HTPC build advice

A

Ancalagon

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Hi everyone,

I currently have an Android media player doing media playback duties upstairs while my content sits on two internal hard drives in my PC downstairs.

I want to use some of the parts from my PC to build an HTPC, because A) I'm tired of dealing with Wifi issues, B) I dont want a computer in my bedroom anymore.

I don't really play games all that much anymore, and I find myself wasting hours sitting in front of my computer, surfing the Internet. Its really a waste of time. I want to buy a small laptop (later) and convert my current PC into an HTPC. I still want to play games, I'll just get a lap desk or something.

So, the following are the parts I would like to use in the new PC:
4 x 2GB DDR3 1600 DIMMS
1 x 240GB SSD
2 x 2TB internal hard drives
1 x 7790 graphics card
1 x Corsair VX450 PSU
(If possible) 1 x DVD RW drive
1 x USB wireless adapater

Wireless works well enough for Internet etc, it is streaming wirelessly that is the problem.

Also, another requirement - I have about R1500 worth of Discovery miles which I want to spend on this. I know I can redeem Discovery miles at Takealot, I think I can also redeem them at Kalahari. So at least part of the parts need to come from a store where I can redeem them, but I might end up buying from different stores. I had a R100 voucher for Wootware, I dont know if it expired or not.

So, I need a motherboard, case, CPU, and maybe some kind of media remote. I have an air mouse with keyboard, the kind that you use with an Android media player. But a remote control would also be nice.

I'm leaning towards a mini ITX setup, although I think it will have to be a cube and not an HTPC case. The reason for this is that I want my graphics card to fit, and it is a full height graphics card, although luckily not very long and not very power hungry. I would like to put it in my TV stand, but there is only 20cm of height available, so I think it will have to go next to the TV stand.

Budget? Not sure, but maybe lets keep it under R4k of my own money, so R5.5k including the vouchers.
 
Howzit

Have a look at the HP Microserver. you will need to use a low profile graphics card though. excellent to use as an HTPC.

http://www.takealot.com/hp-proliant-microserver-g7-n54l/PLID32533353

hey dont currently have stock though. There is a lot of documentation / articles online as well on this forum about these machines. You should be easily abe to build an HTPC within your budget using this machine



Ancalagon said:
Hi everyone,

I currently have an Android media player doing media playback duties upstairs while my content sits on two internal hard drives in my PC downstairs.

I want to use some of the parts from my PC to build an HTPC, because A) I'm tired of dealing with Wifi issues, B) I dont want a computer in my bedroom anymore.

I don't really play games all that much anymore, and I find myself wasting hours sitting in front of my computer, surfing the Internet. Its really a waste of time. I want to buy a small laptop (later) and convert my current PC into an HTPC. I still want to play games, I'll just get a lap desk or something.

So, the following are the parts I would like to use in the new PC:
4 x 2GB DDR3 1600 DIMMS
1 x 240GB SSD
2 x 2TB internal hard drives
1 x 7790 graphics card
1 x Corsair VX450 PSU
(If possible) 1 x DVD RW drive
1 x USB wireless adapater

Wireless works well enough for Internet etc, it is streaming wirelessly that is the problem.

Also, another requirement - I have about R1500 worth of Discovery miles which I want to spend on this. I know I can redeem Discovery miles at Takealot, I think I can also redeem them at Kalahari. So at least part of the parts need to come from a store where I can redeem them, but I might end up buying from different stores. I had a R100 voucher for Wootware, I dont know if it expired or not.

So, I need a motherboard, case, CPU, and maybe some kind of media remote. I have an air mouse with keyboard, the kind that you use with an Android media player. But a remote control would also be nice.

I'm leaning towards a mini ITX setup, although I think it will have to be a cube and not an HTPC case. The reason for this is that I want my graphics card to fit, and it is a full height graphics card, although luckily not very long and not very power hungry. I would like to put it in my TV stand, but there is only 20cm of height available, so I think it will have to go next to the TV stand.

Budget? Not sure, but maybe lets keep it under R4k of my own money, so R5.5k including the vouchers.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
I cant use the micro server because I dont want to have to replace my graphics card.

@D4N

Thanks, not bad. I'll need to do some more research to make sure my stuff will fit.

I'm also thinking of getting a Lian Li V355, and then a micro ATX board. Micro ATX boards tend to be cheaper and also have 4 DDR slots, which would be useful for me. The case is a little larger though.
 
Ancalagon said:
I cant use the micro server because I dont want to have to replace my graphics card.

@D4N

Thanks, not bad. I'll need to do some more research to make sure my stuff will fit.

I'm also thinking of getting a Lian Li V355, and then a micro ATX board. Micro ATX boards tend to be cheaper and also have 4 DDR slots, which would be useful for me. The case is a little larger though.
Click to expand...

The only thing that Coolermaster case is lacking is a DVD drive bay, it will fit 2x3.5" and a single 2.5" drive just fine. Just need to swop out 4 memory sticks with 2 and it will compliment your list perfectly
 
Yeah I have some decisions to make. Only going to do this September at the earliest.

The Lian Li V355 can fit it all, but is it getting bigger than an HTPC should be? Whereas, a smaller case with 2 sticks of DDR3 and no DVD drive is much smaller.

I guess I need to decide what would bother me more. Its not that I really need the extra 4GB of RAM, I just dont want to waste it.
 
Have a look at those htpc cases that have the same profile as a/v receivers etc. They're usually a bit pricey though from what I recall.
 
Cool, thanks.

Pity there arent more of those cases. Or at least, more mid range examples. I mean you either spend R400 on that or R2500 - nothing in between.
 
ponder said:
R1.6k?

http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/150901657/Fractal_Design_Node_605_Chassis_FD_CA_NODE_605_BL.html
https://www.estorm.co.za/index.php?page_id=product_info&item_id=739&table=c_chassis&category_id=1
Click to expand...

Nobody seems to have stock of it.

But it does make me realize that I could buy a R2400 case and then buy the other components later. The thing is that with such a case, I could carry on using my existing kit until I am ready to upgrade.

Because those expensive cases are ATX, my existing stuff should fit fine. So then I just buy a new case and hold off on the rest until later.
 
Can I use my Mac mini as an htpc or should I just build something I want something easy and simple
 
It's a shame the Google Chromebox is not readily available here, I reckon it would be a great solution to drop XBMC onto.
 
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