Since it's primarily used for dual tuner recording, does that mean I need to focus on the encoding specs?
HD or SD? HD is already encoded in MPEG-2 so that you don't need encode it further (unless you store it in another format such as H.264).

Sorry for the miscommunication, I think I had too many shopping carts and browser tabs open and got confused.

I would prefer the cheaper option, mATX, however I see that would be a problem as I need the space for possible future upgrades. So I guess I'm going with ATX.

I'm still curious if the 5050e + HD 3300 is a better bang for my buck than the 7750 +HD 3300. I see that your chart refers to the 5050e + HD 3200's performance. Does the upgrade from HD 3200 to HD 3300 produce a significant enough performance boost to allow for down grading the processor to the 5050e?

Thanks as always.
Stay away from a HT 2.0 processor. HT 3.0 is a must for better IGP performance.

Stay away from a HT 2.0 processor. HT 3.0 is a must for better IGP performance.

Thanks, I'm ordering now.

So excited to start building. I haven't built a PC in like 7 years.

I lost out on my 4GB for $15 deal RAM, let it sit in my cart too long. Know of any good deals?

And one more question about the mobo, any reason why you prefer the Biostar over the Jetway?

HD or SD? HD is already encoded in MPEG-2 so that you don't need encode it further (unless you store it in another format such as H.264).

It will take in a combination of HD and SD. I'm not sure what format I'd be using. I was assuming whatever MCE's defaults decide to store the video as. Just browsing the menu system without actually having a TV tuner yet, I didn't see any obvious encoding configuration options.

It will take in a combination of HD and SD. I'm not sure what format I'd be using. I was assuming whatever MCE's defaults decide to store the video as. Just browsing the menu system without actually having a TV tuner yet, I didn't see any obvious encoding configuration options.
Actually many TV tuner has a hardware encoder for SD so that you don't have to worry about that.

So assuming mid-range is ideal for me, here's my starting point:
- MOBO: GA-MA78GM-US2H (or GA-MA78GM-S2HP - what's the difference?)
- CPU: Phenom II X3 710 HDX710WFGIBOX 2.6GHz AM3
(or is lower-end Athlon X2 5050e sufficient?)
- GFX: Sapphire HD 4670 GDDR4

Is that a good starting point?
Yes. 5050e is enough. Radeon HD 4670 handles both video and audio through one HDMI cable.

Sorry for the miscommunication, I think I had too many shopping carts and browser tabs open and got confused.


We've all done that :-)

After a long long long reading session , I am ready for building my first HTPC. I would like to start with something basic, ripping of the PSU (Antec TP 550), memory (4x1 GB Corsair XMS) and DVD from an old rig.
This is only for multimedia only - all the children movies, and the adult dvds and blu-ray, and audio from our CD collection.
If I like it (and the rest of the family...), I will add more parts later - like a blu-ray player the xonar card, heat-sinks, storage etc.

this is sitting snugly in my basket:
1. GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H as my main component with Thermaltake CL-C0034 to cool the NB.
2. Intel Pentium E5200 - Is this enough?
3. LIAN LI PC-V351B or the Antec NSK2480 - I like the LIAN LI, but it seems the 2480 is better solution? Is it so? Will full-size cards fit in the 2480?
4. 1 TB green WD. Do you thing a ~100$ SDD for the main disk will do any good?

What do you think?
will this system be enough for a family media center?
Is this system flexible enough to be upgraded? I do like the one mATX MOBO solution with IGP, and this machine is only for multimedia.
Is there anything else I should add?

Thanks!
Ron.

Yup, the mb should work fine with Sapphire 4670. (The mb has a big improvement over the previous model GA-EG45M-DS2H in the PCI Express x16 slot.)

In what way does this improve over the GA-EG45M-DS2H board?

I'm looking this up now but it's slow here (dial-up) and expect to find my own answer but is this now the MB that I should be considering for my HTPC?

UPDATE:

I think I found the answer...it appears that the update/revision/new MB, whatever it is, actually added the x16 slot. Is that correct? I'm kinda new to PCIe and while I see the benefits at times, I'm just a bit slow on what's what with PCIe

This board DOES have On-Board videos as well which I didn't notice in my initial post...just thought I'd mention that so no one thinks I'm nuts.

I recommend you to look at the ATX mid-range AMD/AMD system for a pure HTPC. Difference between mid-range, high-end, and premium systems is:

- Mid-range: for pure HTPC; best video playback with no compromise


Hi,

I was wondering if you or anyone else could clear this up for me- what is the compromise you are speaking of?

I am thinking of this build per your recommendations and research online

AMD 5050e
GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-US2H AM2+
Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4
Corsair Memory, Inc.*CMPSU-550VX
LG ELECTRONICS*GGC-H20L

As far as I can tell the diff in the motherboard (going to the GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H) is just crossfire support/ an extra slot (and an extra $40 lol) ...or am I over simplifying this?

Having trouble with an Asus M3N78-EM. Have it hooked up HDMI to TV and the s/pdif optical out to my an onkyo 506. I can only get stereo out. I have tried vlc, media player classic and WMP. How can i resolve this?

Hi folks,

After a bit of a ham-fisted start, I've got my box up and running. I've run network to the media room and am as we speak typing this from my media rig. It's based on thread recommendations: Gigabyte MA78GPM-UD2H mobo using its integrated graphics via HDMI to my Panny 1080i plasma.

As I understand it, 1080i ony my plasma equates to 1366x768. Using the ATI Catalyst control center, the closest match is 1360x768, at 30 hz, which looks dreadful. It does recognize the TV as "Panasonic TV."

Thoughts about best settings? I'm currently using 1280x768 ehich isn't so bad except for some pixel mapping issues which lead to vertical shaddows over text and such.

Recommendations gladly accepted!

Marc

Edit: Interestingly, after trying several modes, I went back to 1360x768 and it synced much better than before. Not sure why the difference. Still, looking for optimizations for video playback.
EDIT2: How annoying. After a reboot, the vertical shadow thing is back. I've reverted to 1280x768 for now, which has much less of this problem.

Actually many TV tuner has a hardware encoder for SD so that you don't have to worry about that.


Yes. 5050e is enough. Radeon HD 4670 handles both video and audio through one HDMI cable.

Perfect. And the Radeon HD 4670 takes up 2 slots, right? With the GA-MA78GM-S2HP Micro ATX, I just want to confirm that it covers a regular PCI slot, and not the PCIE x1 slot (which would be needed for the TV tuner).

If you do lots of encoding and/or video editing in HTPC (this type of work is usually best done with an office/desktop PC), then Core i7 is recommended. Otherwise Phenom II is a good processor. Phenom II X4 955/790FX-GD70 may be even overkill for a normal HTPC. In particular 790FX-GD70 is targeted at multi-GPU solution (CrossFire). I recommend you to look at the ATX mid-range AMD/AMD system for a pure HTPC. Difference between mid-range, high-end, and premium systems is:

- Mid-range: for pure HTPC; best video playback with no compromise
- High-end: better CPU and GPU for other tasks such as encoding and games
- Premium: best overall system for every kind of work (video editing, encoding, gaming etc.)

Rene,

Now I'm thinking to take out all the components of my actual PC (Motherboard, Graphic card, power, CPU, etc...) and place them on the thermaltake DH-102 case for the HTPC. Buy premium components (Intel/Intel Recomendation from your part) and put them on my actual case.
I'm not sure if this is possible because my PC is a HP m9080n and I don't know if the MoBo and/or case are standard (ATX, mATX, or ??).
Do you thing the HP m9080n MoBo will fit in the DH-102 Case?

My HP m9080n has:
CPU: Core 2 Quad Q6600 (K) 2.4 GHz (95W)
Chipset: Intel G33 Express
Motherboard: Asus IPIBL-LA (Berkeley-GL8E)
Memory: 3GB 240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM
GPU: GeForce 8800GTS 640 MB GDDR3 SDRAM
Audio: Integrated High Definition audio Realtek ALC 888S chipset (7.1 audio)
OS: Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 (32 Bit)
Rating: 5.8 Windows Experience Index

What can I do in order to upgrade my PC to i7 920 and reuse everything possible building my HTPC using the Thermaltake DH-102?

Thanks again.

Miguel

In light of the new AM3 Phenom II X3/X4 65W and Athlon X3/X4 45W processors due out later this year I find it hard to suggest GIGABYTE GA-MA780G-UD3H for low end ATX, when GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P supports upgrades to AM3 processors and is $15-20 more. (for users with discrete graphics such as 4670)

I'm running a 5050e in my MA790X-UD4P, but once those new chips come out I will be upgrading. Having to merely switch out processors instead of pulling out a motherboard and rerouting every cable in the box is easily worth $20, besides the loss you will take on trying to sell the MA780G later on.

What is meant by the '2.0' in the interface description 'PCI Express 2.0 x16', this from a Sapphire 4670 512mb GDDR4 gpu?

Edit: Disregard, found an article discussing it on Tom's H/W. Rats, now I'll have a new 2.0 4670 gpu on a non 2.0 Gbyte P35 mobo for my hdtv, and a non-2.0 hd2600xt gpu on a 2.0 compliant P45 Gbyte mobo for my son's gaming system.

Considering the htpc is my main concern, and it already handles BD disks with nary a skip using the hd2600xt and an e2200 cpu, and will now have them swapped out for the 4670 an an intel e8400, is there any performance and/or usability reason to do a full scall mobo swap, that is, take the new Gbyte P45, add the e8400 and 4670, and strip everything else off of the P35 needed to support the P45 as the mobo of the htpc, then build the gaming rig with whats left over?

I really don't want to do that work if not needed.

I think I'd rather wait a year for the next generation of hardware to rebuild the htpc, and pass down the better equipment to the gaming rig at that time. He only games with WoW, for now anyway.

i finally got around to building my first pc ever this week

Antec NSK1380
GA-MA78GM-US2H
AMD ATHLON 64 X2 5050E
SAMSUNG F1 1TB 3.5" SATA2 7200RPM 32MB
2-in-1 Wifi 802.11b/g + Bluetooth 2.0 EDR PCI Wireless Network Card
Samsung Intern SATA 22x DVD+/- black
Geil 2GB PC2 6400 800MHz Value 5-5-5-15 Brush Aluminum x2

Started on first try, and only used 4 hours to do it (alot of tripple checking and reading the manuals)

With dvi to lcd tv (720p) it was the same quality as the laptop (1360x768)
with hdmi though it was awful, either blurry or ver sharp. The only resolution that looked ok was 1920x1080 30Hz. With a little overscan it filled the tv but with a small black border on the right.

Found out later that many have the same problem.

Theres one cable in the antec case i dont know whats for, it has black and blue wires and marked marked b-35 25101 jmt

i finally got around to building my first pc ever this week

Antec NSK1380
GA-MA78GM-US2H
AMD ATHLON 64 X2 5050E
SAMSUNG F1 1TB 3.5" SATA2 7200RPM 32MB
2-in-1 Wifi 802.11b/g + Bluetooth 2.0 EDR PCI Wireless Network Card
Samsung Intern SATA 22x DVD+/- black
Geil 2GB PC2 6400 800MHz Value 5-5-5-15 Brush Aluminum x2

Started on first try, and only used 4 hours to do it (alot of tripple checking and reading the manuals)

With dvi to lcd tv (720p) it was the same quality as the laptop (1360x768)
with hdmi though it was awful, either blurry or ver sharp. The only resolution that looked ok was 1920x1080 30Hz. With a little overscan it filled the tv but with a small black border on the right.

Found out later that many have the same problem.

Theres one cable in the antec case i dont know whats for, it has black and blue wires and marked marked b-35 25101 jmt

It's your connector for the 120mm fan.

It's your connector for the 120mm fan.

ok. does that go on sys_fan on the motherboard? Guess il opening it up again

ok. does that go on sys_fan on the motherboard? Guess il opening it up again

Yes

hm, the blue\black cable has 3 pin and sys_fan is 4 pin on the motherboard.

The only other fan is nb_fan north bridge fan header, and thats 3 pin.

any ideas

After a long long long reading session , I am ready for building my first HTPC. I would like to start with something basic, ripping of the PSU (Antec TP 550), memory (4x1 GB Corsair XMS) and DVD from an old rig.
This is only for multimedia only - all the children movies, and the adult dvds and blu-ray, and audio from our CD collection.
If I like it (and the rest of the family...), I will add more parts later - like a blu-ray player the xonar card, heat-sinks, storage etc.

this is sitting snugly in my basket:
1. GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H as my main component with Thermaltake CL-C0034 to cool the NB.
2. Intel Pentium E5200 - Is this enough?
3. LIAN LI PC-V351B or the Antec NSK2480 - I like the LIAN LI, but it seems the 2480 is better solution? Is it so? Will full-size cards fit in the 2480?
4. 1 TB green WD. Do you thing a ~100$ SDD for the main disk will do any good?

What do you think?
will this system be enough for a family media center?
Is this system flexible enough to be upgraded? I do like the one mATX MOBO solution with IGP, and this machine is only for multimedia.
Is there anything else I should add?
Good enough.

In what way does this improve over the GA-EG45M-DS2H board?
PCI Express x16 slot: x16 vs x4.

Hi,

I was wondering if you or anyone else could clear this up for me- what is the compromise you are speaking of?

I am thinking of this build per your recommendations and research online

AMD 5050e
GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-US2H AM2+
Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4
Corsair Memory, Inc.*CMPSU-550VX
LG ELECTRONICS*GGC-H20L

As far as I can tell the diff in the motherboard (going to the GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H) is just crossfire support/ an extra slot (and an extra $40 lol) ...or am I over simplifying this?
This. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1136909)

CF, HD 3300 (700MHz vs 500MHz), SidePort memory, SB750 (ACC, RAID 5).

Perfect. And the Radeon HD 4670 takes up 2 slots, right? With the GA-MA78GM-S2HP Micro ATX, I just want to confirm that it covers a regular PCI slot, and not the PCIE x1 slot (which would be needed for the TV tuner).
Yup, it occupies the PCIe x16 slot and the PCI slot underneath.

Rene,

Now I'm thinking to take out all the components of my actual PC (Motherboard, Graphic card, power, CPU, etc...) and place them on the thermaltake DH-102 case for the HTPC. Buy premium components (Intel/Intel Recomendation from your part) and put them on my actual case.
I'm not sure if this is possible because my PC is a HP m9080n and I don't know if the MoBo and/or case are standard (ATX, mATX, or ??).
Do you thing the HP m9080n MoBo will fit in the DH-102 Case?

My HP m9080n has:
CPU: Core 2 Quad Q6600 (K) 2.4 GHz (95W)
Chipset: Intel G33 Express
Motherboard: Asus IPIBL-LA (Berkeley-GL8E)
Memory: 3GB 240 pin, DDR2 SDRAM
GPU: GeForce 8800GTS 640 MB GDDR3 SDRAM
Audio: Integrated High Definition audio Realtek ALC 888S chipset (7.1 audio)
OS: Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 (32 Bit)
Rating: 5.8 Windows Experience Index

What can I do in order to upgrade my PC to i7 920 and reuse everything possible building my HTPC using the Thermaltake DH-102?
Most components of m9080n are standard and should fit DH-102 (if not, I am sorry). Use GeForce 8800 GTS (powerful but too old for BD playback) in your current case with premium Intel/Intel components and buy a Sapphire HD 4670 for DH-102.

In light of the new AM3 Phenom II X3/X4 65W and Athlon X3/X4 45W processors due out later this year I find it hard to suggest GIGABYTE GA-MA780G-UD3H for low end ATX, when GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P supports upgrades to AM3 processors and is $15-20 more. (for users with discrete graphics such as 4670)

I'm running a 5050e in my MA790X-UD4P, but once those new chips come out I will be upgrading. Having to merely switch out processors instead of pulling out a motherboard and rerouting every cable in the box is easily worth $20, besides the loss you will take on trying to sell the MA780G later on.
GA-MA780G-UD3H also supports AM3 (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/CPUSupport_Model.aspx?ProductID=3004#anchor_os). :confused:

Having IGP makes a sense for dual display users (yup, there are many) as HD 4550 is too weak (this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14993273#post14993273); for HD 4670, this (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=15243032#post15243032).)

Hi everyone,
After a few days of intense research I thought I had my HTPC figured out. The more I read, however, the more confused I get. I'd appreciate any advice with regards to this build.

I'm looking to build a basic HTPC used mostly for HD video (blu ray, etc.), pictures, DVR, music, internet browsing. I'm not as much of a gamer anymore but would like to be able to play older ones --Counter strike, worms, starcraft... and maybe eventually starcraft 2 when it comes out!

this is what I have been thinking, please comment:

ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX
or
BIOSTAR TA790GX XE AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI Micro ATX
(any thoughts on 780/790g vs. geforce 8200/8300?)

phenom II x3 710 vs. x2 5050e vs. x2 7750 kuma
(would i need a cooler for the phenom? what about the x2's?)

I really like the nmediapc HTPC 1000B Micro ATX . it has a front card reader. Was also considering the antec fusion, but don't know good the remote/IR system is with that case.

4GB RAM
LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM
WD6400AACS 640GB


I don't know about what power supply or if I need a sep. graphics card? I hope the onboard gpu is good enough for HD video, and I could add a decent vidcard for additional games.

I'm really not sure about which mobo-- the biostar has additional sideport memory and is the 790g chipset, but if i were to get a discrete gpu it doesn't matter. Eventually I would like to add a tv tuner as well for DVR.

gaming isn't necessary but I would like to have the possibility to upgrade to play starcraft 2. I don't have a great hometheater sound system but eventually hope to get a 5 ch digital surround.

I'm looking to spend within 600-750 after I buy the OS (vista 64-bit).
Any feedback would be awesome! thanks!

This. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1136909)

CF, HD 3300 (700MHz vs 500MHz), SidePort memory, SB750 (ACC, RAID 5).

Thank you for the reply Sir.

It appears that I misunderstood what you were talking about thinking that the motherboard was the source of the compromise- not the graphics card.

Having said that,

I am deciding between these three boards

GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-US2H
GIGABYTE GA-MA780G-UD3H +$30.00
GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H +$40.00

To me, it looks like just crossfire support and extra slots are the differences here along with Dolby home theater support (although if I am outputting LPCM this should not matter right?)

Am I wrong? Will the ATX boards be noticeably more efficient/cool/better in some way that makes them the better way to go?

Thank you again!

I am deciding between these three boards

GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-US2H
GIGABYTE GA-MA780G-UD3H +$30.00
GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H +$40.00

To me, it looks like just crossfire support and extra slots are the differences here along with Dolby home theater support (although if I am outputting LPCM this should not matter right?)

Am I wrong? Will the ATX boards be noticeably more efficient/cool/better in some way that makes them the better way to go?
You are correct. And the difference I mentioned before. ATX is not noticeably more efficient/cool/better (unless you OC).

You are correct. And the difference I mentioned before. ATX is not noticeably more efficient/cool/better (unless you OC).

Thank you again - since I am only planning the hd4670, a wireless card, and tv tuner i think the MATX should be good enough...


For smooth 1080p from all formats would a phenom x3710 be over kill?

I assume that encoding bluray discs to h.264 would take forever and a day with a 5050e or phenom x3 710 so between the two 5050e wins, in your opinion?

Thank you again Rene!

Thank you again - since I am only planning the hd4670, a wireless card, and tv tuner i think the MATX should be good enough...


For smooth 1080p from all formats would a phenom x3710 be over kill?

I assume that encoding bluray discs to h.264 would take forever and a day with a 5050e or phenom x3 710 so between the two 5050e wins, in your opinion?

Thank you again Rene!
As long as GPU hardware acceleration works, even a single core processor is enough for 1080p.

Encoding takes long time. Core i7 is the best choice for encoding. But do you really need encoding?

I got everything running good on my new HTPC, so I decided to connect to the HDTV through my Onkyo 876. I was getting no picture so I hooked up a standard monitor too so I could make the display changes. I have the monitor set as a clone.
I changed the display and the picture came on the TV, but it's a mess and unreadable.
I tried another change and my monitor shut off and says the input is not right. Catalyst usually reverts the settings unless you click yes to keep them, but it didn't revert this time, maybe I clicked it when the screen was off.

Now I can't fix it. I tried safe mode and it works, but I can't seem to make changes to the display settings. Any ideas?

Thanks, Will

I got everything running good on my new HTPC, so I decided to connect to the HDTV through my Onkyo 876. I was getting no picture so I hooked up a standard monitor too so I could make the display changes. I have the monitor set as a clone.
I changed the display and the picture came on the TV, but it's a mess and unreadable.
I tried another change and my monitor shut off and says the input is not right. Catalyst usually reverts the settings unless you click yes to keep them, but it didn't revert this time, maybe I clicked it when the screen was off.

Now I can't fix it. I tried safe mode and it works, but I can't seem to make changes to the display settings. Any ideas?

Thanks, Will

What make/model of TV?
Have you tried connecting directly to the TV?

Thank you again - since I am only planning the hd4670, a wireless card, and tv tuner i think the MATX should be good enough...


For smooth 1080p from all formats would a phenom x3710 be over kill?

I assume that encoding bluray discs to h.264 would take forever and a day with a 5050e or phenom x3 710 so between the two 5050e wins, in your opinion?

Thank you again Rene!
BD is already H.264, so rips require no encoding. Technically, it could also contain VC1 or MPEG2, but all I've ever seen is H.264.

If you mean ripping BD to MKV, that is just a remux operation not encoding (for video) so again no CPU burden.

As long as GPU hardware acceleration works, even a single core processor is enough for 1080p.

Encoding takes long time. Core i7 is the best choice for encoding. But do you really need encoding?

BD is already H.264, so rips require no encoding. Technically, it could also contain VC1 or MPEG2, but all I've ever seen is H.264.

If you mean ripping BD to MKV, that is just a remux operation not encoding (for video) so again no CPU burden.

Thank you both! - I was worried that a bluray collection would get huge very quickly and that I would need to compress it...but I guess those worries were unfounded.

now i need to figure out the case....

The TV is an older Mitsubishi HDTV, but that's not the problem, the TV and computer monitor work when the computer is in safe mode.
The problem is I made the wrong settings in Catalyst and can't change them now because I can't get a display even on my VGA computer monitor. Is there any way to get catalyst to revert to the default settings or to disable it entirely?

I even tried uninstalling catalyst in safe mode, but it won't uninstall in safe mode.

This has got to be the biggest amateur mistake I made yet. At least nothing has caught fire yet :rolleyes:


What make/model of TV?
Have you tried connecting directly to the TV?

Have you tried booting into VGA mode? I think you can reinstall the driver from there

Have you tried booting into VGA mode? I think you can reinstall the driver from there

Haven't tried that. Not sure how, is it in the bios? I will look.

Thanks, Will

I've settled on the Biostar TA790GX 128M and have decided to save $30 by buying 2 of these (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8523181&st=8523181&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1186007074476)
I originally planned on buying the Hauppage 2250 and only using one slot, but its hard to find and more expensive.

Will using 2 of these cards be a problem?

Haven't tried that. Not sure how, is it in the bios? I will look.

Thanks, Will
If you are using windows XP, it is one of the boot options when you hold F8 while the machine is booting

Quick question number two :D

What's the cheapest video-card chipset that works properly for decoding BluRay movies, and has multi-channel HDMI audio output ?

ATI 4350 ?

From what I can tell, nVidia cards don't support multi-channel HDMI audio yet - is this correct ?

If you are using windows XP, it is one of the boot options when you hold F8 while the machine is booting

I'm running Vista, I included my system specs below. I tried using the onboard VGA on the motherboard, but it uses catalyst too. So far I can only get video in safe mode and can't figure out a way to disable catalyst from there. I am contemplating just deleting a file out of the ATI folder, but I'm not sure what to delete without causing more problems.


CPU: AMD|PH II X4 810 AM3
CPU Cooler: ZALMAN|CNPS 9500 AM2
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H AM2+
Memory: 2Gx2|OCZ OCZ2RPR10664GK R - Retail
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100259-1GL HD4870 1G
HDD:
1 300G|WEST DIGITAL WD3000HLFS
3 WD10EACS

PSU ENERMAX|EMD625AWT 625W
ZALMAN Black Aluminum HD160Plus
CARD READ ROSEWILL|RCR-IC002
CASE FAN SCYTHE|SA0825FDB12l
CASE FAN SCYTHE|SA0925FDB12L
OS: Vista

Remote: Harmony One

Keyboard: DiNovo Edge

Got it figured out, thanks for the advise on VGA mode. It works in Vista too. Now if I can just get the picture quality better on the TV. It's awful right now. I will be reading on the thread for that.

Thanks, Will

I know there is a whole thread dedicated to this TV tuner here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=968211), but I was wondering about everyone else around here's opinion on this dual tuner card?

I've placed my orders for everything except the tuner. Still shopping around for a good deal!

^^^ like you said, there is a dedicated thread - look for comments from user TPETERSON.

I had the F2, now the F3 in my htpc, along with a Hauppaugge 1800 dual tuner. Fusions are great h/w mated to crappy s/w.

I don't think you can use this as your only tuner in an MCE box, unless you go over to TGB and look up the required hack.

I let MCE control my F3, and ditched the DVICO s/w when I moved from MCE XP to VMC.

Here's my build so far

Case + PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811124118) $29.98 AR

Motherboard (http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-79GX128) $89.92 after live.com CB

CPU + RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.186168) $85.16 AR and CB

Hard drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145233) $74.99 AR

That puts me at about $280. Figure with a good deal on DVD drive, fan and tv tuner I should land right at about $400. I forgot to use CB for one of my newegg orders, so I could have saved another $3.24.

Any recommendations for a couple of 120mm fans?

Back a few pages Renethx recommended Kama Flex, but NewEgg only had 92 or 80s, so I got 2 of these instead;

Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm Case Fan - Retail

Free shipping, and $5 off to boot.

Here's my build so far

Case + PSU (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811124118) $29.98 AR

Motherboard (http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-79GX128) $89.92 after live.com CB

CPU + RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.186168) $85.16 AR and CB

Hard drive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145233) $74.99 AR

That puts me at about $280. Figure with a good deal on DVD drive, fan and tv tuner I should land right at about $400. I forgot to use CB for one of my newegg orders, so I could have saved another $3.24.

Any recommendations for a couple of 120mm fans?

Hi everyone , i have my htpc with a GA-MA78GM-S2H (rev.1.1) + 4850e cpu + 2 gb (800mhz) ddr2 and a nvidia geforce 9800GT 512 mb (cause im getting adicted to games). My problem is that i want to upgrade to a Phenom X4 955 be , but i dont want to buy a AM3 mobo + DDR3 cause they are expensive right now , from gigabyte i see that my mobo can handle X4 955 be with a bios upgrade . I read that GA-MA78GM-S2H had problems handling more than 95W TPD, and X4 955BE is 125W , i am afraid that the CPU will kill my mobo , what do u guys think? someone have experience with TotalMedia Theatre 3 Platinum? work that with imon controler? thanks in advance Ps: i want 955BE cause i dont want to buy another cpu next 2 years

Will using 2 of these cards be a problem?
No problem.

Quick question number two :D

What's the cheapest video-card chipset that works properly for decoding BluRay movies, and has multi-channel HDMI audio output ?

ATI 4350 ?

From what I can tell, nVidia cards don't support multi-channel HDMI audio yet - is this correct ?
Yes. (But 4350 is crappy for HD interlaced contents and SD.)

Correct, except for the latest IGPs.

Any recommendations for a couple of 120mm fans?
S-FLEX SFF21D （800rpm) is one of the best, then KAMA FLEX follows. But I bet your PSU fan is not so quiet.

Hi everyone , i have my htpc with a GA-MA78GM-S2H (rev.1.1) + 4850e cpu + 2 gb (800mhz) ddr2 and a nvidia geforce 9800GT 512 mb (cause im getting adicted to games). My problem is that i want to upgrade to a Phenom X4 955 be , but i dont want to buy a AM3 mobo + DDR3 cause they are expensive right now , from gigabyte i see that my mobo can handle X4 955 be with a bios upgrade . I read that GA-MA78GM-S2H had problems handling more than 95W TPD, and X4 955BE is 125W , i am afraid that the CPU will kill my mobo , what do u guys think? someone have experience with TotalMedia Theatre 3 Platinum? work that with imon controler? thanks in advance Ps: i want 955BE cause i dont want to buy another cpu next 2 years
Overheating MOSFET may happen only when you overclock CPU (Overclocking or Overcooking? (http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3344&p=8)). GA-MA78GM-S2H officially supports up to 140W CPU (that means GIGABYTE did a thorough test and assures good performance with a 140W CPU).

Thanks again, renethx. This HTPC will be living on the bottom shelf behind my couch, so as long as it doesn't sound like a jet engine, we should be OK. We already have 2 laptops living in room so its not exactly silent in here.

And I live in a big city so my noise tolerance floor is quite high;)

Edit: I've also decided to upgrade the PSU this winter when I add the bluray drive and GPU.

Oops, forgot to ask. Should I get 2 ( I planned on it) or is one 120mm fan good enough?

Oops, forgot to ask. Should I get 2 ( I planned on it) or is one 120mm fan good enough?
One is enough.

So...

Is there any benefit to getting the Intel based MB rather than the nVidia or vice versa?

Other than some minor layout changes to the SATA connections, I can't really tell much difference.

Getting ready to order a board and I thought I'd take a chance and ask.

Thanks to all the posts and numerous amounts of information on this thread.

Purpose of HTPC in my setup is to rip my dvds to my server (Server 2003) and prevent little hands from rendering them useless. Play itunes and ripped cds, view photo album, possibly stream hulu type sites, no gaming.

This will be connected via HDMI from the Sapphire 4670 to an Onkyo SR706 (5.1 current setup) which is connected to a Mitsubishi 46244.

All prices are net of rebates:
Silverstone GD02B (Shallow Depth desired) $140
Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-US2H $80
AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 Kuma $59
Corsair 4GB (2 x 2GB) WTIN2X4096-6400C5 $30
Western Digital Caviar WD1600AAJS 160GB $42
LG GGC-H20L $110
Enermax Modu82+ EMD425AWT $65
Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 $80

Total build: $606

Optional (if case fans and CPU cooler need to be replaced):
Scythe Kama Flex SA0825FDB12l 80mm Fan (2) $20
Scythe Ninja Mini CPU Cooler or $30
Xigmatek HDT-SD964 CPU Cooler $25

I have a few options for control and wonder if anyone has recommendations :
1) Harmony 670, will require purchasing an IR receiver
2) Wireless keyboard/trackball combo, has an IR receiver, not sure if it will work for Harmony, (any ideas)
3) ATI Remote Wonder RF w/ RF USB connection, this came with an ATI All-In-Wonder 9000 Pro I bought several years ago .

Any and all feedback welcome and appreciated.

Rene, I will be sending a contribution your way when I place my order within the next few days. Thanks again for all of your hard work and the generosity of everyone's contributions on this site.

So pop one of these (http://www.jab-tech.com/Scythe-Kama-PWM-120mm-Fan-pr-3856.html)on the rear vent of my case and I should be good to go?

So...

Is there any benefit to getting the Intel based MB rather than the nVidia or vice versa?

Other than some minor layout changes to the SATA connections, I can't really tell much difference.

Getting ready to order a board and I thought I'd take a chance and ask.
If you are going to use a discrete graphics card, the mb is not so critical. In general Intel SB is better than NVIDIA's but the difference is marginal. AMD chipset mb is usually cheaper than Intel's with little performance difference. So many people are using

- Athlon or Pheom processor
- 780G, 790GX, 790GX chipset mb
- Radon HD 4xxx.

So pop one of these (http://www.jab-tech.com/Scythe-Kama-PWM-120mm-Fan-pr-3856.html)on the rear vent of my case and I should be good to go?
Yup. Or KAMA FLEX 1000rpm (http://www.jab-tech.com/Scythe-KAMA-FLEX-120-mm-Silent-Case-Fan-1000-rpm-SA1225FDB12L-pr-4369.html). The latter is quieter (and weaker). But if you place the HTPC behind the couch either one should be fine.

Yup. Or KAMA FLEX 1000rpm (http://www.jab-tech.com/Scythe-KAMA-FLEX-120-mm-Silent-Case-Fan-1000-rpm-SA1225FDB12L-pr-4369.html). The latter is quieter (and weaker). But if you place the HTPC behind the couch either one should be fine.

Thanks again, now I just have to wait for the parts to arrive and then the real fun starts.

Any and all feedback welcome and appreciated.
Should be a good system. One caution: neither Ninja Mini nor Xigmatek HDT-SD964 fits the case. Zalman CNPS8700 NT/LED fits the case.

What's the cheapest video-card chipset that works properly for decoding BluRay movies, and has multi-channel HDMI audio output ?

ATI 4350 ?
Yes. (But 4350 is crappy for HD interlaced contents and SD.)

Excellent, thanks !

I assume for none-crappy HD interlaced contents, I'd need to move up a step - is the 4550 a better option ?

The 4650 would do, but apparently has AVIVO issues.

I'm not concerned with gaming performance - I just want a basic card that ticks all the playback boxes :)

While we're talking fans, I was thinking of replacing the stock side fan in my nMediaPC 1000b (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204030)with a Scythe Kama 92 mm fan (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185066), as the stock fan is quite noisy. But... newbie question... the case is listed as having a 90 mm fan, not a 92 mm fan. Are these the same or at least cross-compatible, or are there really two slightly different fan specs?

Thanks!

Marc

Excellent, thanks !

I assume for none-crappy HD interlaced contents, I'd need to move up a step - is the 4550 a better option ?

The 4650 would do, but apparently has AVIVO issues.

I'm not concerned with gaming performance - I just want a basic card that ticks all the playback boxes :)
4550 may not be enough (read this thread A severe bug in ATI display driver in Windows Vista and Windows 7 for deinterlacing (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1136909)). Only 4670 is satisfactory.

While we're talking fans, I was thinking of replacing the stock side fan in my nMediaPC 1000b (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204030)with a Scythe Kama 92 mm fan (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185066), as the stock fan is quite noisy. But... newbie question... the case is listed as having a 90 mm fan, not a 92 mm fan. Are these the same or at least cross-compatible, or are there really two slightly different fan specs?
Perhaps a 92 mm fan fits your case.

http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1166&ID=1734#Tab5

Q: There are some chassis or CPU cooler fans labeled as 92mm or 90mm in dimension, what is the difference?
A: Whether you call it 90mm or 92mm fan, they are both the correct "name". The fan, measured exactly from the outer most frame on one side to the outer most frame on the other side, is 92mm. However, since all other commonly used fans in computer have round and even number dimension, most manufacturers call it 90mm for consistency.

If you are going to use a discrete graphics card, the mb is not so critical. In general Intel SB is better than NVIDIA's but the difference is marginal. AMD chipset mb is usually cheaper than Intel's with little performance difference. So many people are using

- Athlon or Pheom processor
- 780G, 790GX, 790GX chipset mb
- Radon HD 4xxx.

I'm gonna be using the Sapphire 4670 so based on your comment, I'm gonna go with the Intel.

Thanks for all your help with this and your patience with the many MANY questions.

So I assume the 155mm height of the case is external and not internal? The Ninja mini is 115mm high so it sounds like it the two I listed will be ever so slightly too tall? I liked the fact they are sideways fans vs vertical and I could use that feature to help with case circulation.

Is there a significant difference between the two I listed and the Zalman in regards to air movement in the case or is this something I am be overly concerned about?

Thanks

My Sapphire 4670 for my htpc and Gbyte mobo for son's gaming box just arrived, looks like someone danced the fandango with hobnailed boots on the box.

Opened it, Sapphire box was fine, but Gbyte box had a minor dent. Opened it, doesn't seem like any damage to the mobo. We'll see. Basic Gbyte P45 mobo, should run nice with the Sapphire HD2600xt and e2200 cpu I'm pulling out of the htpc.

And the Gbyte box shows 1-click overclocking - anyone have reports on that?

The Sapphire 4670 is much wider than the 2600, but I should be able to squeeze it into the Silverstone LC-03 case ok.

And the Gbyte box shows 1-click overclocking - anyone have reports on that?

My desktop has a Gigabyte board where you can do that (using their EasyTune software). It worked alright, but it seemed like the voltages were high (not too high, it just made the processor hotter than was necessary) and I don't think it adjusts memory speed, so there were stability problems on the second step up (for me, anyway). I got a lot better results overclocking myself, but you should be able to get a small boost from it without much hassle.

Sounds like it may not be what I want. I bought fast ram for this project, and not worried about heat with the cpu as I will move the BTF90 cpu cooler Ren used to recommend into the gaming box, (the e8400 seems to run plenty cool with the stock cooler and Arctic Silver grease). Of course, the cpu cooling direction 'cup' in the Enermax case will have to be removed to get the cpu cooler in.

I may try the EasyTune at first 'stop' for a month, but then manually tune it if I'm not getting the benefit of the fast RAM.

Actually, I take back what I said about the memory speed, since it doesn't make sense. It did increase (it can't not increase) and it was too much for my RAM to handle, which is what I think was causing my stability problems. What I had to do was lower the divider so I could overclock without my memory speed going through the roof. If you have fast enough RAM, you might not have that problem (I don't have much experience overclocking Core2, I have an i7).

Hi, I'm about to take the plunge and order some parts, I just have a few doubts still if anyone can help. I'm modeling my build after the low-end AMD/AMD system.

thinking of
5050e X2 with GA-MA78GPM-UD2H

newegg doesn't show it but this mobo actually has 128MB sideport ram for the video. Will this suffice for blu-ray playback?

I intend on using this htpc mostly for blu-ray and online HD video, but would like to later add a tv tuner for DVR. Will I need a separate video card to be able to watch TV decently? The guide suggests a Radeon HD 4550 but after browsing this and other forums I am skeptical of the drivers. Is there a better card to use with a mATX mobo/case? Thanks, can't wait to get started!

MSI 790FX-GD70 along with the new Phenom II X4 955 will be used in the next update of the ATX premium AMD/AMD system.

Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition HDZ955FBGIBOX 3.2GHz AM3, $245.
Xigmatek Dark Knight-S1283V, $40.
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX chipset ATX, $180.
G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ DDR3-1600 2 x 2GB Kit, $60.
Radeon HD 4890 GDDR5 1GB, $249.
Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
Antec Signature 850 850W, $220.
SilverStone Crown CW02 SST-CW02S-MXR ATX, $360.
Total: $1424
You can change components according to your needs. For example, if you don't need a high-end gaming card,

Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition HDZ955FBGIBOX 3.2GHz AM3, $245.
Cooler Master 風神鍛 (Geminii S) RR-CCH-PBJ1-GP, $28.
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX chipset ATX, $180.
G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ DDR3-1600 2 x 2GB Kit, $60.
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB, $80.
Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT, $101.
Thermaltake DH-102 ATX, $440.
Total: $1204
But the BD audio refers to analog from the onboard audio and you should not expect top-notch quality as expected from Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe + TotalMedia Theater 3. Moreover you will need PowerDVD 9 Ultra (a future update; unknown release date) for full quality HD audio.

Rene,

What about using The MSI 790GX-G65 ATX that has a HD3300 graphical processor with 128MB of DDR3 (HDMI, DVI and VGA) ?
Do you think that will be enough for HiFI sound (Blu-Ray new audio formats) and HI-Video playback quality (Blu-Ray, Matroshka, etc...)?
Or maybe also spend additional $210 to buy tha Xonar 1.3 Deluxe card?

Thanks again
Miguel

Not a single thing in the box with the card other than directions and a cd.

Hope Monoprice can get me an hdmi cable by the weekend.

So I assume the 155mm height of the case is external and not internal? The Ninja mini is 115mm high so it sounds like it the two I listed will be ever so slightly too tall? I liked the fact they are sideways fans vs vertical and I could use that feature to help with case circulation.

Is there a significant difference between the two I listed and the Zalman in regards to air movement in the case or is this something I am be overly concerned about?

Thanks
The optical drive bay blocks Ninja Mini. GD02MT (LCD version) uses slim optical drive and Ninja Mini will fit (these are confirmed).

Whether you like or not, Zalman (or a cooler of a similar height) is the only choice.

Rene,

What about using The MSI 790GX-G65 ATX that has a HD3300 graphical processor with 128MB of DDR3 (HDMI, DVI and VGA) ?
Do you think that will be enough for HiFI sound (Blu-Ray new audio formats) and HI-Video playback quality (Blu-Ray, Matroshka, etc...)?
Or maybe also spend additional $210 to buy tha Xonar 1.3 Deluxe card?
Don't ever be bothered with onboard video/onboard analog sound if you want the best quality (the mb itself is good). The upcoming SlyPlayer will support the best sound from Radeon cards. Or go with Xonar HDAV 1.3 + TMT 3 (with Radeon/GeForce) now.

Looking for some good advise for my first htpc. Just dont have enough time to research all the possibilities (indecisive). No gaming, no encoding. Would like great PQ and Sound. Also contemplating a NAS of some sort. But I hear hd streaming isnt the best. I've looked at renethx's suggestions, just not sure which would be best for me. Even after all the reading.

My componets are:

TV) Pioneer Elite pro 607pu
AVR) Pioneer Elite vsx-84txsi
DVD) Sony DVP cx-777es

Would like to play hd and bd content.
Would it be possible to control the Sony with the HTPC also.
Thanks in advance

Looking for some good advise for my first htpc. Just dont have enough time to research all the possibilities (indecisive). No gaming, no encoding. Would like great PQ and Sound. Also contemplating a NAS of some sort. But I hear hd streaming isnt the best. I've looked at renethx's suggestions, just not sure which would be best for me. Even after all the reading.

My componets are:

TV) Pioneer Elite pro 607pu
AVR) Pioneer Elite vsx-84txsi
DVD) Sony DVP cx-777es

Would like to play hd and bd content.
Would it be possible to control the Sony with the HTPC also.
Thanks in advance
For example, the mATX or ATX mid-range AMD/AMD system should be good for you purpose.

Would that control the sony dvp. Would I still need the 4670 with the avr. What do you think of a nas. I apologize, I have a gazillion Q's. I have no prob donating for the cause.

Hi, I'm about to take the plunge and order some parts, I just have a few doubts still if anyone can help. I'm modeling my build after the low-end AMD/AMD system.

thinking of
5050e X2 with GA-MA78GPM-UD2H

newegg doesn't show it but this mobo actually has 128MB sideport ram for the video. Will this suffice for blu-ray playback?

I intend on using this htpc mostly for blu-ray and online HD video, but would like to later add a tv tuner for DVR. Will I need a separate video card to be able to watch TV decently? The guide suggests a Radeon HD 4550 but after browsing this and other forums I am skeptical of the drivers. Is there a better card to use with a mATX mobo/case? Thanks, can't wait to get started!

Hi Thunderclease,

I've just gotten started with my first HTPC using the GA-MA78GPM-UD2H paired with an Athlon 7750 Kuma 2.7 GHz CPU. The onboard iGPU looks nice so far on my 1080i Plasma 50" monitor. I'm still in the process of tweaking things in but I did play a BD a couple nights ago. Looked super. No flicker or anything.

I did experience one issue during BD playback: after resuming from a pause following a mother-in-law-call, the audio and video were a beat out of sync. Pausing again and resuming pretty much fixed it. There was no problem at all before the first pause. I'm pretty sure this was due to PowerDVD Ultra 7.3 and not weakness on the graphics end. The video was awesome; this was the first BD playback I've ever done so I was quite impressed.


Marc

thanks Marc,

After reading some reviews I am thinking about getting the x2 7750 kuma as well--that or a phenom I am concerned about the additional heat though. Did you use the stock hs/fan or buy a separate one? Are you planning on doing any DVR with your new setup? Have you looked into a discrete video card?

Really close to ordering my parts... Can anyone recommend which processor would be best? Will be using just blu-ray, HD video, TV DVR

AMD Phenom x3 8750 AM2+ 95W 2.4ghz $67 (with mobo combo)
AMD Athlon 64 x2 7750 kuma AM2+ 95W 2.7ghz $60
AMD Athlon 64 x2 5050e 45W 2.4ghz $40 (with mobo combo)

or should I just bite the bullet and get a phenom II x3 710/720??

any opinion would be greatly appreciated.. thanks

4550 may not be enough (read this thread A severe bug in ATI display driver in Windows Vista and Windows 7 for deinterlacing (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1136909)). Only 4670 is satisfactory.
Thanks :D:D

Perhaps a 92 mm fan fits your case.

http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Product.aspx?C=1166&ID=1734#Tab5

Thanks for the info, Renethx!

Marc

thanks Marc,

After reading some reviews I am thinking about getting the x2 7750 kuma as well--that or a phenom I am concerned about the additional heat though. Did you use the stock hs/fan or buy a separate one? Are you planning on doing any DVR with your new setup? Have you looked into a discrete video card?

Thunder,

So far the Kuma has been plenty speedy. I am using the stock fan, and when I've checked temps it ranges from mid 30's to low 40's. Admittedly, that's case-open and not installed in the cabinet yet. I did look into the Phenom 710, with drool running down my mouth, but was counseled by several that I didn't need that much power for my purposes, and why dump the heat into the HTPC. For the record, I've got a quad-core x64 system in my home office that I can use if I need real muscle to encode or something. So I saved ~$100 (including aftermarket fan) by sticking with Kuma plus stock fan [which seems quiet enough so far].

I have purchased the HDHomeRun dual tuner unit, but it is still in-box. I'm trying to get other things worked out first (I'm having trouble getting BDs to play from file, sorting out all sorts of issues with PowerDVD there). I also ran out of network ports to put the HomeRun on, and just yesterday bought a switch to free up some ports. My network is only 100BaseT but eventually will swap for Gigabit. So the switch I bought is gigabit capable, but I'm not ready to pop for a new gigabit router to bring the network speed up. If I NEED it, I will get it, but right now I think I'm OK. Apparently 100baseT is OK for HDHomeRun, according to several posters.

Good luck; keep us posted. What case are you going with?

Marc

Would that control the sony dvp. Would I still need the 4670 with the avr. What do you think of a nas. I apologize, I have a gazillion Q's. I have no prob donating for the cause.
You will need a universal remote such as Logitech Harmony (as I recommended on page 85). Yup, 4670 is a good choice for a HDMI AVR. For starters you don't need a fancy server. A decent (Windows) system with a couple of HDDs can be used. As storage space increases (e.g. more than 10 HDDs), you will need a good strategy of archiving media files (hardware/software/OS). Check server recommendations on page 85 and the thread Guide To Building A Media Storage Server (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1071162).

Thanks to everyone on the forum and to rene for a great guide.

At this moment I have decided to get the GA-MA78GM-US2H, the x2 7750 kuma, and a discrete vid card. I guess I want an HD 4670 card. Some of the quieter ones are pretty wide though--will that cause a problem with space on this mobo? (I'm not exactly sure of the layout, being a noob). Will I be able to fit in the video card, wireless pci, and tv tuner w/o problems? I think I will be going with the nmediapc 1000b or antec fusion remote case.

thanks for the help.

Marc,

Sounds like you have a pretty nice setup! Mine is going to be pretty similar... have you tried any kind of HD video on the internet with the onboard graphics? My brother plugged in his laptop to my 42" lcd. He has the HD 3200 and it plays blu ray fine but the HD content on hulu and other internet sites was pretty choppy, hence I think I'll drop down to the gigabyte mobo without the added sideport RAM and just go with a video card, also b/c eventually I'll put in a tv tuner.

Thunderclease,

Why not hold off on the discrete graphics card, and buy it only if you need it? There's a big difference between a laptop and the UD2H implementation, from what I understand. You may find that you get a great picture etc. without it. However, if you need the multichannel audio via HDMI, that would be an argument for getting the card straightaway. I use the Toslink cable from the MoBo to my receiver, so it's not an issue for me.

It's embarrassing to admit, but I got stuck trying to figure out playing BDs from file with the PowerDVD Ultra 7.3 software, and have only had a bit of time late at night when I'm brain dead to deal with it, so I haven't gotten too far into other issues like internet content or even unwrapping my tuner. Maybe tonight! If I make progress, I will report it. I've been meaning to try iTunes and Netflix online contents...

Marc

PS: I have the nMedia 1000b case and love it, with a couple minor caveats. No buyer's remorse. I haven't tried putting a graphics card in there but I'm pretty certain it would fit fine... others here can comment to confirm. I really like the 4 HDD slots (but, one of my caveats is that the first slot doesn't quite allow for my Caviar 1GB drive... no biggie, three more slots are there)

Marc, good point... I keep changing my mind but I think I will get the UD2H motherboard now and wait and see how everything performs before I get a separate video card. I like the Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 with the DDR4 RAM---supposedly it is very quiet, but it does cover up a pci slot. What tuner did you get? I'll be interested to know how it works for you as soon as you have time to play with it. I might snag the visiontek HD 650 while its on sale. I'll probably pull the trigger tonight on my order after I make up my mind on the case! Still leaning toward the nmediapc 1000b....

First off i would like to say WOW! What a great guide! This site has an incredible wealth of information.

I have a few questions that I could not find a particular answer for. Based off everything that I have read, I think I need an upgrade.

I have a bunch of h.264 AC3 MKV files at 1080p and some at 720p.

The 720p ones play great, but sometimes the 1080p ones do not. I tested all files on each of the following players: PowerDVD 9 (For MP4s), MPC with CoreAVC and ac3 filter, and VLC Player. The best quality mkv's are not in sync with my CPU at 95% usage for most of the time. I don't think my hardware acceleration is working well.

What pieces should I upgrade to give me the best performance for 1080p playback? Do you think that may current below setup is a little below par for playback on my 40" TV? My system is a few years old.

Here is my setup:
CPU: Pentium(R) 5 2.66 GHz (Pentium D Dual Core)
2 GB DDR 3200 400 RAM
ECS Motherboard - 800PRO 1.0a (Single channel on the RAM)
512mg AGP Viseontek Radeon 2400 HD Pro
Windows XP Pro service pack 3
SB Audigy 4 Pro PCI sound card.

I'm planning on moving up to vista. Can I use any of my existing parts? I would like to keep the processor, but get a LGA775 motherboard that supports dual channel RAM and bump it up to 4g with vista.

Thanks in advance!

I have a bunch of h.264 AC3 MKV files at 1080p and some at 720p.

The 720p ones play great, but sometimes the 1080p ones do not. I tested all files on each of the following players: PowerDVD 9 (For MP4s), MPC with CoreAVC and ac3 filter, and VLC Player. The best quality mkv's are not in sync with my CPU at 95% usage for most of the time. I don't think my hardware acceleration is working well.

What pieces should I upgrade to give me the best performance for 1080p playback? Do you think that may current below setup is a little below par for playback on my 40" TV? My system is a few years old.

Here is my setup:
CPU: Pentium(R) 5 2.66 GHz (Pentium D Dual Core)
2 GB DDR 3200 400 RAM
ECS Motherboard - 800PRO 1.0a (Single channel on the RAM)
512mg AGP Viseontek Radeon 2400 HD Pro
Windows XP Pro service pack 3
SB Audigy 4 Pro PCI sound card.

I'm planning on moving up to vista. Can I use any of my existing parts? I would like to keep the processor, but get a LGA775 motherboard that supports dual channel RAM and bump it up to 4g with vista.
Your system is below today's standard but should be good for most of 1080p contents. What's wrong is perhaps software. Uninstall Codec Pack if any. Use Haali Media Splitter and MPC-HC. MPC-HC uses MPC Video Decoder. An laternative decoder for H.264 is CoreAVC and ffdshow Video Decoder.

If you are building a new system, you can use only HDD, PSU and case.

Marc, good point... I keep changing my mind but I think I will get the UD2H motherboard now and wait and see how everything performs before I get a separate video card. I like the Sapphire Radeon HD 4670 with the DDR4 RAM---supposedly it is very quiet, but it does cover up a pci slot. What tuner did you get? I'll be interested to know how it works for you as soon as you have time to play with it. I might snag the visiontek HD 650 while its on sale. I'll probably pull the trigger tonight on my order after I make up my mind on the case! Still leaning toward the nmediapc 1000b....

Thunder,

Just a quick note. I installed the SiliconDust HDHomeRun tuner this evening. It was pretty straightforward but Vista Media Center kept barfing during setup and when trying to tune. Then I rebooted, and all of a sudden I've got this beautiful picture. I'm watching a local channel and it looks every bit as good as any other tuner I've got hooked up to my 1080i plasma 50" screen. Of course it's 11 pm now and there's not much premium content but I've got a news channel on and I can see every pore on the newscaster's face...

My antenna is sketchy (a simple old bowtie, in the basement, a foot from a sub-ground window--I kid you not) but it's pulling in several channels fine. I'll get an amplified antenna or something soon.

So far: very happy with UD2H integrated graphics.

Gotta go to bed now. Wife not happy.

Marc

Edit: In the morning I installed Silverlight and streamed a few minutes on Netflix. The board/cpu did fine. no flickering or anything. The video looked pretty good, but I'm not sure what the quality was _Supposed_ to be so it's hard to tell. IT met my expectations for what I would use that delivery for.

Your system is below today's standard but should be good for most of 1080p contents. What's wrong is perhaps software. Uninstall Codec Pack if any. Use Haali Media Splitter and MPC-HC. MPC-HC uses MPC Video Decoder. An laternative decoder for H.264 is CoreAVC and ffdshow Video Decoder.

If you are building a new system, you can use only HDD, PSU and case.

Thanks for the reply. I have Haali Media Splitter installed, and it loads for almost anything that I play.

I don't think I have codec pack installed. The only decoders I installed was coreAVC (used when i open powerDVD and MPC-HC), haali, and the ac3 filter.

I have a sony blu-ray drive on my one computer. Recently, i bought the planet earth series. I tested this on the first episode. I used handbrake to encode the video TS folder to mkv 1080p h.264 with ac3 sound. When I play this back, i'm at 95% usage, but the ATI hardware acceleration stays at like 4%. I don't think it kicks on.

I also used handbrake to encode the same file, same format, but 720p. This plays fine on my computer with 45-50% cpu usage. That's what led me to believe that upgrading to a PCI express card, with dual channel ram, would fix my problem. Maybe not though? Would vista help? Maybe XP Pro and the Radeon 2400HD pro drivers (Using the most recent) doesn't work well with playback and hardware acceleration?

Thanks again,
Michael

I have a sony blu-ray drive on my one computer. Recently, i bought the planet earth series. I tested this on the first episode. I used handbrake to encode the video TS folder to mkv 1080p h.264 with ac3 sound. When I play this back, i'm at 95% usage, but the ATI hardware acceleration stays at like 4%. I don't think it kicks on.
Is the version of Planet Earth you bought DVD? (The folder VIDEO_TS is DVD only.) Then does it make sense to create 1080p/720p from 480i?

There are better video samples if you just want to make sure HA works.

Would the Antec Fusion Remote Black microATX work with this setup instead of the SilverStone Grandia GD02 SST-GD02S microATX.

Intel/Intel

System

CPU: Core i7 920 2.66GHz LGA1366, $284.
CPU Cooler: Stock Cooler, $0.
Motherboard: DFI LANPARTY JR X58-T3H6 LGA1366 Intel X58 chipset microATX, $230.
Memory: G.SKILL F3-12800CL9T-3GBNQ DDR3-1600 3 x 1GB Kit, $72.
Graphics Card (AMD): SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4870 GDDR5 1GB, $250; two of this card for CrossFireX, $500. An alternative is Radeon HD 4870 X2 GDDR5 2GB, $425.
Graphics Card (NVIDIA): GeForce GTX 260, $180; two of this card for SLI, $380. An alternative is GeForce GTX 285, $335 or GeForce GTX 295, $500.
HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
PSU: Enermax MODU82+ 625W EMD625AWT, $154.
Case: SilverStone Grandia GD02 SST-GD02S microATX, $149.
Total Cost: $1209 for non-CrossFireX, $1459 for CrossFireX; $1139 for non-SLI, $1339 for SLI

Would the Antec Fusion Remote Black microATX work with this setup instead of the SilverStone Grandia GD02 SST-GD02S microATX.
No. The card is 0.5" longer to fit the case.

Most components of m9080n are standard and should fit DH-102 (if not, I am sorry). Use GeForce 8800 GTS (powerful but too old for BD playback) in your current case with premium Intel/Intel components and buy a Sapphire HD 4670 for DH-102.

Rene,

I found out that there are a different models of Sapphire HD 4670 (about 5) , which one shall I buy?
Thanks again

Miguel

Rene,

I found out that there are a different models of Sapphire HD 4670 (about 5) , which one shall I buy?
Thanks again

Miguel
This card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102818).

This card (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102818).

Thanks, I will start to order my parts with your recomendations.
What do you think?
The Asus P6T Deluxe is the same price of the Gigabyte, which one you will choose?
Seagate vs. Western?
The Radeon vs. a nVidea equivalent (Which one)?
Does the LG Blu-Ray still being the best option?


CPU: Core i7 920 2.66 GHz LGA1366
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5 or ASUS P6T Deluxe??
Memory: G.Skill F3-12800CL9T-6GBBNQ
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100255DDR4 Radeon HD 4670 512MB or a Nvidia Equivalent??
Hard Disk: Seagate Barracuda 1.5 TB or Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB??
Power: Antec Signature 850
Case: Thermaltake DH 102
Sound Card: ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe
Optical Drive: LG GGC-H20L
Tv Tuner: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
Remote Control: Included in Case
Keyboard / Mouse: Logitech diNovo Mini
Operative System: Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit


You think this will fit in the case?
Thanks a lot I wil support your guide!!!

Miguel

Thanks, I will start to order my parts with your recomendations.
What do you think?
The Asus P6T Deluxe is the same price of the Gigabyte, which one you will choose?
Seagate vs. Western?
The Radeon vs. a nVidea equivalent (Which one)?
Does the LG Blu-Ray still being the best option?


CPU: Core i7 920 2.66 GHz LGA1366
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5 or ASUS P6T Deluxe??
Memory: G.Skill F3-12800CL9T-6GBBNQ
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE 100255DDR4 Radeon HD 4670 512MB or a Nvidia Equivalent??
Hard Disk: Seagate Barracuda 1.5 TB or Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB??
Power: Antec Signature 850
Case: Thermaltake DH 102
Sound Card: ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe
Optical Drive: LG GGC-H20L
Tv Tuner: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
Remote Control: Included in Case
Keyboard / Mouse: Logitech diNovo Mini
Operative System: Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit


You think this will fit in the case?
Thanks a lot I wil support your guide!!!

Miguel
Let me recall ... what are your purposes of this system?

Let me recall ... what are your purposes of this system?

Best Quality Audio and Video playback (Blu-Ray, Matroshka, 7.1 audio, Xvid, Divx, MP3, SD and HD TV, etc.)
Multimedia Storage (Music, Video, Pictures, etc. )
Video editing.
Not a lot of gaming.

I Will conect this HTPC (analog 7.1 and digital audio outputs to my Onkyo TX-NR900), I Will get rid of my DLink 520 media player, DVD and CD Players. I will also conect the digital video signal (DVI-D to my sharp 1024x768 XR-32X Projector).

Miguel

Best Quality Audio and Video playback (Blu-Ray, Matroshka, 7.1 audio, Xvid, Divx, MP3, SD and HD TV, etc.)
Multimedia Storage (Music, Video, Pictures, etc. )
Video editing.
Not a lot of gaming.

I Will conect this HTPC (analog 7.1 and digital audio outputs to my Onkyo TX-NR900), I Will get rid of my DLink 520 media player, DVD and CD Players. I will also conect the digital video signal (DVI-D to my sharp 1024x768 XR-32X Projector).

Miguel
Either mb is OK. Video editing is a key factor. If you do serious video editing, you'd better go with RAID. Then you may want to spend money on a decent RAID controller card (although you can use onboard RAID) and buy a less expensive mb such as GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD3R or MSI X58 Pro. DH102 supports only three HDDs, you will need an external storage (check DAS on page 85). For OS go with a smaller, faster HDD for OS (e.g. VelociRapter).

Or use Core i7 in a workstation (in general better for serious video editing depending on where you place the HTPC) and use a cheaper CPU/mb (at the level of mid-range) in DH102 for pure HTPC. For best video/audio, CPU and mb are far less important than video/sound card and software codecs.

Renethx -

I only just realized you added the ability to 'graciously' accept paypal donations. Contribution made, and thanks for maintaining one of the most usefull, and well mannered, threads on AVSFORUM.

Gene

Renethx -

I only just realized you added the ability to 'graciously' accept paypal donations. Contribution made, and thanks for maintaining one of the most usefull, and well mannered, threads on AVSFORUM.

Gene
Thanks! :) Currently the rate is ~$25 per week, a bit (too) slow but good enough to buy a mb or graphics card for testing. :o

Hi All,

I was set to get the GA-E7AUM-DS2H however in reading the forums it seems if I want the best video quality I should be going with a dedicated graphics card. i would rather not pay for the 9400 integrated graphics since I won't be using them however I cannot find a cheaper mATX motherboard that aslo has s/pdif port which is a requirement for me right now. Any recommendations out there? Thanks for your help.

Is the version of Planet Earth you bought DVD? (The folder VIDEO_TS is DVD only.) Then does it make sense to create 1080p/720p from 480i?

There are better video samples if you just want to make sure HA works.

Yes, correct, bad example.

I downloaded two versions of Lost in HD. I'm seeing the 720p one play fine, but once again the 1080p once goes out of sync and the HA does not kick in.

I read on the Radeon HD 2400 post on this forum about people having HA problems with XP Pro. I'm wondering if an upgrade to vista, in addition to a new MB/Ram/Card will fix my problems. Will an upgrade from single-channel ram to dual-channel ram yield a performance increase?

Thanks for all the help, this is a truely a gold mind of information. On other sites, I find myself only finding outdated info. This site/thread seems to be the most up-to-date.

-Michael

Is the 2GB Sapphire 4870 PCIe 2.0 Graphics card overkill for HTPC? Seems more of a gaming card. My HTPC is used for DVR as well as Blu-ray playback and online streaming. Not much use for gaming as I have my xbox 360 for that but you never know. Right now Im using M3N78 Pro onboard graphics through HDMI.

Heres the link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102826

I hear it's super quiet but would like to get some reviews before I go dropping $200+ on it but if it gives me better picture quality Im down for it. What do you guys think?

Is the 2GB Sapphire 4870 PCIe 2.0 Graphics card overkill for HTPC? Seems more of a gaming card. My HTPC is used for DVR as well as Blu-ray playback and online streaming. Not much use for gaming as I have my xbox 360 for that but you never know. Right now Im

Yes it is.

I just bought the 4670 with GDDR4 memory the Renethx has recommended for htpc usage 'many times' in last few pages.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102818

Yes it is.

I just bought the 4670 with GDDR4 memory the Renethx has recommended for htpc usage 'many times' in last few pages.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102818

Whats the noise level like on that card? Im trying to keep things as quiet as possible without sacrificing quality too much. Also, have you tried onboard graphics in your system? I know there is going to be some quality increase but is it significant increase?

Thanks for the help. Will definitely be dropping a contribution next payday. This is by far the best forum for anything I have ever seen.

The Saphire 4670 GDDR4 Fan Card is very, very, very quiet. You will be happy with it.

I just wanted to say awesome HTPC guide. Thank you very much.

Can I suggest that you might add a section where you suggest receivers and displays that work well with a HTPC.


Thanks again.

I just wanted to say awesome HTPC guide. Thank you very much.

Can I suggest that you might add a section where you suggest receivers and displays that work well with a HTPC.


Thanks again.

Are you kidding, that would be huge. This thread is closing in on 8k posts as it is. Folks would never find anything then with that addition.

Whats the noise level like on that card? Im trying to keep things as quiet as possible without sacrificing quality too much. Also, have you tried onboard graphics in your system? I know there is going to be some quality increase but is it significant increase?

Thanks for the help. Will definitely be dropping a contribution next payday. This is by far the best forum for anything I have ever seen.

Card is quiet.

I never tried onboard graphics, I'm not agreeable to the idea at this time. I like the flexibility of a discrete card.

Hi All,

I was set to get the GA-E7AUM-DS2H however in reading the forums it seems if I want the best video quality I should be going with a dedicated graphics card. i would rather not pay for the 9400 integrated graphics since I won't be using them however I cannot find a cheaper mATX motherboard that aslo has s/pdif port which is a requirement for me right now. Any recommendations out there? Thanks for your help.
The ATX or microATX mid-range AMD/AMD system.

Are you kidding, that would be huge. This thread is closing in on 8k posts as it is. Folks would never find anything then with that addition.

Agreed. I'm very grateful for Rene's knowledge in computer components, but asking him to keep track of Receivers too would be too much to ask (and might dilute his availability for PC advice).

I think in terms of Receivers there are only a few items that need to be known:

HDMI 1.3 compliant?
PC compliant (some Receiver's manuals state they aren't compatible with PC output, would be nice to know which ones)
DTS HD and DOLBY TRUHD decoding/passthrough

Sounds like a good idea for a grid, but I have almost no knowledge about the latest equipment. Anyone wanna take up that challenge? (different thread of course)

Yes, correct, bad example.

I downloaded two versions of Lost in HD. I'm seeing the 720p one play fine, but once again the 1080p once goes out of sync and the HA does not kick in.

I read on the Radeon HD 2400 post on this forum about people having HA problems with XP Pro. I'm wondering if an upgrade to vista, in addition to a new MB/Ram/Card will fix my problems. Will an upgrade from single-channel ram to dual-channel ram yield a performance increase?
Are you using the latest driver (9.4)? Try Windows 7 RC (free).

HA for a PCI Express card is no problem with any of XP, Vista, Win 7.

Single vs dual has nothing to do with HA and barely affects video playback performance in general.

Whats the noise level like on that card? Im trying to keep things as quiet as possible without sacrificing quality too much. Also, have you tried onboard graphics in your system? I know there is going to be some quality increase but is it significant increase?
Perhaps (one of) the quietest card(s). Whether you see performance difference between IGP and a good discrete card depends on your usage and your eyes. For HD progressive contents, IGP is just good enough. For HD interlaced contents and SD, IGP is not good enough, IMO.

First of all, thanks for everything! Long time reader but finally signed up... I think i signed up before, but i can't remember the user name hahaha :P

Anyhow, I am going to build a mini itx system:


Intel/NVIDIA (Tentative)

System

* CPU: Pentium Dual-Core E5200 2.50GHz LGA775, $64.
* CPU Cooler: SilverStone NT07-775, $23.
* Motherboard: ZOTAC GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi GF9300-D-E LGA775 GeForce 9300 mGPU Mini-ITX, $145.
* Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1A16K DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $27.
* Graphics Card: GeForce 9300 (integrated in the chipset), $0.
* HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
* PSU: ATX12V 250W SFX PSU (included in the case): $0.
* Case: Apex MI-008 Mini-ITX, $50. An alternative is Apex MI-100 Mini-ITX, $56 and Apex MI-100BK Mini-ITX, $56.
* Total Cost: $379


I already have a hdd for it, so i'm saving some money there.

One of my questions is, some people are saying in reviews that the NB chipset overheats a little, so i was thinking about getting this heatsink for it: ZALMAN ZM - NBF 47 Aluminum Heatsinks only - Retail
Do you guys think that'll help/work/fit?

Another question is, would this set up be any good for playing games like starwars battlefront or battlefield 2142?

The total of my components on new egg is $352.16 on new egg. These are the pieces:


Shopping Cart

APEX MI-100BK Black Steel Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case 250W Power Supply - Retail $47.99

A-DATA 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model ADQVE1A16K - Retail $29.99

ZOTAC GF9300-D-E LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 9300 HDMI Mini ITX Intel Motherboard - Retail $134.99

Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80571E5200 - Retail$69.99

ZALMAN ZM - NBF 47 Aluminum Heatsinks only - Retail $9.99

SILVERSTONE NT07-775 90mm CPU Cooler - Retail $22.00

Subtotal: $315.94
Tax: $29.22
Shipping: $7.00


Grand Total: $352.16



Oh and I tried to add some ram into my old system and ordered 240 pin ram instead of 168 oops :P~ So now i'm stuck with 2gb... but it turns out that this mobo can take this ram, but the ram is pc3200 and the mobo takes pc2 6400... could i save $30 and use the slower ram? Or would that just be too much of a difference?

Thanks!

@GhettoBSD

Your questions may be better answered in this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1111996).

@GhettoBSD

Your questions may be better answered in this thread.

whooooooops well thanks! :P

@renethx

Thanks for all your help on this forum.

I am going to build a new HTPC and would like to know what you would recommend.

I am going to use the HFX Mini Metal chassi and i am wondering what motherboard and CPU and graphics card you would recommend for that chassi?

Main purpose for my HTPC will be playing 1080p MKV files and FLAC files, no bluray drive.

My budget can stretch it to $1500 max and i would like top components.

Are you using the latest driver (9.4)? Try Windows 7 RC (free).

HA for a PCI Express card is no problem with any of XP, Vista, Win 7.

Single vs dual has nothing to do with HA and barely affects video playback performance in general.

Yes, I'm using 9.4. I have not tried it on Windows 7. Did that just come out today for technet download?

Also, my card is an AGP card, not a PCI-E. Are you aware of any HA issues with AGP using Win XP? It seems some users are having problems with HA using the AGP version of this card under Win XP.

Thanks for all the help so far!

I got my case, psu, cpu, ram and HD today. Still waiting on the mobo and fan. I'm planning on downloading Win 7 on tuesday. So all I really need now is an TV tuner and optical drive.

I was planning on getting the cheapest DVD drive I could find, but newegg has the Lite-ON DH-4O1S-58 bluray drive for $70. The lowest prices I've seen on a DVD burner is $23.

So the question is, should I spend $47 more now and have bluray right away (without LPCM until I upgrade the GPU) or just save my money and look for a better deal when I upgrade my GPU in November?

Woo! All of my stuff is here and I can assemble it this evening.

This is what I have:

Logitech LX310 mouse + keyboard
Western Digital Caviar Green 1TB
LG Black Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32
Antec Fusion Remote Black
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670
GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-US2H
CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W
CORSAIR XMS2 4GB
AMD Athlon 64 X2 7750 Kuma

Thanks a bunch to rene for the guide and for steering me away from the 4650.

@renethx

Thanks for all your help on this forum.

I am going to build a new HTPC and would like to know what you would recommend.

I am going to use the HFX Mini Metal chassis and i am wondering what motherboard and CPU and graphics card you would recommend for that chassis?

Main purpose for my HTPC will be playing 1080p MKV files and FLAC files, no bluray drive.

My budget can stretch it to $1500 max and i would like top components.
HFX Mini is a special case so that it requires hand-on experience to recommend best components for the case. Perhaps you'd better start a new thread.

Yes, I'm using 9.4. I have not tried it on Windows 7. Did that just come out today for technet download?

Also, my card is an AGP card, not a PCI-E. Are you aware of any HA issues with AGP using Win XP? It seems some users are having problems with HA using the AGP version of this card under Win XP.

Thanks for all the help so far!
Windows 7 RC is available publicly on May 5th. Perhaps you can find the leaked version on the Internet now (Build 7100).

Unfortunately I have never used 2400 AGP.

So the question is, should I spend $47 more now and have bluray right away (without LPCM until I upgrade the GPU) or just save my money and look for a better deal when I upgrade my GPU in November?
If you want to play BD movies right now, but it now. Otherwise buy a DVD drive. Maybe a BD drive costs < $50 in November.

[QUOTE=renethx;16362916]You will need a universal remote such as Logitech Harmony (as I recommended on page 85). Yup, 4670 is a good choice for a HDMI AVR. For starters you don't need a fancy server. A decent (Windows) system with a couple of HDDs can be used. As storage space increases (e.g. more than 10 HDDs), you will need a good strategy of archiving media files (hardware/software/OS). Check server recommendations on page 85

I'm wondering about this port (RS232) on the dvp. Would I be able to control the dvp through the htpc? I have 400+ dvd's now. That is one main reason for the htpc, (stop searching through discs.) None are hd or bd yet, would like to migrate into them though. Thats why I ask about the storage solutions. Would like something on my network so others can enjoy also. And be able to grow into. Have alot to learn I know, havent even thought about sotware yet.

Needed to have 3 posts before I could post a link, HAHA
Here is the link (http://www.kb.sony.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=C201221&sliceId=1&docTypeID=DT_KNOWLEDGEARTICLES_1_1&dialogID=93443602&stateId=0 0 93453186) for the dvp port

@renethx

U got Mail

Hi all,

First, I would like to thank you (rene) for the massive guide on HTPC thread.

I am a total newbie on computer stuff.

I am planning to build my first HTPC and I have this one HP Pavilion machine from 2007 (product type: m8165cn, if you guys don't mind, please kindly check the full spec in HP website), however, the main specs are as follows:

Intel E6420 (C) DC 2.13 Ghz, 1066 Mhz
RAM 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2
Video: GeForce 8500GT, 512 MB GDDR2 up to 1GB, HDMI

I want to change the motherboard to accommodate 6 or more SATAII ports for hard disk expansion. Right now, the motherboard can only accommodate 4 ports and 1 is already used for DVD and I am running out of harddisk space.
I still want to use the processor, and video and possibly the RAM (as much as possible).

My questions are:

1. Are those processor, video and RAM is adequate enough even for low level HTPC for playing mkv and/or even blu-ray files (m2ts)?

2. If it is enough, then what motherboard do you recommend (6 or more SATAII port) should I want to keep the processor, video and/or RAM. I don’t have any budget on my mind, but I welcome any options that are available (also with consideration that it is still upgradeable on the processor side to have more juice on HD playback in the future, when my money is available ^^)?

3. Any other suggestion to maximize the capability of the overall PC based on the current hardware and/or with a little bit change of hardware?

Thanks.

mc.

If you want to play BD movies right now, but it now. Otherwise buy a DVD drive. Maybe a BD drive costs < $50 in November.

If you have the disk space you can get a head start on rips if you get the BD drive now.

I'm wondering about this port (RS232) on the dvp. Would I be able to control the dvp through the htpc? I have 400+ dvd's now. That is one main reason for the htpc, (stop searching through discs.) None are hd or BD yet, would like to migrate into them though. That's why I ask about the storage solutions. Would like something on my network so others can enjoy also. And be able to grow into. Have a lot to learn I know, haven't even thought about software yet.
You should be able control DVP-CX777ES (as well as your other devices and HTPC) with Logitech Harmony.

So you are going to rip all 400 DVDs in HDDs, right? (Then you can sell your DVP-CX777ES. :)) Just buy a couple of 1TB HDDs like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136317) and rip movies on them using a ripping software such as DVDFab Platinum (shareware)/HD Decrypter (free) or SlySoft CloneDVD. These HDDs can be stored in your HTPC (accessing from another PC is no problem unless you shut down HTPC) or a dedicated server. If you are ripping BD movies, perhaps you will need a server because of a large number of HDDs.

You can access ripped movies from a front end such as VMC (Media Center included in Vista Home Premium/Ultimate) or MediaPortal with an appropriate movie plug-in (e.g. MediaBrowser or My Movies for VMC; Moving Pictures for MP) and play them with the front end's internal player or your favorite player.

@mariochandra

Which case are you going to use?

You should be able control DVP-CX777ES (as well as your other devices and HTPC) with Logitech Harmony.

So you are going to rip all 400 DVDs in HDDs, right? (Then you can sell your DVP-CX777ES. :)) Just buy a couple of 1TB HDDs like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136317) and rip movies on them using a ripping software such as DVDFab Platinum (shareware)/HD Decrypter (free) or SlySoft CloneDVD. These HDDs can be stored in your HTPC (accessing from another PC is no problem unless you shut down HTPC) or a dedicated server. If you are ripping BD movies, perhaps you will need a server because of a large number of HDDs.

You can access ripped movies from a front end such as VMC (Media Center included in Vista Home Premium/Ultimate) or MediaPortal with an appropriate movie plug-in (e.g. MediaBrowser or My Movies for VMC; Moving Pictures for MP) and play them with the front end's internal player or your favorite player.
Thats why I am wondering if the htpc not the remote (so much) would be able to control the dvp thru the rs232 port. It might save all the ripping of the 400+, same cover art, same software running movies. All future rips will be in bd/files of some sort. Am I making any sense with this rs232 port or would it be best to ditch the dvp and go with a server.

Is there a reason the Hauppauge 2250 is out of stock just about everywhere?

Edit: Never mind, I found it for $118 and its back in stock some places.

I didn't, however. realize that it doesn't have an IR receiver built in. I thought that the 3.5 mm jack at the base of the card was for IR signal, turns out its an audio input.

I have a Harmony 890 and have run either an IR blaster from the RF receiver or just a cable with 3.5 mm connectors from the base to the right port on the PC. This should be a very cheap part. I'm surprised that Hauppauge went with a USB add on instead of just having an IR input on the card like older cards had in the past.

Any tips that aren't on page 85?

I found this IR-USB receiver (http://cgi.ebay.com/SMK-MEDIA-CENTER-MCE-VISTA-IR-RECEIVER-W-IR-BLASTER_W0QQitemZ400046625294QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Tra ckballs?hash=item400046625294&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1 |293%3A1|294%3A50). Will it work with my Harmony to control Win 7 media center?

Hi folks,

Recently assembled my system around the MA78GPM-UD2H motherboard. A major duty for it will be to act as a DVR using the SiliconDust HDHomerun tuner.

But how do I get around this scenario: Power fails. UPS drains, system turns off. Power comes back on. How do I get the system to auto-reboot? Haven't found anything about it in the mobo documentation.

Ideas?

Marc

@mariochandra

Which case are you going to use?

Rene, I don't know yet, but I guess I have to accept locally made (Chinese) casing (a little bit hard to find branded casing like you mentioned in the guide, here in a quite small city in China), which for sure, I will look for one that can accommodate 6 or more harddisk in one casing.

Does it really matter which casing that I have to use?

mc.

Thats why I am wondering if the htpc not the remote (so much) would be able to control the dvp thru the rs232 port. It might save all the ripping of the 400+, same cover art, same software running movies. All future rips will be in bd/files of some sort. Am I making any sense with this rs232 port or would it be best to ditch the dvp and go with a server.


For that many movies, you really ought to look at a server, and some form of movie management.

I had 3 hdds in my first build, '05, but by '07 it was not enough for all my media, so I built a media server with left over parts in a nice Antec P180 case, with 4 500gb drives and one of the 160gb drives from my htpc to install the OS on, which is Windows Home Server. Once I started ripping BD, I pulled the 500gb drives for 1tb drives, and put the 500gb drives in a stand-alone enclosure. BD eats up disk space fast.

Then I downloaded the client server version of MyMovies, I found it to be the killer app for justifying the server build. Look it up, its free, and has its own forum. The creator has come out with a WHS specific version, but I'm sticking with what I have as its stable.

Hi folks,

Recently assembled my system around the MA78GPM-UD2H motherboard. A major duty for it will be to act as a DVR using the SiliconDust HDHomerun tuner.

But how do I get around this scenario: Power fails. UPS drains, system turns off. Power comes back on. How do I get the system to auto-reboot? Haven't found anything about it in the mobo documentation.

Ideas?

Marc

Most BIOS' have a section for advance power settings, and one of those gives you the option to (in simplistic terms) stay off/turn on/last state. Last State is what I use - if the PC was off, it stays off, if it was on, it reboots...

Thanks etcarroll, I am leaning more and more towards a bigger server. I guess my main Q's are, is this sony dvp redundant, can it be controlled through the htpc (per rs232 port) Will take some extra time and extra $(hdd's) to rip all dvds. If only option is to continue using dvp as a stand alone and cannot be migrated into the htpc, it wont break my heart to get rid of it.


Extra time/extra $ -- 96% of the population has more time than $, me being one.

I am very new to the the whole "using my computer in my home theater" thing and have a question that may be VERY dumb, so here it goes...

We have a 5 year old (i know, ancient) Compaq Presario, that we ONLY use for web browsing, Microsoft Office, Finances, etc and the occasional streaming of television shows... No gaming or movie watching what so ever. So, in reality this computer serves it purpose for us. Just recently after picking up a LCD tv with a PC Input we decided to scrap our computer desk/area, and just make the PC part of the home theater. Though it is black and silver like the rest of our components, I do NOT like the way the PC looks in our entertainment center while it is standing upright. My possibly dumb question is, if I were to pick up... say the Antec NSK2480 case, would my "innards" of my Compaq all fit nicely into this case? Pretty standard Desktop really, two optical drives, a 3.5 floppy (that we dont really need, who does?). A 40 gig hard drive (that may as well be upgraded, and integrated sound and graphics card and a linksys wireless network card... Sorry if the question has already been answered. Thanks...

In theory - yes.

In practice, some 'name brand' computers use custom shaped components, my fear is that the mounting holes in the motherboard will not match up with a standard sized case.

You need to open the Compaq, find the make and model of the motherboard, then investigate if its a standard ATX, or maybe MATX, mobo.

I am very new to the the whole "using my computer in my home theater" thing and have a question that may be VERY dumb, so here it goes...

We have a 5 year old (i know, ancient) Compaq Presario, that we ONLY use for web browsing, Microsoft Office, Finances, etc and the occasional streaming of television shows... No gaming or movie watching what so ever. So, in reality this computer serves it purpose for us. Just recently after picking up a LCD tv with a PC Input we decided to scrap our computer desk/area, and just make the PC part of the home theater. Though it is black and silver like the rest of our components, I do NOT like the way the PC looks in our entertainment center while it is standing upright. My possibly dumb question is, if I were to pick up... say the Antec NSK2480 case, would my "innards" of my Compaq all fit nicely into this case? Pretty standard Desktop really, two optical drives, a 3.5 floppy (that we dont really need, who does?). A 40 gig hard drive (that may as well be upgraded, and integrated sound and graphics card and a linksys wireless network card... Sorry if the question has already been answered. Thanks...

In theory - yes.

In practice, some 'name brand' computers use custom shaped components, my fear is that the mounting holes in the motherboard will not match up with a standard sized case.

You need to open the Compaq, find the make and model of the motherboard, then investigate if its a standard ATX, or maybe MATX, mobo.

Will do, although should I just be able to look model no. etc on the compaq/hp site and wouldnt it give me the specifics of the mother board?

Or maybe I just get my hands on desktop (flat) Compaq casing? Would my chances be better here?

Will a separate Radeon 4670 be better than buying a motherboard with Geforce 9300 integrated?

Will a separate Radeon 4670 be better than buying a motherboard with Geforce 9300 integrated?

Define "better" :) Seriously though, in most respects, yes, a 4670 will be better. A 4830 or 4770 would be better still - it all depends on your needs and use of the HTPC.

Hi all, I been reading the guide and have chosen this mid-range system.
Intel/Intel, System

CPU: Core 2 Duo E7400 2.80GHz LGA775, $113.
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek HDT-SD964, $23.
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA775 Intel P45 chipset ATX, $115.
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1A16K DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $27.
Graphics Card: An alternative is SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB, $90 (quieter at idle and video playback).
HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
PSU: Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT, $101.
Case: Antec Fusion Remote Max ATX, $174.
Total Cost: $703.

I have a couple of questions,
-What is the difference between the Gigabyte UD3L and US3L? I don't see any difference on Gigabyts website but I am sure they made two different models for some reason.

-The SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 has HDMI outputs so I can connect it to my Reciever correct? Is the HDMI out on the video card capable to handle both vidoe and audio or do I need to buy a seperate sound card?

-What sound card do you recommend for a HTPC? I will also need a sound card if I only want to play mp3s correct to my reciever

-I would like to connect a touch screen monitor as well, Can I use the ATI to do dual display or do I need to buy a seperate video card?

- Can I control the Antec case if I buy a Harmony Remote?

-I only want to play HD movies and music collection. Possible stream online content like Hulu or other internet sites. I definetley want to connect the HTPC to my reciever which it will connect to my TV and speakers. Is this a suitable HTPC or can I go for a less machine?

Thanks for your help on these questions.

sooo no one has any thoughts on the itx build i want to do?

If you want to play BD movies right now, but it now. Otherwise buy a DVD drive. Maybe a BD drive costs < $50 in November.$23 now for a DVD drive + $50 later is same price as you can get a BD drive now ($70), so if it were me, I would get the BD drive now unless you will have another use for the DVD drive in November so you can re-use it and not just put it in a pile with the rest of the old computer parts.

What HDMI PCIe x16 video card can I get for my Mac Pro 1.1?

This video card will be used in Windows exclusively for multiple reasons.

While I could build a PC. I am hoping I could get a sub $100 video card that is compatible with the Mac Pro 1.1. The Mac Pro only has PCIe x16 slots and the power supply has no connectors for a video card that needs extra power. So I guess those are the limiting factors. I have seen contradictory information that PCIe 2.0 cards are backwards compatible with PCIe x16 so that's why I am asking all this.

It will be used for Blu-rays and other H.264 files. It needs to support 7.1 LPCM audio and 1920x1080 at 24fps from the HDCP HDMI port. Passive cooling would be a huge plus.

thanks

Going to go with the mid range AMD/AMD build my question is should I go for the slightly more expensive:

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 6MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor

rather than the:

AMD Phenom II X3 710 2.6GHz Socket AM3 6MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor

What are the pros and cons if any, if there are none then might as well go for the 720 for an extra £18. Plus I believe the 720 is a black edition too?

Thanks to any responders in advance.

Define "better" :) Seriously though, in most respects, yes, a 4670 will be better. A 4830 or 4770 would be better still - it all depends on your needs and use of the HTPC.

No gaming, best picture quality from MKVs and Blurays.

That's my requirements for now.

Hi folks!

Having fun with my HTPC based on Gigabyte MA78GPM-UD2H, but I've got two issues. Hoping folks here can point me to fixes. I'm connected to a Panasonic 1080i plasma via HDMI, and am running in 1080i mode (1920x1080/30). Vista 32 with all updates. Using the onboard iGPU which is ATI Radeon 3200 with sideport memory, and a crappy wireless keyboard so please excuse typos. Driver package version 8.552-081028a-070229C-ATI. ATI BIOS 010.087.000.001

When I increased the Windows DPI from the default small (96) to big (120), everything was fine but still to small. When I then increased to 200, suddenly in Vista Media Center, my mouse became invisible. Only in VMC fullscreen mode. I've googled for invisible mouse etc. but the suggestions I found (turn off mouse trails, things like that) didn't help. Still the invisible mouse. If I manage to hover over a control it wll respond,so there IS a pointer, but I can't see it. What to do. This seriously impacts the WAF, not to mention bugging me.

2. I'm having trouble tweaking in the screen. Using Catalyst Control Center,I can adjust overscan so the display area more or less matches the physical screen. But it's a bit off-center,and the other control in the Modes section that gives centering controls doesn't seem to move the screen at all when I click the various buttons.

3. Once in a while,my overscan adjustments revert back to default and the border around the display comes back. How to avoid this? No rhyme or reason as to when.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Marc

This thread is amazing. Thanks so much. Quick question, I'm thinking of building this:


Intel/Intel

System

* CPU: Pentium Dual-Core E5200 2.50GHz LGA775, $64.
* CPU Cooler: Stock cooler, $0.
* Motherboard: ASUS P5Q-EM LGA775 Intel G45 chipset microATX, $135. A cheaper alternative is Intel DG45ID (BOXDG45ID) LGA775 Intel G45 chipset microATX, $115.
* Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1A16K DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $27.
* Graphics Card: Intel GMA X4500HD (integrated in the chipset), $0.
* HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
* PSU: 80 PLUS 350W ATX PSU (included in the case), $0
* Case: Antec NSK1480 microATX, $94.
* Total Cost: $390


And wondering if someone could expand on this comment:


Remarks

* BD playback under Windows XP is not supported in this system due to the chipset driver limitation.


I'm assuming this isn't a problem for Vista, just wanted to be sure before I pull the trigger.

Hi folks!

Having fun with my HTPC based on Gigabyte MA78GPM-UD2H, but I've got two issues. Hoping folks here can point me to fixes. I'm connected to a Panasonic 1080i plasma via HDMI, and am running in 1080i mode (1920x1080/30). Vista 32 with all updates. Using the onboard iGPU which is ATI Radeon 3200 with sideport memory, and a crappy wireless keyboard so please excuse typos. Driver package version 8.552-081028a-070229C-ATI. ATI BIOS 010.087.000.001

When I increased the Windows DPI from the default small (96) to big (120), everything was fine but still to small. When I then increased to 200, suddenly in Vista Media Center, my mouse became invisible. Only in VMC fullscreen mode. I've googled for invisible mouse etc. but the suggestions I found (turn off mouse trails, things like that) didn't help. Still the invisible mouse. If I manage to hover over a control it wll respond,so there IS a pointer, but I can't see it. What to do. This seriously impacts the WAF, not to mention bugging me.


I have found one workaround to this issue: choosing a pointer style that is Inverted brings it up. Not sure why this problem only happens (to me) when I set the DPI way up, but I can live with the inverted color cursor. In VMC, it's white! :-)

Marc

Thanks etcarroll, I am leaning more and more towards a bigger server. I guess my main Q's are, is this sony dvp redundant, can it be controlled through the htpc (per rs232 port) Will take some extra time and extra $(hdd's) to rip all dvds. If only option is to continue using dvp as a stand alone and cannot be migrated into the htpc, it wont break my heart to get rid of it.


Extra time/extra $ -- 96% of the population has more time than $, me being one.
IMO DVD mega changer is a past story when HDD were expensive to rip all DVDs. In the long term you will be happier with ripping solution in HDD than DVP-CX777ES (it can be controlled from PC via RS232, but you will have to find software). The average selling price of DVP-CX777ES at eBay is ~$400. You can buy four 1TB HDDs with this money (enough space for 400 DVDs). Ripping a DVD as the complete image is quite easy (need only a couple of mouse click with DVDFab HD Decrypter).

Rene, I don't know yet, but I guess I have to accept locally made (Chinese) casing (a little bit hard to find branded casing like you mentioned in the guide, here in a quite small city in China), which for sure, I will look for one that can accommodate 6 or more harddisk in one casing.

Does it really matter which casing that I have to use?

mc.
You don't have to change mb; just add a SiI3132-base SATA controller card for two SATA ports. In US MonoPrice 2530/3581 card is only $14. External enclosure (eSATA+port multiplier for example) is another solution (check DAS on page 85).

Your CPU, RAM, GPU are also fine for HD progressive contents (assuming you don't play HD interlaced contents).

If you want to buy a new mb (you won't see any improvement in video playback performance), there are (too) many choices. ATX or mATX?

Hello there. I've been following this entire thread and the wealth of information that Renethx and others have given us. I've finally decided to take the plunge into the world of HTPCs. So far these are the specs I have planned out and was wondering if these specs look okay to you guys. I think I'm in between the Mid-High range ATX Intel system. I want a system that I can use as a DVR to record OTA, play some 720p/1080p mkvs, play and possibly rip some BDs and do some minor encoding. I don't plan on doing any gaming on it. For now it'll be my main media storage as well, so I plan on getting at least 2 1TB hard drives. I really like the look and size of the Thermaltake DH202 VJ80011N2Z case, but I haven't seen any real reviews of it yet and that worries me. Only place I can find it on sale is Directron at the moment. The maximum depth of my tv stand is 17.5 inches, which limits some of the other cases. (Although the thermaltake website's dimensions don't match the manuals. The website says 17.3" and the downloadable manual says 18.1 so I don't know which to believe. But they both say 440mm which converts to 17.3") I've also decided to try getting a D-link DXN-221 MoCA box to convert my house coax cable to ethernet since wireless won't cut it for streaming any HD. I'll get a low-end microATX Intel/Nvidia system for the bedroom later to stream videos of this main HTPC's HD. So here are my specs:

Keyboard/Mouse: Logitech diNovo Mini
Optical Drive: LG GGC-H20L Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc & HD DVD-ROM Drive
TV Tuner Card: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
OS: Windows 7 RC
CPU: Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.50GHz LGA775
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9500A LED
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA775 Intel P45 chipset ATX
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1B16K DDR2-800 2 x 2GB Kit
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive X 2
PSU: ENERMAX MODU82+ EMD525AWT 525W
Case: Thermaltake DH202 VJ80011N2Z
TV: Sony 52"W4100

So here are some questions I have.
1. Does anyone know if these components fit in the Thermaltake case? Has anyone heard any news about the DH202?
2. Was there a reason the Enermax PRO82+ was selected over the MODU82+ other than cost? I think the MODU82+ is better but more expensive but currently the MODU82+ is cheaper than the PRO82+ because of rebates.
3. There seems to be raving reviews in the thread for the SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670. Is the Radeon HD 4850 GDDR3 512MB recommended in the High-end system that much better or is it more for gaming purposes? Which one should I get?
4. Is there anything I'm missing or anything else I need?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide. Your help is much appreciated.

I'm curious if there is any sort of agreement on which is the best 9300/9400 board? I would like to keep the cost down so I was mostly looking at the 9300's but it seems like I see alot of people saying their ASUS or MSI died for whatever reason and I don't really know if I trust ZOTAC as much as the bigger brands.

Are they all pretty much equal? Do I just need to spend the extra cash and go with the Gigabyte 9400? I don't plan on doing any gaming so the 9300's should be fine if the quality is ok.

Thanks,
Brandon

I'm curious if there is any sort of agreement on which is the best 9300/9400 board? I would like to keep the cost down so I was mostly looking at the 9300's but it seems like I see alot of people saying their ASUS or MSI died for whatever reason and I don't really know if I trust ZOTAC as much as the bigger brands.

Are they all pretty much equal? Do I just need to spend the extra cash and go with the Gigabyte 9400? I don't plan on doing any gaming so the 9300's should be fine if the quality is ok.

Thanks,
Brandon
If ASUS were more reliable than GIGABYTE, I would recommend it instead. :)

Get the Gigabyte... you'll be glad you did. I swear by them, even before I found this thread.

Hi Guys,

I could use some help here. I have decided to build a new pc. I will be using it only for bd, 600 ripped dvds saved as vob files, and a dvr using 2 hdhomeruns.

This will be connected to a Panasonic 1080p plasma. I need a setup that can deliver both audio and video thru HDMI.

I have read conflicting reports about whether to use the embedded graphics or a seperate video card.

I am planning on going to Micro Center later today to buy everything needed.

Willing to spend around a $1000 for system. I already have 2 extra 1.5tb drives so I will need everything else. I have no preference for CPU so whatever is best is OK with me.

What HDMI PCIe x16 video card can I get for my Mac Pro 1.1?

This video card will be used in Windows exclusively for multiple reasons.

While I could build a PC. I am hoping I could get a sub $100 video card that is compatible with the Mac Pro 1.1. The Mac Pro only has PCIe x16 slots and the power supply has no connectors for a video card that needs extra power. So I guess those are the limiting factors. I have seen contradictory information that PCIe 2.0 cards are backwards compatible with PCIe x16 so that's why I am asking all this.

It will be used for Blu-rays and other H.264 files. It needs to support 7.1 LPCM audio and 1920x1080 at 24fps from the HDCP HDMI port. Passive cooling would be a huge plus.

thanks
@ renethx
could you possibly give cocoon a recommendation, I had told cocoon in another thread, that this thread would be a better place to find the answer?

Hi Rene... I'm hoping to get some help regarding my new HTPC. I have just put it together this weekend and am not having a fun time getting my HDMI output to work properly. :-( Let me give you my setup first:

CPU: Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.50GHz LGA775
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master 風神鍛 (Geminii S) RR-CCH-PBJ1-GP
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H LGA775 GeForce 9400 mGPU microATX
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1B16K DDR2-800 2 x 2GB Kit
Graphics Card: ASUS EN9500GT TOP/DI/51
HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps
PSU: Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT
Sound Card: ASUS Xonar HDAV 1.3 (not Deluxe)
Case: SILVERSTONE Black Aluminum / Steel LC10S-E ATX
AVR: Integra DTC 9.8
Projector: Runco RS-900 connected via HDMI from Integra 9.8
OS: Vista Ultimate SP1 32 bit

Here's what I've tried and what I've seen. When I attempt to connect the Xonar to my Integra, I get video to the Runco, but no audio. The Integra shows No Signal on it's front panel and when I test sound from anywhere in Vista I get nothing. I have the HDMI out from the 9500 connected to the HDMI in on the Xonar and the HDMI out from the Xonar going to the Integra. No matter what I try, no audio. I've updated all the drivers (MOBO, Xonar and 9500) from the respective websites and have the most current firmware on the Integra. I thought I might have a bad Xonar, so I removed the 9500 and Xonar from the computer and attempted to run directly from the MOBO 9400's HDMI. Once again no signal on the Integra, but this time no video either. I can connect a DVI monitor to the DVI out of the MOBO and get video (to the monitor, not the Runco), but as soon as I plug in the HDMI cable I lose the DVI output (to be expected) and nothing seems to get to the Integra or Runco.

Sooo... Is there some kind of handshaking that I need to setup that I'm missing. I checked the CMOS and have turned off MOBO audio and disabled Hybrid SSL. I've searched the manufacturer's forums and haven't found anything. I'm at a complete loss. I'm very familiar with PC's and Windows, but this is my first attempt at a HTPC and more importantly with attempting to use HDMI through one. If you can provide any insights or ideas where I should go from here, it would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance...

Rick

PS - More Information after trying some other troubleshooting (maybe worthless)... I hooked up the coax digital out from the Xonar to my Integra and got sound. It's sending all lossy codecs properly but obviously can't send any DTS-MA, DD True-HD, etc. I've got to believe the HDMI audio problem is some sort of handshaking issue. I've been reading your other posts in various areas (GeForce 8200 thread, etc.) and have checked the HDMI Audio setup in the advanced area of my Integra setup. It is set to "Off". I'm really stuck. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

Hi –
I’m new to AVS and the world of HTPCs. I successfully built my current desktop about 2 years ago, and decided to try my hand here. My primary interests are in media storage (DVD, HD DVD, BD, CD) and playback, view photo album, some gaming (WoW and Civ), and TV (HD antenna). From this wonderful site and guide, I’ve come to this setup (not yet purchased):

Case - Silverstone’s SST-LC17-B
Motherboard - ASUS M3N72-D
CPU - Phenom II X3 710 - HDX710WFGIBOX
CPU Cooler - XIGMATEK HDT-SD964 92mm
Storage - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB
Memory - A-DATA 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 800 SDRAM
Graphics - ASUS EN9500GT TOP/DI/512M GeForce 9500 GT
Optic Drive - LG GGC-H20L - SATA Internal Blu-ray/HD DVD
PSU - ENERMAX MODU82+ EMD625AWT

Questions –
1. First do you see any issues with the above setup?
2. Is the HDHomeRun tuner to much for me? Its rather expensive and I don’t have cable. Suggestions?
3. A little concerned with my audio. I plan on using my Sony HT-CT100. Will that work with this setup? Do I need a sound card? I am not an audiophile by any means...
4. HDTV vs. HD Monitor: I’m really not sure which to go for here. :confused: Is there a clear winner? Or is it more about what it’s used for? I’m looking for something between 30 and 40 inches.
5. The case seems to come with 2 80mm exhaust fans, I assume I will need more fans. Suggestions? Sorry, I am very ‘cooling’ ignorant. :o
6. I have 250+ SD DVDs, 20-30 BD/HD DVDs, and 5000+ songs between iTunes and CDs. My HD collection is growing slowly, but that is the direction I am going. I assume the 1TB will not be enough for my needs. Will it be easier to purchase a second 1TB now, and install at the same time? Or will it be just as easy later?
7. Is there any benefit for me to make this a 64 bit system?

Sorry for all of the questions, but I really am a NOOB! Any help with this would be highly appreciated. And if you see anything I have forgotten, please shout it out.

Thank you!

My frustration has subsided and I did not buy anything today. However I have only 1 week to return several parts to Microcenter so I have a few days ti decide.

This PC will not be used for gaming, strictly bd/dvd/dvr/hdhomerun. I must supply sound and video thru HDMI.

My questions are:

1. Which system bd is best? I am not concerned with form factor.

2.Which CPU?

3. Is the embedded video sufficient or should I buy a seperate graphics card and if so which one and why?

4. I have downloaded windows 7 rc but have not installed it. Is this the best choice right now?

Any other info would be greatly appreciated.

The more you read the less you know....

GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H(9400) : $129.99

or

GIGABYTE GA-G31M-ES2L + 4650/4670 :$105-123

Is there any reason to go with the 9400? Seems like a 4650/4670 and a cheap
mobo can be had for the same price.

Thanks,
Brandon

I don't mind spending a little more if it's worth it. It would be much simpler, i think, if I used the graphics off the system bd if it is good enough to do the job.

If you want to buy a new mb (you won't see any improvement in video playback performance), there are (too) many choices. ATX or mATX?[/QUOTE]

Rene, thank you very much for the insight. My plan is to put the computer in my living room and directly connect it to my 55" LCD TV. So, external enclosure is out of the question (too many equipments in the living room is not my style). Another consideration is, as you mentioned that all my hardwares are capable to handle the HD content, however, I also considering the upgradability in the near future (affordable - best price vs quality). So, that's why I am planning to upgrade the motherboard.

So, what I need is the current motherboard (maybe among your recommendation in page 85), ATX (means 6 or more SATAII, I saw one Gigabyte motherboard, which can handle 10 SATAII, I forgot the type number), which can still use my current processor, video card and RAM (as a temporer solution, until my upgrade).

I also need advice on what casing should I use (I hope I can find it in China), which can accommodate 6 or more (10?, should you recommend to use that Gigabyte motherboard with 10 SATAII ports).

Last, which hardware should I replace first to get better video quality for ripped blu-ray playback (m2ts and/or mkv files). I presume I have to change the video card? What is your recommendation? How about the processor and RAM?

Thanks in advance,

mc.

What HDMI PCIe x16 video card can I get for my Mac Pro 1.1?

This video card will be used in Windows exclusively for multiple reasons.

While I could build a PC. I am hoping I could get a sub $100 video card that is compatible with the Mac Pro 1.1. The Mac Pro only has PCIe x16 slots and the power supply has no connectors for a video card that needs extra power. So I guess those are the limiting factors. I have seen contradictory information that PCIe 2.0 cards are backwards compatible with PCIe x16 so that's why I am asking all this.

It will be used for Blu-rays and other H.264 files. It needs to support 7.1 LPCM audio and 1920x1080 at 24fps from the HDCP HDMI port. Passive cooling would be a huge plus.

thanks
Radeon HD 4xxx is the only card that meets your requirements. It works fine with the PCI Express Gen1 x16. HD 4350 is the cheapest card and a good choice if you play only HD progressive contents (there are several passively cooled cards (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=Property&Subcategory=48&Description=&Type=&N=2000380048&srchInDesc=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&OEMMark=0&PropertyCodeValue=679%3A44922&PropertyCodeValue=3209%3A23120&PropertyCodeValue=2953%3A18921)). For SD and HD interlaced contents, HD 4670 is the best choice (like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102818)).

The more you read the less you know....

GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H(9400) : $129.99

or

GIGABYTE GA-G31M-ES2L + 4650/4670 :$105-123

Is there any reason to go with the 9400? Seems like a 4650/4670 and a cheap
mobo can be had for the same price.

Thanks,
Brandon
This is a good choice if the mb features meet your requirements (check these: number of memory slot, number of SATA connectors, connectors in the rear panel, do you need Dolby Home Theater [S/PDIF only]?).

So, what I need is the current motherboard (maybe among your recommendation in page 85), ATX (means 6 or more SATAII, I saw one Gigabyte motherboard, which can handle 10 SATAII, I forgot the type number), which can still use my current processor, video card and RAM (as a temporer solution, until my upgrade).

I also need advice on what casing should I use (I hope I can find it in China), which can accommodate 6 or more (10?, should you recommend to use that Gigabyte motherboard with 10 SATAII ports).

Last, which hardware should I replace first to get better video quality for ripped blu-ray playback (m2ts and/or mkv files). I presume I have to change the video card? What is your recommendation? How about the processor and RAM?
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P (8 SATA), GA-EP45-DQ6 (10 SATA). The max number of 3.5" drives in a normal HTPC case is 6 (the exception is OrigenAE S21T, 10 drives). For more drives, you will need to choose a 4U rackmount server case or a tower case.

Note that there will be no new LGA775 CPU. LGA1156 is the new platform (this fall). For recommendations of LGA775 CPU and RAM, check page 85. Radeon HD 4670.

Will a separate Radeon 4670 be better than buying a motherboard with Geforce 9300 integrated?
Yes.

My frustration has subsided and I did not buy anything today. However I have only 1 week to return several parts to Microcenter so I have a few days ti decide.

This PC will not be used for gaming, strictly bd/dvd/dvr/hdhomerun. I must supply sound and video thru HDMI.

My questions are:

1. Which system bd is best? I am not concerned with form factor.

2.Which CPU?

3. Is the embedded video sufficient or should I buy a seperate graphics card and if so which one and why?

4. I have downloaded windows 7 rc but have not installed it. Is this the best choice right now?

Any other info would be greatly appreciated.
Check the ATX or mATX mid-range AMD/AMD system on page 85 for the best video playback. Either Vista or 7 RC is good.

Going to go with the mid range AMD/AMD build my question is should I go for the slightly more expensive:

AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 6MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor

rather than the:

AMD Phenom II X3 710 2.6GHz Socket AM3 6MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor

What are the pros and cons if any, if there are none then might as well go for the 720 for an extra £18. Plus I believe the 720 is a black edition too?

Thanks to any responders in advance.
Either one is good. (Personally I bought 720 just for easier overclocking [multiplier unlocked upward].)

The IR receiver that comes with this remote (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14380) and others it like it are recognized by windows as a USB keyboard, from what I've read on the reviews. I believe the exact wording is HID. This one, and others like it, all seem to be about $10.

Is this adapter much different from the ones that come with the MCE remotes? I remember reading somewhere that register as eHome or something like it. Is there a big difference between HID and eHome?

Thanks in advance.

My question is rather unconventional for this thread, but I figured this thread has amongst the biggest exposure.

I got my HTPC case (a Lian Li PC-C33), and I plan to install an ATX motherboard in it. However, unless I'm missing something, this case has pre-installed motherboard standoffs that seemingly can't be dislodged without potentially damaging the case.

Anyway, there is one excess standoff to the left that is configured for mATX motherboards (and very few ATX boards). I need to eliminate the possibility of causing a short. What would you recommend I do in this situation? Should I just put a rubber grommet or electrical tape on the excess standoff? Or will the case's aluminum properties prevent a short from happening?

Is ther any video card (+ driver) that can output 30/36 bit RGB via HDMI/DVI?

The IR receiver that comes with this remote (http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14380) and others it like it are recognized by windows as a USB keyboard, from what I've read on the reviews. I believe the exact wording is HID. This one, and others like it, all seem to be about $10.

Is this adapter much different from the ones that come with the MCE remotes? I remember reading somewhere that register as eHome or something like it. Is there a big difference between HID and eHome?

Thanks in advance.

Slow -

Have you built out your box yet?

I did yesterday, 2 things for you if you haven't started;

- watch your hands, lots of sharp edges in the Enermax, I ripped my thumb open,
- the dvd doors are kinda flimsy, though for $15 I can't complain, BUT, you need to get the dvd player situated behind it 'just so', to get it to work right.

Also, the Scythe fans went in fine, and I had to take off the built in cpu cooling air guide 'cup' to get clearance for the ZeroTherm BTF90 cooler, but that was fine.

Have fun.

It's Monday morning and still installing WoW upgrades.

Never mind running an hdmi cable from my new 4670 in my htpc to my AVR, that will have to wait till tonight.

Hi Rene... I'm hoping to get some help regarding my new HTPC. I have just put it together this weekend and am not having a fun time getting my HDMI output to work properly. :-( Let me give you my setup first:

CPU: Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.50GHz LGA775
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master 風神鍛 (Geminii S) RR-CCH-PBJ1-GP
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H LGA775 GeForce 9400 mGPU microATX
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1B16K DDR2-800 2 x 2GB Kit
Graphics Card: ASUS EN9500GT TOP/DI/51
HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps
PSU: Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT
Sound Card: ASUS Xonar HDAV 1.3 (not Deluxe)
Case: SILVERSTONE Black Aluminum / Steel LC10S-E ATX
AVR: Integra DTC 9.8
Projector: Runco RS-900 connected via HDMI from Integra 9.8
OS: Vista Ultimate SP1 32 bit

Here's what I've tried and what I've seen. When I attempt to connect the Xonar to my Integra, I get video to the Runco, but no audio. The Integra shows No Signal on it's front panel and when I test sound from anywhere in Vista I get nothing. I have the HDMI out from the 9500 connected to the HDMI in on the Xonar and the HDMI out from the Xonar going to the Integra. No matter what I try, no audio. I've updated all the drivers (MOBO, Xonar and 9500) from the respective websites and have the most current firmware on the Integra. I thought I might have a bad Xonar, so I removed the 9500 and Xonar from the computer and attempted to run directly from the MOBO 9400's HDMI. Once again no signal on the Integra, but this time no video either. I can connect a DVI monitor to the DVI out of the MOBO and get video (to the monitor, not the Runco), but as soon as I plug in the HDMI cable I lose the DVI output (to be expected) and nothing seems to get to the Integra or Runco.

Sooo... Is there some kind of handshaking that I need to setup that I'm missing. I checked the CMOS and have turned off MOBO audio and disabled Hybrid SSL. I've searched the manufacturer's forums and haven't found anything. I'm at a complete loss. I'm very familiar with PC's and Windows, but this is my first attempt at a HTPC and more importantly with attempting to use HDMI through one. If you can provide any insights or ideas where I should go from here, it would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance...

Rick

PS - More Information after trying some other troubleshooting (maybe worthless)... I hooked up the coax digital out from the Xonar to my Integra and got sound. It's sending all lossy codecs properly but obviously can't send any DTS-MA, DD True-HD, etc. I've got to believe the HDMI audio problem is some sort of handshaking issue. I've been reading your other posts in various areas (GeForce 8200 thread, etc.) and have checked the HDMI Audio setup in the advanced area of my Integra setup. It is set to "Off". I'm really stuck. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

Hey guys...

Just checking to see if anyone might have an idea of where to go with my issue. I've tried a couple more things (removing the reinstalling the Xonar drivers, reseating the board, etc.) but all to no avail. Still get video through HDMI port, but no audio. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated :)

BTW - If this isn't the correct forum for this type of question, please let me know so I'm not posting in the wrong place.

Rick

[QUOTE=renethx;16392745]GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P (8 SATA), GA-EP45-DQ6 (10 SATA). The max number of 3.5" drives in a normal HTPC case is 6 (the exception is OrigenAE S21T, 10 drives). For more drives, you will need to choose a 4U rackmount server case or a tower case.

Okay Rene, thanks a bunch. After doing research for the HTPC casing, yes, max is 6 hard disk space. So, I want to use your recommendation for high end ATX, which is Zalman HD 160 Plus, but it seems that it can only accommodate 5 hard disks (please kindly confirm). So, I am eyeing on Silverstone LC17 (cheaper and can accommodate 6 hard disks). Is there any other options for HTPC case with 6 hard disks (not the expensive one).

Thanks in advance.

mc.

Slow -

Have you built out your box yet?

I did yesterday, 2 things for you if you haven't started;

- watch your hands, lots of sharp edges in the Enermax, I ripped my thumb open,
- the dvd doors are kinda flimsy, though for $15 I can't complain, BUT, you need to get the dvd player situated behind it 'just so', to get it to work right.

Also, the Scythe fans went in fine, and I had to take off the built in cpu cooling air guide 'cup' to get clearance for the ZeroTherm BTF90 cooler, but that was fine.

Have fun.

It's Monday morning and still installing WoW upgrades.

Never mind running an hdmi cable from my new 4670 in my htpc to my AVR, that will have to wait till tonight.

I was out of town this weekend and missed the arrival of my mobo, so I won't be really starting until tonight. I did attach the fan and attach the hard drive. Sorry to hear about your thumb. Those blue clips worked nicely on the exposed side, but it was a real pita to get the one on the back side to lock in place.

Out of curiosity how many clips did you get? I got 2 for the 5.25" bays, 4 larger ones for the 3.5" bays and a single smaller one for the 3.5" bays, which is probably for a floppy drive, but its odd that they only gave me one.

Can't wait to get started. What IR sensor are you using?

Guys and Rene especially Rene

Before I buy the parts below I just want to confirm that i will be able to pass both sound and video thru the hdmi port. That is the sole reason I am replacing my existing HTPC.

Is an upgrade to the 4850 wortwhile or just overkill?

AMD/AMD

System

CPU: Phenom II X3 710 HDX710WFGIBOX 2.6GHz AM3, $125.
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek HDT-SD964, $23.
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H AM2+ AMD 790GX chipset ATX, $139.
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1A16K DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $27.
Graphics Card: HIS H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 GDDR3 512MB, $80. An alternative is SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB, $90 (quieter at idle and video playback).
HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
PSU: Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT, $101. A cheaper alternative is Corsair VX550W CMPSU-550VX 550W, $70.
Case: Antec Fusion Remote Max ATX, $174.
Total Cost: $739

Thanks Again

Guys and Rene especially Rene

Before I buy the parts below I just want to confirm that i will be able to pass both sound and video thru the hdmi port. That is the sole reason I am replacing my existing HTPC.

Is an upgrade to the 4850 wortwhile or just overkill?

AMD/AMD

System

CPU: Phenom II X3 710 HDX710WFGIBOX 2.6GHz AM3, $125.
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek HDT-SD964, $23.
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-UD4H AM2+ AMD 790GX chipset ATX, $139.
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1A16K DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit, $27.
Graphics Card: HIS H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 GDDR3 512MB, $80. An alternative is SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB, $90 (quieter at idle and video playback).
HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
PSU: Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT, $101. A cheaper alternative is Corsair VX550W CMPSU-550VX 550W, $70.
Case: Antec Fusion Remote Max ATX, $174.
Total Cost: $739

Thanks Again

The 4670 will pass both audio and video

I'm interested in the AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe. My Asus P5K Deluxe motherboard has 2 x PCI-E x16 (blue @ x16 mode, black @ x4 or x1 mode). Since I have a 8800GT in the blue slot I would have to place the AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe in the black slot and limited to x4 or x1. Is this going to be a problem?

I was out of town this weekend and missed the arrival of my mobo, so I won't be really starting until tonight. I did attach the fan and attach the hard drive. Sorry to hear about your thumb. Those blue clips worked nicely on the exposed side, but it was a real pita to get the one on the back side to lock in place.

Out of curiosity how many clips did you get? I got 2 for the 5.25" bays, 4 larger ones for the 3.5" bays and a single smaller one for the 3.5" bays, which is probably for a floppy drive, but its odd that they only gave me one.

Can't wait to get started. What IR sensor are you using?

Yup - same number of clips - I thought that was odd.

Since I was putting in a fan in front as well as back, I took off both sides of the case, it made install of drives, fans, and general wiring that much easier.

No IR - this is my son's gaming rig, so hard wired for mouse and kybd only.

On my htpc in a Silverstone LC-03 case I use the MS MCE wireless kybd with built in mouse, and a standard MCE remote.

I'm interested in the AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe. My Asus P5K Deluxe motherboard has 2 x PCI-E x16 (blue @ x16 mode, black @ x4 or x1 mode). Since I have a 8800GT in the blue slot I would have to place the AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe in the black slot and limited to x4 or x1. Is this going to be a problem?

Not an issue, it is a X1 card. If you notice the contact portion of the card is sized to fit in a X1 slot. It will fit in a longer slot, but will still only be X1.

renethx,

I've been told that an E7200 or E7300 45nm Wolfdale would be the least power hungry and 'coolest' CPU's for a regular motherboard. However, both of these are discontinued. The E7400 and E7500 are available in it's place.

Are either of the new offerings any hotter or power hungry than the older models? Is there a reason to seek out the slower E7200 or would the E7400 be in the same ballpark?

Low power and heat are more important to me than the speed difference. It's going on a Zotac mini-itx board in a very small case.

Not an issue, it is a X1 card. If you notice the contact portion of the card is sized to fit in a X1 slot. It will fit in a longer slot, but will still only be X1.

Thanks for the info. I see some sites list advertise the AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe as Avertv Combo PCIE(M780). Is this the same thing or a different product?

Hey guys...

Just checking to see if anyone might have an idea of where to go with my issue. I've tried a couple more things (removing the reinstalling the Xonar drivers, reseating the board, etc.) but all to no avail. Still get video through HDMI port, but no audio. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated :)

BTW - If this isn't the correct forum for this type of question, please let me know so I'm not posting in the wrong place.

Rick

Have you posted in the Xonar thread? What is default in playback devices? Go there.

Have you posted in the Xonar thread? What is default in playback devices? Go there.

Thanks Davin... I'll post my question over there right now. As far as my default playback device, I have it currently set to the Xonar HDAV Speakers. I've tried the Xonar HDAV Digital also, neither works. Those are the only two I have available.

Thanks again for the response. I'll post over in the Xonar forum...

Rick

Radeon HD 4xxx is the only card that meets your requirements. It works fine with the PCI Express Gen1 x16. HD 4350 is the cheapest card and a good choice if you play only HD progressive contents (there are several passively cooled cards (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=Property&Subcategory=48&Description=&Type=&N=2000380048&srchInDesc=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&OEMMark=0&PropertyCodeValue=679%3A44922&PropertyCodeValue=3209%3A23120&PropertyCodeValue=2953%3A18921)). For SD and HD interlaced contents, HD 4670 is the best choice (like this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102818)).

Excellent thanks.

My new Boxee Box!!!!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f36/foghorn2/boxeebox.jpghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f36/foghorn2/bbtop.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f36/foghorn2/bbback.jpg

My new Boxee Box:

Rosewill HTPC Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147098)
Asus HTPC MB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131354)
AMD Energy Savings Processor 45w (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103255)
DVICO Fusion 5 Gold (http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/RTGold.aspx)

MSI 790FX-GD70 along with the new Phenom II X4 955 will be used in the next update of the ATX premium AMD/AMD system.

Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition HDZ955FBGIBOX 3.2GHz AM3, $245.
Xigmatek Dark Knight-S1283V, $40.
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX chipset ATX, $180.
G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ DDR3-1600 2 x 2GB Kit, $60.
Radeon HD 4890 GDDR5 1GB, $249.
Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
Antec Signature 850 850W, $220.
SilverStone Crown CW02 SST-CW02S-MXR ATX, $360.
Total: $1424
You can change components according to your needs. For example, if you don't need a high-end gaming card,

Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition HDZ955FBGIBOX 3.2GHz AM3, $245.
Cooler Master 風神鍛 (Geminii S) RR-CCH-PBJ1-GP, $28.
MSI 790FX-GD70 AM3 AMD 790FX chipset ATX, $180.
G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ DDR3-1600 2 x 2GB Kit, $60.
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB, $80.
Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT, $101.
Thermaltake DH-102 ATX, $440.
Total: $1204
But the BD audio refers to analog from the onboard audio and you should not expect top-notch quality as expected from Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe + TotalMedia Theater 3. Moreover you will need PowerDVD 9 Ultra (a future update; unknown release date) for full quality HD audio.

Rene and everybody,

After all Rene´s recommendations and reading a lot, it seems that for my needs (Best Quality audio and video for my home theater, a little bit of video editing, ripping and burning audio and video, etc..) the AMD/AMD ATX combo is the best selection over the intel /nvidia that I was planning at the beginning. So my component list is:


CPU: Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
CPU Cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V
Motherboard: MSI 790FX-GD70
Memory: G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ (2 Kits)
Graphic Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB
Hard Disk: Western Digital Caviar Green WD15EADS 1.5TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" (3 to have a total of 4.5TB)
Power Unit: Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT
Case: Thermaltake DH 102
Sound Card: ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe
Optical Drive: LG GGC-H20L
TV Card: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
Remote: Included with the Case
Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech diNovo Mini
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit


Just some questions that you can help me with:
1.- Does the Enermax PRO82 + 525W will have enough power? (taking into consideration that the case has a LCD screen that needs power too). Is this power unit very quiet?
2.- Should I buy Windows Vista or use Windows 7 RC until I can buy it? (Or if I buy Vista now, will I have an upgrade to windows 7 when it is released?)
3.- Can I have 3 1.5DTB HDD's as 1 4.5TB logical unit? Is this a good idea to place all my media and have a external unit for backup?
4.- Does everything will fit in the DH-102 case?
5.- Any additional comment, observation or recommendation before I purchase everything?

Once Again, Thanks a lot for your support

Miguel

Hello everyone,

Short version of my question -

If price does not matter is the Saphire Raedon HD 4770 better than the 4670 (in practice not just on paper)?

Longer version-

I am wondering if anyone knows how the newly released Sapphire 100277L Radeon HD 4770 512MB 128-bit GDDR5 card compares with the Sapphire 100255DDR4 Radeon HD 4670 512MB 128-bit GDDR4 card?

On the egg I am only seeing a $13 difference

I have read a bunch of reviews but they mainly focus on gaming. I am not knowledgeable enough to see if this is in fact the better way to go for an HTPC.

What I do see (I hope I am right)
4770 V 4670
GDDR5 versus GDDR4 (at 800MHz and 1000MHz respectively)
40nm versus 55nm

I think that 7.1 LPCM could be passed through the card vid DVI to HDMI adapter (Is this right?)

Is there anything that I am missing here or would this be a cheap yet big step up from the 4670?

Thank you to all who chime in! Any help is appreciated!

My new Boxee Box!!!!


My new Boxee Box:

Rosewill HTPC Case (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147098)
Asus HTPC MB (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131354)
AMD Energy Savings Processor 45w (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103255)
DVICO Fusion 5 Gold (http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/RTGold.aspx)

That Looks beautiful - congrats! ...hopefully i will have one to show off soon too!

Is there any other options for HTPC case with 6 hard disks (not the expensive one).
There are a bunch of SilverStone cases supporting 6 HDDs.

- CW03 (7" LCD, expensive)
- CW02
- GD01(-MX)
- LC20(M)
- LC16M

Is an upgrade to the 4850 wortwhile or just overkill?
Overkill.

renethx,

I've been told that an E7200 or E7300 45nm Wolfdale would be the least power hungry and 'coolest' CPU's for a regular motherboard. However, both of these are discontinued. The E7400 and E7500 are available in it's place.

Are either of the new offerings any hotter or power hungry than the older models? Is there a reason to seek out the slower E7200 or would the E7400 be in the same ballpark?

Low power and heat are more important to me than the speed difference. It's going on a Zotac mini-itx board in a very small case.
All E7xxx models are basically identical, apart from minor difference due to different steppings and multiplier (of course). The idle power of each model is almost identical (all three run at 266MHz x 6 = 1.60GHz). At 100% load E7400 consumes about 10% more power than E7200 (< 5W).

Thanks for the info. I see some sites list advertise the AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe as Avertv Combo PCIE(M780). Is this the same thing or a different product?
AVerTV Combo PCIe = M780.

Just some questions that you can help me with:
1.- Does the Enermax PRO82 + 525W will have enough power? (taking into consideration that the case has a LCD screen that needs power too). Is this power unit very quiet?
2.- Should I buy Windows Vista or use Windows 7 RC until I can buy it? (Or if I buy Vista now, will I have an upgrade to windows 7 when it is released?)
3.- Can I have 3 1.5DTB HDD's as 1 4.5TB logical unit? Is this a good idea to place all my media and have a external unit for backup?
4.- Does everything will fit in the DH-102 case?
5.- Any additional comment, observation or recommendation before I purchase everything?
1. Yes. Yes.
2. Either one is OK. Personally I would use 7 RC and buy it when released officially (Q1 2010). Vista with free upgrade to 7 begins in July 1, but perhaps it's too far away for you.
3. Perhaps using each disc as a single drive is easier to handle. Backing up critical data is always necessary.
4. The cooler does not fit. Choose the 90mm version or Geminii S.

is the Saphire Raedon HD 4770 better than the 4670 (in practice not just on paper)?
No, assuming you are not thinking of games. It's noisier and consumes more power for nothing.

Can anyone suggest a better alternative to M3N78 Pro that uses same type components... AMD 9600 BE, Corsair 1066 DDR2 4gb, etc..

For some reason I get no video out on this board in VGA or HDMI. ASUS Troubleshooting says I should replace each component individually to determine what is faulty (its a list of like 7 items). Thats great if I have a ton of parts laying around but I dont. Just about giving up. Ive had problems with ASUS in the past and now theyre on my list with WD as crap products. Its probably user error but whatever.

Sorry to rant. Im really discouraged at this point and just trying to finish the build. Any suggestions would be great.

1. Yes. Yes.
2. Either one is OK. Personally I would use 7 RC and buy it when released officially (Q1 2010). Vista with free upgrade to 7 begins in July 1, but perhaps it's too far away for you.
3. Perhaps using each disc as a single drive is easier to handle. Backing up critical data is always necessary.
4. The cooler does not fit. Choose the 90mm version or Geminii S.

Rene,
Where I Can Find the 90mm version?, I tryed but only the 120mm appears.
Or maybe another cooler that is quiet enough and will fit my Thermaltake DH-102 case?

Thanks
Miguel

Rene,
Where I Can Find the 90mm version?, I tryed but only the 120mm appears.
Or maybe another cooler that is quiet enough and will fit my Thermaltake DH-102 case?

Thanks
Miguel

Whatever you do, dont buy the zerotherm butterfly. The specs say 16db but it sounds louder than that when I heard it today. Might be quieter with the case closed up. Its a big fan too. Stands around 5 inches tall.

No, assuming you are not thinking of games. It's noisier and consumes more power for nothing.

Thank you! thats not what I was thinking so I am very glad I asked!



Could someone please tell me is the 5050e with a 4760 is good enough for flawless streaming content such as hd hulu or would I need something more powerfull? ( I hear this is CPU intensive)
(cable was included at my place up until yesterday ;(... I do not want to get it if I do not have to :) lol )


Also can anyone please explain what is the main difference between the GA-MA780G and the GA-MA790GP boards for an HTPC?

thank you!

Hello,

I am trying to build an HTPC system that will be purely used for HD media playback including blu ray. No gaming or any other more demanding tasks. Thanks to renethx for his very useful guide.

I was going to go with the following hardware:

CPU: Intel Core2 Duo E7400 2.8GHz 3MB / 1066FSB
-Because I'm impatient-
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H LGA775 GeForce 9400 mGPU microATX
-OR-
the cheaper alternative MSI P7NGM-Digital LGA775 GeForce 9300 mGPU microATX

I only need HDMI out from the MB which will be connected to a Denon avr789 receiver HDMI in.

My questions are:

1. Will I need a cooler with this CPU and the IGP in an Antec Fusion 430 case or anything similar in size?
2. Are there any known issues with either of the Motherboards above with the Denon AVR789?

I am open to any other suggestions/feedback regarding the hardware and how it will work with my receiver.

I am just looking for a fairly quick CPU because I am impatient with day to day tasks. I am currently using an old setup with an AMD 3500+ (single core).

Thanks,
L_train

Hello,

I am trying to build an HTPC system that will be purely used for HD media playback including blu ray. No gaming or any other more demanding tasks. Thanks to renethx for his very useful guide.

I was going to go with the following hardware:

CPU: Intel Core2 Duo E7400 2.8GHz 3MB / 1066FSB
-Because I'm impatient-
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H LGA775 GeForce 9400 mGPU microATX
-OR-
the cheaper alternative MSI P7NGM-Digital LGA775 GeForce 9300 mGPU microATX

I only need HDMI out from the MB which will be connected to a Denon avr789 receiver HDMI in.

My questions are:

1. Will I need a cooler with this CPU and the IGP in an Antec Fusion 430 case or anything similar in size?
2. Are there any known issues with either of the Motherboards above with the Denon AVR789?

I am open to any other suggestions/feedback regarding the hardware and how it will work with my receiver.

I am just looking for a fairly quick CPU because I am impatient with day to day tasks. I am currently using an old setup with an AMD 3500+ (single core).

Thanks,
L_train



http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16392589#post16392589


I was thinking the same thing as you. I like to think what I went with based on Renethx was suggestion is better than a 9300/9400 board. With that said if you do go 9300/9400 get the Gigabyte the quality is worth a few bucks.

Can anyone suggest a better alternative to M3N78 Pro that uses same type components... AMD 9600 BE, Corsair 1066 DDR2 4gb, etc..

For some reason I get no video out on this board in VGA or HDMI. ASUS Troubleshooting says I should replace each component individually to determine what is faulty (its a list of like 7 items). Thats great if I have a ton of parts laying around but I dont. Just about giving up. Ive had problems with ASUS in the past and now theyre on my list with WD as crap products. Its probably user error but whatever.

Sorry to rant. Im really discouraged at this point and just trying to finish the build. Any suggestions would be great.
What's your requirement of video/audio? Any particular reason to stick to NVIDIA chipset? "Better alternative" is somewhat ambiguous.

Rene,
Where I Can Find the 90mm version?
Here. (http://www.google.com/products?q=HDT-SD964&scoring=p&price1=20.00&price2=30.00&lnk=prsugg)

What's your requirement of video/audio? Any particular reason to stick to NVIDIA chipset? "Better alternative" is somewhat ambiguous.

Im just looking to stream Netflix & Hulu, as well as play ripped dvd's, downloaded content, etc. Ill be getting my Sapphire 4670 today so Ill be using HDMI out. Im not deadset on NVIDIA chipset. I was looking at this board....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128384

...but Im open to anything.

I'm looking at the AVerTV Volar Max USB Tuner but I'm a little confused. :confused: According to the manufacturer's website:

This tuner support QAM in Vista VMC or XP MCE

Does this mean that I wont be able to get clear QAM in Windows XP Professional x86?

I was looking at this board....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128384
Yes, a good choice.

I'm looking at the AVerTV Volar Max USB Tuner but I'm a little confused. :confused: According to the manufacturer's website:



Does this mean that I wont be able to get clear QAM in Windows XP Professional x86?
Yes, the card supports clear QAM with its own player under XP Pro.

Hi, I have tenativley decided on this, any concerns I should be addressing.
AMD Phenom II X3 720
Asus M3A78 , No problems with asus in the past
Powercolor ATI 4850
Leaning toward Win 7 64 bit RC, Have only XP Pro at present
I will be playing BluRay, Streaming, and a little gaming.

Hello all and Rene, is this system good enough for the following:
Play music collection
watch ripped dvds,
online content like hulu and netflix
connect to a touchscreen to use e-touch jukebox for music collection
connect to my avr789 reciever that connects to my plasma via hdmi, so in other words I would like dual display if needed.

Here is my system:
GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 9400 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500
CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W ATX12V
CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Antec Black Aluminum / Steel Fusion Remote Black Micro ATX Media Center

In the future i might add a blu-ray drive, so I am hoping this is enough to handle it 6 months or 1 year from now.

Would you change anything on the above if so what would it be?

Thanks for the advice.

Thanks to all of you (especially Renethx) for all the information here

I want to build a media server to do the following:
Watch & record HD shows
Watch DVDs (blu-ray eventually), mkv, mpg, avi etc
Encoding
Transcoding (Placeshifting)



The software/hardware I will be using:
Windows Home Server
SageTV for DVR & media center
3 SageTV HD200 extenders connected to 1080i or 1080p displays
1 HDHR (used to tune HD QAM channels)
Avermedia A180 (PCI tuner)
WinTV II (PCI tuner)
2 HD-PVR (used with DirecTV HD receivers)
Case is a Antec P182
Either a HVR-2250 or Avermedia AVerTVHD Duet (PCI Express x1)



I was thinking of starting with this setup:
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R LGA 775
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400
G.SKILL F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK DDR2-1066 2 x 2GB Kit
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB
ENERMAX PRO82+ EPR525AWT 525W



Questions...

1. Would this be a good combination to accomplish what I want? I picked this motherboard because it has 3 PCI slots and a good amount of SATA ports.

2. Is it worth the extra $50 to go with a Q9400s (low power)?

3. Will I need a CPU cooler or will the stock one be OK?

4. Any other suggestions on motherboard & CPU? It doesn't have to be an Intel CPU.

What is the difference between ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard and GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-US2H. I'm guessing they are pretty much the same board, made by different manufacturers? Is Gigabyte the prefered mobo maker on AVS? Or is there something I am missing? I want to scoop up the ASUS board and pretty much use the same components as the mid-range AMD/AMD build.

1. Yes. Yes.
2. Either one is OK. Personally I would use 7 RC and buy it when released officially (Q1 2010). Vista with free upgrade to 7 begins in July 1, but perhaps it's too far away for you.

I just wanted to mention that my multifunction HTPC (used for office stuff as well as DVR, etc.) has been very stable with Win 7 Beta x64 version - better than Vista Home premium x64, in that Win 7 solved some nagging hardware issue I had with my MB where it's wouldn't sleep/come out of sleep consistently. As long as you have reasonably recent hardware and download some new Win 7 software drivers available from Intel & Nvidia. I downloaded the Win 7 RC this morning, and will switch to that this weekend. It was relatively easy to switch from Vista since I use a separate drive for my OS and applications - and a MB based RAID 5 for recorded video, and I just swapped out the OS drive.

Of course your experience might be different if your hardware is based on products from other vendors. You certainly don't have anything to lose other that some time if you want to try the Win 7 RC first - and then wait until July (or later) to spend your money...

Ben Sanford

Renethx,

Any Radeon love for us low profile folks? I have plenty of SD content and HDMI carries audio and video. I am currently using IGP 9300.

I downloaded the Win 7 RC this morning, and will switch to that this weekend. It was relatively easy to switch from Vista since I use a separate drive for my OS and applications - and a MB based RAID 5 for recorded video, and I just swapped out the OS drive.


Ben Sanford

As long as you plan on swapping to the official Win7 release that should be fine. However, I've heard that although the RC will function until mid 2010, it will start shutting down automatically every 2 hours starting in March 2010. So you'll need to switch before then.

How does the Corsair HX series compare to the VX? Is it the same with the exception being modular versus non?

ZipZoom has a one day sale Corsair HX 620W for 70 after rebate-

(thinking of this for a low amd/amd atx w/4670).

Am I missing anything here?

Would you change anything on the above if so what would it be?
Dual display is possible with digital+analog. You don't need 620W PSU. 450W is enough.

Questions...

1. Would this be a good combination to accomplish what I want? I picked this motherboard because it has 3 PCI slots and a good amount of SATA ports.

2. Is it worth the extra $50 to go with a Q9400s (low power)?

3. Will I need a CPU cooler or will the stock one be OK?

4. Any other suggestions on motherboard & CPU? It doesn't have to be an Intel CPU.
1. Good.
2. No, "S" is a waste of money.
3. A third party cooler is better. As your case is tower, you can use almost any cooler.
4. Memory can be DDR2-800.

What is the difference between ASUS M3A78-EM AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard and GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-US2H. I'm guessing they are pretty much the same board, made by different manufacturers? Is Gigabyte the prefered mobo maker on AVS? Or is there something I am missing? I want to scoop up the ASUS board and pretty much use the same components as the mid-range AMD/AMD build.
Brand. Basically either one is OK.

Renethx,

Any Radeon love for us low profile folks? I have plenty of SD content and HDMI carries audio and video. I am currently using IGP 9300.
HD 4550 is the best choice.

How does the Corsair HX series compare to the VX? Is it the same with the exception being modular versus non?
HX is slightly more efficient (by 1-2%) and uses modular cables. Otherwise they are pretty much the same.

You guys have been a wealth of information to a newbie like me. I've decided to get a HTPC for my main TV. So far these are the specs I have planned out and was wondering if these specs look okay to you guys. I've picked components from the Mid-range and High-end ATX systems. I want a system that I can use as a DVR to record OTA, play some 720p/1080p mkvs, play and possibly rip some BDs and do some minor encoding. I don't plan on doing any gaming on it. I plan on getting get the low-end microATX Intel/Nvidia system for the bedroom later to stream videos of this main HTPC's HD. So here are my specs:

Keyboard/Mouse: Logitech diNovo Mini
Optical Drive: LG GGC-H20L Super Multi Blue Blu-ray Disc & HD DVD-ROM Drive
TV Tuner Card: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250
OS: Windows 7 RC
CPU: Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.50GHz LGA775
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS9500A LED
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA775 Intel P45 chipset ATX
Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1B16K DDR2-800 2 x 2GB Kit
Graphics Card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670 GDDR4 512MB
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive X 2
PSU: ENERMAX MODU82+ EMD525AWT 525W
Case: Thermaltake DH202 VJ80011N2Z
TV: Sony 52"W4100 LCD

So here are some questions I have.
1. Does anyone know if these components fit in the Thermaltake case? Has anyone heard any news about the DH202? On the Thermaltake website it says:

Q: What is the longest graphics card that may be used with this chassis?
A: This chassis will fit a video card that is no longer than 10.6" with the removal of the HDD cage. Standard size fit is 9.6"
Q: What is the tallest cooler that will fit this chassis?
A: This chassis will fit a cooler that is no taller than 100mm(3.9")

So I guess that means the video card can only be 9.6" if I want to put more than 1 HDDs? Will that be okay with the video card I selected? Will the cooler also fit or do I have to find a low profile one?

2. Was there a reason the Enermax PRO82+ was selected over the MODU82+ other than cost? Is the MODU82+ better? The MODU82+ is cheaper than the PRO82+ right now because of rebates. Which one should I get?

3. There seems to be raving reviews in the thread for the SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670. Is the Radeon HD 4850 GDDR3 512MB recommended in the High-end system that much better or is it more for gaming purposes? Which one should I get?

4. Is there anything I'm missing or anything else I need to know about?

I'm so excited to take the plunge to get my first HTPC but scared I'm making the wrong decisions. You guys have been very helpful. Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide. Your help is much appreciated.

So here are some questions I have.
1. Does anyone know if these components fit in the Thermaltake case? Has anyone heard any news about the DH202? On the Thermaltake website it says:

Q: What is the longest graphics card that may be used with this chassis?
A: This chassis will fit a video card that is no longer than 10.6" with the removal of the HDD cage. Standard size fit is 9.6"
Q: What is the tallest cooler that will fit this chassis?
A: This chassis will fit a cooler that is no taller than 100mm(3.9")

So I guess that means the video card can only be 9.6" if I want to put more than 1 HDDs? Will that be okay with the video card I selected? Will the cooler also fit or do I have to find a low profile one?

2. Was there a reason the Enermax PRO82+ was selected over the MODU82+ other than cost? Is the MODU82+ better? The MODU82+ is cheaper than the PRO82+ right now because of rebates. Which one should I get?

3. There seems to be raving reviews in the thread for the SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4670. Is the Radeon HD 4850 GDDR3 512MB recommended in the High-end system that much better or is it more for gaming purposes? Which one should I get?

4. Is there anything I'm missing or anything else I need to know about?
If FAQ is correct, CNPS9500A LED won't fit the case. You are limited to a top-flow cooler (Geminii S is good and cheap, 88mm high with fan).

PRO82+ are MODU82+ are more or less identical except for the cabling system. If MODU82+ is cheaper, go for it.

4850 is only for gaming purpose. No worry about HD 4670 card length (only 6.6").

BTW Q8400 is now the same price as Q8300, $183. Go with Q8400 unless you find a better deal with Q8300.

I'm thinking of getting a dell Studio XPS desktop.

My video card options that I'm considering are a radeon 3450 or 4670

Will both of these cards pass audio and video over HDMI?

I have stand alone blu ray player, so I'm only interested in playing music I've ripped to Itunes using Apple Lossless through my pioneer sc05. I really want a one cable solution so I can just switch inputs on my remote to flip back and forth from blu ray to pc and have it switch both audio and video for me.

Thanks in advance for any input.

HX is slightly more efficient (by 1-2%) and uses modular cables. Otherwise they are pretty much the same.

Does anybody knows this PSU
Nesteq EECS 700 Watt Ultra Quiet Power Supply?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdJjykWGTJA
It seem to be a ultra quiet unit with an easy connect system.
It costs around $149
Any recomendations?

Thanks
Miguel

OK guys thanks for the input. I am going to go with the amd/amd mid-range setup. My next question is should I install the 64 or 32 bit version of windows 7?

I'm thinking of getting a dell Studio XPS desktop.

My video card options that I'm considering are a radeon 3450 or 4670

Will both of these cards pass audio and video over HDMI?

I have stand alone blu ray player, so I'm only interested in playing music I've ripped to Itunes using Apple Lossless through my pioneer sc05. I really want a one cable solution so I can just switch inputs on my remote to flip back and forth from blu ray to pc and have it switch both audio and video for me.
You'd better stay away from 3450 (crappy video post-processing [if it concerns you], stereo 16 bit/48 kHz only LPCM over HDMI). 4670 HDMI audio (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16305207#post16305207) supports multichannel LPCM, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 176.4, 192 kHz, 16/24/32 bit.

OK guys thanks for the input. I am going to go with the amd/amd mid-range setup. My next question is should I install the 64 or 32 bit version of windows 7?
If you are going to use Media Center, then 32-bit may be better depending on your requiments of filters (a couple of excellent filters are still 32 bit only).

Thanks Rene,

One last thing, (probably not:). Is TMT the best blu-ray player and if so is it bundled with any bd internal drives? I have no interest in burning bd.

I installed Windows 7 today and everything installed very nice. The only problem I have is I can't get the DVR/recorded TV shows to skip 30 seconds for or backwards. Anyone else have this problem?

My set up is:

OrigenAE S16V case
Evga 113 820 based motherboard
Saphire HD 4670 Ultimate(I abandoned the internal GPU becuase I couldn't get HDMI audio to work properly)
AMD 2.1ghz Tri proc
Hauppage 2250
1 tereabyte drive and a 1 OSZ SSD for the OS.

Well all my components have arrived and my system has been assembled and Win RC 7 installed without a hitch.

Well I did have a problem with the RAM, my system speaker was screaming at me the first time I booted up. I decoded the error lights and after a couple minutes I realized I didn't have the memory pushed all the way down.

I've started programing series recordings and so far I'm very impressed with the guide function on WMC. My reception with a basic rabbit ear antenna is great so far. I'm using my Belkin Media Pilot for controls for now.

I still need so sort of IR receiver so that I can use my Harmony 890. That should be the last bit of hardware that I need for sometime.

Now comes the software tweaking. The picture doesn't look quite right I think the whites are too pink and the colors just seem a bit off. The picture is just as sharp and clear as HD cable, but for some reason there is a very small (~1/4") black border around the picture.

Good luck everyone!

Hi thanks for the information in this thread it was so very helpful

I am going to go with this setup

AMD/NVIDIA

System

* CPU: Phenom II X4 810 HDX810WFGIBOX 2.6GHz AM3, $175.
* CPU Cooler: Cooler Master 風神鍛 (Geminii S) RR-CCH-PBJ1-GP, $38.
* Motherboard: MSI K9N2GM-FIH AM2+ GeForce 8200 mGPU microATX, $75.
* Memory: A-DATA ADQVE1B16K DDR2-800 2 x 2GB Kit, $41.
* Graphics Card: ASUS EN9800GT HB/HTDI/512M GeForce 9800 GT, $130.
* HDD: Western Digital WD6400AAKS 640GB SATA 3.0Gbps, $70.
* PSU: Enermax PRO82+ 525W EPR525AWT, $101. A cheaper alternative is Corsair VX550W CMPSU-550VX 50W, $70.
* Case: Antec Fusion Remote Black microATX, $143.
* Total Cost: $773

my question is -- is the Enermax PRO82 EPR525AWT that comes up on the Newegg site compatible with a microatx board? the one that comes up on newegg is not specifically listed as a micro atx psu

my question is -- is the Enermax PRO82 EPR525AWT that comes up on the Newegg site compatible with a microatx board?
Yes.

I only seem to be have the option of stereo over HDMI in the Windows control panel. Researching a solution now. There's a thread that says I need ATI catalyst control center and Realtek drivers to get it working. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

I think I have the picture dialed in pretty well. It looks just as good as my HD cable, but I still can't get surround sound working.

Up to this point the whole set up has been pretty much plug and play. Extremely user friendly in both assembly and set up. But I feel like I've hit a wall trying to get 5.1 DD bitstream out of my HD 3300 HDMI output.

I'm currently using the HD3200 on board video from my GA-MA78GM-S2H.
What would I gain by upgrading to the Saphire HD 4670 ?

Thanks

I'm currently using the HD3200 on board video from my GA-MA78GM-S2H.
What would I gain by upgrading to the Saphire HD 4670 ?

Thanks

Better SD post-processing as well as Audio/Video via HDMI

Better SD post-processing as well as Audio/Video via HDMI

I already get audio and video via HDMI with the HD3200.

Please explain better SD post-processing.
Are there any other benefits?

Thanks

I already get audio and video via HDMI with the HD3200.

Please explain better SD post-processing.
Are there any other benefits?

Thanks

Sorry, I meant multi channel

Sorry, I meant multi channel

This is the HD3200 description on the Gigbyte website...

"HDMI is able to provide up to 5Gb/s video transmitting bandwidth and multi-channel high quality audio all through a single cable. Able to transmit superior, uncompressed digital video and audio, HDMI ensures the crispest rendering of digital content up to 1080p without the quality losses associated with analog interfaces and their digital-to-analog conversion. GA-MA78GM-S2H has obtained the latest HDMI 1.3* certification, able to support Full HD 1080p multi-media and HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) which allowing Blu-ray/ HD DVD and other protected contents playback.
* HDMI 1.3 certified in video spec only."

It does say multi-channel audio.

However it also says that HDMI 1.3 is certified in video spec only. What would that imply?

I already get audio and video via HDMI with the HD3200.

Please explain better SD post-processing.
Are there any other benefits?

Thanks

Also, regarding better SD post-processing, I think this applies for certain items such as denoise/sharpening, etc... so better PQ.

I tested out a few SD DVDs (I have the same mobo as you) and compared on one HTPC (using the IGP) and the other HTPC (w/ 4670) and the 4670 produced a sharper/clearer picture, I guess you would consider similar to upconverting. Who knows, maybe I just tricked myself into believing this since I had already spent the money on the 4670 :D . The multi channel via HDMI was the big reason for me.