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<blockquote data-quote="dcwp" data-source="post: 387008" data-attributes="member: 25562"><p>OK, I think I've learned an important lesson - Always listen to Paranoid Delusion. Not the ones in my head, the helpful SuperModerator.</p><p></p><p>Upthread PD suggested that my money would be better spent on a new MoBo with integrated hd graphics. I sort of blew that off <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite10" alt=":oops:" title="Oops! :oops:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":oops:" /> because I want to do this on the cheap and save money for a major overhaul down the road.</p><p></p><p>Well... As I've been pricing PCI cards, I noticed that it is in fact possible to get a decent MoBo, and CPU for not much more than a PCI gfx card capable of HD. I honestly had no idea that MoBo and CPU could be so cheap. Especially considering that the PCI bus can only perform so fast, it makes sense to move to integrated or PCI-e graphics if the price is similar.</p><p></p><p>So now I'm leaning toward the solution that PD mentioned in the second post. BUT I still can't afford a complete overhaul and I do want to move to a nicer case, quieter system, better audio performance, etc sometime in the future. So I want to be sure that any motherboard and processor I buy now is "futureproof" so that I don't have to replace them again in another year. </p><p></p><p>What I'm trying to figure out is what the future of HTPC and MP looks like. Who out there has a crystal ball? I had always imagined that in another year or so I'd move to a heavy duty quad core in a board capable of huge amounts of RAM and expansion so that future upgrades would be simple. My current HTPC was built with extreme budget in mind so I bought the clearance rack processor and board and now I'm paying for it. Don't want to make that mistake again.</p><p></p><p>I can't currently afford that super-duty processor, so I wonder if there is really going to be any need for it. Particularly will MediaPortal 2 require quad core, extreme power, huge memory, or other major upgrades? Are there new media standards on the horizon that will make me wish I had that power? Or will a 2Ghz dual core cover anything in the foreseable future?</p><p></p><p>What I'm considering right now is this motherboard with integrated GeForce 9300 and a Dual Core 2Ghz Celeron. Altogether, I can put this in my current case and components for about twice what I was planning to spend on a PCI graphics card and get better overall performance plus some expandability. Here's what I'm looking at: <a href="http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009782&prodlist=celebros" target="_blank">XFX MI93007AS9 nVidia GeForce 9300 Core 2 Quad/Core 2 Extreme/Core 2 Duo/Pentium D/Pentium Extreme at ZipZoomfly</a></p><p></p><p>On the other hand drealit describes a system in this thread <a href="https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/hardware-selection-help-62/htpc-build-advice-55110/#post380969" target="_blank">https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/hardware-selection-help-62/htpc-build-advice-55110/#post380969</a> that does not have integrated gfx, but can take a new PCI-e card (much cheaper than PCI) and have the same result for a few bucks less than the integrated solution.</p><p></p><p>Both of these are attractive options right now. They are a little more than I was planning to spend and quite a bit more hassle, but if they get me started on a new system that will not need major upgrade in the foreseeable future, I'm likely to spring for it.</p><p></p><p>I'd appreciate any last thoughts on this, particularly the future-proof issue. Any reason to need more processing power?</p><p></p><p>And of course, let this be a lesson. When a SuperMod offers you advice, take it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dcwp, post: 387008, member: 25562"] OK, I think I've learned an important lesson - Always listen to Paranoid Delusion. Not the ones in my head, the helpful SuperModerator. Upthread PD suggested that my money would be better spent on a new MoBo with integrated hd graphics. I sort of blew that off :ooops: because I want to do this on the cheap and save money for a major overhaul down the road. Well... As I've been pricing PCI cards, I noticed that it is in fact possible to get a decent MoBo, and CPU for not much more than a PCI gfx card capable of HD. I honestly had no idea that MoBo and CPU could be so cheap. Especially considering that the PCI bus can only perform so fast, it makes sense to move to integrated or PCI-e graphics if the price is similar. So now I'm leaning toward the solution that PD mentioned in the second post. BUT I still can't afford a complete overhaul and I do want to move to a nicer case, quieter system, better audio performance, etc sometime in the future. So I want to be sure that any motherboard and processor I buy now is "futureproof" so that I don't have to replace them again in another year. What I'm trying to figure out is what the future of HTPC and MP looks like. Who out there has a crystal ball? I had always imagined that in another year or so I'd move to a heavy duty quad core in a board capable of huge amounts of RAM and expansion so that future upgrades would be simple. My current HTPC was built with extreme budget in mind so I bought the clearance rack processor and board and now I'm paying for it. Don't want to make that mistake again. I can't currently afford that super-duty processor, so I wonder if there is really going to be any need for it. Particularly will MediaPortal 2 require quad core, extreme power, huge memory, or other major upgrades? Are there new media standards on the horizon that will make me wish I had that power? Or will a 2Ghz dual core cover anything in the foreseable future? What I'm considering right now is this motherboard with integrated GeForce 9300 and a Dual Core 2Ghz Celeron. Altogether, I can put this in my current case and components for about twice what I was planning to spend on a PCI graphics card and get better overall performance plus some expandability. Here's what I'm looking at: [url=http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009782&prodlist=celebros]XFX MI93007AS9 nVidia GeForce 9300 Core 2 Quad/Core 2 Extreme/Core 2 Duo/Pentium D/Pentium Extreme at ZipZoomfly[/url] On the other hand drealit describes a system in this thread [url]https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/hardware-selection-help-62/htpc-build-advice-55110/#post380969[/url] that does not have integrated gfx, but can take a new PCI-e card (much cheaper than PCI) and have the same result for a few bucks less than the integrated solution. Both of these are attractive options right now. They are a little more than I was planning to spend and quite a bit more hassle, but if they get me started on a new system that will not need major upgrade in the foreseeable future, I'm likely to spring for it. I'd appreciate any last thoughts on this, particularly the future-proof issue. Any reason to need more processing power? And of course, let this be a lesson. When a SuperMod offers you advice, take it. [/QUOTE]
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