Author Topic: New HTPC build thread.  (Read 12498 times)

Dougie085

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New HTPC build thread.
« on: May 20, 2008, 07:09:10 AM »
Ok so I currently use my old gaming rig as my HTPC. It's loud its bulky and has lots of lights on the motherboard. So I've decided to just redo it. I currently have an Intel Core 2 Duo 6850 which is dual 3.0ghz and its the 65watt model so lower power consumption and less heat. I want HDMI and I want to be able to output LPCM from Blu-Ray TrueHD and DTS-HD MA tracks. There are only a couple motherboards that support this. I've also been looking at a lot of cases and originally I only wanted to spend around 200 bucks. But then I found this case and decided I want to get it. So here is the list of stuff I have and want to buy.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163103 HTPC case its a Micro-ATX nice and small the LCD on it is only a 4.3" touch screen so its nice and discrete and not loud and what not like the larger cases.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131237 This motherboard has onboard HDMI and the onboard video card has hardware acceleration for all Blu-Ray codecs. It also passes LPCM over HDMI so I can get the lossless audio codecs with an HDMI 1.1 receiver or newer. Although my new Pre/Pro I'm going to be getting soon has HDMI 1.3a there is no solution to bitstream the new codecs with a PC yet. Also its really not needed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185046 The new CPU cooler is very quiet now at a rated ~25dBA but I will put a pot on it and turn the fan down as much as possible as my CPU runs rather cool.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159054 This is the PSU I currently have. I may mod it with a quieter fan or try and find a fanless PSU it depends on how much it bothers me.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227284 The memory I currently have. I'm not sure if it will fit with the heatpipes if it does not I will just remove them and add normal heat spreaders and if heat is a problem I will just underclock it a bit.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106227 The BD-Rom drive. I didn't feel the need for a burner.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115028 The CPU.

I may also had a couple resistors to the fans that are in the case if I find them to loud or maybe just some small pots to adjust the speed. I'll also be adding a Skywalker-1 DVB-S HDTV satellite card and probably a nice HDTV OTA tuner. For now I will be running MediaPortal and PowerDVD for Blu-Ray playback. For 2 channel music I use a Twisted Pear Audio USB DAC that is dual mono config with a Metronome ASRC reclock module. I think this is about everything...if anyone has any suggestions or changes that you think would improve things I'm all ears :)

Black Sand Cable

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2008, 08:02:18 AM »
Before I finished my current computer, I originally had that case and the one I had was buggy to say the least and as a result, didn't last a week with me. The screen would cut in and out which was actually fine anyway as I had no plans on using it but the case itself ran far warmer then it should have given the level of cooling I was running. I have now given up on Micro-ATX cases all together. I prefer full size as it's easier to work on and when it comes time to upgrade sometihng, space is never a problem.

I'm sure I just had a problem child but there were enough bugs that I chose to go in another direction.

The Scythe CPU cooler is another piece that I have had and it works slick but man oh man...what a pain in the ass to install.

Dougie085

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2008, 09:08:30 AM »
I don't mind painful installs. How long ago was it that you had that case? I really like it so I may give it a try but if I experience the same issues I could see my self sending it back. I just have never seen something with an LCD that I liked because the screen was always huge and then the case was rather large and what not. This ones nice and small and would be perfect for when I'm just listening to music so I don't have to turn on my TV and what not.

Dougie085

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2008, 09:12:14 AM »
Oh and the reason I want M-ATX is because its the only solution currently that allows LPCM output through HDMI. There are video cards that support it but they don't work properly. There are some new ATI cards coming out the 4XXX series but I'm not sure when they will be released and then the software has to support those cards and so on so it could be a while.

Offline bpape

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2008, 06:27:19 AM »
Sounds like a fun project.  If you want to use a normal case with none of the cooling issues and a lot more space, you might want to investigate one of these:

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/700tsv_b

Bryan
I am serious... and don't call me Shirley

Dougie085

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2008, 08:23:43 AM »
Yeah...I like the smaller case though and what not. I don't think cooling will be a huge issue my cpu runs quite cool as its 65watt and if it is an issue I can always sell the motherboard/cpu and get an Athlon X2 one of the new 45watt ones. But I think it will be ok.

Black Sand Cable

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2008, 08:42:36 AM »
I don't mind painful installs. How long ago was it that you had that case?

I bought it around a month ago give or take a little. I had it for under a week and went with something else.

I ended up with a case that is way too big but I like it as it's easy as pie to work on. I'm running dual 8800's in SLI and I still have a ton of room to work.

Dougie085

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2008, 09:03:08 AM »
Hmm thats not that long ago. I'll give it a try though. Why the heck do you need dual 8800's in an HTPC? thats a lot of power and heat and what not...hope you have that thing in like a separate room :)

Black Sand Cable

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2008, 09:12:32 AM »
http://www.audionervosa.com/index.php?topic=843.0

I tend to always go over-board when I build a new PC! It starts with 1gig of ram, then before I know it I'm at 4gig, one hard-drive turns into six, one video card turns into two in SLI and so on and so on......

Truth be told, it's dead quite and runs fairly cool.....and is smoking fast!

Dougie085

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Re: New HTPC build thread.
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2008, 09:22:49 AM »
Ah it happens to the best of us :) I'm going a bit over what I really need simply because I stripped my gaming machine and so using the CPU and RAM from it. I would get the Auzentech X-FI prelude as well if they were going to actually release that HDMI addon but I can't seem to find any info about it anymore which makes me think its not coming? So this motherboard I'm looking at is supposed to work great for 1080p video and LPCM sound over HDMI. So I figure what the heck...130 for the soundcard, videocard and motherboard is pretty good. And as stated for 2 channel I will definitely be using my USB DAC :) But I still have my eyes open for a better solution that will support bitstream and what not but so far nothing solid.