# Hardware requirements for streaming HULU to a projector



## wiredawg

Those of you out there doing this, what hardware is needed?

Will a basic system with an E5300 Wolfdale duo core and a good video card with HDMI out work fine?
I want to build an HTPC that will play video from HULU and Crackle on a 1080P projector. Video I have stored on my network is easy using my XBOX 360. I don’t want to overbuild but also don’t want poor playback. It seems that HULU takes quite a bit more CPU horsepower than a DVD or BR rip. What would be a reasonable?


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## eugovector

Right now, video card offloading isn't possible, so any vid card with HDMI out that supports 1080p should work. In terms of CPU, both Flash and Silverlight are still very CPU intensive, so the more proc, the better. I run an e4300 and it works with a few stutters here and there, so your e5300 should be fine, but bigger would be better.


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## nova

Hi Tim,
I do this as well. I'm still using some pretty old stuff and it works just fine. Old as in a dual core Opteron 170 and an ATI X800 XL with a DVI to HDMI cable. I think what you have in mind would work just fine.


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## looneybomber

wiredawg said:


> Those of you out there doing this, what hardware is needed?
> 
> Will a basic system with an E5300 Wolfdale duo core and a good video card with HDMI out work fine?
> I want to build an HTPC that will play video from HULU


Hulu streams at up to 480p. As Nova points out, as long as your internet connection can stream that bandwidth, then any <6y/o computer is all that's needed. My old Athlon64 +3800 with x1300 pci video card card (added a few yrs ago) works just fine. It can even do 720p .mkv's. 

If your projector only accepts HDMI, then get a vid card that's HDMI compatible, otherwise you could use your existing gear and do s-video or composite.


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## wiredawg

Thanks for keeping the information comming. Both of our current computers are older Dell P4 2.8 with onboard video. I cant currently do full screen on the monitor without issues. I want to do a build that will fit my needs without going overboard.


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## looneybomber

Oh, older computer plus onboard graphics equal not good. Adding a video card would help...and I actually have a spare, but used, PCI-x card. It's either the x1300 I mentioned above or a 6800gt. I bought a vid card for my wife's computer, but she needed an AGP card. I now don't remember what I have installed and what's boxed up in the closet.

I know my sister's computer needs help and I was going to see if I could put my spare card in her computer. If I don't put it in there, and you can use it, I'd let you have it free, just pay shipping. But if you're wanting to completely revamp your current computer, then having an old vid card does you no good.


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