SFF advice needed

T

theTIK

Gawd
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
757
I have never really made a SFF computer before and I need a little advice since things like onboard video are completely foreign to me.

I have an extra 2.4 GHz C2D, 2x1GB gskill ram, and a 300GB sata hdd. I got to thinking that an HTPC in the living room to watch all the various movies and other videos I have stored on other computers on the network(including 1080p x264 .mkv files) would be nice. The living room has an extra CAT5 jack right where all the receivers and stuff goes, the tv is 1080p and I would like to connect to it through hdmi if possible. The sound system in the living room is a high dollar 5.1 system my roommate put together (all I know is that there is several thousand invested in it).

Since I have the CPU, memory, and hdd already I put this list together:

Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-G31M-S2L LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
Video Card: ASUS EN8400GS SILENT/HTP/256M GeForce 8400 GS 256MB 64-bit
DVD Drive: Sony NEC Optiarc Black 16X DVD-ROM
Sound Card: bluegears b-Enspirer 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz
Case and PSU: APEVIA X-QPACK-NW-BK/420 Black Aluminum


I'm trying to keep the cost down but at the same time keep it small and fairly silent. I really don't know what case to get at all I could really use some help on that. It doesn't have to be a traditional rectangular HTPC case, anything good, quiet, small, and fairly cheap. As you can see sound quality is very important to me, hence the very nice sound card. Any help on this build would be appreciated.
 
There are like 3 other posts for the same stuff on the SFF page.
 
I guess I'll lend my opinion.

Drop the Q-pack. Things a flimsy pieces of shit and the PSU is even worse. Not worth the money I spent on one.

Instead get this. Yea it'll cost more but, the quality compared to the q-pack is like a small car compared to a tank... there is no competition.

SILVERSTONE SUGO SG02B-F


Antec earthwatts EA380



The 380 should be more than enough but, if you feel you need more than that go for this one.

CORSAIR CMPSU-450VX
 
Antec Earthwatts are good power supplies. I had a 500W version and the thing was silent and gave me 0 problems until I changed it out for a Silverstone one (for the purpose of getting the NT06 cooler).
 
+1 on the sugo sg02, i own the white one (being used as a lan/htpc)

its ergo's are good, can fit huge graphics cards if required, the only annoying thing would be the front panel flip down jibby to access the usb ports is a little flimsy

the earthwatts is good since it also gives you 80+ efficency saving you a few bux every month.
 
Also would I better better off getting a mobo with HDMI out onboard and no video card? Or would I be better off with this mobo and that cheapie video card?
 
I am Lanbox lite fanboi. Looks do it for me and it's pretty spacious though not the most easy to work with.
 
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