Hello All (including you Geeks),
I was wondering what many of you consider to be the basic components to building a HTPC. Things like brand/minimum-performance of processors, memory size, minimum video card specifications, sound, operating system, etc.
I will be building a new PC this month, and I am looking at the Abit IT7 motherboard. This board features the Intel 845E chipset and supports USB 2.0, Firewire (1394A), and 5/6-channel sound with optical out, and support for 533MHz. The equivalent AMD board by Abit is the AT7, but has a rather weak Southbridge, which shows up in the USB arena.
Anyway, I was thinking of using the Gainward GF4 Ti4200 64MB DDR video card with CRT/DVI out. Also considering a decent starter hard drive (80GB/7200RPM) and minimal processor (P4 1.7/1.8), etc.
Not know what many would consider the minimum in DVD-playback, I was not entirely sure as to what minimums to be looking at. I can say that I am not an ATI person (not saying I'm an nVidia person either), but my last ATI experience left a rather bad taste in my mouth--enough to keep me away from them.
Anyone have any kind words to offer guidance? Building PCs is not a problem (I've done it plenty of times before), but setting up for HTPC is something I have yet to experiment in as my current lot of pathetic PCs are 2-3 years behind the times.
I was wondering what many of you consider to be the basic components to building a HTPC. Things like brand/minimum-performance of processors, memory size, minimum video card specifications, sound, operating system, etc.
I will be building a new PC this month, and I am looking at the Abit IT7 motherboard. This board features the Intel 845E chipset and supports USB 2.0, Firewire (1394A), and 5/6-channel sound with optical out, and support for 533MHz. The equivalent AMD board by Abit is the AT7, but has a rather weak Southbridge, which shows up in the USB arena.
Anyway, I was thinking of using the Gainward GF4 Ti4200 64MB DDR video card with CRT/DVI out. Also considering a decent starter hard drive (80GB/7200RPM) and minimal processor (P4 1.7/1.8), etc.
Not know what many would consider the minimum in DVD-playback, I was not entirely sure as to what minimums to be looking at. I can say that I am not an ATI person (not saying I'm an nVidia person either), but my last ATI experience left a rather bad taste in my mouth--enough to keep me away from them.
Anyone have any kind words to offer guidance? Building PCs is not a problem (I've done it plenty of times before), but setting up for HTPC is something I have yet to experiment in as my current lot of pathetic PCs are 2-3 years behind the times.
