HTPC Computer System Opinion

[HunkaHunkaBurningLove]

Okay, I'm planning on putting a HTPC system together so I wanted to get some opinions.

$90 Biostar MB plus Celeron D 356 3.33 Ghz package after rebate

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2549277&Sku=MBM-P4M800M7A-356

$82 Western Digital 250 gig HD after rebate

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2179837&CatId=0

$45 Coolermaster 775 Fan

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1361834&CatId=1588

$69 Ultra 512 Meg DDR2 PC4200 Ram after rebate

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1071037&CatId=0

I've got a case already so my total after $60 of rebates is: $296 + GST + S/H.

I might up the ram to 1 gig later on, and add in a multimedia video card. What do you think of this so far?

[willy]

AGP ... Do you really want to buy a new system with AGP video card ?

With the combined price of MB+CPU+Heatsink, you may want to try this combo in the same price range ... http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=21662&vpn=ADA3700/NF44&manufacture=AMD&promoid=1008 ...

TD has the Ultra 512MB PC3200 for C$47 AR for the 1GB for C$116 AR.

I understand both configurations from you and me are containing deadend'ed technologies. But to fit into the same budget point, we have to make some tough choices.

[Jaytee]

What exactly are you building the HTPC for? (PVR, MP3, Dvix, OTA, games, etc)

Either way I would add a Chaintech 710 sound card which is $21.77. It has a toslink optical connector so you can pass through audio to your receiver (assuming you have a receiver which has toslink connectors).

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10960BD2811

If you have a flat panel with hdmi/dvi input I would add a video card with hdmi/dvi output so you get a digital signal to your tv.

I assume you are limited by budget, otherwise consider options for future HD movie playback. That would require a solid CPU and video card and a card that supports HDCP.

[ppl4golf]

What exactly are you building the HTPC for? (PVR, MP3, Dvix, OTA, games, etc)

Either way I would add a Chaintech 710 sound card which is $21.77. It has a toslink optical connector so you can pass through audio to your receiver (assuming you have a receiver which has toslink connectors).

http://www.directcanada.com/products/?sku=10960BD2811

If you have a flat panel with hdmi/dvi input I would add a video card with hdmi/dvi output so you get a digital signal to your tv.

I assume you are limited by budget, otherwise consider options for future HD movie playback. That would require a solid CPU and video card and a card that supports HDCP.

I disagree adding a sound card, most mobos out in the last couple of years have good enough sound unless the receiver and speakers justify for them.

[ppl4golf]

Okay, I'm planning on putting a HTPC system together so I wanted to get some opinions.

$90 Biostar MB plus Celeron D 356 3.33 Ghz package after rebate

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2549277&Sku=MBM-P4M800M7A-356

$82 Western Digital 250 gig HD after rebate

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2179837&CatId=0

$45 Coolermaster 775 Fan

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1361834&CatId=1588

$69 Ultra 512 Meg DDR2 PC4200 Ram after rebate

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1071037&CatId=0

I've got a case already so my total after $60 of rebates is: $296 + GST + S/H.

I might up the ram to 1 gig later on, and add in a multimedia video card. What do you think of this so far?

My 1st HTPC is a Celeron, while it does the basic work well, there are also some drawbacks.

The biggest thing is these older Intel CPUs tends to run hot and therefore difficult to make a quiet system which you do want for HTPC.

Performance-wise, it does fine for video/dvd playback and PVR...Like the other poster mentioned, it'll probably have a hard time with hi-def stuff. My Celeron 3.06 streams back 720p ok but hiccups occas on some 1080p WMVHD stuff that has very high bitrate. Not sure about the other HD formats but likely will have a tough time.

[ppl4golf]

AGP ... Do you really want to buy a new system with AGP video card ?

With the combined price of MB+CPU+Heatsink, you may want to try this combo in the same price range ... http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=21662&vpn=ADA3700/NF44&manufacture=AMD&promoid=1008 ...

TD has the Ultra 512MB PC3200 for C$47 AR for the 1GB for C$116 AR.

I understand both configurations from you and me are containing deadend'ed technologies. But to fit into the same budget point, we have to make some tough choices.

Right on...I can only think of 2 good reason to get AGP system nowadays.
First, the obvious, if you are refurbishing a decent AGP card you already have.
Second, is a rare scenerio, is for someone like me who has a Silverstone LC11 HTPC case that uses AGP riser-card, if my old system craps out, I might consider getting another AGP mobo because I really like the case. There is a PCI-E riser card available, but it is very expensive.

[HunkaHunkaBurningLove]

Hey thanks for the input! It's been a while since I've put together a computer system, and wow there are a lot more things to consider. The system is geared towards a basic PVR, DVB-S, DIVX, no games, movie server kind of set-up. I don't even plan to go HDTV for a while yet until 42" HDTV LCD's drop down to the sub $1000 area.

That EVGA/AMD combo looks like a good option.

I've read about a couple of people overclocking their Celly to 4-5 ghz so that might be an option in the future. I already have a fairly decent AGP card with DVI output and an old PCI ATI all in wonder 128 which I might want to play around with. I wouldn't have minded a motherboard with PCI-E to go PCI-E video, but usually the MBs with PCI-E seem to have a really limited number of regular PCI slots.

That sound card looks like a good idea with the TOSlink. Is there a way to get surround sound connected to the motherboard audio? All MB's seem to come with surround multi-speaker capability, but how the heck does one hook it up without an optical TOSlink or RCA connection to the receiver?

[Jaytee]

A major advantage to the toslink connector is you are able pass dolby digital/dts to your receiver. If you use a toslink (or coax for that matter) you are keeping the signal digital which is good. That motherboard you linked seemed to have a multi channel support but only a single 1/8" jack for output which as far as I know only supports stereo. Some motherboards that have built in digital audio connectors like coax or toslink, but Im sure a upgrade to one of those motherboard will cost you more then the $22 for the Chaintech.

I would also get a PVR card that has hardware mpeg decoding like a Hauppauge. Im would expect a software encoder like the ATI Wonder cards would not do a good job recording mpeg at a good resolution with that CPU.





That sound card looks like a good idea with the TOSlink. Is there a way to get surround sound connected to the motherboard audio? All MB's seem to come with surround multi-speaker capability, but how the heck does one hook it up without an optical TOSlink or RCA connection to the receiver?

[HunkaHunkaBurningLove]

I have a WinTV-PVR USB2 which apparently is supposed to work with Myth TV I think so I'll use that to capture programming. If it doesn't work oh well, I don't think I'll be using the PVR features that much anyways. I have a STB DVD recorder which is used so rarely it's becoming like the VCR.

The ATI - AIW 128 PCI video card will just be used for outputing to my Sony 32" CRT Trinitron until I get a HDTV LCD screen sometime in the future at which point I'll upgrade the video. It's a spare card lying around so I figure I may as well use it. It should be fine for outputting to the CRT, shouldn't it?

I just realized that I also have a Sound Blaster Live! sound card which has a analogue/digital out jack which I'll pop in too. I was trying to read about how to connect to the SPDIF out on a motherboard without built-in coaxial/optical jacks to get surround sound to a receiver, but I wasn't having much luck finding useful information regarding that.

EDIT: I think you can buy some sort of SPDIF adapter somewhere that has a optical and/or coaxial connection to attach to the motherboard SPDIF OUT, but they are about $15 so getting a $22 dedicated 7.1 card is definitely a better option in the end.