My dirt cheap ~$300 HTPC build - please rate!

That actually looks like a solid build. Post some pics!

BTW, what playback software are you going to use?

I use MPC-HC within MB and really like it. It worked quite well without MadVR but I was having issues with a few 720p29/30 files I had when I started using MadVR for frame rate switching so I added a video card (GT 430 fanless from ASUS).

What content format do you have?
Edited by Sammy2 - 9/18/12 at 5:40pm

$95 is way too expensive for that board. Much better options out there, imo. And while SATAII may be "fine" you can go to SATAIII by using a more modern board for less money.

That's $328 in whatever currency you are and you didn't include your Win7 OS cost.

If it works out for ya, great, but you can get sub $300 desktops all day long on Dell Outlet, for example, this is $277 US shipped after taxes (8%). Has an OS, and a decent hard drive to get ya started.

A BIG +1 !

Exactly , " what would the fun be "

BOO ... to pre built

I wonder how much bloatware needs to be cleaned off that machine and also am concerned about accessing the BIOS.

Format c: ?

Dell Bios can be accessed all right. Not that there are any overclocking options.

Yeah if you format it all you have to restore with is the back up DVD that they prompt you to make when you first fire it up. And the bloatware is back. Of course this is assuming that you don't have Windows and a key already from another source. If you don't then add in another $100 or so for the O.S. And accessing the BIOS is good for when you add in the SSD that machine is missing. All of a sudden that $300 machine is $500.

OK, whatever. I won't buy this Dell, but it is me.

/SSD argument is incorrect, you wanna upgrade, you pay for it, the machine comes w/its own license, but that all doesn't really matter/

Awesome!

You need to change the BIOS to ACHI properly install a SSD I believe. I am also wondering if you can d/l windows from microsoft and use the Dell key or if it only works with the dell specific OS?

I agree. Those that know...build. Those that don't? Well, that's why Dell is in business.

It is OEM license they have, and one is supposed to use their tools, the y give you backup or something, you can call them and ask for the OS DVD and they even may ship it to you.
As of using their license key w/ "generic" version of Windows, I don't think it will work. There are various ways around this, but I won't go into it.

It is so simple those days to build a PC. Even my cat could do it, if she wanted to. Install mb, put in CPU, RAM, HSF, connect HDD - you are done!

Back in the old days we needed to worry about interrupts etc. etc. etc. It was an art of some sort. Not anymore.

Yup. There's like 6 parts to a modern PC...that's it. It takes literally 20 minutes to assemble one.

Same here. I messed and messed with it, never was happy. I'll deal with the pulldown...heck, I'm used to it.

Works all the time. I buy desktops/laptops on slickdeals for my co-workers all the time and then re-install the OS to get rid of bloat. An OEM license will work with a Retail copy of Win7, I just have to phone into M$'s automated bot to get validated. Although I've been tempted to just use Daz, I get so grumpy having to squint at the dam key, which is in the most inconvenient spot and type it in. Grump Grump.

As for me posting the Dell, like I said in my post, if it works for ya OP great. I didn't know your level of knowledge, or cheapness As for me I'm a huge cheap ass.

Back in 2011 I replaced my slow as balls Acer Revo Office HTPC with a Dell 620 i3 that I got for under $300

Of course the form factor sucked, so what would any anal nerd do? That's right, throw the guts into a sexy silverstone ML03B







Oh and galileo2000, don't get me started about IRQs and all that crap from back in the day. Although today is a tradeoff with the internet, now we can research and argue till the cows come home about the most absurd computer crap... le sigh. lol

Back to the OP and the Celeron, I'm getting a G530 in the mail next week to replace my main HTPC (E5200). Can't wait, it's gonna have 6 Sata hookups (WOOOOOOTTTTT!!!!!!) and I splurged and got myself a SSD. Gonna be a nice upgrade. Sucks about the dropped frames, I know the Intel HD can handle most everything for your average joe. But of course we aren't average joe's, we're anal HTPC nerds.... so I'll see how the G530 works for me (currently have a ATI 5450 for video duty in my E5200). Although knowing me I'll probably plurge and get a fanless ATI 6570, I heard they're pretty bomb in Picture Quality, Video Processing, and all sorts of other crap I probably couldn't even notice unless it's typed out for me in a long ass AnandTech review

What is this EVR Custom that you speak of? Are you saying EVR Custom set to 60hz = win across the board for Intel HD 1000?

I didn't know that, thanks.


Not a bad deal, considering the license and PSU being included.
I once bought a Dell desktop myself. For my mother-in-law. Didn't want to bother myself with the build. Now it peacefully rests in my garage, waiting for the next cleaning wave

I generally avoid prebuilt systems as they use inferior parts- the way a mfg like dell makes money is by cheapening things.

People buy on specs:

hard drive
procesor speed
Amount of DDR ram


so they try to advertise high specs while loweing product cost to increase margins

So you get cheaper motherboards, memory, and various components... important ones like PSU and things.

Often they are spec-ed lower- and use lower memory clock speeds... locked CPU proccessors and things.

You can easily build a very nice HTPC for $300 using better quality parts-


And- SSD is a must. It's unacceptable to run your OS on a HDD. An SSD is only $40 now.