Help by HTPC hardware selection needed (1 Viewer)

ejtje

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November 29, 2009
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Hello al,

I'm currently busy selection the hardware for my first real HTPC project. I have been playing with MP and other Media player solutions but now i'm on the start of my frst project! :D

But I have a few things I need to get some help from people that have been building HTPC cases... So please feel free to give me some comment and tips!
________________________________________________

To reduce to total cost of the HTPC the plan is to re-use some PC hardware (like PSU, CPU, motherboard, and ram)(after 2 years I will replace this by new hardware)

I have two victims available:

A Packard bell Imedia 5600
- PSU: from: FSP group inc. type: FSP250-60HEN
- CPU: from: Intel type: Pentium 4 524 (S775 LGA)
- MB: from Gigabyte type: Ga-8trc410mnf-RH form factor: m-ATX
- RAM: from ??? type: DDR2 512mb 533Mhz

--------------OR------------------

Custom build AMD system
- PSU: from: Aopen type: ???
- CPU: from: AMD type: Athlon 64 3500+ (939)
- MB: from MSI type: K8 Neo4 form factor: Full-ATX
- RAM: from ??? type: DDR-SDRAM 1024mb

________________________________________________

I will add the following hardware:
- GPU from Sapphire type: Ultimate HD5550
- HDD from: Western Digital type: WD20EARS (first 2x, later 4x)
- RAM depending on which "victim" I choose, but I think 2Gb
- Case depending on which "victim" I choose (M-atx --> Silverstone GD05, F-atx --> ?
- Remote No idea ;-(
- Drive Blue-ray rom drive


I think the most important differents between the two "victims" is the form factor of the MB, How many slots do you normaly need? I think i need at least a GPU card and a TV card, if i use the onboard sound...

Currently I don't know what to do :confused:. Both "victims" have benefits... The packard bell has a less big MB, but the AMD has a better CPU.

Can someone help me?
 

kiwijunglist

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    Yes 2GB is a good number.
    I think that gfx card can handle the audio if you do HDMI pass through to a capable receiver.
    Recommend you avoid getting a case with imon/soundgraph gear inside.
    MCE remote gives the least amount of heartache in terms of setup and compatibility
    While the new green HDDs (eg. WD20EARS) make awesome media drives, some people report they are not good for a system drive or for timeshifting, maybe you can keep the windows/mediaportal install on your old system drive (likely to be 7200rpm and faster)

    FOR PCI / PCI-E slots you should consider
    Gfx card (possibly spare slot next to it as they take up a lot of room)
    TV Tuner card (Some are PCI some are PCI-E)
    Soundcard if not using onboard sound or the gfx card
    Wifi card if needed
     

    ejtje

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    November 29, 2009
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    Thanks for you reply,

    What I don't need:

    - A HTPC case with Imon
    - Wifi conection
    - Soundcard

    - The Sapphire HD5550 should support audio over HDMI, no idea how this works yet.
    - Does someone have a link where I can find MCE remotes? (That work with MediaPortal)
    - Ok, so I will reuse the HDD from my old pc. (I don't have specs of the drives, i will that later).

    The first thing I must decide what case I will buy. (in combination with the "victim"(Full-ATX or Micro-ATX))

    Case specs
    - 1x --> 5,25
    - 4/6x --> 3,5 (more is better)
    - Full ATX power supply
    - Max dimentions: H17cm
    - Color: black
    - No display, frontbuttons or remote needed
    - Possibility to place big fans
    - Must look great...

    The max butget for the case is E 200,- (less is better :D)

    I was thinking at the Silverstone LC20 without media cramp. But that has a very bright blue led, and can't have big fans :confused:, The LC16MR also nice but has the media crap... So not a option...

    Do you have some nice HTPC case options? Please post them :D

    Greeting E



    Maybe
     

    Mike Lowrey

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    hm.

    From my point of view it's useless to buy upgrades for this hardware.
    Everything you buy now will never be used in the future and if may be the mainboard has a failure in less than 4 months your new RAM ist useless.

    So i would prefer to buy a new pc for example based on Atom + ION(2) or if you have enough money an AMD 880G + Athlon II X2 together with DDR 3 RAM.
     

    kiwijunglist

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    I couldn't find many nice cases that don't have imon inside and can take several HDDs. My brother has Antek NSK2400 / 2480 which seems quite good. You can also consider Antec P183/Mini P180 and then placing the case on the side. Everything else seems to have imon.

    PS. with the exception of the ram, everything can be used in the future. as long as your current mobo is sata for the HDDs. Athlon 64 3500+ is fast enough as long as you have dxva working. If you were building a new computer i'd say you need 6000+ min cpu speed.
     

    Peter2

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    Hi little egg,

    Ask yourself these questions:
    - do you want a full atx case as a htpc in case you go for the AMD system and what about that afterwards?
    - are you keeping it cheap because of not certain this project will succeed or are you on a tight budget
    - what os are your going to use: for xp 1GB is enough but then again going for the intel system, you will need to buy ram anyway
    - what about the sound level of your existing hardware and that videocard you are looking at -> is this system going to be installed in a living room area
    - are you gonna use it just as a htpc or also run games on it or other stuff

    The case is mostly about taste after having looked at necessary physical specs. I guess 4 disks puts a limitation on your choice.
    Are you going to use those disks as storage, all of them configured individually or in a RAID configuration?

    Regarding remote: I think all MCE remotes are handled the same way by MP so it's just a matter of which one you like and is available at what price. (under xp it doesn't work out of the box unless mce2005)

    Somehow, I'm with Mike: if you have the money, go for a new system. Even though quite some people over here are running atom based systems, there are also some threads about the lack of power. AMD based setups are not that expensive anymore and will give you more possibilities.

    kiwijunglist: howcome no imon/soundgraph gear?
     

    kiwijunglist

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    Regarding remote: I think all MCE remotes are handled the same way by MP so it's just a matter of which one you like and is available at what price. (under xp it doesn't work out of the box unless mce2005)

    @kiwijunglist: howcome no imon/soundgraph gear?

    Actually you can use mce remote with XP Pro SP3, (don't need MCE2005) as this is what I am doing. MCE remote wont work with standard XP, but either SP3 or Pro (I think Pro) lets you use the mce remote, there actually might be some hacks for standard xp but I can't remember.

    Re: Imon/Soundgraph ... the remotes and displays are very buggy, if you search the forums there a lot of people having problems. Also as far as display goes, it's quite gimicy unless you get a large display. my VFD is just a novelty really... I own a silverstone LC16-MR and I would not buy any imon/soundgraph gear in the future.
     

    ejtje

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    November 29, 2009
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    Tnx for you reply's

    hm.

    From my point of view it's useless to buy upgrades for this hardware.
    Everything you buy now will never be used in the future and if may be the mainboard has a failure in less than 4 months your new RAM ist useless.

    So i would prefer to buy a new pc for example based on Atom + ION(2) or if you have enough money an AMD 880G + Athlon II X2 together with DDR 3 RAM.

    I agree with you for the ram and my PSU, but al the other upgrades can be re-used when I buy a new AMD cpu + Motherboard. Both motherboard have SATA connections so also the HDD's can be re-used. So i shouldn't by new ram. Tnx for the tip.

    _____________________________________________________
    Reply on the post by Peter2
    Ask yourself these questions:
    - do you want a full atx case as a htpc in case you go for the AMD system and what about that afterwards?
    They are big, but can house more HDD so, I think i haven't got a other option
    - are you keeping it cheap because of not certain this project will succeed or are you on a tight budget
    I'm on a tight budget..., I stil need to convince the girl :D
    - what os are your going to use: for xp 1GB is enough but then again going for the intel system, you will need to buy ram anyway
    I will be using xp, so the full-atx AMD system it is :)
    - what about the sound level of your existing hardware and that videocard you are looking at -> is this system going to be installed in a living room area
    Yes it will be installed in my living room. The sapphire card is a passive cooled card, the hardware that i will reuse is not that loud but also not very quiet ;). The upgrade in 1 to max. 2 years wil replace PSU, CPU motherboard so then it should me quiet.
    - are you gonna use it just as a htpc or also run games on it or other stuff
    No, it will be used for Media portal, internet, youtube maybe some social web sites.

    The case is mostly about taste after having looked at necessary physical specs. I guess 4 disks puts a limitation on your choice.
    Are you going to use those disks as storage, all of them configured individually or in a RAID configuration?
    I will instal the two big drive with raid 1 configuration

    Regarding remote: I think all MCE remotes are handled the same way by MP so it's just a matter of which one you like and is available at what price. (under xp it doesn't work out of the box unless mce2005)
    Doesn't work out the box? I will be running xp with media portal installed will the chose problems?

    This evening I will search the web to find some possible cases, and will post them here. Maybe you can give some tips.

    Greeting E
     

    jameson_uk

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    MCE remote gives the least amount of heartache in terms of setup and compatibility

    Regarding remote: I think all MCE remotes are handled the same way by MP so it's just a matter of which one you like and is available at what price. (under xp it doesn't work out of the box unless mce2005)

    Actually you can use mce remote with XP Pro SP3, (don't need MCE2005) as this is what I am doing. MCE remote wont work with standard XP, but either SP3 or Pro (I think Pro) lets you use the mce remote, there actually might be some hacks for standard xp but I can't remember.

    MCE remote works out the box on XP Pro (even prior to SP2 I believe) but you need to do some messing around to get it working on XP Home. That said the issue you have with an MCE remote is getting hold of one. MS stopped making them a while ago and there are not that many alternatives.

    I do think the original MCE remote is still the best (by a long way) and I am keeping hold of the two I have :)
     

    ejtje

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    Nice, I will be using XP Pro Sp3 so it should work ;-)
     

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