Joe90k's CustoMacMini 2012 HTPC - i5 4.4GHz 8GB RAM Z77N-WiFi

[Joe90k]

Joe90k's CustoMacMini 2012 HTPC - i5 8GB RAM Z77N-WiFi

21/11/2014
I have not had a single problem with this setup since this system was built, I still run it as my HTPC and it is lightning fast and runs Yosemite with everything working OOB except multi channel HDMI audio. I do get 2 channel PCM which I am using my AV receiver to process into 5.1. I would like to get this working properly, but the majority of my media doesn't have a multi channel audio soundtrack so it doesn't matter too much.

I had a few problems along the way but have kept all my files on the WD Green HD's and only used the SSD for system files and Applications. I have just kept the USB stick up to date with the latest Unibeast using my MacBook.

Last year I bought a H77N-WiFi and an Core i3-3225 on eBay for next to nothing, I put this in a Fractal Core 1000 which runs Windows and OS X with 4GB of RAM and a Corsair PSU.


12/12/2012

Joe90k's CustoMacMini 2012: Core i5-3570k - Z77N-WiFi - HD4000
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Components

Apple OS X Mountain Lion @ Mac Apps Store
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/os-x-lion/id444303913?mt=12

Gigabyte Z77N-WiFi 1155 Intel Z77 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
[amazon-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009GB87N6/[/amazon-uk]

Intel Core i5-3570k 3.4GHz 1155 77W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80637I53570K
[AMAZON-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007RUZKK6/[/AMAZON-uk]

Corsair CML8GX3M2A1600C9 LP Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz CL9 DDR3 Memory Module Kit
[amazon-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00569K7LM/[/amazon-uk]

Fractal Design Node 304 Mini ITX Case
[AMAZON-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009PIEMUC/[/AMAZON-uk]

Be Quiet Pure Power L8-CM 430W PSU
[amazon-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005JRGVAW/[/amazon-uk]

2 x Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB SATA III 6Gbps 3.5" Hard Drive
[amazon-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004VFJ9MK/[/amazon-uk]

SanDisk SDSSDX-120G-G25 120GB Extreme SATA III 6Gbps 2.5" Internal Solid State Drive
[amazon-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006EKJCWM/[/amazon-uk]


Already Owned

Samsung 55" UE55ES8000 LED Smart TV
[AMAZON-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007JURJMG/[/AMAZON-uk]

Apple Wireless Keyboard
[amazon-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002TUSWU4/[/amazon-uk]

Apple Magic Trackpad
[amazon-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003XLYAWC/[/amazon-uk]

Henge Docks Clique Magic TrackPad & Wireless Keyboard Dock
[AMAZON-uk]http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006T3RM08/[/AMAZON-uk]


Comments:

This is my second Hackintosh, the first was about 4 years ago on a system that was not built with the intention of running OS X I just thought I would give it a go, it wasn't very stable so I gave up in the end. Was running Leopard (10.5.0) This time however I have built the CustoMacMini 2012 from TonyMac's guide with some slight alterations. I would say it is silent, I am picky with fan noise having had two water cooled rigs before, and this is quieter than the Laing DDC pumps I have used in the past.

This computer is intended to run solely on Mac, I am not a gamer, but in the future I have left room for upgrade should I have the need. For now I am using it as a media centre. I have also OC'd the i5 to 4.4GHz just as a test and pushed the RAM a bit harder and it seems extremely stable.

For now it's on the stock Intel Cooler at stock speed. The RAM is running at 1600MHz on XMP Profile 1 in the BIOS. I have swapped the Mini PCI-e card for a Broadcom BCM94322HM8L card, which works OOB as an Airport Card. I have the Apple A1181 bluetooth board on order with an internal USB header cable and other electronic components to get it running properly. HDMI audio works, Gigabit LAN works, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 works, HD4000 works great and it boots in around 15 seconds. I am having issues with sleep at the moment. It sleeps as it should but on wake there is no display. I am currently looking for a solution to this.

 

[jeffcarrera]

Just a question, why the need the overclock to 4.4ghz for a media center pc?

 

[Wolfie81]

*Joe90k's CustoMacMini 2012 HTPC - i5 4.4GHz 8GB RAM Z77N-WiFi

Any issues? What's not working?

 

[Joe90k]

*Joe90k's CustoMacMini 2012 HTPC - i5 4.4GHz 8GB RAM Z77N-WiFi

Sorted the layout of the thread out, can anyone help me with the sleep issue I'm having?

 

[Joe90k]

Just a question, why the need the overclock to 4.4ghz for a media center pc?

Just because I had the hardware to and I could really, it won't always be an HTPC but it will be for now.

 

[Joe90k]

Any issues? What's not working?

Everything works the same as the guide, apart from sleep, on wake there is no display.

 

[Macblack4]

I have a hard time believing you can overclock the i5 3570K to 4.4 GHz using the stock cooler. Have your run the Prime 95 torture test? I tried it on the same processor at 3.4 GHz and it spiked to 90C using a larger case with inlet and exhaust fans.

 

[Joe90k]

Joe90k's CustoMacMini 2012 HTPC - i5 8GB RAM Z77N-WiFi - Now Running Yosemite with Ambilight

I had only run it at 4.4GHz for a short while, I reverted to stock after a while because as someone rightly points out there was no reason to OC for an HTPC. It did run fine though, but I was only running very low load applications.

I have however built a metal frame for the back of my TV with an Arduino board to mount around my TV with LED's spaced evenly to act as a backlight. Its called Adalight, you can find more info here

Here is a video of it in action in my lounge, its excellent for films that are the same aspect ratio as the TV:-
[video=youtube;tp2HRAvlqKs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp2HRAvlqKs[/video]

I am running Yosemite and accidentally updated to 10.10.1 last night, as I had not unchecked automatically install system updates. The thread about it is here

 

[PavelKo]

Hi, how did you get 4,4GHz ? I try set up multiplier to 43, but there is no speed faster 3,4 in my 10.9.5