New HTPC Build need some insight

[Tau]

I have decided to build a new HTPC, mostly because i have pretty much all the parts already just sitting here.

The main issues i need input on are what kind of power would be required for playing back HD content? .ts, .mkv, as well as H264 encoded content. I know that there are already issues with playing it back. Here is the list of hardware i have come up with.

CPU: E6550ES
Motherboard: Abit AB9
RAM: 4x1Gb Mushkin XP1066 ES
Videocard: ATI X1900XTX ES
HDD: Probobly a raptor drive because i dont trust them in mission critical PC's.

The only reason im putting 4GB of ram in it because its just sitting here collecting dust anyways so i might as well put it to use.

At a later date when i am done playing with an 8800GT or one of the 9800's i might throw that in there if i find i am running into video issues.

My primary goals with this box is to, play cable tv, if it is possiable play Satellite as well (or if i have to switch to the satellite reciever that would be ok as well) play back pre recorded content, normal content, as well as HD stuff. Play a few game on the big screen, Wow, CSS, UT3, etc.

Now for the game portion i know the machine will have plenty of juice, now the questions i have about it are;

Will it be able to play HD content properly, im sure there is a codec that i have missed, as i have trouble getting it all to play properly on other PC's. Also is it possiable to recieve, and tune Satellite on it? more importantly HD satellite signals.

Right now i have a Hauppauge 150 tuner that came with the MCE remote. Though i am slightly limited in the fact that this motherboard only has 2 PCI slots, and one would be used by the tuner. Is there a tuner that would allow me to tune Satellite, as well as regular cable? And then the other slot will most lilly be used for a Sound card, unless anyone has any other suggestions.

I also plan on hooking it up to my TV through my reciever via Component out of the videocard, and then some kind of Digital out of the soundcard/onboard to the reciever as well.

The only thing that will be stored on the local machine will be the OS, codecs, games, and Media Portal, i will be storing all the recorded content, as well as all the already recorded content on a file server across the network.

[ghanz]

Spec wise you won't have any problems playing hd content. You can use floppydtv tunercards for hdtv. They connect via firewire so you don't need any pci slots. I think this mainboard has a optical out right? so no need for a soundcard.