HTPC - need a little help please

Xee

Xee

Xee

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I've got a 42" LCD (1920 x 1080, 1080p, 100hz) on the way. So I'm planning on putting together a cheap HTPC, running Vista Media Center. I would also like a remote that can control Vista Media Center fully. Which is where I need help - whats recommended?

Seen the Antec Fusion case and remote. Are they any good? What is IMON?

My spec so far:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 4850e AM2 Dual Core 2.5GHz = £45
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) PC2-6400C4 Dual Channel Platinum Revision 2 XTC Series DDR2 = 21.84
Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H AMD 780G Micro-ATX (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard = 68.99
LG GGW-H20L Blu-Ray Rewriter & HD-DVD ROM Serial ATA Drive - OEM = £133.39
Got spare Hard drive.

Total £269.22


Case and remote???
 
Just last week I bought the Antec NSK 2480 with a 780g mobo and a 4850e

The NSK2480 is Pretty much the same thing as the Fusion, just no imon which is a fancy LED display as well as an infra red input, no dial nob, no remote and most irritatingly the optical drive is exposed which ruins the looks.
But its only around £65 with PSU and its doing a bang up job so far.

I already had the standard MCE remote. And the imon is supposed to be quite buggy so i didn't really need those things.
 
Where can I get remotes like these?

ricavision_vista_mce_bluetooth_remote-copy.jpg


_ricavision_open_and_side.jpg


12.20.06---interlink-slidelink.jpg


Preview-of-the-Vista-Media-Center-Remote-3.png
 
Don't bother with those. You don't even need to buy a remote, you just really need the infra red sensor. With that you can just get a Logitech Harmony. Any Logitech harmony.
They're all awesome.
 
Get a Logitech universal remote they're the nuts. It'll work with your Antec case, with the MCE IR in it, and control your TV, amp, sky etc at the same time. Mine was about 50 squids.

Edit; sswats you must have had the same thought as me.........at the same time!
 
If you go the Antec case route check out the measurements of the case. I've got an Antec Fusion and it isn't small - I'm going to have to replace the cabinet under the TV to fit it in.

The remote that comes with it is ok but I prefer the MCE remote. Luckily I already had a spare one. I paired this with the IMON software and everything works fine.

Presume you know that media center cannot naitvely play blu ray discs? You will need to shell out to some other piece of software (make sure your remote can work with that as well) - I use Arcsoft TotalMediaTheatre
 
Next question does the Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H AMD 780G Micro-ATX, output audio and video through the HDMI?

Also will that spec be able easily handle 1080p?

Also whats the best HTPC case to get at the moment?
 
Last edited:
Does the "Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H AMD 780G Micro-ATX" have 1080 / H.264 hardware acceleration?
 
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