Archive:Intel NUC
Devices | Intel NUC |
Read this page and still need help? Check out the NUC thread on the XBMC support forum. |
The Intel NUC is a series of small, awesome, x86-based PCs that works fantastically as an HTPC. Can run a full desktop OS if desired. Reasonable starting price considering size and power. Uses Celeron to i5 CPUs. Can run fanless with a replacement heatsink case.
About the Intel NUC
There are currently three versions of NUC on sale now; Celeron, i3 & i5.
All are x86 64bit OS capable. You can install Windows 7, 8 or just XBMCbuntu or OpenELEC. It doesn't matter. But if you don't need Netflix, SkyGO, then stick with OpenELEC or XBMCbuntu. They even have the internal pin headers for extra USB ports, but also for power switch, LEDs etc. more on this later.
Celeron
Celeron - has intel HD graphics, can play everything XBMC can including 1080p SBS 3D. It will struggle with full frame packed 3D. Boot up time direct into XBMC is less than 10 seconds. You can easily build [as they come with nothing] a 32GB mSATA SSD [total overkill for an openELEC build as there are internal USB headers in these which you could use to put a USB memory stick in and run from that. But it'll never beat SSD, But if you want windows. It's the only way to go] plus 4GB ram total build for no more than £200. If you read the NUC thread, there are screen caps of prices to help you compare to today's prices.
Skins wise, running Confluence, Ace or Bello [any light skin] are wonderful to use and very fluid. Running Aeon Nox, MQ3, MQ4 [aka heavier skins] are smooth but not as fluid as what can be enjoyed on the i3 & i5 models.
i3
i3 - has intel HD4000 graphics. Hell, you could switch the graphic acceleration off this baby's so good! Does everything the Celeron can do and full frame packed 3D! But at the £100 premium on top of the Celeron. If you're not running windows with it and doing a bit of light gaming. Then there's [IMO] not much point to it.
i5
- Coming soon?
i5 - these puppies have USB3 and USB2 ports. You can't boot from the USB3 ports using a USB drive, but you can boot using the USB2 ports. The i5 models have built in IR receivers.
Known issues
General
Missing internal USB header on some early models?
If you have a NUC and want to know if you have the usb header installed or not:
Look at the bottom of your unit, and locate the SA number (System Assembly) on the bottom of the NUC.
http://www.treasure-cove.net/nuc_sa.jpg
If you have:
SA ######-101 --> NO USB HEADER installed
SA ######-102 --> has internal USB HEADER
SA ######-103 --> has internal USB HEADER
SA ######-104 --> has internal USB HEADER
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/CS-034370.htm
If your unit is still under warranty, visit - http://www.intel.com/support/mailform/desktop/nuc/emailsupport.htm
Send them all of the info about your unit,... Model# Serial# SA# , etc.
Be sure to fill in the description box, that you have a unit without the usb header, you want to use the headers as they were part of the reason you bought it. [For instance to fit your IR receiver inside] You've contacted the place you bought it from and they told you to contact Intel.
They'll arrange courier and you'll organise the where/when they'll collect it. Only send the mainboard, no case/accessories/etc.
Within 2 weeks. You'll have a factory fresh replacement and most likely in full retail box. So you might end up with a spare case!
Windows
- Having graphical UI corruption with a NUC that uses Intel HD4000 graphics? Try these beta graphics drivers: 32-bit • 64-bit. [1]
Mods
You can mod several things on the NUC.
IR mods
Here's one user's mod to add IR: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=166886
He added http://www.simerec.com which is ON/OFF capability via remote, and added in IR from a Microsoft USB RC6 IR receiver. Plenty of pics and detailed description. Even the holes were covered with www.lightdims.com which worked fantastically.
Fanless cases
There are several fanless cases available for the NUC.
You can also buy fanless cases for these NUCs: http://www.impactics.com/d1nu1-b/
White model with RC6 USB receiver plugged into front of it: http://postimg.org/image/klk0h6yp3/
Other tips, tricks, and advice
Linux bootloader
info on what you choose when installing archboot when you do a UEFI install?
I used a GPT layout with GRUB as bootloader. Here's my partition info:
[code]$ sudo gdisk -l /dev/sda GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.7
Partition table scan:
MBR: protective BSD: not present APM: not present GPT: present
Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT. Disk /dev/sda: 125045424 sectors, 59.6 GiB Logical sector size: 512 bytes Disk identifier (GUID): 783A3002-626F-49A1-85D1-12225885803E Partition table holds up to 128 entries First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 125045390 Partitions will be aligned on 2048-sector boundaries Total free space is 4062 sectors (2.0 MiB)
Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name
1 2048 6143 2.0 MiB EF02 BIOS_GRUB 2 8192 1056767 512.0 MiB EF00 UEFI_SYSTEM 3 1056768 3153919 1024.0 MiB 8300 SWAP 4 3153920 125045390 58.1 GiB 8300 BTRFS[/code]
The BIOS_GRUB partition is not really needed, I just added it in case I wanted to install to MBR and still use GPT. The UEFI_SYSTEM partition is mounted to /boot/efi. Look at the GRUB page in the Arch wiki, it has pretty good instructions.
Links
- http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/motherboards/desktop-motherboards/nuc.html - Intel's NUC product page
- Wikipedia:Next Unit of Computing - Wikipedia page on the NUC
- http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=140534 - XBMC NUC resource thread
- http://www.impactics.com/d1nu1-b/ - impactics fanless NUC case
- http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=166886 - Celeron NUC with mods
- http://www.simerec.com - install IR on/off capabilities (NUC can sleep/wake without mods)
Random notes
Feel free to place various notes, tips, and links here. As this section of the wiki gets more organized, those notes will be properly sorted. Consider this like a dumping ground for when you're not sure where to put something.