Building a HTPC

easyrider · 2 Dec 2010 at 13:28

95thrifles said:
30 quid for slightly better audio???
Also youll note I did also recomend an Intel system, its just it was ITX version

Its not silightly better audio.

Its 2 cores with HT.

Its faster

Its Bistreams all the latest codecs over HDMI

And its a no brainer

easyrider · 2 Dec 2010 at 13:29

Ph4lanx said:
95thrifles/easyrider, would you guys add any fans to the media case at all or just keep the case standard? Should I expect hot temperatures?

Some exhaust fan even ruuning 7v @ silent is a good idea. But it will not be hot at all

95thrifles · 2 Dec 2010 at 13:56

easyrider said:
Its not silightly better audio.

Its 2 cores with HT.

Its faster

Its Bistreams all the latest codecs over HDMI

And its a no brainer

True its 2 cores with HT, but you could up the Athlon to the X3 or even X4 and still be paying roughly the same overall, so that smokes that argument really (plus thats comparing the CPUs not the chipsets)

Faster at what exaclty? Its a HTPC not an Encoding machine (and again this is cpu not chipset)

And yes as conceded it has better audio, however the AMD has better Video, so it swings in roundabouts really

Im not debating the Intel platform/i3 combo is a good choice, just your initial argument of it being same price was fundamentally flawed given the time that had lapsed since the original spec, and whilst H55/i3 is faster than 880G/x2 250, its also 30 quid more, this does need clarifying to the OP seen as how he's on a budget

Ph4lanx · 2 Dec 2010 at 14:04

Thank you both for your help guys. I've taken all comments on board and have just placed my order with OCUK

PermaBanned · 2 Dec 2010 at 14:04

Cheapest possible you could do would be something like the Sempron 145 for £30, a £35 AM3 mATX motherboard and 2GB DDR3 for £25. Add a 5450 for £30, a Corsair CX for £35, a HDD for £25, DVD Drive for £20, leaves about £50 for a case and cooler, which can easily be done (eg. CM Elite 360 & Scythe Shuriken).

Stick XBMC on there and it'd do the job rather nicely

No real point in spending more when you really don't need anything above this.

easyrider · 2 Dec 2010 at 14:54

Ph4lanx said:
Thank you both for your help guys. I've taken all comments on board and have just placed my order with OCUK

what did you order?

easyrider · 2 Dec 2010 at 14:58

95thrifles said:
True its 2 cores with HT, but you could up the Athlon to the X3 or even X4 and still be paying roughly the same overall, so that smokes that argument really (plus thats comparing the CPUs not the chipsets)

Why would you though? when the x3 and x4 all use more power and produce more heat

Faster at what exaclty? Its a HTPC not an Encoding machine (and again this is cpu not chipset)

Just general windows..XBMC etc..

And yes as conceded it has better audio, however the AMD has better Video, so it swings in roundabouts really

Better Video? Both will deal with 1080p video flawlessy and the intel decodes all the HD audio codecs so again its a no brainer

Im not debating the Intel platform/i3 combo is a good choice, just your initial argument of it being same price was fundamentally flawed given the time that had lapsed since the original spec, and whilst H55/i3 is faster than 880G/x2 250, its also 30 quid more, this does need clarifying to the OP seen as how he's on a budget

30 quid more is nothing in the grand scheme of things when you don't have to worry about adding sound cards to decode the latest audio codecs ofver HDMI

foreright · 2 Dec 2010 at 17:35

Can you please tell me if the power unit is supplied with the Akasa Crypto ITX Case and is 60/80W power adequate. I am a bit green and fail to see how it can be. Or am I mising something?

Ph4lanx · 2 Dec 2010 at 19:09

easyrider said:
what did you order?

I went for the i3 setup in the end as I wanted a cooler system.

easyrider · 3 Dec 2010 at 02:13

Sense at last