Covert 5-yo Desktop to an HTPC, or Get a New One?

Your pc is overkill for an HTPC, it will work just fine and can actually decode everything in software with plenty of cpu headroom (I have the same cpu).

But you want a gaming HTPC which is a different story, you might end up being cpu bound.

That's 5 years old? Oh my..

My htpc (used only for video) is
AMD X2 5600
GT430 w/ 1GB ram (some hardware decoding)
Hauppage HVR-2250 (hardware encoding)
2GB RAM
500GB sata2 (though i think mobo only supports 1)

As you can see, this is a modest rig at best however w/ the GT430 I can play 1080p x264 no issues with LAV filters. I usually just have 720p xvid/264 but it is flawless. The Hauppage w/ its hardware encoding allows me to record 2 HD streams at once with cpu usage < 10%.

Do you plan on changing OS?

It's not as "overkill" as you might think. I have a Q6600 (actually retired now and sitting in the basement) but the Passmark score of a lowly i3-2100 is actually about 30% higher than this old C2Q (3853 to 2970). We all tend to think of those old Core 2 Quads as being really dynamite processors, and they were when they were released 5 years ago, but that architecture is pretty far behind Sandy and Ivy Bridge (not to mention that you could heat the house with them).

So I wouldn't call it "overkill", but it's still plenty of processor for an HTPC. It's stronger than a Pentium or Celeron that many people use. So it falls within the range of performance of common HTPC cpus today, between a G620 and an i3. With the GT430, it should work fine for a long time to come.

I'm not a gamer, but I suspect it's days as a gaming cpu for high end games is probably passed. I don't know if you can make up for that with a really high end graphics card or not.

It is still overkill for an HTPC. Where it stands in relation to today's processors is completely irrelevant. Yes, the computer itself is no where near overkill compared to what is available today, but as far as processing power needed for HTPC use, it still far surpasses what is needed, especially with the more current vid card that allows for significant hardware accel vs doing it software.




Anyhow, I was sort of in the same boat with my similar aged machine...E8400 + 8800GTS....I opted not to repurpose it. To me, it was worth a couple hundred bucks for a new low end machine that was smaller, quieter, cooler, and handles htpc duty just as well if not better then simply using the old desktop.

I'm running a core 2 quad 9550 paired with a radeon HD 6850 and it can still play any game I throw at it on high settings with good framerates. However, its not good for a HTPC at all - its loud and uses lots of electricity.

If you don't care about power use, why don't you use your current PC but keep it in another room and use extenders at the TV end? The Ceton Echo when it comes out later this year, Xbox 360 now or if you don't use Live / Recorded TV on your HTPC, just get any old media streamer like the WD Live.

It's interesting as to what is re-usable and what isn't. I've got a Q6600 system that's retired, my wife's old Dell Inspiron E8400 system that's been replaced and is sitting unused, and a soon-to-be-retired (and slowly failing) Q9400 Inspiron. Of these the one that might ever get used again is the "weakest" one - the E8400 Insprion - which might see life again as a server if I ever get the time and motivation to play with setting it up.

But I am still using a much older Pentium D small form factor Optiplex GX620that came from the office as retired XP and MS Office box to serve as a HTPC on a secondary HDTV and surround sound system. It works primarily because it's really small, is pretty quiet, and can sit horizontally on a shelf on the TV stand. With the addition of a cheap Radeon 5450, and a W7 Home Premium upgrade, it's perfect for the limited things we ask of it there -- mostly internet streaming and an occasional DVD. I was happy enough with it that I recently splurged and replaced the hard disk with an SSD and now it's terrific. It's not our main system and I figure in its limited role it will be just fine for a few more years. Will probably end up being the longest used computer I'll ever own.

But the tower systems would be totally unsuitable for that purpose, and aren't worth the expense to try to salvage. Although the one might still make a reasonable server. But it's the case that makes that old Optiplex SFF work.

BTW, I don't consider an i3-2100 overkill for an htpc either, which is why I also don't consider the Q6600 overkill. It seems just about right in the power department (if you ignore the heat issue).

I've got a Q6600 in my HTPC as well, along with 8GB of RAM, and currently a AMD6850 GPU.

The only thing I've ever felt the need to upgrade is the GPU (Started with a 4xxx, then a 5xxx, and now the 6850). The CPU is honestly still more than powerful enough for anything I do with it, and even though I game at 1920x1080, I haven't ever been CPU limited in games either.

If you already have it and it works great, you might as well use it, in my mind. Sure, the newer stuff will blow that away, but why spend the money if you don't HAVE to?

When I build a PC I tend to start with solid core components like a quality PSU and case. Add some good cooling fans, an optical drive, hard drive (standard drive for data and recordings and an SSD for the PS), mouse, keyboard, and monitor (unless it's an HTPC, in which case it will connect to a TV). If you get quality hardware in these categories, they should never need to be upgraded when you want to migrate to a newer system. The CPU, motherboard, memory, and GPU are the only items that really need to be changed if you want better performance or the latest features.

I bought a Noctua NH-C12P low-profile CPU cooler for my HTPC back in November of 2008. Since then I've replaced the motherboard, CPU and memory at least twice. Noctua sent me updated mounting brackets for the newer CPU socket absolutely free each time I upgraded as long as I provided a photocopy of the original receipt. I'll never have to buy another CPU cooler as long as I don't lose the receipt (the fan is easily replaced at minimal cost). Same goes for the PSU and other peripherals. There's no need to replace them unless you plan on selling the old PC intact and getting all new hardware.

i have no idea, but so long as your system currently handles all the games you want to play i'd stick with it. no sense in upgrading parts for games that have not been released yet. parts are just going to get cheaper the longer you wait.

Q6600 is the first consumer quad-core CPU to come from Intel; widely regarded as one of the best.
It will still be good enough to run newer games.
You will get better value by upgrading your RAM and changing from Vista to 7.

Logitech Mediaboard - $30 Comes with a touchpad like a laptop, no side number pad. Requires Bluetooth.

That E8400 is probably faster than the Q6600, since it is a Wolfsdale, as opposed to 6600 which is a Conroe core. The Wolfsdale is much more capable.
I run an E6300 Wolfsdale (2.8 gig, not the older E6300 Conroe 1.86 gig) in my HTPC, and works outstanding, hasnt given me a single issue.
And to the OP, if your Q6600 is running 3.1 gig, it is overclocked. The stock speed is 2.66.

I'd stick a 120G ssd in it and leave the rest of the Q6600 pc alone -htpc or workstation. (I'd even be tempted to say stick a OCZ AGT3-25SAT3-120G Agility 3 2.5" 120GB SATA3 6GB/s and pair it with Velocity Solo pci-e board, based on a recent experience. The cloning software included is nice, and you also gain a SATA3 port. Assuming the motherboard has a pc has a sapre 1X pci-e slot.) There's lots of deals on the OCZ ssd drives right now, and after the rebate, locally, that 120Gb ssd is $95.

The E8400 is pretty much on par with the Q6600. Been there, done that "upgrade".


Zon, that E8400 Inspiron should become an Unraid media server!

Just using Passmark as a rough measure, the E8400 is 2222 and the Q6600 is 2970. The E8400 is almost identical to a current Celeron G530 (2273).

The E8400 is newer, but it was a lot lower level (and cheaper) chip than the Q6600. That's why my wife had the E8400 and I had Q6600 and Q9400 systems .

Oh, and actually the stock clock speed on a Q6600 is only 2.4ghz.

Well it should be a server of some sort. I need to start reading Assassin's server guides.

First I need to finish my new desktop build this weekend.

and / or www.lime-technology.com

I'm mid desktop upgrade currently too. Stock i7 930 to 4 Ghz oc with Corsair H100. Another 12G of ram to 24G, and do a ram disk. Second ssd for swapfile. 5850 to a 6850. Should be excellent bang for the buck. And wih the right 8 ram slot mobo upgrade, it should transistion to a new mobo/cpu nicely, and buy me some time to see how 2011 and 1155 shake out.

You are right, I still have one on an Asus P5Q Pro, but it hasnt been fired up for a few years. Too much of an energy hog for either an HTPC or a server for me.

I doubt that computer would ever come close to consuming the $ of a new mobo/cpu/ram and OS in energy as htpc.

I would repurpose it for now, see how it works for you and then go from there. It will work perfectly well as an HTPC.

My HTPC is re-purposed from SO's old computer: Asus mATX MB, E6300 Wolfsdale 2.8 gig cpu, 4 gigs DDR2 memory. All in a pretty Silverstone GD05B case. My server is from her older-yet computer, an Athlon X2 BE2300, on a Gigabyte MB. Low power, plenty of ooommmmppphhh to run WHS.
So the Q6600 sits neglected.

With the $100 a Q6600 cpu commands on the used market, I have to wonder if the ram in that Q6600 will work in Wolfsdale htpc? And just how peppy would that htpc be with a ssd?