mATX htpc bundle spec for ~£100

lozza

lozza

lozza

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As title i'm looking to get some recommendation's on kit to look out for, to build my first htpc - at the stated price of ~£100 new would be good but i realise i'l probably be looking a second hand.

mATX Motherboard with onboard sound/graphics
CPU
RAM

I'll be adding a TV card at a later date

The kit needs to be able to play DVDs, .avi files, music, browse the internet, record TV once the card is in place and ideally do HD stuff (thinking along the lines of the Abit Fatal1ty FI90HD) Though i could later add a HD2400pro to sort out HD
 
Thanks for the reply Tute, As i said in the op, new would be good, but i realise i'll probably be looking at second hand for the price. I was sparked to ask the question as this kit came up in the MM:

E6300 + HSF - never overclocked - £50 inc
ABIT FATAL1TY FI90HD - 100% passive, x700 graphics and HDMI - £60 inc
1GB PC6400 DDR2 RAM - £20 inc

Total £115inc for the bundle

But i thought the E6300 was a bit overkill for a htpc - Would the E2140 be enough? or would i be better looking at the E2160/80?
A E2140 went on MM for £30inc
 
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I probably wouldn't attempt over clocking but i was wondering about that with onboard HD.

I think the HD2400pro may be an latter addition.

How about the E2140, have read a little about it being quite a cool running cpu, good for noise factor
 
Thanks Martin, i wont be doing any high end gaming if doing any at all.
I'm 100% on use being playing dvds & avi files, some mp3 stuff, internet browsing and not immediately but pretty soon, digital TV viewing and recording and HD stuff (adding blu-ray drive later maybe)

I'll have a look to see what i can find going on your spec.
 
Very interesting Biffa cheers, Though i can't seem to find that motherboard on ocuk?

Wanted to see if i could forgo the graphics card and get 2gig of the ram then get the card at a later date for the HD stuff
 
That will be why then ;)

Probably right about 2gb of ram - which depending on the mobo could mean i could get it just under £100m and add the graphics later

Cheers Biffa
 
Thanks guys, Seft that's a nice looking case but the whole spec is way over my budget.

the shadow - thanks for that combo, i've been a bit busy but will look into it as soon as i get 5 mintues - cheers
 
Thanks guys, i've decided to use a mini itx system i have for the time being.

But i'll probably go with the following set up:
ABIT FATAL1TY FI90HD
E2140/E2160/E2180
2GB PC6400 DDR2 RAM

Adding at a later date:
256MB Sapphire HD 2400 PRO
nova-T 500 dual DVB tuner
 
Tute said:
I'd still really recommend the P5K-VM or G33M-DS2R and picking up the 2400 Pro straight away. They are far better boards and the 2400 Pro can do HDMI anyway IIRC.
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What do you mean you still really recommend those boards - never recommended them in the first place - there was no mention at all of them ;)
But now you do mention them i will look at them and consider them

re: the 2400pro - I don't have a HDTV so to get one straight away would be a little pointless i feel - Prices will have dropped and better things will be about by the time a HDTV arrives.

Jellybeard i'll have a look at your mobo too!
 
Well I have now got a E2140 and 2gb of PC 6400 just waiting on a mobo which now looks like i might go for the G33M-DS2R.

sunama, thanks for the info - the HD side of things will come later as the TV i currently have doesn't support HD atm. there is quite a price difference between the 2400 and the 2600 so heres hoping that by the time i get HD ready they will have reduced a lot
 
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