HTPC Project for the Holidays (Need Suggestions)

[DJNgoma]

Hi Everybody

Right now for the holidays I'm planning on building an HTPC to use for my house and need your advice. I will use DLNA for the build by utilising XBMC and the DiNovo Mini is to control one TV room. Of course HD still a big must for the project.

So maybe a suggestion as well for a sleek Logitech Mouse and Keyboard for the HTPC as it will be kept in the study. Also I'm currently just using my phone for DLNA, so any suggestions on how a remote control setup would work. Looking at the Logitech Harmony One as the remote of choice.

Here is the current spec sheet.

CASE: Antec Fusion Remote Black - R 1 808.00
MOBO: ASUS P7H55 microATX - R 888.00
PSU: Corsair cx400w - R 448.00
CPU: Intel Core i3-530 2.93GHz LGA1156 - R 990.00
RAM: Kingston*DDR3-1333*4GB(2x2GB) Memory Module Kit - R 663.00
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB - R 538.00
OPTICAL: (Current BluRay) GGW-H20L
KEYBOARD:Logitech DiNovo Mini - R 877.00
MOUSE: (Look at the Keyboard)
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit DSP R 960.00
Total: R 7 172.00

 

[Archer]

You only need 2gb RAM
And why are you getting a mouse+keyboard if you are looking at getting a Harmony remote? The remote will be able to do everything on XBMC. Of course, if you want to do the odd internet surfing then a keyboard + mouse becomes useful. Also, I have seen android apps that can control XBMC, so thats also an option (but I have no personal experience with it).
Oh, also try to get a aftermarket cooler, to try keep things quieter. Just make sure it'll fit in the case!

 

[DJNgoma]

Reason for the keyboard and mouse suggestion, it needs not to be the top range, just need limbs for the PC in case somebody wants to use it. I'll take into consideration in terms of the RAM, only reason for 4GB was due to the cheap cost and the use of 64bit(no point in staying with 32bit right now).
The reason for the remote is due to the fact that there is also another 46" HD TV in another room not to far form the 52", plus the use of an XBMC remote wouldn't work if my phone(the remote) is not in the house .

Suggestion on what silent cooler exactly? Will look into which ones are available.

 

[Archer]

Cooler - Zalman CNPS8700 (any low profile Zalman cooler really, they are all the same, try for biggest fan size) . Those are generally the cheapest + silent coolers you can get that are low profile.
Any reason why you want that case in particular? The Antec NSK2480 is very similar, comes with a decent PSU and is cheaper. It lacks the front display + buttons + IR receiver/remote though

 

[DJNgoma]

Cooler - Zalman CNPS8700 (any low profile Zalman cooler really, they are all the same, try for biggest fan size) . Those are generally the cheapest + silent coolers you can get that are low profile.
Any reason why you want that case in particular? The Antec NSK2480 is very similar, comes with a decent PSU and is cheaper. It lacks the front display + buttons + IR receiver/remote though

Yea, was looking at the Zalmans. Will go through the reviews for some other view points, but the one you suggested looks alright.
Reason for the HTPC case is due to the HAI setup put in place in the house, so I could just program the thing as a source to be controlled by remote control.

Also is there any AMD equivalent to the rig I've got?

 

[Archer]

AMD version
Mobo - R650
CPU - R650
GPU - R500
So both options are basically the same price

I dont like using 7xx series onboard graphics since it does not support DXVA (you get almost imperceptible stutter), so thats the reason for the GPU. When XBMC supports bitstreaming over a GPU then you can have video+audio from the HD5450. Will check if 8xx series onboard graphics support DXVA.

edit: let me try installing latest drivers (I'm still on 9.something whereas 10.4 and up fix some stuff), perhaps that'll sort out the micro stutter problem. Then you could save R500

 

[DJNgoma]

AMD version
Mobo - R650
CPU - R650
GPU - R500
So both options are basically the same price

I dont like using 7xx series onboard graphics since it does not support DXVA (you get almost imperceptible stutter), so thats the reason for the GPU. When XBMC supports bitstreaming over a GPU then you can have video+audio from the HD5450. Will check if 8xx series onboard graphics support DXVA.

edit: let me try installing latest drivers (I'm still on 9.something whereas 10.4 and up fix some stuff), perhaps that'll sort out the micro stutter problem. Then you could save R500

Cool, just let me know then. Probably the nice thing about the new i3 processors is the built in graphics chip.

 

[Archer]

The micro stutter seems to be gone with the newer driver, yet the CPU + GPU are still working at approximately the same levels as before. One thing, my wife cant even see the stutter I'm talking about, so maybe its just me, lol But from what I have read the i3-530 works fine. What OS will you be running? As far as Windows goes its only W7 that will enable DXVA. Whats nice about either build (since they both have onboard GPUs already) is that worst comes to worst you spend another R500 on a passive cooled HD5450 and any and all video issues will be sorted. If you are planning to run any of the Linux versions however you should get a Nvidia card since their drivers play nicer with Linux.

 

[Bobb]

Not sure if you can get a cheap GT430 here in SA but i am putting together a HTPC machine as a present to myself when i move to Chicago in December and my research says best thing you can do is put in a low profile GT430, and an SSD. Thats after digging around for weeks on the XBMC and AVS forums. My machine will have a quad core Core i5, 4gb ram, SSD and GT430... should handle any XBMC skin (Aeon) and have plenty of grunt for backround operations (sickbeard, Couchpotato, SABnzbd etc)

 

[Archer]

Not sure if you can get a cheap GT430 here in SA but i am putting together a HTPC machine as a present to myself when i move to Chicago in December and my research says best thing you can do is put in a low profile GT430, and an SSD. Thats after digging around for weeks on the XBMC and AVS forums. My machine will have a quad core Core i5, 4gb ram, SSD and GT430... should handle any XBMC skin (Aeon) and have plenty of grunt for backround operations (sickbeard, Couchpotato, SABnzbd etc)

You really dont need a quad core. I'm happily running several tasks in the background and my poor little Athlon Dual core is quite happy to do it all. SSD will help though - I have only one HDD and since all the downloads go to it as well it can be sluggish sometimes. But I suspect a cheap "OS+XBMC only" drive will achieve the same result. And in a purely media environment the GT430 is bested by even the HD5450 in terms of value for money

 

[Bobb]

You really dont need a quad core. I'm happily running several tasks in the background and my poor little Athlon Dual core is quite happy to do it all. SSD will help though - I have only one HDD and since all the downloads go to it as well it can be sluggish sometimes. But I suspect a cheap "OS+XBMC only" drive will achieve the same result. And in a purely media environment the GT430 is bested by even the HD5450 in terms of value for money

I think the GT430 recommendation is based on the HDMI 1.4 (3d + DTS audio) capability for future proofing, more than from a purely cost perspective? I stand corrected though. Apparantly the effects of an SSD are pretty astonishing with media heavy skins, even compared to OS+XBMC dedicated HDD's.

 

[SirFooK'nG]

My opinion its a waste of money .. I bought a second hand AMD X2 on an Asus Mobo (with HDMI out) with 2 gig of ram & all of that was in a neat small coolermaster case (oh ja and also had a zalman cooler in it) - got it for R1700. I popped Win 7 on it, bought a cheap 2.4ghz wireles mouse keyboard combo (R150), a WM Remote (isonic brand) for like R90. And a terabyte HDD... Put it into my LCD cabinet, connected it up and beautifull!

I can run a ful BluRay rip (24gig) at full 1920 X 1080 flawlessly! via the on board graphics.... Also I use XBMC (love it).

 

[Gnome]

What exactly is the purpose of HTPC? I mean what are the advantages over something like a Mede8er or AC Ryan Playon!HD?

Cooler - Zalman CNPS8700 (any low profile Zalman cooler really, they are all the same, try for biggest fan size) . Those are generally the cheapest + silent coolers you can get that are low profile.

Thermalright? I'm not an expert but I would think Thermalright low profile cooler can be more silent than Zalman. Zalman do many things but silent isn't one of them (their fans in my experience are noisy and you can only use their Zalman fans).

 

[Archer]

What exactly is the purpose of HTPC? I mean what are the advantages over something like a Mede8er or AC Ryan Playon!HD?

Main purpose for most = watching movies/series along with whatever extras your chosen player allows for. Gaming also sometimes features. Advantages are flexibilty, ugradeability as the main reasons. Otherwise can stand alone players stream online radio stations, stream youtube, give weather forecasts, allow multiple skins, have non proprietary software, post process videos, act as download machines, browse the web, etc

Thermalright? I'm not an expert but I would think Thermalright low profile cooler can be more silent than Zalman. Zalman do many things but silent isn't one of them.

http://www.frostytech.com/top5_lowprofile_heatsinks.cfm
Dont know if they ever review thermalright, and I took the Zalman recommendation of there. Other brands not available here afaik

 

[Gnome]

Main purpose for most = watching movies/series along with whatever extras your chosen player allows for. Gaming also sometimes features. Advantages are flexibilty, ugradeability as the main reasons. Otherwise can stand alone players stream online radio stations, stream youtube, give weather forecasts, allow multiple skins, have non proprietary software, post process videos, act as download machines, browse the web, etc

I just feel like I only do TV related actives in front of the TV (IE. watching stuff). So in that sense HTPC feels wasteful, price wise, power wise and noise wise. But I guess some people don't mind browsing the internet and such on a TV.

There are stand alone players that feature Youtube and web-browsers tho if I'm not mistaken.

This may seem a bit of topic but I always think it is best to evaluate the reason for buying a HTPC...

http://www.frostytech.com/top5_lowprofile_heatsinks.cfm
Dont know if they ever review thermalright, and I took the Zalman recommendation of there. Other brands not available here afaik

Ah. I've bought Zalman before (Nvidia AM2 Edition cooler or some or other), wasn't impressed with noise TBH. Compared to the fans I'm running now the Zalman is positively the opposite of silent. Perhaps they've improved tho.

Thermalright allow any fan hence my bias toward their products (I'll admit I'm biased). That and I've never seen a bad product from them cooler wise.

 

[DJNgoma]

I just feel like I only do TV related actives in front of the TV (IE. watching stuff). So in that sense HTPC feels wasteful, price wise, power wise and noise wise. But I guess some people don't mind browsing the internet and such on a TV.

There are stand alone players that feature Youtube and web-browsers tho if I'm not mistaken.

This may seem a bit of topic but I always think it is best to evaluate the reason for buying a HTPC...

I know you are addressing your post to most people but here's my reasoning for the PC.

It's an upgrade(replacement) on an old machine that I've got here. It's going to act as a normal PC from time to time, but media content would be the main aim. Why the need for a BluRay player, a device that does Web browsing and YouTube streaming or/and then something like an Mvix for multimedia when an HTPC can do that and rip/process content at a faster rate with the benefit of customising the system to my liking and plus being energy efficient if you look at the current specs specs.

In a sense right now this HD DSTV decoder seems like a wasteful, price wise, power wise and noise wise.

 

[Gnome]

I know you are addressing your post to most people but here's my reasoning for the PC.

From you post I can tell you have thoroughly thought this out. I didn't realize you were aiming to do ripping also (something I used to do in the Divx 3 days, not so much anymore, but the field has changed considerable), then it makes perfect sense to get a computer.

But yes I was aiming my post to so many people that also consider HTPCs but aren't aware that they would probably be fine with a stand alone player.

In a sense right now this HD DSTV decoder seems like a wasteful, price wise, power wise and noise wise.

No argument here. DSTV anything seems wasteful to me VS. say AC Ryan/Mede8er/WD TV + ADSL (or if you really low on cash substitute ADSL for WUG) but hell the public at large don't mind paying the ridiculous "Multi"choice prices so I guess I'm the wrong person to evaluate such a product.

 

[DJNgoma]

No argument here. DSTV anything seems wasteful to me VS. say AC Ryan/Mede8er/WD TV + ADSL (or if you really low on cash substitute ADSL for WUG) but hell the public at large don't mind paying the ridiculous "Multi"choice prices so I guess I'm the wrong person to evaluate such a product.

Plus I can't see the argument of piracy playing a part now as most of the shows are streamed by the networks themselves (in HD at times). R599 just to watch the occasion SuperSport or Discovery is a bit of a waste really

 

[People$champ]

Just for intrest sake how intensive will your games be that you'll be playing? coz the ATI 5450 passive cooled card would be up your street you'll be able to play most games at decent frames but not such high resolutions on the cpu cooler stay away from the Zalman they not silent at all the thermalright range is really good but fitting the 120 extreme in that case may not work but the xp140 will work like a bomb u can run it passively just have a fan blowing some air into the box near it I run xbmc remote from my andriod phone its really handly for the remote replacement and range wont be and issue since it uses wi-fi.Just try to keep things silent as a noisy system will be driving you nuts soon

 

[Roger.Wilco]

You really dont need a quad core. I'm happily running several tasks in the background and my poor little Athlon Dual core is quite happy to do it all.

Agreed. I'm running a dual core with 1gb ram, Geforce 8400GS, Windows 7 64bit. Bought a remote for R99, works perfectly with MediaPortal. I also have uTorrent and DC+ running permanently for downloading stuff, never any issues. Plays 1080P movies flawlessly. There's no need for going over the top for a HTPC unless you'll be using it for games as well.

The whole setup worked out less than R2000, minus the drives and OS I already had.