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After reading thru various threads here, I've come up with the following HTPC setup. Its not the greatest setup but I rekon its sufficient for my needs.
My aim was a system under $500 that will be cool & quiet (passively cooled) while I can watch a DVD or Xvid and record a hdtv stream.
Well here it is, let me know if anything I selected sucks or will have performance issues:
CPU: AMD 2800+ S754, $60
Motherboard: MSI RS482M-IL S754, $85
HDD: Seagate 160Gb SATAII, $80
Case: Antec NSK 2400, $140
Tuner Card: A16A-OEM AVERMEDIA OEM A16A Hybrid DVB-T HD PCI Card, $110
Video card: Onboard, $0
Sound Card: Onboard, $0
RAM: Existing 512Mb DDR266, $0 <---- Can replace this with 1GB (2x512mb) DDR400 when I upgrade my main box.
DVD Burner: Existing DVD Burner, $0.
Total: $475
I've gone with a 160gb hdd, as I think that should be enough. Due to work I only watch a small amount of tv. I mainly watch stuff I've grabbed off the net, rather than stuff off the free to air stations but every now and again I'll record stuff off the TV. Once I've watched something, I tend not to keep it so the recording or xvid file will be deleted after watching it, which will free up disk space. Thus I believe 160gb hdd for the time being should be more than enough.
I won't play games on it, thats what my main pc is for.
The htpc will output to a standard CRT TV, with sound being played thru the TV speakers. Next year I'll get a plasma though.
Would love your comments on the above setup. Would the above specs be enough to watch a dvd/xvid and record a hdtv stream at the same time?
Prices are average prices from staticice.
Thanks!
EDIT: Revised list based on comments...
Last edited by pengo; 7th October 2006 at 04:45 PM.
i do belive this is incorect... HDTV out is not a TV tuner card....... you would need to get a Avermedia A777 or Compro T200 or a .... there is a PCIx1 you could get a Terratec 2400i but it is a bit close to the Graphics card slot....
The HDTV module/bracket, is quite small and doesn't take up much space so I could put it in any of the expansion slots for the Antec case. The module connects to a header on the motherboard rather than plugs into a PCI/PCIe slot.
I think you've missed the point. That bracket is for TV out. It allows you to connect the PC to your TV. You still need something that can receive the broadcast TV signal. Either an analog or Digital TV tuner card (such as the A777 mentioned above).
Expect to spend at least another $100 on a card and that will allow you to watch only 1 channel or record only 1 channel. If you want to watch 1 channel and record another at the same time you need 2 cards (or a dual tuner card).
Cheers,
Arkay.
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The box said 'Requires Windows XP or better' - so I installed Linux . . .
Yep I missed that, might change the motherboard to something cheaper that has no tv out.
Unless I am misunderstanding again, the hdtv card will recieve the tv signal but then output via the onboard video or its own tv out (if present)?
This will then let me display a picture to the tv while its recording and/or playing a video?
Well there are cards and then there are cards...
If you are planning to use MCE, then it, or Windows Media Player handles the playback although some cards do come with their own playback software as well. The TV tuner card handles the antenna connection, and decodes the signal. The decoded signal is written to your hard drive by MCE or other software so you can play back one prerecorded show while recording another.
I can assure you though, that you will quickly find a single card liminiting even in .au where we don't exactly have a plethora of channels. Better get two, preferably of the same kind to reduce the number of disparate drivers/software that have to be loaded.
i still recomend the A777 becasuse i have heard good things about this card and it is around the same price (many poeple have 2 working well together).... you have forgotten one of the most inportant things the MCE remote....
