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HTPC Project

S

Skylane

n00b
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
7
I'm looking to build an HTPC to fulfill the majority of my computer needs (minus laptop). I do want gaming on it as well as make it an HTPC. Besides gaming the other primary uses will be watching/recording TV as well as watching Blu-ray HD content.

I will be using Windows Vista 64bit and I will be using an Syntax Olevia 37" HVS LCD TV.

Build:

Antec Silver Fusion 430 - $169.99
ASUS P5K-VM LGA 775 Intel G33 Micro ATX - $104.99
Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Wolfdale 2.53GHz - $131.99
Scythe SCMNJ-1000 80mm Sleeve "NINJA MINI" - $34.99
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) - $54.99
Western Digital Caviar GP WD10EACS 1TB 5400 to 7200 RPM - $199.99
LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model GGC-H20L - $199.99
Logitech Harmony 880 - $159.99
XFX PVT88PYSF4 GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express w/Quiet and cool ZALMAN fan - $169.99
AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe MCE ATSC/NTSC/QAM Tuner Card - $99.99
Microsoft Entertainment Desktop 7000 - $129.99

Total Price minus rebates: $1478.89

I'm looking to find areas that I can trim up the price a bit, however I want to keep the case. I also have a PS3 and haven't really thought about or know how I want to do the audio for everything and keep everything interconnected? I'm guessing a reciever? I also need audio home theater recommendations and will i need my cable companies box?
 
I seem to remember something about nVidia not including the video playback acceleration on the 8800-series cards. Is that correct? Granted, your CPU can probably handle the playback by itself...
 
The original G80 8800 cards didn't have it, the newer G92 ones do.

You could probably save a little cash by going with a slightly less expensive motherboard and different RAM... Mushkin has a 4GN kit that was going for $70 or so last I saw.

Is there a specific reason you want a Harmony 880? The 550 is about half that price.

Also, your TV is a 1366x768 panel, right? An 8800GT would be overkill for gaming on that. The price after rebate is already pretty low but a 3850 would be even cheaper and would save you maybe $30. At that resolution you're not going to need a ton of power for gaming.

Also... why do you want the blu-ray / HD-DVD combo drive? It's more expensive than the ones that are just blu-ray, so unless you already have HD-DVDs you want you can probably save $50 there.

A receiver would probably be good, unless you just want to connect everything directly to the TV (assuming it has enough connections and assuming you can live with the sound from the TV speakers). Not to mention you'd have to get speakers. Might be able to get by with an inexpensive switcher-type box from Radio Shack.

I'm not sure about your cable company's STB. If you're watching digital cable, that card can tune unencrypted QAM with its Vista drivers but I don't recall if it's supported in the MS Media Center app. For any digital cable that is encrypted (most channels except the networks) though, you'd need their STB and you'd have to settle for connecting it via S-Video and RCA audio to the tuner.
 
I went ahead and ordered making some significant changes to the pc as recommended here and on anandtech.

I need a little help though understanding encrypted QAM. I understand the only way to record these or maybe even watch them is if you had a cablecard pc or you use your cable companys STB. Now, what is the best method for me to still be able to record some of these, like espn HD? Will it basically be that if i want to watch recorded HD that isnt mainstream channels, that I will have to use the boxes DVR and the computer will have absolutely no control?
 
Skylane said:
I went ahead and ordered making some significant changes to the pc as recommended here and on anandtech.

I need a little help though understanding encrypted QAM. I understand the only way to record these or maybe even watch them is if you had a cablecard pc or you use your cable companys STB. Now, what is the best method for me to still be able to record some of these, like espn HD? Will it basically be that if i want to watch recorded HD that isnt mainstream channels, that I will have to use the boxes DVR and the computer will have absolutely no control?
Click to expand...

Forget what they said cause it's nearly complete bullshit. Check out the sticky and read the links for CableCard tuners and QAM before you waste any money.
 
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