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Need help with HTPC build

M

MinPin

n00b
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
10
I want to build a new HTPC that's capable of doing most everything from within WMC. But I'm a little confused about what I really need. Primary uses are watching DVD and Blu-ray ISOs from my server. The PC will be connected to an Onkyo TX-SR606. This receiver supports DTS-HD and True HD so I would like to watch the Blu-ray ISOs with the HD audio tracks. I also would like to view and playback recorded satellite programming from within WMC with a Hauppauge HD-PVR. I have a budget of about $800 (budget is flexible and I already have the HD-PVR). But I could use some help picking out hardware. Any suggestions? Thanks
 
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$59 - AMD Athlon II X2 245 CPU
$75 - MSI 880GM-E41 AMD 880G mATX Motherboard
$43 - Patriot PSD32G13332 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$50 - XFX HD-545X-YNH2 Radeon HD 5450 512MB PCI-E Video Card
$55 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$125 - Antec NSK2480 mATX case with Antec Earthwatts 380W PSU
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Total: $407 plus tax and shipping.

The HD 5450 card will allow for bitstreamed audio via HDMI. If set up correctly, the X2 245 is more than enough for HD playback since HD playback should be offloaded to the HD 5450. The NSK 2480 is pretty much the common HTPC case.
 
i3/i5 with a H55 motherboard
OR
AMD X2 low power 65w CPU/motherboard/5xxx series GPU (i have a X2 250 in my HTPC and it works great.... never an issue decoding video)

min of 2gb RAM, 4GB better...

storage!!!!!!!! BR ISO rips are HUGE!!!!

I have 7TB is space and i dont do ISOs of BRs

$800 is easy if you have the HD-PVR

I like a SSD dor OS and a 1TB/2TB Green for storage... like the intel 40v 40gb SSD since you want the HTPC to wake from sleep and turn on/off quickly, plus it speeds up guide loading.
 
Also, you don't have to get a Radeon 5 series (for bitstream support), some Asus HDAV sound cards have it as well.
 
Danny Bui said:
$59 - AMD Athlon II X2 245 CPU
$75 - MSI 880GM-E41 AMD 880G mATX Motherboard
$43 - Patriot PSD32G13332 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$50 - XFX HD-545X-YNH2 Radeon HD 5450 512MB PCI-E Video Card
$55 - Western Digital WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
$125 - Antec NSK2480 mATX case with Antec Earthwatts 380W PSU
---
Total: $407 plus tax and shipping.

The HD 5450 card will allow for bitstreamed audio via HDMI. If set up correctly, the X2 245 is more than enough for HD playback since HD playback should be offloaded to the HD 5450. The NSK 2480 is pretty much the common HTPC case.
Click to expand...

I'd recommend at least a HD5550 or better, since he is viewing recorded Sat content, which may be interlaced (and needing a decent deinterlacing setup - like Vector Adaptive, which requires brute shader power).
 
dexvx said:
Also, you don't have to get a Radeon 5 series (for bitstream support), some Asus HDAV sound cards have it as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah but that's a completely moronic suggestion because, unlike the 5 series cards, you need a special build of TMT for those sound cards to even work correctly. That just means that the sound card is yet one more thing that could wrong (and did happen frequently).

Get a 5 series video card (or an i series Intel mobo); everyone else has no idea what they're doing by suggesting otherwise.
 
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MinPin said:
Thanks for the replies. How about this?

$62.99 <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103681">AMD Athlon II X2 250</a> CPU
$74.99 <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130295">MSI 880GM-E41 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD</a>Motherboard
$89.99 <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231180">G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333</a>4GB RAM
$39.99 <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136073">Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS 500GB 7200 RPM </a> HD (with $15 off promo code)
$189.98 <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.493093">XFX HD-567X-ZNF3 Radeon HD 5670 and Windows 7 OEM Combo</a>
$89.99 <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112222">LIAN LI PC-V351B</a> Case
$39.99 <a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341016">OCZ ModXStream Pro 500W</a> PSU (after $20MIR)

$619.72 total
Click to expand...

I'd recommend switching out that PSU for:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033 44.99usd
It ups your price to 669.72, but OCZ PSU are hit or miss in terms of quality, while this Antec unit is the cheapest I could find, that is relatively decent (and of a newer design that is more 12V centric). It's built by Delta, which still performs well.
 
I do not recommend getting that EA-380D PSU at all considering that it costs the same as this larger but better quality Seasonic built PSU:
$50 - Antec NEO ECO 400C 400W PSU

So I recommend the ANtec Neo Eco over the Earthwatts.
 
Thanks again. That video card recommends a 400W PSU or higher. Will 400W be enough?
 
MinPin said:
Thanks again. That video card recommends a 400W PSU or higher. Will 400W be enough?
Click to expand...

More than enough. That 400W recommendation is a CYA measure by AMD since a majority of PSUs are there are crap.

The HD 5670 draws a MAX of 35W. So you'll be fine.
 
You guys saved me money. Thanks! I'm probably still overbuilding for what I need. I usually do though.
 
MinPin said:
You guys saved me money. Thanks! I'm probably still overbuilding for what I need. I usually do though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the case, video card, and RAM are a bit overkill for a HTPC
 
i had a earthwatt and a modsteam fail... both have had bad quality lately..
 
CrimandEvil said:
Yeah but that's a completely moronic suggestion because, unlike the 5 series cards, you need a special build of TMT for those sound cards to even work correctly. That just means that the sound card is yet one more thing that could wrong (and did happen frequently).

Get a 5 series video card (or an i series Intel mobo); everyone else has no idea what they're doing by suggesting otherwise.
Click to expand...

Uh, I have the Asus HDAV. You do not need a special build of TMT for it to work. I'm using the standard Platinum version of TMT3 and bitstreaming works fine.
 
dexvx said:
Uh, I have the Asus HDAV. You do not need a special build of TMT for it to work. I'm using the standard Platinum version of TMT3 and bitstreaming works fine.
Click to expand...

The point is that you can get an AMD 5xxx series card for less money than the HDAV, and have an all-in-one solution for bitstreaming your HD audio. I am afraid that the ATI and Nvidia vid cards with onboard audio chips have pretty much relegated to the HDAV's to niche status.
 
agreed....

why have another card if the GPU can bitstream to the reciever via HDMI?

not saying the sound card cannot do it, but why buy it?
 
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