• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Will this work as a passable HTPC?

R

revefel

n00b
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Messages
29
I have an old PC sitting here unused that I'm thinking of hooking up to my TV (32" Vizio 720p) to play blu-ray rips and other assorted video files. Will it be enough?

Current specs:
MSI K8N Neo 2 Platinum
Opteron 170
2 gigs Corsair XMS3200pro (4 x 512)
Antec Earthwatts 380 watt PSU
6600GT of some sort, I think 128 mb

No hard drive or optical drive currently, but that's no big deal. The only open input I have currently on my TV is VGA, but I see newegg has some fairly cheap AGP cards with HDMI output (3450, 4350) and I could get an HDMI switch. My sound is currently only stereo, and will probably stay that way for the time being.

How would this perform playing mostly mkv blu-ray rips? Is it worth bothering with?

Or would it be worth selling the mobo/proc/mem and building something new?

I've been using my 360 to stream video, but it can't handle HD and I've been getting spoiled watching HD video on my main PC.
 
Sell off the CPU/mobo/RAM/GPU and build something new. Even with a 3450 AGP card, still wouldn't be too viable as a HTPC meant to watch HD content.

EDIT: Just to be clear, the AGP HD 3xxx as well as the HD 4xxx series cards do not have decent or proper hardware accelerated playback support.
 
If it's AGP then it's best to sell it for whatever you can. Don't even bother with it if it's AGP.
 
Danny Bui said:
Sell off the CPU/mobo/RAM/GPU and build something new. Even with a 3450 AGP card, still wouldn't be too viable as a HTPC meant to watch HD content.

EDIT: Just to be clear, the AGP HD 3xxx as well as the HD 4xxx series cards do not have decent or proper hardware accelerated playback support.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. What do you think is a fair price for the CPU/mobo/RAM/GPU?

Not looking for high dollar, just fair value.

If this is inappropriate for this forum, I'm sorry.
 
revefel said:
Thanks for the input. What do you think is a fair price for the CPU/mobo/RAM/GPU?

Not looking for high dollar, just fair value.

If this is inappropriate for this forum, I'm sorry.
Click to expand...

Don't think price checks are allowed outside of the General Mayhem subforum. But just check on ebay on each of those prices and see what the going rate is.

But IMO, probably won't get more than $100 for all that.
 
CrimandEvil said:
If it's AGP then it's best to sell it for whatever you can. Don't even bother with it if it's AGP.
Click to expand...

You can build an AGP HTPC. I have one. Pentium D with a HIS HD 4650. I mean I wouldn't recommend going for an AGP HT PC or anything, but it is plenty doable. Mine runs great and cost me next to nothing since it was mostly parts I had laying around.
 
MattyC said:
You can build an AGP HTPC. I have one. Pentium D with a HIS HD 4650. I mean I wouldn't recommend going for an AGP HT PC or anything, but it is plenty doable. Mine runs great and cost me next to nothing since it was mostly parts I had laying around.
Click to expand...

if its parts you have laying around, you can do it. the cost of AGP video cards is not in line with the performance. that's why people are saying OP would be better off starting from scratch. a 6200 wont do well with HD content. What I would say to OP is that if you have all the parts, give it a shot, just don't spend any money on it. I would say you might get decent results on most content.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top