Spec me a HTPC - prebuilt or build?

Azza

Azza

Azza

Caporegime
Joined
6 Dec 2005
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Location
Birmingham
Need to spec my dad up a HTPC for the living room.

I've got a spare mobo (EVGA 680i) and some Corsair RAM lying around so don't have to worry about them. Maybe a hard drive as well if I feel generous to give him one of mine.

'Cos of the motherboard will need a sound card & graphics card.

£400 max...


Or would a pre-built one be better idea? Cape 7 maybe?
 
Last edited:
Depends what you need exactly from your HTPC. If your going to go with BLUE-RAY you need a dedicated Graphics card. Is the HTPC going to be connected to an Amp or just Stereo speakers.

Anything to do with DTS-HD / TrueHD or DD+?
 
Schizophonic said:
If your going to go with BLUE-RAY you need a dedicated Graphics card.
Click to expand...

Not true, I'm using a board with a 780G chipset (ATI Radeon HD3200) and an Athlon X2 4200 and it handles blu-ray perfectly at around 20% cpu usage and lower.

I suggest you sell your board and swap it for something MicroATX so it can go in a nice HTPC case. 785G is the way to go new, but as I said, the 780G chipset handles it fine too.

Windows 7 is definitely good for a HTPC too.

My case is the Antec Micro Fusion, was £150 not so long ago but now down in price massively, and worth the price. Comes with a PSU but you'll need your expansion cards, e.g, TV tuner, sound card, to be low profile.
 
Case looks perfect. :)

Board is just lying around, I've had it years don't even know if it still works to be honest.


The speakers etc he still hasn't given me a budget for so I don't know want I'm going get with regards to them. Been thinking Xonar DX for sound card. I have a D2 and it's great. :D


Asus M4A785D-M PRO & AMD 250...?


W7 is a definate purchase don't worry.


Throw in a 1TB hard drive & blu-ray drive of course.
 
That board and CPU would be just fine. If I was buying new that's probably the spec I'd go for tbh. I've never had a Xonar, I have an X-fi in my main rig, the HTPC uses onboard as the audio goes over HDMI, so since it's digital the soundcard doesn't have to be that great yet. That will, as you said, depend on your speaker setup. I'm sure the DX would be great, it'd just be more cables I suppose.
 
Well that's the plan hopefully any way.

Sky HD & PC *HDMI in* ----> reciever ---> *HDMI out* -----> TV


So there may not be any need for the sound card...? All depends how much my dad is budgeting for the AV stuff really.
 
Yep, if it's just going via HDMI there's not really a need for a sound card. It will depend on the onboard chip too, as long as it does the functions you want it'll be ok. I'm talking about 7.1 over HDMI and Dolby stuff and so on. I only have it coming out of the TV speakers atm, I haven't got a proper sound setup in my lounge yet.
 
What cooler you using in the case mate?


Ordering stuff tomorrow as my dad has ordered the TV now. :)
 
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