Guide to Building a HTPC, Workstation and Server - Page 426

http://www.monoprice.com/products/su...02&cp_id=10226

Wow that's expensive. I got almost the same thing from Gateway without the discrete graphics for $500, but that was a one off Best Buy deal. You can still find cheaper stuff than that though. I think there was a Sony with Blu-ray and Core i5 for $700 from Best Buy.

I'm confused about what exactly bitstreaming is and why it's so important.

I've got the Intel Core i3 530, ASRock H55M Pro outputting to a Sony HT-CT100 soundbar, which supports Dolby Digital/DTS/ProLogic II. How does bitstreaming apply to this setup? The manual says to output sound in Multi-channel PCM. Where would I do that?

I believe it means support for the original bitstream blueray hd audio over HDMI, such as TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Both wikipedia articles list -

I think over HDMI 1.3 is what we're talking about (original bitstream), though the HDMI 1.1 lists PCM. However I haven't heard yet of a motherboard that supports it with Clarkdale. The H55/H57 boards I've looked at have reported trouble (though I haven't seen any comments on the intel MBs). Clarkdale supports it, but I haven't seen any successful reports out there in my (limited) searching...

I don't claim to be an expert here though and am trying to get a handle on it myself, so someone else please jump in...

A lot of people have it working in the Core i7, i5, i3 thread.

Yup, I am one of the them (Zotac H55 Mini-ITX + Core i5). Note bitstreaming only applies to the core i5/i3, I believe it does not apply to i7 (correct?)

It's the on die GPU of the i3/i5 that enables bitstreaming, so yes not the i7 or any others w/o on die GPU.

First off, renethx, AWESOME post. Easily one of the best guides I have ever seen.

I do have a question though.
I have decided to go with the Mini-ITX Standard Build for my HTPC (Bottom of Post).

I need to be able to play video not only on my own HDTV (Using HDMI) but I also need to be able to connect to SDTV's.

I am thinking doing this for Standard Definition:
3.5mm to RCA Cable for Sound
Apple DVI to Video Adapter for Video (Plus RCA Cable)

My big question is, will that work?
I can find nothing that says whether that ZOTAC board has DVI-I ports (although they look like it). Also, if there is any other reason it wouldn't work?

Thanks for the replay MurrayW, For starter the system that you put together will cost me around an extra 200 bucks or so in Canada, plus I kind of see the saving differently, in 3 years or so if I want to upgrade my HTPC, I just buy another laptop and I could give this laptop to my wife to replace her existing one, and should still be fast enough for what she needs, but if in the other hand in the future I want to upgrade my HTPC using the one that you bought I really have no use for the old at all. So I kind of see it as paying more up front but saving on the long run.

By going with a laptop will I be loosing a lot of performance even if I find a similar laptop but with 720rpm HD?
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...724&CatId=4938

How much in performance will I be loosing compare to a desktop HTPC using the same i5 CPU and this mother board: Asus P7H55-M Pro Socket 1156 Intel H55 Chipset Dual-Channel DDR3 2133 ?


Using Media Center can I record OTA tv shows in a hard drive that is located in another computer somewhere in the network?

I have never build a server before so this may be a silly question.

Do I need to set up anything differently to have a server with the TBs hard drivers in the basement? How fast should it be? Can it be just a Pentium 3 with 2G of ram, running XP?

When using WHS (with no underlying hardware RAID), are 5400 rpm drives fast enough for streaming HD content? I can't imagine the drives being the bottle neck, but just want to make sure.

Sorry for the noob question

The one exception is the Core i7m Arrandale series. They are based on the same architecture as the Core i3/i5s.

I have 14 drives in my WHS, all either 5400 or 5900 RPM, never had one issue streaming HD content to multiple players at once.

Maybe for a PC bought in the early 90's. Dell has been using standard power connectors for years!

The power supply in the 537s is not a standard power supply in regards to its PHYSICAL size. I believe it is a 2u sized power supply. The motherboard, drive and other power connections are all standard.

Yes. The naming convention for the mobile Cores is a mystery to me, but anything Arrandale has integrated graphics.

It looks like I do have bitstream working already. I was looking at the Sony soundbar panel which just showed Dolby during a movie. However when no movie is playing it says PCM. When I started Inglorious Basterds, which is apparently the only movie I have with a DTS soundtrack it does change to DTS during playback.

Ok, this is the first board I've heard that supports it. It looks like a nice board, though I was hoping to stay in the micro form factor to be flexible. Anyone know of any other boards that support Clarkdale bitstreaming?

Anyone using 802.11n? I'm curious if it's actually faster than 100Mb wired in the real world.

This may sound repetitive because you answered these questions already, but this would be a big purchase for me and I need to double check


So if for video playback there should be no difference by going with the laptop. What about for multitasking?

Watching live OTA 1080i TV shows and recording, playing back other prerecorded TV shows, watching ripped Blue Ray 1080p movies and listening to music would be demanded of this laptop simultaneously by using Media Center extenders by 3 family members.

So is a little more than just video play back by a single party.

Still going with the laptop will be as fast as going with the desktop HTPC using the same i5 CPU and Asus P7H55-M Pro Socket 1156 Intel H55 Chipset Dual-Channel DDR3 2133 ?


Since the HTPC laptop will be controlling this server, the same simultaneous demands will be apply to this server.

Does this multiple tasking may require faster hardware for the server?

Can I get Bitstreaming with the specs of this laptop?

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...724&CatId=4938

Yes

There are plenty of MicroATX boards that support core i3/i5:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=H55+Micro+ATX

Thanks, that's what I needed to know before testing on a spare motherboard I own.

For those of you that are thinking of building a gaming htpc, I would wait until the silverstone sg07 is released. It can accomodate even a 12.2″ (309mm) ATI Radeon 5970 card! 600 watt PSU also! Think of all the power you can cram in that little beast...I know I am.

They're connectors are standard but the wiring is different and so are a couple of voltages. You cannot connect a standard PS into a Dell or the MB will fry. To replace a Dell MB with a non-Dell mb you will also have to change the PS. I was going to replace the PS and MB on my Dell that I bought just 2 1/2 years ago and found out that the outputs on the mATX Gigybyte MB are reversed from the Dell too. I did all this to reuse the case. It was pointless and I ended up just buying a Coolermaster case for $50 and the Dell is still sitting in the corner collecting dust unles I want to go back to Dell for a new MB.