Guide to Building a HTPC, Workstation and Server - Page 20

Renethx,

Awesome post ... and great thread. I have been looking for something like this for a number of weeks ... how awesome.

I ended up specing my system today (v. similar to your Premium I). I got the XFX Nforce 780I SLI but I did go with a couple of changes and wanted your feedback.

The Graphics card I went with was the: XFX GeForce 8800GTS 650MHZ 512MB 1.94GHZ DDR3. This was because they didn't have any of the regular 8800GT -> other then the 256MB. I do see a number of reviews say that the GTS is not quite as good as the GT - even though the GTS is newer.

Thoughts on the:
1) Galaxy GeForce 8800GT 600MHZ 512MB 1.8GHZ DDR3 OR
2) EVGA E-GEFORCE 8800GT Superclocked 650MHZ 512MB DDR3?

Also, I went with the Antec P182 case. The case looks awesome and seems to be built for an HTPC build. Super quiet and a beautiful gun metal black. Interesting configuration though.

Finally, I went with the FSP Fortron 800W power supply. I will probably load this up with a bunch of HDs and a little more power if I want to go SLI. Cost was about the same as the one you spec'd. Guy at the shop was saying the case will keep the heat away from the Mobo so no worries about extra temps.

Machine is primary going to be used for movies and music. The Wife bought me a Denon 3808CI and a Sanyo Z5 (with 106: screen) for Xmas - so I am shopping for an HTPC and Speakers

Feedback would be appreciated.

IG

I just fired up my Oppo, so I have to make te move to the htpc more quikly than estimated.
So, going for a low end htpc,here is my dilemma (because I prefer AMD cpu and the thread only mention it in micro ATX low end):
1-the cheapest way is an on board GPU. If a go for the Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2 mobo ($120) what CPU should I use in order to play HDDVD? I'm planning to buy the X box drive. I've read some post in this forum and its not clear for me if it possible to do that with an ob gpu. I can find the AMD 5000+ at $178 here, and the 6000+ $275.
2- Going for a video card: I can find the Sapphire ATI 2600pro at$160. What's the minimun cpu for my porpouse? An AMD 4200+ at $110 is ok or 4400+ at $130?
My trade of is buying my first point if the cpu price is less that what i have to spend on a lesser cpu+ video card of my second point.
Thanks

Could someone please help me clarify: If I were to use an Intel G965 and say a ATI HD 2600 XT I would end up getting 7.1 Ch. 24-bit LPCM over HDMI through the video card?

BTW, thanks for the great guide, it's been a great resource so far for helping me pick out components to suit my needs on what will be my first HTPC build.

renethx is, as usual, spot on.

There is a G35 board (ASUS P5E-V HDMI) which claims to support both integrated HDMI and a discrete card (in XP, over PCIe x4). I've not seen anyone who's attempted to get it to work, yet, but in theory if you're playing video over the ATI and audio over integrated it should function.

Thanks, Renethx.
I´ve read about AMD 5000+ overclocked to 3.0 ghz. If this works ok, I gess is not smart going for a separate video card for my use, I will only use it for video, not games. This way I´d pay $120 mobo+ $180 cpu= $300.
Just in case I decided to go for the 2600 pro ( I prefer this one because I have a 720p DLP pj, and I´ve read some people is having overscan issues with nvidia gpus) . Is an AMD 4200+ enough?. This budget is $110 cpu+ $160 gpu+ $ 120 non defined mobo = $390.

I will add a 500 GB HD and 2GB ram.
I can not find here Antec cases. I can find extremely expensive horizontal Thermaltake's or ATX standard ones. A 450W psu included is ok?

hey all i've read this forum many times and the info is awsome but i finally joined so I could post that i'm building a htpc system, and i just want to say this forum and especially this thread has been awsome reading.

now i got caugth up in a boxing day rush today and i bought what i think would be a good all around htpc system but with a bit of gaming as well even though i'm not much of a gamer but here we go

MB- gigabyte x38-DQ6
ram-reaper hpc heatpipe pc26400 2gig dual channel 4-4-4 kit
cpu- intel quad core Q6600 BX80562Q6600SLACR

antek server case and antek PS 500watt, nothing fancy

have not chosen a good vid card yet, so i'll put my 9200 in for now until a good HD card gets cheaper.

was thinking of going cheaper but then I thought man my asus board gave me 7 great years and is still kicking with linux on it running a slot A AMD cpu at 750mh so if this one lasts that long then its worth the extra money, and hell just enjoy life cause you can't take it with you.LOL

any feedback would be appreciated?

now the tech told me the ram is compatible with this board but I couldn't find any info, please let me know, TY

Is the 8500 going to be as good as the 8600 for 2 sources of HD recording and playback only or should I wait for the 9xxx series with Gen 3?

how about the 8400? any better getting the 8600 for playback only? the setup will include a HD/Bluray dvd player as well.

no gaming at all and it will paired up with a 3.0Ghz dual core and 2 Gb or ram.

thanks.

Hi renethx,

I've been hitting your HD-HTPC thread for more of my working hours than I care to admit!

I was hoping you'd give your thumb's up to the following build I'll be buying parts for, based on your guide:

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L (or DS3R)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix BL2KIT12864AA804 DDR2-800 2 x 1GB Kit
Graphics Card: VisionTek ATI Radeon HD 2600XT 512MB PCI-Express Video Card
HDD: SataII 500GB Western Digital
P/W: Antec Earth Watts 500 Watt supply
Case: Silverstone LC-20M-B
CPU: C2D E6750 2.66Ghz
PVR: Hauppage 1600 with remote and ir blaster

I'm planning on the system doing the following:

- run 24x7 as a PVR (no hidef, though) using BeyondTV software
- playback 1080p x264/h264 mkv's (don't know how to use h/w accelleration so will rely on CPU to do decoding with CCCP?)
- playback of BD and HD ISO's
- connect thru HDMI to Sharp Aquos to play video AND sound (don't know how the various sound formats will be handled, though)
- may fully extend the number of HDD's from 1 to max of 6 (I know the DS3L m/b and p/s only have 4 sata connectors...will have to get splitters when the time comes, I guess?)

Any advice or opinions on the above build and req's is most appreciated!!

Thanks renethx, that sounds like good advice. Your guide has been my definitive source of building this HD HTPC!

I see mention of the ADD2 card again, suffering through with a 2600HD Pro myself, and forced to use analog audio onboard my Gigabyte (G33-DS2R something IIRC).

is the ADD2 only useable on P35 or higher? Edit: see now they claim 915 or newer.
Any distributors of them yet? Edit: see now Prolink from other thread.

Does that make it up to HDMI 1.3 spec for the lossless audio?

Is this the one?
PV-CH7315 (N16TDS)-F
http://www.prolink-usa.com/

hmm, $43 for lossless audio and single cable hookup like my PS3.

Was reading over the other thread but I don't see any comments on:
Does Vista detect that it has 7.1 hooked up?
My 2600HD Pro only shows stereo in the config window when feeding audio via HDMI device.

Does the ADD2 card have any GPU features? What about trying to play something like Portal (steam, orange box) on my HD TV? My 2600HD Pro does fine, but if getting lossless audio via HDMI means total loss of moderate Gaming options, I want to know going in...

Edit- Using a left over P5LD2-VM r2.0 (NOT SE) with a C2Duo E6700 and 4X512Meg of RAM + ATI 2600HD Pro w/HDMI adapter into Onkyo 705 to 1080p TV.

I had purchased that gigabyte x38-DQ6 board for only 30 bucks more than the GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS4 and I know that with there history the bios updates that It'll be a awsome board.

I would of bought a Abit board but i could not find any where I live, would of had to order it

If your receiver reports it correctly through EDID.


Nothing. The ADD2 card is very little other than a couple of SDVO-to-video chips and come capacitors and resistors. The graphics chipset does all the heavy lifting... but its powers are not thrilling on games which require a lot of oomph-- and I say this as someone who works for the company. It's a $5 graphics card solution, and it's much more well suited to video than games. Just my opinion.


Assume it does. The graphics aren't a complete waste of time and might surprise you, but I don't want to ruin any credibility I still have here by implying you will be completely satisfied with the gameplay.


Let me check into that one. Without the audio header renethx referred to, you won't get the lossless, and I don't want you to be fooled into buying something which does not improve your situation.

aw, bummer. My gigabyte mobo is my gaming rig w/8800Ultra, and the Asus leftover is my HTPC rig with the LG combo player and ATI 2600HD in it.

Just about to sell the parts and go buy a standalone HD (or bring the Xbox360 drive back out to the TV room).

As a frequent adopter of early technology (I beta test hardware for a number of gaming manufacturers) the HTPC market sure seems a jumble of "how can we break it" from a hardware standpoint.

Not all BDs play via PowerDVD, Nero 8 is broken IMO, even with ISOs some disks aren't playing on two different systems, you can't shortcut things to streamline them, etc. etc.

Then only thing I find pleasing is shared TB drives over GB network. Luckily I have 4.

BTW, thanks for the quick feedback, I just hope they settle out the HD audio/HDMI/HTPC arena in the coming years, along with CableCards.

Hi
I got my htpc up. Built it base on the recommended components from this thread. ended up spending more that originally plan, but oh well

My system is as follow:
Front End

• CPU: E2180 Conroe 2.00 GHz

• M/B: ASUS P5K-VM mATX

• Cooler: CoolMaster Hyper L3. Got this accidentally when try to eliminate the noise that originally encountered. Heatsink and fan from CPU would have worked just fine. But I got it from CompUSA and all sales are final.

• Mem: 2x1 GB OCZ Platinum DDR2-800 PC2-6400

• Case: Antec Fusion V2 Black /w 480 W PSU. The brushed black face plate is very nice, but the VFD is crap.

• HDD: Maxtor PATA-133 300 GB

• DVD: LG GGC-H20L BLU-RAY HD-DVD Reader BD-ROM 6X HD DVD-ROM 3X DVD+-RW 16X8X6 DL 4X Black SATA

• GPU: XFX 8500 GT 256 MB

• PCI Audio: RME Digi96/PAD

• Input: Logitech DiNovo Edge - Bluetooth Keyboar and Mouse combo

• OS: WinXP SP2

• TV: Mits WD-65833 65" DLP

Back End - Dell SC440 Server

• E2160 1.8 GHz, 2x1GB Ram

• 1+TB (4x300-GB Seagate SATA II) through Linux (FC6) LVM

A couple of Notes:
1. Tried to OC the E2180. FSB=333 and Multiplier=9, VCore=1.425 as suggested by AnadTech. Everything seem to run fine. The new clock speed shows up on the POST detail message, but the CPU-Z show the original clock speed. Not sure who to believe now
2. Can't seem to get resolution right with the DLP TV. With PC 1080p, all 4 edges on the screen get cut off. I can't even get to the task bar
3. Having so much stability problems:

• Try to adjust any resolution results in numerous blue screen

• Play BD (Pirates) using PDVD and blue screen bomb several times at different chapter

I'm not sure where how to trouble shoot these blue screen problem. is it the LG drive? PDVD? nVidia driver(XFX cards?). All HW components are updated with the latest driver. Even XP SP2 has all the latest and greatest.

At this point I am putting the final touches on my Theatre. I am now considering the LG HD-DVD/Blu-ray Combo Drive (its on sale this week) to complete my Theatre and I need to buy some wires.

Pertanent computer specs:
E6600 Dual Core w 2G OCZ 6400 Ram
8800GTS 640mb
Asus P5N-E SLI Motherboard
Windows XP Home

The video will be connected directly from my 8800GTS to the second of two HDMI connections on my 42" Panasonic TH42PZ77 1080p Plasma TV via a 30 foot DVI to HDMI cable. The Audio will be connected via a 30 foot RCA cable from the 'S/PDIF out' on my motherboard to the 'coaxial digital in' on my Panasonic SA-HE75 Reciever. I have yet to buy either cable but will likely do so within the next few days from monoprice.

What I'm most curious to know is if this setup will work at 1080p (ie no downgrading because of connection issues) and still run with 5.1 surround sound.