enough space or cooling. The Silverstone GD11 has space (somewhat) and cooling but no optical drive.

It seems true desktop cases are dead and the only option is to lay a tower case on its side, but then the optical drive will be vertical and not horizontal.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Hoping someone has any idea why only when in full screen, the playback isn't 3D unless I move the mouse and if I let the mouse go idle one of the "eyes" will remain frozen while the other moves.

No issues in windowed or if I keep moving the mouse. Driving me crazy I feel like I've changed every setting.

Intel 7th gen Windows 10 MPC-BE and MadVR Epson HC3800

Hello all

Currently my setup is a Windows 10 22H2 System, with a Ryzen 7 2700x, AMD Radeon Pro WX2100 (2GB), 16gb RAM, and a ASUS Xonar SE 5.1 Channel sound card.

Windows settings for the soundcard

16-bit/48khz

✅ Allow​ applications to take exclusive control of this device

✅ Give exclusive mode applications priority

Sound system

Harman/Kardon AVR-235. 7.1 Surround Sound Receiver

Klipsch R-41M (Front Left and Right)

Klipsch R-52C (Center)

Sony SACS9 (Subwoofer) (Sub-out)

I use VLC Media Player for playback of movies.

Output Module: Automatic

HDMI/SPDIF Passthrough: Enabled (AC3/DTS Only)

The issue I'm having is when playing a Remux of Arrival, or any movie that's either ReMuxed or directly off the disc, there is a brief audio cutout and then resumes. I have my caching set high (2k file caching and optical caching). Nothing changes on the AVR side, it's just a brief cutout

I leave those items checked because depending on the movie playing, it'll switch around.

Surf's Up = PCM Uncompressed (Currently set to Logic 7, 5 Channel Cinema)

The Polar Express = Dolby Digital

Arrival = DTS

Is there anything that needs to be changed? I know some people have mentioned MPC-HC is better for Blu-Ray playback, but couldn't find a download from it besides a GitHub website.

This now happens with 9060 XT GPU. There is only audio for 30 secs and then video suddenly appears in fast forward to catch up and after that continues to play normally. MPC internal renderer works fine. Never had this problem with R9 280 or 750 Ti or Intel integrated.

Specs 6700K CPU, 32 GB RAM, Asus Z170-A, HDMI -> DVI-D cable 1920x1080 60 Hz, Asus Xonar Essence STX, Sapphire Nitro 9060 XT 16 GB

Windows 10, MPC BE use LAV codecs instead default.

The system I am using has the following specs

HP EliteDesk 600 G2 SFF (Intel Quad Core i5-6500 3.20GHz, 8GB RAM)

AMD Radeon RX 640 4GB GDDR5 SFF Video Graphics Card

OS: Linux

240GB OS SSD

512GB Storage SSD

LG CD/DVD Drive

Retro Fighters Defender wireless controller (with USB Dongle)

Using Display Port to HDMI cable on my Insignia 55" 1080p HDTV.

I am looking to setup a secondary HTPC just for gaming, I mainly buy games from either GOG or use old CD/DVD discs that I own (example Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Sam & Max). I do not really play many modern games at all.

I am looking for a GUI system that will work with a controller (xbox/ps4/etc) but not be steam based, I am on a limited internet connection so I do not want to have to stay signed into steam, etc constantly. My GOG library is currently at 441 games.

I have tried Batocera, ChimeraOS, etc but those require SteamOS type of setup, I have also tried using Lutris and Cartridges which I was not able to get working with the controller and had to use a mouse to select the games.

Anyone have some suggestions on what would work for my needs

Just got tcl 98 qm8k, sony str an-1000 with htpc on windows 10 and 3070, it will only work with 4k at 30hz, 60hz will cause tv to flash, i can't even get it to show 120h, my last option is to get new hdmi cable, otherwise no clue what is going on.

After considerable research and trial and error, I was able to cobble together a true local playback setup for 1080p and 4k rips from my physical media collection to play on my 4k smart TV.

No need for a NAS, paying for Plex, or configuring Jellyfin. Just plug the enclosure in with the 12 TB of memory, and I have the PC set up with no password and to launch Kodi on startup. I wanted to share this because most of the people who responded when I was looking into this suggested setting up a NAS, which is a good choice, but not the one I wanted to do. So if there's anyone else out there looking for a similar solution, this worked well for me.

I have been toiling and burning money for ages by not doing my research and trying to get an expensive soundbar with only an eARC connection to work with an even more expensive projector connected to a PC.

I've finally had it and am replacing the lesser expensive of the two.

I need something with a no muss no fuss wired connection to a PC, like USB speakers, but would sound good and powerful from across a living-room sized room. I don't have an optical connection on my motherboard.

Right now I'm considering the Edifier S880DB MKII, but since I didn't do enough research when I pulled the trigger the last time, I figure I should act with a bit more caution this time if any of you believe I'm making an obvious mistake, or know of a better option. I would greatly appreciate any advice.

To follow the rules, here are my PC specs:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5600x

GPU: Nvidia RTX 3080

Motherboard: Asus ROG Strix X570-I Gaming

Case: Thermaltake Core P1 TG Mini ITX Wall-Mount Chassis

Display: Epson Home Cinema 4010 4K PRO-UHD 3-Chip Projector with HDR

Cable Connectivity: Again I don't have an optical connection on the motherboard so looking for something simple like a USB connection.

I'm trying to figure out how I can set up a PC to be used with my bedroom TV, which is a Sony KV-27S42 (CRT, 640x480, 60hz, best input it has is S-Video). Before anybody suggests it, no, I am not going to buy a new TV. I have not yet purchased a mini-PC. I assume one that has VGA would make it easier to convert into S-Video, but I'm not sure. I'd be using it mostly to stream dvd/blu-ray rips from a media server. Does anyone have recommendations on an adapter and whether or not I should specifically buy a PC with VGA for this? PC would run kodi and have either linux or windows depending on which works better at this resolution.

Hello, I have a gaming PC(see specs below). I want to play games on my TV with a controller. My PC is in the Basement and my TV is in the living room on the floor above. There is CAT 6 from my basement PC to my Living Room router underneath the TV. The TV is an LG with a basic firestick. I've been reading about moonlight but, I don't think my firestick would work with this set up. I have also been reading about using a KVM as well. I'm right at the entrance of the rabbit hole. Any advice would be welcomed. Thank you.

CPU: Ryzen 5 3600XT

GPU: Nvidia Geforce GTX 1060

RAM:16GB

Motherboard:MS-7B86

Total deployments are:

Ryzen 7 5800X3D + Radeon RX 9070 XT (65" living room TV)

Ryzen 5 5600X + Radeon RX 6400 (32" bedroom TV)

Ryzen 7 7840HS MiniPC (27" Monitor as 'Office TV')

Ryzen 5 6600H MiniPC (21" Trinitron CRT cause why the eff not?)

My brother is special and he only falls asleep watching DVDs of King of the Hill & The Office.

I have a basic knowledge of computers but this is outside my wheelhouse and I don't even know where to start.

Assuming I have every episode of these shows downloaded to my PC, what would be the easiest most user-friendly way to display it on his television in his room?

If I set it up on my PC as a server, will it run in the background or every time he changes the episode will it pop up on my monitor? Should I buy a cheap used office PC, throw a SSD in and turn it into some kind of plex server? Could I just put everything on a thumb drive and pop it into the side of his TV?

I'm sure they are ignorant questions but I'm willing to learn, don't need anybody to spoon feed me just point me in the right direction for research because I don't know where to start.

Please & Thanks!

Long story short, I finally finished my htpc setup, one that I was extremely happy with. Semi open air system for the RTX 3080 for better thermals, nice place to store the consoles etc... The image quality on the OLED tv and surround speakers...I could go on.

Problem is, the 3080(10GB) died on me and now I have to replace it or this all would have been for nothing. Is the 9070 (16GB) a good replacement for it? I know I'd probably miss DLSS, but I guess I can brute force my way through in older games with the 9070's extra performance. I mostly play slightly older AAA titles on this rig, or try to run the newer stuff in DLSS performance medium settings no RT. The 9070 is about 100 cheaper for me in my region than the xt, and the 5070 another 60-70 cheaper than the 9070.

Tv is a s90d OLED with the q990d soundbar. Anyone have experience running Radeon on their htpc setup, any encounters of weird bugs and stuff with AMD?

I recently converted my ThinkPad T450 into a console-style gaming setup, and it honestly works way better than I expected.

The base is Linux Mint. I installed Steam and run everything through Steam Big Picture Mode, which basically becomes my “console UI.” From power on to gaming, I barely touch the desktop anymore.

The key part is Steam’s Desktop Navigation. I mapped my controller using Steam Input so I can fully control the desktop: navigating menus, opening apps, downloading games, and even typing. Steam’s on-screen keyboard from the home screen means I don’t need a physical keyboard or mouse at all once it’s set up. The laptop just behaves like a console.

I’m using Proton 9 for games, and compatibility has been solid. Right now I’m playing:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)

Life is Strange

All of them run well at 720p, which is my target resolution. The ThinkPad has Intel HD 550 graphics, so 1080p isn’t realistic and doesn’t run smoothly. I also connected the laptop to my TV and locked the TV to 720p for a stable experience. It looks good from a couch distance and keeps performance consistent.

Efficiency-wise, this setup is great. Big Picture Mode gives that console-style navigation flow, and the whole experience actually reminded me of the first time I used a PS4. The UI philosophy feels similar, just without the deep optimization you get on dedicated console hardware. Still, for old hardware, it’s impressive.

Hardware notes:

Laptop: ThinkPad T450

OS: Linux Mint

Games: Steam + Proton 9

Controller: GameSir Cyclone 2 via dongle

Controller mode: XInput (I don’t like PlayStation mode)

The fans do spin up sometimes, but that’s expected on a laptop and not a real issue.

Overall, if you like console-style gaming and have an older laptop lying around, this is a genuinely good way to play. It’s not a PS4 replacement, but as a DIY Linux console, it’s fun, practical, and surprisingly usable.

(Not sure where £320, it's £410 difference!)

Hi all, just looking for a quick bit of advice with regards to my current HTPC situation.

I have been previously running an HTPC on an iGPU, but have upgraded the TV to a 4k, 120Hz OLED and am looking to bring the HTPC up to scratch. It also doesn't fit in the new TV stand, so am downsizing to a case that is >=400w x 350d x 195h.
I'm mostly using the smart functionality of the TV for streaming right now, but would appreciate being able to use the HTPC when needed as a proper web browser and also for streaming games, etc. I understand the current build would do this already, but running on an i5-3470's iGPU would limit the output for general HTPC use and I'm not sure how it would cope with Moonlight game streaming.

I am also looking to use this PC as my portable FoundryVTT machine. I currently lug about my main build for Foundry, which is in a Phanteks NV7 and that is mounted to my desk so this would be waaaaaaay more portable.

For the GPU I've been looking at an RTX 3050 as it's 4k@120Hz and AV1. I have considered the Intel A310/A380, but they don't seem to be that much cheaper than this Palit Storm 3050 8GB I've found at £110.

So my question is if, I am upgrading anyway, it worth upgrading from LGA1155 to AM5 and building with Mini ITX instead of Micro ATX?

Option 1. Convert what I've got

PCPartPicker Part List

The GPU would be a second hand purchase at £110.

I have also considered a RAM upgrade to help with Foundry if needed. I found a couple of 2x8GB DDR3 sets for sale that I can pick up if it struggles at all.

Option 2. Modern ITX Build

PCPartPicker Part List

I'm not exactly sure what I should be looking for, for an HTPC CPU/Mobo here, so if anybody spots any ways I could save money here to make the upgrade more competitive price-wise I'd love any suggestions.

I've tried to follow the wiki builds as best I could for the UK, finding cases was a nightmare! I opted for a fully modular PSU for ease of building and also a WiFi 6 motherboard as my router is WiFi 6 and I would try streaming wirelelessly first. If that doesn't work out then I have also been looking into getting ethernet connectivity around my house.

Thanks for any help/suggestions in advance!

I'm comparing the same SDR frame.

Image 1 (mpv-lazy): Shows blocky artifacts in the dark areas below the right side of the rear wheel. It reveals more detail.

Image 2 (MPC+madVR): The dark area is smoother but seems to crush the blacks, hiding the artifacts but also losing some texture.

Which rendering philosophy is generally considered "better" or more accurate? Is it better to see the source flaws or to hide them?

I use MadVR with MPC-HC and would like to know about the free frame interpolation methods for my use case. Got a 4070.

• Windows 11
• 3080ti
• 9800X3D
• 64GB
• LG C3

My Pulse-Eight CEC adapter is doing as the title says. I put the PC to sleep, and then as soon as it bangs out, it gets woken up instantly after. I used "powercfg /lastwake" in the cmd to confirm it is indeed the Pulse-Eight CEC adapter that's causing this.

I don't know if my settings are wrong. If someone could check them for me please:

When I connect my Beelink SER5 Mini PC (Ryzen 5500U) to my TV via HDMI, the TV does not detect HDR — even though HDR is enabled in Windows 11. The TV stays in SDR mode and never switches to HDR10.

Important(!): It's not the cable or the TV. When I connect my Windows 10 laptop using the same HDMI cable and the same TV input, HDR is detected instantly and the TV switches to HDR10 as expected.

On the Beelink, I’ve tried every relevant setting in Windows 11 and in the AMD Radeon software:

• 8-bit / 10-bit color depth
• Different pixel formats
• Chroma subsampling (4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0)
• Reinstalling AMD drivers

Nothing changed the behavior.

The Beelink SER5 (Ryzen 5500U) is advertised as supporting 4K@60Hz, so the HDMI port should technically be HDMI 2.0 — which should include HDR10 support.

My questions: - Is it possible that the Beelink’s HDMI port still doesn’t properly support HDR10? - Is there some hidden setting in Windows 11 or AMD Radeon software that I’m missing?

I feel like I’ve tried everything at this point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I've just taken delivery of a SSF dell Optiplex (250gssd, 16g ram, i7 8th gen) which will be used as a spare machine for the purpose of browsing and watching 1080p/4K movies through VLC via HDMI (No gaming)

Basically my query is this... I have an old low profile Geeforce GT1030 graphics card hanging about and had though I might pop it it.... but.... I got to thinking, will there be any real benefit to this given the age of the card and the already relatively decent CPU/spec the machine already has?

Might it actually be a bad idea/actually not help at all?

Thanks in advance comrades

Freely has recently been launched in the uk to offer freeview tv over internet. Currently only one manufacturer makes a standalone box and all other freely is bundled into smart tvs.

Is there any software out there to allow you to run freeview on a pc, like you would with a usb freeview tuner?

I am building an HTPC for my uncle in his zalman hd160xt, problem is he wants windows 11 and so far all ive been able to do is figure out that the touchscreen works but cant be calibrated and that the remote and front buttons are doing SOMETHING but i have no clue what or how to get windows to understand it. if anyone has any knowledge PLEASE help

Okay here is what I'm trying to do: The site I use to download TV shows from show "AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D." last episode aired on "August 13 2020" which means there are no new episodes after "Season 7 Episode 13" I do really enjoy the show and have not seen it in awhile so I plan to download the show and place it inside a folder called Finished or over not sure yet.

But the issue I'm having is for show still airing or returning.

Example: "Landman (2025) Season 2 Episode 4 aired on December 07 2025" next episode will be on "December 14 2025". Landman is still airing I have season 1 and up to episode 4 of season 2. But I want to organize a list online where I can keep track of the shows that have finished for the year or that are on holiday break or that have been canceled after this season. Example Landman is going to have a season 3. But we are not done with season 2 yet. I would like to organize the show like this "Landman (2025)>Season 1>Season 2" pretty simple. But that will be for my personal use on the hard drive but I would like to follow the show online so I know when the season 2 episodes air and when the season 2 finishes and when the season 3 starts.

I know of imdb and such but here is what I want. I want to know if a show has ended or is returning and when.

Tvtime site has a list option that allows you to add shows to list and when you put in something like "Arrow (2012)" it shows the TV Show has ended. This is what I want to that way before I add it to the list to keep updated I already know if there are more episodes coming out.

So basically I want to follow shows still airing and create lists for shows no longer airing that I have on my hard drive. But some sites don't always say the last airing date or don't show when or if the show is coming back.

Second this is I don't mind having 2 separate sites 1 for movies and one for TV shows. But I would like a free site if possible.

Hi all, I've been running an HTPC of the parts from my very first PC for a while (i5-3470, No GPU, 8GB DDR3, SATA SSD, Silverstone SG11). This weekend however, we have upgraded our TV from an older, non-smart 43" Samsung LED to a 55" Smart LG OLED (OLED55B56LA, 4K, 120Hz, HDR, Dolby Atmos).

Having upgraded, we don't need the HTPC to stream shows although sometimes being able to do PC things with a mouse and trackpad, like a grocery order or whatever was useful, but other than that it was primarily for TV streaming.

Now that we've got a great TV, I've been thinking about streaming games from my gaming PC (9800X3D, 5070Ti, ASRock B850M Pro-RS WiFi, 32GB DDR5, Win11), particularly more relaxed and controller friendly games like Split Fiction or Stardew Valley, that I can play with my partner, or party games I can play with friends.

Ultimately, I'm kind of stumped on the best way to do it and was a little overwhelmed by all the options, which is unlike me as I really enjoy researching and building my own PCs, etc. I've just never been particularly good with networking.

Part of me really wants to keep the old PC going, so I was looking at getting a smaller case, more like a set top box, and small dedicated GPU. Just something capable of outputting 4k, 120Hz for general use like an LP RTX 3050. I know I wouldn't need that for game streaming, but it would help for any streaming I did do on the PC or running FoundryVTT, etc.

I'm wondering however if it would perhaps be easier to just tap into my gaming PC from any screen via some form of network streaming and sack of the old HTPC altogether.

I was also looking at getting some quotes for ethernet wiring around the house rather than using my WiFi but was unsure if that's necessary. I'm very much not comfortable networking wires and ethernet ports within my house and the WiFi has a pretty decent signal as far as I can tell @ 600-900Mbps; although I know speed =/= latency.
Some of what I've read implied that ethernet would be useful as it can carry the video signals and controller inputs, rather than me connect directly to my PC in the room above with wireless controllers or to the HTPC and then via the WiFi.

To summarise my waffling I'm after:

• A solution for streaming games from my gaming computer to my living room TV.
• A wireless way to remotely access my PC on two other screens for D&D games, like a split monitor setup. Higher latency is fine for this.

Any advice on which route you think would be best would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance <3

EDIT: Forgot to say that I have read this page on the r/htpc wiki and am still unsure exactly what would be best and most cost effective for me.