HTPC Build

[furby]

A friend has asked about building a htpc for him. I've not got into hardware for a while so I thought I'd come here for some advice:

This is what I got for starters:

• Di Novo mini
  ?80
  
  
• Shuttle SG33G5M (D'VO Series)
  ?300
  
  
• Black Gold Dual Tuner
  ?69
  
  
• WD 320GB Sata
  ?45
  
  
• 2Gb Ram
  ?27
  
  
• Pioneer DVD Drive
  ?17
  
  
• Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 2.66GHz
  ?111
  
  
• NH-U9B CPU Heatpipe Heatsink with NF-B9 Fan
  ?40
  
  

Total ?689

(Approximate as I've not shopped around and realise there will be postage for all this)

I think his budget is around ?700. His main requirement was a silent media center that would fit in with his amplifier etc. But has added that he might want to do some video editing (From a HD camera).

I didn't shop around too much for prices so maybe it can be got cheaper but it seems alot for a computer without a screen but I guess you pay for the small form factor.

As I say though, I'm not too hot on hardware and people could probably do better. So, sug:)st away :)

[MMaster23]

Not bad but 4 things:

- Di Novo Mini ... it is quite expensive and reviewers say you really have to like it, for it to work for you. I'd recommend starting with an official MCE remote + reciever. Only about 15 euros.

- Intel X3100 VGA .. hmmmm .. I'm guessing you're running Vista MCE on this thing? I HIGHLY recommend low-end standalone PCI-E vga's for this purpose. Onboard vga's just suck. I dunno what's wrong with them but even the most powerfull MCE will cry when it's powered by onboard. I'm running an Geforce 8500GT passive card in all my MCE's and it's the best card ever :) (for MCE that is.. also features hardware acc. x264 decoding)

- Try going for the 1TB HDD with the money you may save on the overpriced logitech.

- Jikes @ heatsink .. does that even fit in that mini case? Most barebones (Shuttles included) include an cpu cooler with heatpipes designed for that case. It improves airflow and often feature smart tempature/fan control to keep the noise level down. I'd recommend evaluating the "not-so-very stock" cooler first before slamming a whopping 40P on that. (Btw ... wtf @ 40P? My Thermalright Ultra-120 only costs me 40 euros)

[subcodec]

Overall, the build looks pretty good to me. The only thing it might struggle at is playing some HD content. Your friend could always add in a video card and/or a better processor in the future. The only thing I might suggest is to up the RAM to 4 GB since it is fairly cheap and it is the max the Shuttle can have.

[MMaster23]

The CPU is fine .. and 2GB is ram would be ok...

ps... nice barebone motherboard .. "Dolby Digital Live! and DTS Connect" .. this alone will save you ALOT of headaches when playing WMA 10 Pro audio files (WMV HD films / HD-DVD movies). Most tuners don't support WMA10 .. Dolby Live and DTS connect will convert the sound on the fly to usable 5.1 audio.

[furby]

Ye, the logitech is a bit pricy but it looked fun. I think I'd have to check it out in real life. The shuttle comes with mce remote so maybe it could be done without.

Will be running vista ( Never used my free copy from the beta so may as well put it to some use). I scrimped a bit on the ram to save money but as it's good value at the moment maybe I can bump it.

The heatsink is a big, but I want it to be quiet and I'm remember stock coolers tend to be noisy. But if it's got some fancy system as you say MMaster23 maybe there's no point. Is hard to tell where all the components will be from the dimensions, I might have got a bit carried away...

I'm in two minds about the graphics card, I'd really like to see how the system performed without one. Having hdmi onboard I was hoping it would be pretty good. But I have a mac mini and the onboard is a let down at times. I might start to look at the graphics cards seriously. (another minefield).

thanks for the responses all

[MMaster23]

i'd recommend starting with onboard VGA, stock cooler (which usually got heatpipes etc) and the Shuttle remote.

You could save yourself a lot of money if the stock components work like they should. (They don't always tough :()

Glad I could help.. PM me if you need some help .. done my fair share of MCE's :)

[hawker1986]

Hi Furby,

I personally think your going down the wrong route with the shuttle, I would get a microATX case, that way if a component dies you dont lose ?300 in one go. Here is what I would go with frm www.overclockers.co.uk:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=CP-219-IN - Intel C2D 7200 2.5Ghz dual core

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=MB-098-GI - Gigabyte microATX mobo

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=CA-091-AN - Antex Fusion Case (looks just like an amp)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=MY-086-OC - 4Gb OCZ RAM

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=HD-058-SA - 500GB Samsung HDD

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=GX-093-OK - 9600GT graphics card (more than adequate for HD content and even gaming)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=GX-011-CP - compro PCI-E MCE dual tuner

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=CD-074-LG - LG Blu-Ray + HDDVD ROM + DVDRW

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=HS-012-SY - Scythe mini CPU cooler

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....rodid=SW-009-MS - microsoft media centre remote control

Total: 668.40 including delivery

This has the advantage of a powerful graphics card, Blu-Ray and HDDVD playback, bigger HDD which is important in a media centre, and also more RAM, and also a VFD screen so you know whats playing, also you could very cheaply add a wireless PCI card for connectivity

Hope this is of some help.

Hawker

[TheReaperMan]

the antec fusion case is the better bet, as can be upgraded etc in the long run. i would not use the black gold tunners as some people have had problems with them in vista mce. i would go for a nova-t 500 mce version(comes with a remote) about 80 ish and the mce mce remote keyboard(uses the same usb dongle as the remote). you need to use a graphics card as for a htpc onboard does not cut it so well. a ati 3450 decodes hdtv and video etc very well and there about 25 ish(just dont try to game with the thing, as it does not cut it. it for video etc)

[Julius Caro]

the CPU seems overkill to me, IF he's only going to be using as an HTPC. although the newer, the cooler. and that's better :p

[furby]

There's nothing wrong with some overkill Julius Caro, it makes you a proper neowinian :D

I do like the fusion case and it's smaller than it looks in the picture (having actually checked the dimensions). One question though, and probably a stupid one, Do all these cards that have (Dual) DVI output in HD (1080i/p)?

I assume that the hdmi ports on those motherboards do but the cards?

[hawker1986]

You can buy a DVI - HDMI dongle for next to nothing, or I would imagine that the HDTV has a VGA connection if your not planning to run sound through the HDMI directly. My media centre is running to my HDTV using a VGA connection as nothing else really uses it and the HDMI can be used for something else. And just using a normal male to male mini plug from the onboard sound to the sound in next to the VGA. But that depends a bit of your friends HDTV and connections. Also that depends on your only having 2.0 or 2.1 sound. If he has 5.1 surround sound then using the HDMI might be better.

What is your friends HDTV model and plans for sound?

this card is a little more expensive for the same model but hs the HDMI bits with it apparently:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....&subcat=356

If you have any more questions just ask.

Hope that helps and makes sense.

Hawker

[MMaster23]

i agree .. most 720p LCD HDTV's have a resolution of 1366x768. The only way to fully use all this space, is by connecting it via D-SUB.

Connecting via HDMI/DVI crops it to 1280x720 (720p HD size) .. making MCE looking funky.

I connect all my MCE's via D-Sub .. run audio via optical out to recievers. You could also use an jack to 2x plug cable to run analogue sound to the TV itself (sound-in near the D-Sub)

As for 1080p HDTV's accepting PC/MCE signal over HDMI/DVI .. not sure .. no real hands-on expierence. Still planning the 1080p upgrades..

[hawker1986]

Hi,

Sorry I totally missed the 1080p bit. I dont have any hands on experience either. But im sure using VGA/DVI will give you the full resolution. The media centre will then just see the device as a monitor with a 1920x1200 resolution. But since MMaster raised the point about cropping, im not sure what a HDMI connection will do with it.

Hawker

[furby]

Well, I have a mac mini at home and it does the 1366x768 or something like that over VGA and over DVI (DVI->HDMI) it can output 1080 and 720 and the tv/screen picks it up ( a little 720 and 1080) flash up on screen) but displays is horribly. I posted it in another thread somewhere.

This is why I was looking for something that does hdmi out to avoid any issues, but maybe that's just the minis onboard graphics card or the conversion form DVI to HDMI

He has the 40" Sony Bravia I think it's the KDL-40U3000

But anyway, we're going component buying today so I will post back the results. Maybe even a little review if I have the time :D

[bobbytomorow]

I still don't see hardware accelerated HD playback. You want this to be an HTPC? To me an HTPC should be wirelesly web\network worthy, have hardware accelerated HD playback, and blend in aesthetically.

I did an HTPC build last month around this case , and this mobo, these 780G mobo's have the best onboard video ever, support dx10, HDMI and hardware accelerated HD playback out of the box.

Honestly if you are building an HTPC right now it would be a crime not to consider a 780g based platform.

[furby]

Actually I did consider the 780g can't remember why I discounted it, just a lack of knowledge of current AMD chips.

Seeing as you built one recently a few qs?

What chip did you put in yours?

What are the noise levels out of the fusion case?

Also do you have any pics of the system in real life? It's hard to compare from the press shots.

Thanks.

[hawker1986]

Hi Furby,

Just google it for some reviews, i believe the case is very quiet and will fit the needs of any HTPC

Hawker