Welcome To Australia's No.1 Media Center Community!
You Are Currently Viewing As A Guest - you'll need to register in order to participate in our community and make this annoying message disappear!
By registering you'll be able to post & reply to questions, set up your own image gallery & blog, communicate privately with other members, create & respond to polls, access downloads and other "members only" features.
Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free - so why not join our community today - you'll be glad you did! If you experience any problems with the registration process or your account, please send a message to Mike
Yet another HTPC build - advice sought
this thread has 7 replies and has been viewed 521 times
I have been lurking around for quite sometime, and have almost settled on a build.
The proposed HTPC will be connected to a 40" Sony V series TV/NAD amp and will be used as follows:
- Watching digital TV 30% (don't really watch analogue TV any more, but want a tuner "just in case")
- Recording digital TV 40%
- Music playback 10%
- Watching DVD's 10%
I work up on a minsite, and am therefore away from home for extended periods. The unit will be used to record programs whilst I am away, and then for general playback when I am at home.
My proposed build (with prices) is as follows:
Intel CORE 2 DUO E6600 2.40GHz 4MB 1066FSB LGA775 $290
Stock cooler for now $0
Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3P $152
2 x 1GB Generic 800mhz $98
Gigabyte NX8500GT 256MB 128bit DSUB TV-OUT DVI - I PCI Express $132
Silverstone LC16m $272
80GB Old one lying around $0
2 x 500GB Samsung $308
Pioneer DVD-RW SATA 18x $50
500W Antec Neo Highly Efficient 2.2 NeoHE-500 $80
DNTV Live! Dual Hybrid PCI-Express S2 $160
Microsoft Windows Vista HOME Premium 32-bit DVD DSP-OEM $132
My main questions are:
1. Are there any obvious bottlenecks/overkill components?
2. Are all components compatible?
3. The components I had most trouble settling on were the mobo and video card. Are these a good combination? Any other suggestions?
4. Am looking for essentially a 3 x digital and 1 x analogue tuner setup, and am unsure what TV tuners to get. My preference is for all internal rather than USB. Any suggestions?
1. No real bottlenecks and the machine is slightly overkill if it just for media center(e6600)
2. From what i can tell yes
3. Again from what i can tell yes
4. Media center only official supports 2 tuners however can support more by altering the registry but DNTV Live! Dual Hybrid is an excellent choice if you want the setup you mentioned and are comfortable editing the registry i suggest two of these tuners if your mb supports it.
P.S if my post helped dont forget to give the thanks button a click
Cheers
__________________
Dizzy
If my post helped dont forget to give the "THANKS" button a click
The following Member(s) said "Thank You!" to Dizzy for this information:
Two suggestions;
1) E6600 may be overkill, however if you are happy with the price its always better to have more grunt.
2) If you are away for lengths of time invest in a small UPS to avoid those nasty power outages that really stuff up your recording schedule!
__________________
Too many toys is still not enough.
Two suggestions;
1) E6600 may be overkill, however if you are happy with the price its always better to have more grunt.
2) If you are away for lengths of time invest in a small UPS to avoid those nasty power outages that really stuff up your recording schedule!
Personally mines set up to just come back on when the power is restored in the bios, using a no password logon or an auto logon as it doesn't matter if I miss the occasional program.
Personally mines set up to just come back on when the power is restored in the bios, using a no password logon or an auto logon as it doesn't matter if I miss the occasional program.
As is mine, but the UPS means regardless of when the power goes out my MCE and masthead amp still have power and never misses a beat.
__________________
Too many toys is still not enough.
Having settled on my build I want to start buying the components. The problem that I am having is that I am unable to find somewhere that has a (black) HTPC case in stock.
I have been looking at a Silverstone LC16m, preferably from WA to cut down on freight costs, and to keep it local, but no-one has any in stock, and the supplier is unable to give a date for the next shipment. Over east isn't much better. Either no stock or exorbitantly high freight costs.
Any suggestions on places that I can look at (have been working my way through staticice), or an alternative ATX case?
