Comparing the Zotac ZBOX and the Acer Aspire Revo as HTPCs

[Rajahal]

  VS  

 

 

I have been using an Acer Aspire Revo running XBMC Live as an HTPC for a few months now.  It works REALLY well in this function.  See here for more details.

 

Anyway, it appears that the Revo may have been discontinued, or it is at least very hard to find at the moment.  I was using the single core Revo 230.  This model is close to impossible to find at the moment.  The 230's bigger brother, the Revo 330 is still available, but the higher price tag dissuades me.  You are paying for extra features (such as more RAM, wifi, and Win7) that will be largely unused in the HTPC setting.

 

Well, some friends of mine really needed an HTPC and since they couldn't find the Revo 230 anywhere, I decided to sell them mine.  As a replacement, I bought the Zotac ZBOX HD-ID11-U.  Many of the specs are the same - Gigabit LAN, DDR2 RAM, Camera Card reader, HDMI/VGA ports, tons of USB ports, eSATA port.

Here's the specs that differ:

 

	ZBOX		Revo 230
CPU	Atom D510 (1.66 GHz, dual-core)		Atom 230 (1.6GHz, single-core)
RAM	none included, 4 GB max		1 GB included, 4 GB max
GPU	Next-Gen DDR3 NVIDIA ION GPU		NVIDIA ION LE
Wifi	802.11 b/g/n		None included
Audio	Optical, headphones		headphones
VESA	Mounting Kit Included		Mounting Kit Not Included
Base Price	$219.99		$199.99
Total Price	$309.97		$199.99

 

So basically, the extra $100 gets you optical audio, wifi, and a VESA mounting kit.

 

Two notes before I go on:

1) I realize that to be fair I should be comparing the ZBOX with the Revo 330 since they both have the dual core atom CPUs.  However, I have never used a Revo 330, so I would rather speak from experience.

 

2) The ZBOX HD-ID11-U also has a sibling, the Zotac ZBOX HD-ND02-U.  The specs are slightly different (namely two DDR3 slots instead of one DDR2 slot and the older version of the ION GPU), but nevertheless I'm confident that it would work just as well as an HTPC.

 

The major benefit of the Revo is that it just works.  Follow the simple instructions in the LifeHacker guide (see the link above) and you'll have a working HTPC in no time.  It is also the cheaper of the two options.  While the specs seem a bit weak, the ION GPU is capable of handling 1080p streams from your server, so there's no real reason for anything beefier (like the Revo 330).

 

The ZBOX is about $100 more since it does not come with RAM or a hard drive.  I paid $49.99 for a single 2 GB stick of DDR2 800 laptop memory (Patriot brand).  For the pricing above, I chose the cheapest decent quality 2.5" laptop drive I could find, which was this 120 GB WD Blue for $40.

 

Both have the ION GPU, so both can handle flawless HD playback.  The fact that the ZBOX has the newer version of the GPU doesn't really matter since the older version wasn't lacking anything (that I know of).

 

The biggest advantage of the ZBOX in my mind is the optical audio port.  Both can do audio over HDMI or through a standard headphones jack, but the inclusion of optical audio on the ZBOX means that you can have much more freedom in hooking up to various audio receivers.  This may be very important to you if you already own a receiver that has optical but no HDMI and you don't want to replace it.

 

The wifi is nice, but I'm not sure it will be too useful.  I believe all wifi (even N) is too slow to stream HD content.  So you could use the ZBOX as a wireless SD-only HTPC, but HD most likely won't play smoothly.  I haven't actually tested this out though, I'll report back here when I do.

 

The VESA mount is definitely a nice touch.  I've heard of people mounting the Revo to the back of their TV, so with the ZBOX that process is one step easier.  You could also mount it to a wall, the underside of a cabinet, or pretty much anywhere you want.

 

Hopefully I'll start using the VESA mounting kit at some point because the included vertical stand is very, very cheap flimsy plastic.  I almost threw it out because I thought it was part of the packaging.  The Revo's vertical stand is very nice by comparison.  Both work just the same, though, so no big deal.

 

I decided to save some money and not buy a 2.5" drive for my ZBOX.  Instead, I installed XBMC Live onto a 8 GB SDHC card inserted into the camera card reader slot.  I just set the SD card to emulate HDD mode in the ZBOX's BIOS and it worked like a charm!  I had to install XBMC via an external CD/DVD drive because for some reason it wouldn't accept my flash drive, but that may have been a problem with my flash drive and not the ZBOX.  The SDHC card boots and feels about as fast as the 5400 RPM drive that comes with the Revo.  I figure at some point in the future I'll install my 30 GB OCZ Agility SSD into the ZBOX, but I'm currently using it in my desktop.  I really see no downside to booting the ZBOX off of an SD card with the obvious exception that I can no longer play slide shows off camera cards.  That doesn't really bother me, though.  I assume this would work with the Revo as well, though I never tried it out.

 

Since the ZBOX is meant to be a do-it-yourself computer, opening it is a cinch.  Remove two thumbscrews and the top slides off.  Therefore replacing RAM or a HDD/SSD is far easier than the Revo.

 

Finally, I think the ZBOX looks a bit cooler than the Revo.  This of course is just personal preference.  The blue ring on the ZBOX isn't captured in the pictures very well, but it looks very slick in person.  When the ZBOX is powered off the blue ring disappears and leaves only a solid black face.  The ZBOX also doesn't have an annoyingly slanted power button like the Revo does.

 

In summary, I think the ZBOX is a good alternative to the Revo 230.  I still like the Revo 230 and would recommend it to most people if it were still available.  It it's absence, however, the ZBOX picks up the slack.  Compared to the Revo 330 I think the ZBOX is an all around better deal, since it is cheaper and includes an optical audio port.

 

[BRiT]

Do either of them come with built in IR, or does it need an external IR for remote control?

[chanders]

 

In summary, I think the ZBOX is a good alternative to the Revo 230.  I still like the Revo 230 and would recommend it to most people if it were still available.  It it's absence, however, the ZBOX picks up the slack.  Compared to the Revo 330 I think the ZBOX is an all around better deal, since it is cheaper and includes an optical audio port.

 

 

Sounds great. The 330 does come with optical out also though.

[poofyhairguy]

Great thread. I love things like this. A few questions if you don't mind:

 

How hard was the XBMC Live install? Any issues?

 

What is the meanest content you have played on both?

 

 

I personally am working on two homebuilt Mini ITX HTPCs (one ION one not) for XBMC use, but I recommend XBMC boxes a lot and the Revo is off the market. It would be nice to recommend something off Newegg...

 

 

 

[Paak]

Love the write up Rajahal!  Is it just me or does it seem like more companies are releasing htpc purpose built pc's?  If a company would just come out with a XBMC loaded media streamer or a XBMC loaded htpc I'd pick it up in an instant (I don't care for the social flair of the boxee box).  Might I also point out the new Shuttle XS35?  It does come in  3 different flavors ranging from $169-$289.  Although as a strictly XBMC player I think the $239 version would suit most needs.  Anyone have any experience with these?

 

 

[WeeboTech]

Thanks for the write up! I like the idea of the SDHC XBMC Live boot. I may look into this more.

[Rajahal]

Do either of them come with built in IR, or does it need an external IR for remote control?

 

No, neither come with built in IR, nor do they have a place to install it.  You must use external IR for both.  However, the Revo has a free miniPCIe slot, so potentially you could install a Bluetooth card in there and buy a Bluetooth remote (such as those designed for the PS3).  I've never heard of anyone doing this, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work.

 

The 330 does come with optical out also though.

 

Thanks, I didn't notice that.  Front mounted, though, so it won't look as good if you are using optical out as a permanent solution.

 

How hard was the XBMC Live install? Any issues?

 

Quite literally the easiest OS install I've ever performed (unRAID being the 2nd easiest).  Takes maybe 10 minutes.  The only slightly challenging part is installing XBMC Live to a flash drive if you choose to go that route.  If you have an external CD drive handy, that method is much simpler (and the one that the LifeHacker guide recommends).  To install XBMC to a flash drive, follow the instructions for Unetbootin here.

 

The BIOS settings on both the Revo and the ZBOX are quite straight forward as well.  The Revo settings are detailed in the LifeHacker guide.  The ZBOX settings I just figured out as I went along.  I can post a BIOS settings guide for the ZBOX if there's interest.

 

What is the meanest content you have played on both?

The vast majority of my HD media is in 720p.  My TV is 720p (Samsung 42" Plasma), so I generally don't get 1080p stuff unless there's no 720p version available.  I did once play a 1080p encode of the Dark Knight on the Revo, and it played just fine.  I haven't tried any 1080p on the ZBOX yet.  Maybe when I get home I'll try the killa sample.  Considering the specs on the ZBOX are higher than the Revo (especially the 512mb ION GPU), I highly doubt it will have any problems playing anything that the Revo could play.

 

I haven't tried full BD rips on either system.

 

Shuttle XS35

Never heard of it, but it looks like it may be a good option.  You would have to do a bit of research to make sure the GPU can handle HD content, and that XBMC can utilize the GPU.  That's what I love about the ION - it just works.  I definitely wouldn't have bought the ZBOX if it didn't come with an ION.

[kizer]

I have the AsRock ION 330 and love the optical out. Wifi for me was kinda useless and I'm glad it didn't come with it simply because I was planning on going wired anyways.

 

I personally think you made the right move picking up the Zotac

[Paak]

Rajahal you are correct, the Shuttle versions I mentioned had a GMA 3150 which I'm not sure if is supported or not.  However, the Shuttle XS35GT-804 ($379/not very friendly on the pocket) does have an ION graphics card.  Although, at that price you are better off going with a Revo, Zotac, or AsRock!

[BRiT]

Hm, interesting thought on possibly using a bluetooth receiver and remote.

 

Any comments on fan noise or system noise when nothing else is on in the room? I assume any noise is irrelevant once you're watching movies, but curious how it fares in low ambient noise situations.

 

Right now I'm debating picking up the Zotac or an equiv Asus EEE Box.

[poofyhairguy]

Rajahal you are correct, the Shuttle versions I mentioned had a GMA 3150 which I'm not sure if is supported or not.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Intel GPU + HTPC = Failure

[Rajahal]

Any comments on fan noise or system noise when nothing else is on in the room? I assume any noise is irrelevant once you're watching movies, but curious how it fares in low ambient noise situations.

 

It is definitely quiet.  I think the Revo was quieter, though.  The Revo would make a fan-spin up type noise when first booting (or maybe it was the HDD, not sure), but then run silently after that.  The ZBOX makes a similar noise during start up, but that noise is a tad bit louder (probably because the case isn't as well sealed, since it is supposed to be easy to open).  After that it is also silent or nearly silent.  Keep in mind I don't have a HDD installed, so that could add a bit of noise too.  Both are fine, though.  If you are worried about noise, just place it behind the plane of your speakers or mount it on the back of your TV.

[kizer]

If I recall the Zotac is kinda the same form factor as my AsRock ION. With the TV off and not a sound in the living room I can barely hear the fan running from 6 feet away. Sometimes you hear a hard drive sound, but then again its only when the room is dead quite.

 

With the TV on and any audio what-so-ever I can't hear a thing. I've put mine in a entertainment system that has a mesh grill across the front, which allows air flow to all of my equipment with an open back and with that I don't hear a thing.

[funbubba]

What is the meanest content you have played on both?

 

I personally like testing with any 1080p *-EuReKa releases since historically, I've had a hard time playing them with suckass computers that don't support GPU offloading.  More recently I've been using the Disney movie Up since it stutters so early in the beginning of the movie that I can't even get past the fireworks exploding over magical castle before it takes off on the magical phailboat.  There's also some harsh stuttering right when (SPOILER ALERT) the balloons are released and the house takes off.

 

The wifi is nice, but I'm not sure it will be too useful.  I believe all wifi (even N) is too slow to stream HD content.

 

FWIW, I can stream 1080p over wifi just fine with maybe 4 out of 5 bars on a laptop running full blown Ubuntu with XBMC.  Though I can't tell if I'm connected via wireless-N or G.  Occasionally I get a "BUFFERING" when I jump forward or back but otherwise it plays right away.  Though I don't tend to watch movies on the laptop, mainly 720p TV shows, so perhaps persistent streaming could be affected.  I dunno.  It's great on the go, but I do like having gigabit ethernet.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Intel GPU + HTPC = Failure

 

This man.  He speaks the truth.

[Chris Pollard]

Also running 1080p content over wireless n without any issues.  Both of my Mac Mini's also have Intel GPU's without any issues.

[Rajahal]

Interesting, I'll have to test out the wifi then.  Now I wonder, how do I go about doing that through xbmc?  I've never seen anything about connecting to a wireless network in the settings.

[chanders]

You need to ssh into the mediapc and edit /etc/networking.conf to add the network interface.

Keep in mind, if you are doing it for the Revo, you need to download the ralink driver and install it first.

[boof]

What is the meanest content you have played on both?

 

Different box (Asrock ION 330) but pretty much similar (previous generation ION) and I routinely stream full bit rate blu-rays to it with no problems (h264, avc and mpeg2).

 

[Chris Pollard]

Full bit rate Bluray with HD audio..... now that struggles over wireless

[neilt0]

Full bit rate Bluray with HD audio..... now that struggles over wireless

 

Yes. "I am running 1080p content" is such a meaningless statement. There is 1080p video at 4mbit/sec and Blu-ray video (and audio) with a combined bitrate of over 45mbit/sec. In theory, you can get that kind of throughput with 802.11n, but I imagine the range from the router would be fairly limited.

[BRiT]

Not that this is that good of a deal, but if one is looking for an Acer Aspire Revo 3610, this place currently has 54 Refurbished units listed for $249. [ http://shop.revonate.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=L-PT.SCX02.051&Show=TechSpecs ]

 

It's the basic model Intel Atom 330 with ION 1 chipset, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB 5400 RPM, and Windows 7 Home Premium OS. Not too bad of a price if you're planning on running Win 7.

 

They also have the Acer Aspire Revo 1600, currently 69 Refurbished units listed for $169. [ http://shop.revonate.com/Refurbished_Acer_Aspire_Revo_AR1600_U910H_p/c-pt.scl05.004.htm ]

 

It's the basic model Intel Atom 230 with ION 1 chipset, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB 5400 RPM, and Windows XP Home OS.

[Rajahal]

I would consider both of those good deals, especially the 230 since it is quite hard to find at the moment.

[poofyhairguy]

I would consider both of those good deals, especially the 230 since it is quite hard to find at the moment.

 

Hot deals even.

[Kansur]

Depending on the OS you use it is possible to get the PS3 bluetooth remote to work with the Revo, and I would assume the Zotac.  I am running a Revo with Ubuntu, using a tiny bluetooth adapter and after some fiddling was able to pair the PS3 remote.

[NAS]

can you get the remote to sleep?

 

i.e. did they eventually solve that under linux?