Thanks to the guys at my-htpc for supplying a test machine for us to review.  We’ve been in contact with my-htpc for quite some time about their HTPC’s as we’ve had our readers asking for us to include more HTPC’s on our site.

HTPC’s by their very nature tend to spend a lot of their time swirched on, and it’s not uncommon for them to be ran 24/7.  With an ever increasing need to consume media in smarter ways the HTPC (Home Theatre PC) has really come to the forefront of the living room as well as the teenagers bedroom.  Being able to store and playback your media collections as well as the desire to watch live and recorded TV means the HTPC really is a one stop shop.

The specification of our review machine

• Zeno TX-2000 HTPC chassis. Dimensions: 270mm (Deep), 295mm (Wide), 100mm (High)
• Power Supply: 100w external DC power unit
• Intel i3 2100 3.1Ghz Dual Core Processor
• Sandybridge H61 chipset motherboard
• 4Gb DDR3 1333 Mhz RAM (expandable to 16GB. 2 slots, 1 used)
• PCI slots: 1x PCI Express X16 (running at x16)
• 4x SATA 6GBs (2 Used)
• 128Gb Crucial M4 SSD
• Slimline Bluray drive
• on Board HD Graphics card with DVi, D-SUb, and HDMI
• Audio Line In
• Audio Line out
• Microphone port
• 4x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0
• Gigabit LAN
• 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium Edition
• Microsoft Security Essentials virus checker
• My Movies for Media Centre (rip BluRay & DVDs and catalogue your collection)
• Total Media Theatre 5 for full BluRay menus and dts-MA and Dolby True HD
• Virtual CloneDrive
• Full remote control
• wireless keyoard with trackerball
• Power, HDMI, and network cables supplied

First Impressions

The first thing that struck us when unboxing the HTPC was how stylish the case was.  The case is in effect a giant heatsink and is finished off with a black brushed aluminum finish.  Down each side of the case are the fins that are used to dissipate the heat from the PC.  This means that there isn’t a single fan in the unit which is a major advantage with a machine that will spend a lot of time in a living room or bedroom.

On the front of the unit is the slimline optical drive as found in a laptop as well as a single button to power on the PC.

At the back of the PC is the usual array of output ports and if you check the specification above you can see the type of connectivity that this mighty HTPC crams in.

Powering up the computer is very eerie for anyone who hasn’t experienced a totally passively cooled machine equipped with an SSD hard drive. Normally you would expect lots of whirring and clicking as your machine boots up but those noises on a traditional PC/HTPC are caused by the numerous fans and mechanical hard drives.  This machine makes the customary BIOS beep when powered on but then it’s totally silent as it speeds to load up Windows 7 and takes you straight into Microsoft Media Center (WMC).  The machine is configured to log you straight on and launch Microsofts inbuilt media centre front end.

 What Can it Do?

Using the supplied My Movies software you can slip in a DVD or Blu-Ray disk and transfer the contents of the movie or TV series directly onto the computers hard drive.  This allows you to store your movie and TV series media libraries digitally and saves the hassle of having to find the correct disk whenever you fancy watching a particular show or film.  This makes HTPC’s very partner and kids friendly as they can easily navigate via the supplied remote control or keyboard and trackball!

Here are a few pictures of the Movies and TV Series views available within WMC

Movie Collection

Movie Details

TV Series Collection

TV Series Details

TV Episode Details

Pairing My Movies with Windows Media Center makes a great home media hub and is great value add piece of software that My-HTPC have bundled into their custom made systems.

Music Collection

When it comes to music then your iTunes library or windows media player mp3 collection are all brought together into the music library

Live TV and Recording TV

Due to the passive nature of this particular system My-HTPC don’t recommended that you add an internal TV tuner card which would increase the internal core temperature.  You could add a USB based tuner or as we prefer you could use a network TV server.  However you supply your TV signal you’ll be pleased to know that WMC can handle up to 8 tuners and includes a full 7 day electronic programme guide (EPG).

So how energy efficient is the HTPC in use?

We ran a series of standard HTPC tests using the our tried and tested efergy energy monitoring socket .

As a machine like this will often spend large periods of times idle, waiting for the next task to be kicked off, the idle power usage of the machine is incredibly important.  For the Zeno Passive HTPC we measured the average idle power usage as 29 watts.

If you put the HTPC to “sleep” between operations then the unit consumes and impressive 1.7watts when sleeping.

High usage functions such as watching a HD broadcast or when copying down a movie sees the power rise to only 34 watts at it’s maximum and with the excellent intel i3 processor our tests showed that we could transfer a 110 minute DVD in 20 mins.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a low power HTPC that’s both stylish and performs well then the Zeno cased HTPC from My-HTPC ticks a lot of boxes.  The supplied software compliments the well chosen hardware requirements and the support offered by My-HTPC means that you will be up and running in no time.  This energy efficient HTPC punches above it’s power consumption weight and delivers great performance for the power that it consumes.

If you’ve got a bespoke requirement then we can’t recommend My-HTPC enough.  These guys are able to offer HTPC solutions that match the clients requirements and will go the extra mile to deliver the best possible system.

Contact Details

You can call, Skype or e-mail My-HTPC via their website at www.my-htpc.co.uk

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Review of the My-HTPC Zeno Totally Passive HTPC

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Here is Lisa’s winning video and the Raspberry Pi will be winging its way to you this week.

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Raspberry Pi – Winner Announcement

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• Competition : Win A Raspberry Pi

This competition is for the higher specification Model B Raspberry Pi.

Raspberry Pi Computer

See our previous posts on the Raspberry Pi and it’s Uses. http://www.lowpowerpcs.co.uk/raspberry-pi-a-tiny-low-power-pc-from-britain/ and http://www.lowpowerpcs.co.uk/top-6-uses-for-the-raspberry-pi-35-computer/

In order to win this pocket sized computer you must do your best to impress us by your geekyness and creativity. You should comment on this post with a link to a youtube clip that you’ve created to say/demonstrate why YOU should win the Rasperberry Pi.

Your video content must contain our website address of lowpowerpcs.co.uk and Raspberry Pi although there is no set way they are to be included. You could sing our URL, say our URL, have it typed up…..that’s where the creative part comes in! Your video could be you begging to win the Raspberry Pi, singing an ode to the Raspberry Pi, be you on top of Mt Snowdon with giant cards with words on etc. Have fun making the videos but please don’t do anything illegal or dangerous!

The Rules

• You MUST be based in the UK as we will only ship this to a UK address.
• Post your entry as a comment to this post and include the link to your YouTube clip.
• Entries that don’t include our website URL and Raspberry Pi in their content will be excluded from the results.
• All entries must be received by 21:00 UK Time on the 6th July 2012.
• We will review the entries on the 7h July 2012 and announce what we thought was the most impressive video (content wise, not necessarily technically) by the 8th July 2012.
• Only 1 entry per person.
• The winner of the Raspberry Pi will be announced on the 8th July 2012
• By entering our competition you agree for us to publish your youtube clips on our website www.lowpowerpcs.co.uk

Good Luck and may the best clip win!

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Competition : Win A Raspberry Pi

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The Rasberry Pi can be a great computer for many businesses, schools and individuals. The Rasberry Pi provides a portable computing solution for a low price. It has all the features of a full-sized computer on a single chip. While the Rasberry Pi provides limited processing power, it’s can be beneficial for many applications.

The Raspberry Pi can be a great tool for teaching students how to program. Since the Rasberry Pi uses basic programming languages, it can be a useful way to introduce students to the world of programming.

In addition, the Rasberry Pi can be used by students to build gaming devices. The the flash memory on the Pi can be reprogrammed, it can be a great way for students to practice their skills when building a gaming device.

While the Raspberry Pi may have limitations for the number of concurrent users, it can be used as a basic web server. This will allow people to access images and web pages stored on the Pi. This can be a valuable tool for people in developing nations. For people with limited budgets, running a web server through the Pi can be a great way to save money.

Some of the best uses for the Raspberry Pi are in developing nations. Modern technology powers education and business in many parts of the developed world. Without access to the internet, it can be impossible for people to learn and improve themselves. Through the use of the Raspberry Pi, an internet connection and a monitor, it’s possible to build a global network for people in developing nations.

It’s also possible to incorporate the Raspberry Pi into basic robots and mobile applications. This can be a great way to share technology with people around the globe in a unique way.

What are you planning to do with your Raspberry Pi?

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Top 6 Uses for the Raspberry Pi $35 Computer

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Solid State Drives (SSD) are not an entirely new technology. They have gained notoriety in recent history because of their varied advantages as storage devices over traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDD). HDDs are the most frequently used storage devices because they are, on average, 10 times cheaper than SSDs.

Nevertheless, the advantages of HDDs over SSDs end there. The most common hard disk drive in the market today is the SATA hard drive. Compared to SSDs, the SATA drive is slower and more fragile. The movable arm on the SATA hard drives makes them noisier than the SSDs which have no movable parts.

In addition to reliability, speed and low mortality, SSDs also consume less power than SATA disk drives (an estimated 3watts compared to 12watts for SATA). This is partly because no more power is needed to move mechanical arms like those found in SATA drives. The lower heat dissipated by Flash-based SSDs also save on power requirements. This is because no additional power is required for fans or air conditioning.

The obvious advantage with SSDs used in laptops is a longer battery life. In desktops and workstations, SSD’s power saving could lead to significantly lower electricity bills.

Have you replaced your traditional hard drive with an SSD?  How did you find that it effected your energy usage?

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Power Consumption of SSD versus traditional SATA Hard Drives

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TonidoPlug 2 is a low power server both for home and small-businesses that will enable you to run your applications, photos, music, media and other files everywhere through mobile applications or a mobile browser.

TonidoPlug2 empowers you to access and share your files with great ease through your mobile devices like your Blackberry, Android, iPad, iPhone and other Smartphones.

This server offers great portability, quite similar to portable hard drives.. This server, aside from being equipped with Wi-Fi b/g/n, comes in a built-in SATA 2.5″ enclosure, which means you can set aside the plugs and wires. So when the situation calls for it, TonidoPlug2 can act as a standalone NAS server.

Though small in size, this versatile device is very powerful, with 512 MB DDR3 RAM and 512 MB NAND flash memory. Its DLNA media server provides music and video streaming to any of a number of networked devices that are UPnP/DLNA certified, such as Xbox 360 or many TVs.

With this efficient low power server, your data and applications are available locally, ready for you even in the absence of an internet connection to your device. And whenever a portable hard drive or an internal SATA drive is connected, TonidoPlug2 makes it an NAS storage device accessible by Linux, Mac or Windows computers in a local network.

As a low power server, TonidoPlug2 is built on a Marvell Armada 310 chipset with super-low energy consumption of 1.2 watt per hour while offering 800Mhz performance. This new server consumes electricity up to four times slower than its predecessor, the TonidoPlugv1.

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

TonidoPlug2 – Low Power Server

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The Raspberry Pi is delineated into two models: Model A and Model B. They cost £16 and £22 respectively. The differences between the two models are as follows:

Both of the low power PCs share the same 700 MHZ ARM processor and Broadcom VideoCoreIV graphics processor, as well as 256 megabytes of SD RAM, the Model B has 2 USB ports while the Model A has only 1. Additionally, the Model A has no RJ45 Ethernet port, while the model B has an integrated Ethernet port.

The power usage for both models of the Raspberry Pi low power PC is astonishingly low. The Model A uses only 500mA, or 2.5 Watts, compared to the Model B, which uses only 700mA or 3.5 Watts. Incredibly these two PCs can both be run on 4 x AA batteries. This isn’t to say that the Rasbperry Pi is a midget computer or is hobbled in any way. Although it’s not blazingly fast, the Raspberry Pi foundation has released a distribution of the Fedora Linux operating system designed specifically for the system. With Fedora, the Raspberry Pi will be able to browse the internet and play HDMI video. The Raspberry Pi has been demonstrated playing Full HD Mpeg-4 video through its built-in HDMI output, making it capable of being used as a home media center with the proper storage. Developers are planning a port of the XMBC digital media center, a Linux-based digital media center operating system.

Raspberry Pi Computer

By reducing the size of the device and its power consumption, the environmental impact created by its production and use are limited to the greatest extent possible when utilizing a standalone desktop PC. Because fewer materials are used to produce the small device, the waste generated by the production of those materials and the power used in the production process is significantly reduced compared to the production of standard-sized desktop PCs. The tiny size of the PC also allows it to be installed into a variety of cases.

The reduced power consumption also helps the environment by reducing the amount of power taken off the grid to power the device. Many standard desktop computers require more than 100 times the power of the 3.5 Watt model A’s usage. Less power consumption means less fuel used in power plants and less greenhouse gasses pumped into the atmosphere by power plants.

The incredible price of this low power pc will allow it to be massively manufactured and distributed to developing countries and other impoverished areas. The cheap and accessible PC will help stimulate interest in computer science courses among students. Since the Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer, all the components of the device are integrated into the main circuit board. No other external devices or peripherals are needed for the computer to run. Since it is being developed by a charitable organization registered with the Charity Comission for England and Wales, any money taken in by the device’s creators will be used to fund further iterations of the device, help subsidize device costs for the needy, and to pay for components.

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Raspberry Pi: A Tiny Low Power PC from Britain

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While there are plenty of choices in small form factor computing, Aleutia’s T2 fanless Atom PC is a strong choice. In addition to being able to be configured to have no moving parts, this computer has a low-power dual core Atom processor, VESA wall mount support, Wake-On-LAN capability, auto-booting after power loss, and 12V DC power input. If you need a machine that can handle 720P video but can also work in environments where power may be temperamental, this is the machine for you.

Like most low power small form factor computers, the Aleutia T2 dual core Atom PC is fanless. In addition to drastically reducing noise pollution, this cuts down on energy consumption. Despite this, the T2 is extremely capable. The dual core Atom Pine Trail processor powering it is able to handle most tasks you throw at it, while a dedicated section of the chip will decode and play 720P HD video.

Included in the frame of the computer is a VESA mounting bracket. This allows you to, if you wish, to use standard VESA mounts to attach the computer to the back of a monitor, flatscreen or to a wall. This support is in line with the rugged design of the computer. The case is made of galvanized steel, making it perfect for use in rough working environments, or just where it is likely to be banged around.

The Aleutia T2 is powered by 12V DC. Unlike most other computers, this machine can be powered off of a car battery without an inverter. Coupling that with its low energy demands, and it is clear that this machine is designed to be used where power is unstable. The machine also turns on when power is applied to it, so you don’t need to worry about reaching it to turn it on. Also, if you need to reboot it, you can use the Wake-On-LAN protocol to turn it on.

The T2 seems to fit no role better than that of a carputer. Many people love having a full-fledged computer in their car on which they can store their music collection and videos. You can even use it as a powerful navigation system, if you choose to. Unlike most other options, the 12V DC allows you to wire the machine directly to your battery, while its auto booting after power loss means that you never need to touch the computer.

If you need a flexible, rugged computer, the Aleutia T2 is a great choice. Its quietness and low power consumption makes it perfect for an always-on computer, while its Wake-On-LAN and auto booting after power loss mean that it can be tucked away.Whether you want a carputer or a media center, this could be the machine for you.

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Aleutia T2 – Rugged Dual Core Low Power PC

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If you are looking for a environmentally friendly media center, you can’t get much better than the Tranquil PC ixL. Its processor is powerful enough to handle any media you throw at it, yet is still able to run without fans. If you throw in a solid state hard drive (SSD), then your new computer will have no moving parts. It will be completely silent. Its visual styling is sleek and modern, while it is small enough to not draw too much attention. Simply put, this is a computer meant to be a media center.

Despite having a Intel Core i3 processor clocked in at nearly 3 GHz, the Tranquil PC ixL consumes only 20W of power at idle. That is very low for a desktop computer. The high-powered CPU means that this computer will be able to handle any media you throw at it, from standard definition to 1080P. Despite this power, this is a fanless machine. All the heat is dissipated via heat sinks built in to the case. So rather than have that awful whine that so often accompanies your computers, you will b. presented with silence.

Two choices are offered for storage: a normal hard drive with 500GB, or an SSD with 64GB. While the normal hard drive offers far more space to store your media, it is noisy. The fans are not the only source of noise pollution. No, often it is the hard drive. The SSD is completely silent, and it is faster that the normal hard drive. If you elect for the SSD, then your computer will be completely silent.

The Tranquil PC ixL comes in a 240 x 250 x 110mm chassis. That is smaller than most other small form factor PCs. It is also much nicer looking, due to this being a premium machine. The case is brushed metal black, with the large heat dissipating grills located symmetrically on the sides. The front if flat with only holes for your various USB ports, SD cards, and your optical drive. The styling gives it a high quality sturdy look.

As would be expected for a media center, the Tranquil PC ixL contains an HDMI port. This means that you can push true HD to your television. A feature not included in every machine, however, is its IR receiver. IR is the standard technology for remote controls. By supporting this, the ixL opens a world of couch-surfing potential. Rather than interfacing with it via a mouse and keyboard, you can sit back and relax on the couch and browse your media with a remote, like you do with your DVR. Finally, for those who want it, Tranquil PC offers laser customization. You can have your name of favorite phrase carved right on the front of the device.

For those looking for a good, premium green computer, you can’t get much better than the Tranquil PC ixL. Its features are second to none, while its design allows it to be nearly silent. If you are looking for a media center, this may be the device for you.

Pricing for a basic system starts at £389.00 plus VAT.

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

Tranquil PC’s Sleek ixL i3 Power PC

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Technology has taken a new turn lately with the introduction of the GuruPlug Server to the computer market. This innovative and tiny device combines all the features you’re used to with low power pcs, with one major exception: it is the size of a human palm and plugs directly into the wall socket. It is extremely energy-efficient, using only 5 watts of power to run a 1.2GHz processor, with 512MB of RAM, Wifi and Bluetooth. This makes it ideal for tasks that require the computer to be always on, but require a range of connectivity options, such as for home automation projects.

The GuruPlug Server’s low power consumption is possible due to a range of energy saving electronics, as well as a modest 1.2 gigahertz microprocessor. The server is ideal for remote monitoring stations, home automation, long-term surveillance and VoIP. Essentially the GuruPlug server is ideally used where having a low powered and low cost computer at a location remote to larger servers is desirable. The other technical specifications include: 2x USB 2.0 port and 2 gigabit Ethernet ports. For the GuruPlug Plus model, you also get 1x External MicroSD Socket and 1x eSATA 2.0 port. For the low-level developers, the GuruPlug server features a Mini-USB Port and a JTAG Port for debugging and programming.

The server can host operating systems like Ubuntu with ease, meaning you don’t need to learn any exotic Linux platforms. The physical dimensions are only 95mm (L) x 65mm (W) x 48.5 mm (H). The GuruPlug Server is available in both the UK and Europe for £89 plus delivery.

© 2009 Low Power PCs. If you love all eco-friendly gadgets, then why not check out EnviroGadget.com?

GuruPlug Server – Eco-friendly Low Powered Computer Server

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