HTPC Recommendations

[PhantmShado]

Ok, it's a work night, so I don't want to think about this now myself, but I'd love some starting recommendations for the weekend:

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
I would like to put together an htpc for the living room. Do not plan to store things on it, would rather set it up as a box to stream from other computers in the apartment. Need it to be able to decode 1080p video over ethernet including streamed from the internet. Don't need wireless. Will not be doing any gaming, editing, or office work. Just videos and music. HDMI out of course a necessity

2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
I'd really like to stick to 500 including tax and shipping. If this is an impossibility I'd like to hear the closest options, or just things you really think I might want to stretch the budget for.

3) Where do you live?
Seattle, WA, USA

4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Case, RAM, CPU, Video Card, Sound Card, motherboard, psu, harddrive, keyboard/mouse,os (I'm thinking linux with xmbc should be fine, right?)
optionals: Blu Ray Drive, Remote, special heatsink if thought needed
Already owned tv will be used for display/sound. Sound will receive an upgrade later.

5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
None.

6) Will you be overclocking?
No.

7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
45". But 1080P. That should be all that matters I think? It's a TV.

8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
I'd like it built by the end of the month.


9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
Digital sound out might be nice if I were to get a receiver one day that supported it. I don't see anything else as necessary. I haven't done this before, please tell me if you can think of something.


10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If yes, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
Linux and XMBC should be fine, right?

 

[Dangman]

Unfortunately Blu-ray playback in linux is virtually non-existent or not anywhere near as smooth as Windows.

So do you still want Blu-ray playback capability and therefore Windows 7?

 

[lt_shiro]

really ps3 or dnla supported blu ray player would do the same job for cheaper.

 

[MrCrispy]

You have 3 choices -

1. just hdmi 1080p playback, no bluray - buy a media streamer such as WD Live, Asus OPlay, Boxee box etc. They are very cheap

2. add blu ray to above - BR player, ps3, streamer like Dune

3. full fledged htpc running XBMC. add bluray player and Win7 if needed, otherwise use XBMC live/openelec.tv distro. You can look at systems such as 100HT-BD, or Ion based motherboards. There are many guides if you google for htpc build.

Really, if you don't need the XBMC UI, and don't plan to do more with the pc, 1 and 2 are much cheaper and easier options.

 

[PhantmShado]

I kind of liked the ability to do netflix streaming, and youtube as well, and maybe some light browsing (probably for other internet video/music). Are their options among 1 that account for these?

 

[Dangman]

I kind of liked the ability to do netflix streaming, and youtube as well, and maybe some light browsing (probably for other internet video/music). Are their options among 1 that account for these?

Again, do you still want blu-ray playback?

 

[Superdemon]

I kind of liked the ability to do netflix streaming, and youtube as well, and maybe some light browsing (probably for other internet video/music). Are their options among 1 that account for these?

A PS3 should be able to handle most of that and will support Blu-ray playback.

 

[PhantmShado]

what codecs does the ps3 support? I'd really like to be able to play anything mpc can play.

 

[Dangman]

what codecs does the ps3 support? I'd really like to be able to play anything mpc can play.

The PS3 doesn't support all of what MPC-HC can play:
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/video/filetypes.html

MKV support is a bit spotty in my experience since it's dependent on what video codec the contained video uses. So the PS3 doesn't play back all MKV files like MPC-HC does.