Very few people actually use home theater systems and those who do can probably afford to spend a bit more on a media computer. I can see why they wouldn't bother on such a low-end system.
Just because people can spend more, doesn't mean they want to. A $220 media PC, with bitstream audio that will bolt on to the back of the TV sounds quite nice. Especially if it works well in that role.
Agreed! The Raspberry Pi2 and the Celeron 2955U Chromebox are widely used for inexpensive HTPCs by the Kodi community. Braswell could become a nice alternative featuring HEVC support.
Flunk: It is not about whether it is low end, but whether it does what is needed. I have a home theatre system and want something like Beebox. What I need is something that plays ripped Blu-rays perfectly, correctly delivers the sound to the AV receiver, can deal with Netflixs, Amazon Prime, Youtube in HD and light web browsing yet at the same time sips power so that it is on 24/7.
Can an iPad with Airplay do all that? Or an iPad with a $15 HDMI adapter? Seems like it would be much better than any HTPC for everything you mentioned. I use Air video for watching movies on our iPads (best $3 I ever spent) but haven't tried connecting it to the TV. You can buy used iPads for $200, and that's a much better deal, as you can do a lot more with it, besides the typical HTPC functions. Also, don't modern "Smart" TVs do everything you mentioned?
He said he wants to play ripped blu-ray's perfectly, so I assume he means straight off the disc loseless MKVs. iPad can't do that (you'd need to compress the files to H.264).
Things may have changed but the two AVRs I have do not perform full audio processing on Multichannel LPCM. One of them will not even do Audyssey correction. Not going to replace a fantastic sounding $600 AVR when other devices (notably chromebox) can Bitstream under Linux for less money.
Correct. Very few AVRs will perform processing on LPCM. There are pros and cons to this, but in most cases, it's a con. HD bitstreaming has been "a thing" for a decade now. It's inexcusable for a new CPU/IGP to not support it. Laughable, even.
Being able to send DTS-MA over optical/coaxial does offer an advantage if the AV receiver can decode it, though. Very uptight audiophiles may be concerned that a) the AV receiver decodes it "better" or b) the use of multiple 3.5mm to RCA cables to transfer 5.1/7.1 audio introduces more noises than a purely lossless digital connection would. However in a system like this, it's more important that the small amount of CPU power it does have isn't being burned to decode the audio but is instead saved by simply dumping it bit-for-bit over the coaxial/optical connection.
This review is good but I think it needs an extra section to test this out as a low end gaming machine , with Bluetooth controller, this thing I'm sure could play older emulators and GOG and older steam games.
Yeah, I'm thinking there is a missing graphic - normally they publish Dota 2 numbers or something. From Performance Metrics - I "GPU performance shows a similar trend to the CPU performance. The difference when compared to Bay Trail is considerable." But all I see is 3D Mark, where it is marginally faster than the LIVAX. Then on Performance Metrixs - II, it is marginally slower than LIVAX for Dolphin. I guess I'm not seeing anything in the way of GPU improvements from these data points. Did I miss something or is something missing?
Zotac has some pretty powerful boxes similar to this. The EN860 is an i5 4210u with NVidia GTX 860M graphics. They will soon have an EN960 with 970M graphics. The EN860 has a silent cooler (completely silent at idle, and about 35 dB when gaming).
They are a lot more expensive though. The EN860 is $500 barebones, and the EN960 will be coming in around $700 barebones.
I don't understand your pricing comment that 128GB is a nice premium over 32GB for only $20. This also entails the loss of an operating system which costs around $100+ if that is the OS you want. In the same vain I don't understand the pricing of your system. How did you get 4GB/128GB and Windows 8.1 Pro 64 for $220?
Other suggestions for the ASRock from my side: - as the WiFi not so fast an external WiFi antenna connector will be useful for a DIY fix - a rechargable battery for the remote (built in charged via micro USB or AAA)
Approx mid of July for the non-OS versions (the one with memory and storage is already available here in Hungary from Friday), for the one with OS probably the end of the month, after the release of the Win 10.
How's the DisplayPort output? Should we assume that the DisplayPort will output 4K at 60fps? I'm actually pleasantly surprised to see DP on a cheap Braswell computer or motherboard.
I know HDMI is the port of choice for HTPCs, but I'd like to know if I can play back 4K video at silky-smooth 60fps on one of those increasingly cheap 4K desktop displays.
FIRST thing I thought, Is we'd finally see the ole Be.OS being put to use, Read the article, Noticed the name Bee, Not Be. Actually before OS X when Apple had considered the Be OS, I was stoked, But they went with the UNIX based Next Step, which in the long run turned out quite well, but part of me wanted Be.OS, why I was momentarily exited when I first seen the title of this article..... Dang.
I think I would build my own for an HTPC at this point still. Quicker, better video performance, more storage - sacrificing a little extra power usage, bigger size, and more cost. As long as I can build one that I can carry around in my car somewhere, and won't make much noise... Mostly I don't want to put up with a slow machine.
Do you know what the 14-pin header next to the SATA connector is for? Also, is it safe to assume that any m-pcie card can be used in the top m-pcie/m-sata slot (i.e. m-pcie to usb instead of flash storage)?
We’ve updated our terms. By continuing to use the site and/or by logging into your account, you agree to the Site’s updated Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
45 Comments
Back to Article
losergamer04 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
The lack of bitstream audio is surprising given the box includes an IR remote.Flunk - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Very few people actually use home theater systems and those who do can probably afford to spend a bit more on a media computer. I can see why they wouldn't bother on such a low-end system.waldojim42 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Just because people can spend more, doesn't mean they want to. A $220 media PC, with bitstream audio that will bolt on to the back of the TV sounds quite nice. Especially if it works well in that role.owarchild - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Agreed! The Raspberry Pi2 and the Celeron 2955U Chromebox are widely used for inexpensive HTPCs by the Kodi community. Braswell could become a nice alternative featuring HEVC support.chrnochime - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Or just go buy the NUC version that does support DTS-MA/HDcjs150 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Flunk: It is not about whether it is low end, but whether it does what is needed. I have a home theatre system and want something like Beebox. What I need is something that plays ripped Blu-rays perfectly, correctly delivers the sound to the AV receiver, can deal with Netflixs, Amazon Prime, Youtube in HD and light web browsing yet at the same time sips power so that it is on 24/7.Gadgety - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
@cjs150 Yep, me too.Cinnabuns - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Me three.GTVic - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Everything has a purpose. If you purchase a Vitamix it also will do a spectacular job of not delivering bitstream audio to your HTS.kmmatney - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Can an iPad with Airplay do all that? Or an iPad with a $15 HDMI adapter? Seems like it would be much better than any HTPC for everything you mentioned. I use Air video for watching movies on our iPads (best $3 I ever spent) but haven't tried connecting it to the TV. You can buy used iPads for $200, and that's a much better deal, as you can do a lot more with it, besides the typical HTPC functions. Also, don't modern "Smart" TVs do everything you mentioned?MapRef41N93W - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
He said he wants to play ripped blu-ray's perfectly, so I assume he means straight off the disc loseless MKVs. iPad can't do that (you'd need to compress the files to H.264).khanov - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Numbers or pure speculation? I think you might be surprised how many people have home theater systems.Navvie - Friday, July 17, 2015 - link
This. My parents have had a 50" TV and 6.1 surround sound for, well, years now. I'd struggle to be 100% accurate, but I'd guess 8 years.And this is not me giving them my old equipment, they had speakers and an AV amp/receiver before I did.
johnhopfensperger - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Bitstream audio doesn't offer any advantage over PCM.abhaxus - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Things may have changed but the two AVRs I have do not perform full audio processing on Multichannel LPCM. One of them will not even do Audyssey correction. Not going to replace a fantastic sounding $600 AVR when other devices (notably chromebox) can Bitstream under Linux for less money.nathanddrews - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Correct. Very few AVRs will perform processing on LPCM. There are pros and cons to this, but in most cases, it's a con. HD bitstreaming has been "a thing" for a decade now. It's inexcusable for a new CPU/IGP to not support it. Laughable, even.joex4444 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Being able to send DTS-MA over optical/coaxial does offer an advantage if the AV receiver can decode it, though. Very uptight audiophiles may be concerned that a) the AV receiver decodes it "better" or b) the use of multiple 3.5mm to RCA cables to transfer 5.1/7.1 audio introduces more noises than a purely lossless digital connection would. However in a system like this, it's more important that the small amount of CPU power it does have isn't being burned to decode the audio but is instead saved by simply dumping it bit-for-bit over the coaxial/optical connection.Gadgety - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
@losergamer04I totally agree.
twizzlebizzle22 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
It finally looks like somebody understands that an extra 16GB of nand shouldn't cost the consumer £100.fic2 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
But it is hard to know what the price is. For $20 you go from 32G->128G SSD, 2G->4G memory, but loose the Win10 Home license.amakula77 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
This review is good but I think it needs an extra section to test this out as a low end gaming machine , with Bluetooth controller, this thing I'm sure could play older emulators and GOG and older steam games.amakula77 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
I did not see the Dolphin emulator test this is good by more gaming tests are needed to determine if this will be a suitable low end gaming machinenathanddrews - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Yeah, I'm thinking there is a missing graphic - normally they publish Dota 2 numbers or something. From Performance Metrics - I "GPU performance shows a similar trend to the CPU performance. The difference when compared to Bay Trail is considerable." But all I see is 3D Mark, where it is marginally faster than the LIVAX. Then on Performance Metrixs - II, it is marginally slower than LIVAX for Dolphin. I guess I'm not seeing anything in the way of GPU improvements from these data points. Did I miss something or is something missing?blakehaas - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
I like the power usage, but the available ports are lacking. The CI320 has esata and a plethora of usb3.0.barleyguy - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
eSata especially is a big advantage. (All of my media is stored a 4 TB eSata hard drive.)Kracer - Wednesday, July 29, 2015 - link
Is eSata that common?A NAS seems a much more universal solution.
Pissedoffyouth - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
I'd like to see an i5 5775c in a box like this especially with the quiet laptop style blowers a lot of newer PC's have.barleyguy - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Zotac has some pretty powerful boxes similar to this. The EN860 is an i5 4210u with NVidia GTX 860M graphics. They will soon have an EN960 with 970M graphics. The EN860 has a silent cooler (completely silent at idle, and about 35 dB when gaming).They are a lot more expensive though. The EN860 is $500 barebones, and the EN960 will be coming in around $700 barebones.
owarchild - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
@Ganesh T S, can you try this alpha version of OpenELEC: http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=231955&... Is should work on the Beebox as it has been used in a ASRock N3150 board.savagemike - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
I don't understand your pricing comment that 128GB is a nice premium over 32GB for only $20. This also entails the loss of an operating system which costs around $100+ if that is the OS you want.In the same vain I don't understand the pricing of your system. How did you get 4GB/128GB and Windows 8.1 Pro 64 for $220?
Kobaljov - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
"As FanlessTech notes, the thermal solution is very similar to that of the Zotac ZBOX C-series - a thermal pad on a small heat sink."No, here the chassis is connected to the heat sink with a thermal pad too, see at the TweakTown's teardown:
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7224/asrock-beebo...
"In the case that plastic is unavoidable due to cost issues, a perforated top similar to the Zotac ZBOX C-series units could help improve aesthetics."
Aesthetics maybe, airflow sure.
I still miss the HEVC test, I think it can make some sense under the 4K, without HDMI 2.0 too.
Kobaljov - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Other suggestions for the ASRock from my side:- as the WiFi not so fast an external WiFi antenna connector will be useful for a DIY fix
- a rechargable battery for the remote (built in charged via micro USB or AAA)
Earthfall - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
I didn't see a release date. When is this available?Kobaljov - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Approx mid of July for the non-OS versions (the one with memory and storage is already available here in Hungary from Friday), for the one with OS probably the end of the month, after the release of the Win 10.harrkev - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
But, does it run BeOs? BeOs was designed to run on a BeBox.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BeOS
extide - Wednesday, July 15, 2015 - link
This is a BeeBox, not BeBox ;)Stanand - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
How's the DisplayPort output? Should we assume that the DisplayPort will output 4K at 60fps? I'm actually pleasantly surprised to see DP on a cheap Braswell computer or motherboard.I know HDMI is the port of choice for HTPCs, but I'd like to know if I can play back 4K video at silky-smooth 60fps on one of those increasingly cheap 4K desktop displays.
Kobaljov - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Unfortunately no, check the other reviews on the web, it was tested somewhere and as far as I remember it was capable of only 4K/30 or lessTeknobug - Monday, July 20, 2015 - link
4K 23fps probably.MacDaddy100 - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
FIRST thing I thought, Is we'd finally see the ole Be.OS being put to use, Read the article, Noticed the name Bee, Not Be. Actually before OS X when Apple had considered the Be OS, I was stoked, But they went with the UNIX based Next Step, which in the long run turned out quite well, but part of me wanted Be.OS, why I was momentarily exited when I first seen the title of this article..... Dang.HideOut - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - link
Hopefully no one posted this but with multiple pages I got tired of looking. But shame its only 1x1 AC instead of 2x2 :(mikato - Friday, July 17, 2015 - link
I think I would build my own for an HTPC at this point still. Quicker, better video performance, more storage - sacrificing a little extra power usage, bigger size, and more cost. As long as I can build one that I can carry around in my car somewhere, and won't make much noise... Mostly I don't want to put up with a slow machine.Teknobug - Monday, July 20, 2015 - link
This wouldn't make a good HTPC with the lack of bitstreamjgonzo432 - Thursday, July 23, 2015 - link
Do you know what the 14-pin header next to the SATA connector is for? Also, is it safe to assume that any m-pcie card can be used in the top m-pcie/m-sata slot (i.e. m-pcie to usb instead of flash storage)?Helios61 - Saturday, September 5, 2015 - link
Could anyone confirm missing scaling option (Over- / Underscan) on HDMI/1080p/50Hz with current graphic driver (10.18.15.4256)?