HTPC build

[unwired]

Hi

I am looking at setting up a HTPC,
Have an existing CPU - Core 2 Duo 5300 - used for abt a year.

I am looking at pairing it with a GeForce GT 430 1G graphics card and 4G RAM.

Looking to watch movies - 720p mainly, youtube etc.

Thanks

 

[Pada]

The GT430 would do just fine.
I'm not sure if its necessary to go for 4GB of RAM though.

 

[unwired]

The GT430 would do just fine.
I'm not sure if its necessary to go for 4GB of RAM though.

Thanks. So 2GB would be sufficient?
and the CPU - just checked again - it is a Dual Core E 5300 running at 2.6Ghz?

 

[Grouter]

I'm running xbmc on an old asus board using onboard intel graphics, 2 gb ram and that cpu and a samsung 1920 x 1080 27" screen. Runs beautifully. I don't even see the need for a graphics card...

edit: oh, and win 7 32 bit.

 

[Hemps]

Install Win7 x64 and keep the RAM.
CPU is more than fine.
You want the smoothest pc possible for boot times and general access.
Setup XBMC and sort your library out nicely and you'll never go to anything else - I recently left XBMC but am back again!
XBMC rocks!

 

[Nimz]

Im planning on using an old Dell laptop (Inspiron 1720)

Dual core 1.6Ghz
1GB Ram
Standard onboard graphics
Windows 7 Ultimate
Buying a 1.5 TB Ext HDD

Would this work?

I plan or running XBMC on it and use it as a dedicated media server
It has no HDMI ports so do i need a VGA to HDMI converter?

 

[Mier]

Hi

I am looking at setting up a HTPC,
Have an existing CPU - Core 2 Duo 5300 - used for abt a year.

I am looking at pairing it with a GeForce GT 430 1G graphics card and 4G RAM.

Looking to watch movies - 720p mainly, youtube etc.

Thanks

Should do just fine. Just make sure you play movie files with HW acceleration. Media Player Classic Home Cinema works pretty well.
If you going to use windows media center, then you'll need to take a few steps before you can play mkv with hardware acceleration. Look here: http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/01/playing-mkvs-in-media-center.html

I use Win7 x64 Media Center with the mymovies plugin (mymovies.dk), works really well. (My htpc: Q8300 [had a E5200 before this and even this was running at 15% utilisation when playing 1080p HD], 4GB RAM, G31 Mobo, ATI HD4550).

 

[unwired]

I'm running xbmc on an old asus board using onboard intel graphics, 2 gb ram and that cpu and a samsung 1920 x 1080 27" screen. Runs beautifully. I don't even see the need for a graphics card...

edit: oh, and win 7 32 bit.

I have this board:

Super Micro Computer X7SBL-LN2 Motherboard
- 1 PCI Express x8 , 1 PCI Express x8 ( x4 mode ) , 2 PCI ( 5 V )
which has 32MB onboard graphics

so thought I'd replace that as well.
any movie files I play are quite choppy.

So I def need to replace m/b - was thinking of this one -

ASUS P5G41T-M LX - Intel G41 Chipset Integrated Intel GMA X4500 Graphics - Intel® Socket 775 Core™2 Quad/Core™2 Extreme/Core™2 Duo/Celeron® E1000 Series and 400 Series CPU 2x DDR3 (Max 8GB 1333MHZ OC) 4x SATA, 1x IDE, 1x PCI Express x16, 1x PCI Express

which does have onboard graphics - just dont know if that is sufficient?