Building a HTPC. Want to save as much $$ as possible.

[Coldkilla]

I wont need them. Ever. Thx.

 

[assassin24]

I wont need them. Ever. Thx.

Understood. Which is why I said "to each their own".

This is a public forum and its important to recognize that what is the correct answer for you isn't necessarily the correct answer for all.

This is only $5-$10 after all. I understand you are after the lowest possible build cost and I respect that. However, my approach is to go after the best "bang for the buck" with minimal chance for buyer's remorse.

No correct one size fits all answer. Good luck with your build!

 

[billyb0b]

4. Billyb0b: i3 with HD3000, could you please elaborate on that for me? Costs/etc?

A Core i3-2105 is the cheapest i3 you can find with HD3000 iGPU. Price is kinda over your budget though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115090

 

[billyb0b]

This is my current HTPC build...

CPU - Core i3-2105
Mobo - ASRock H67M-ITX
RAM - 2 x 2GB G.SKILL Ripjaws DDR3-1333
Optical medium - LITE-ON IHES112-04
PSU - Silverstone ST45SF 450W
Case - LIAN LI PC-Q11B
HD - Two 2TB Samsung EcoGreen F4
OS - Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Choice on mobo's was due to the low price, HDMI out, and Optical audio out (great for hooking up HTPC to receiver).

 

[Blain]

A Core i3-2105 is the cheapest i3 you can find with HD3000 iGPU. Price is kinda over your budget though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115090

He doesn't need that and never will.

 

[Ken g6]

Hey, Coldkilla, have you looked at the site homepage this morning?

Diamond Multimedia Launches AMP1000 Android Media Player

No benchmarks yet, but it's supposed to play 1080p. And it's supposed to be just $100AR.

 

[zon2020]

This is my current HTPC build...

Choice on mobo's was due to the low price, HDMI out, and Optical audio out (great for hooking up HTPC to receiver).

Why wouldn't you use hdmi to hook up to your receiver? Can't get Dolby TrueHD or DTS Master audio over optical.

 

[richardycc]

Guess you don't need an OS to run this HTPC? just buy a blu ray player with streaming and be done with it.

 

[Blain]

Guess you don't need an OS to run this HTPC?

He won't ever need to spend $$ on an OS because he's going to use a free linux distro.
It's all about keeping costs down. Remember...

Want to save as much $$ as possible.

 

[Coldkilla]

My current setup on my 2004 Dell Dimension is a Stereo plug/plug M/M cable with a VGA cable. Currently not sure if there is another way to connect the audio for future purposes but I notice that my surround sound makes a slight hissing noise when its cranked up (it doesn't do it in other input modes on other devices). Is it the cord or is that method of connecting audio not the best solution?

 

[assassin24]

My current setup on my 2004 Dell Dimension is a Stereo plug/plug M/M cable with a VGA cable. Currently not sure if there is another way to connect the audio for future purposes but I notice that my surround sound makes a slight hissing noise when its cranked up (it doesn't do it in other input modes on other devices). Is it the cord or is that method of connecting audio not the best solution?

Probably have something not grounded correctly in the Dell. Or have a bad soundcard in the Dell.

New HTPC builds don't need soundcards at all as its all built into the motherboard and CPU/chipset. Even for "audiophile" builds.

The best way to connect is HDMI (Full HD Audio and non-HD Audio bitstreaming) to a HDMI capable receiver. Then fiber optic (but as stated this can only bitstream Dolby Digital and DTS --- no HD Audio) again to a receiver that's capable of receiving fiber optic toslink cable. Then RCA stereo plug which is only analog --- no digital sound.

This is one of the reasons I recommended that motherboard with the optical output, HDMI output and stereo output. As you upgrade the rest of your AV gear its nice to have flexibility in your HTPC. Especially when its only an $8 upgrade.

 

[techs]

When I built my htpc I didn't go for a mobo without optical out. It turns out I needed it as my system grew and I only had an optical in left to use on my reciever. Turns out the mobo did have a header for it but I needed a low profile bracket. Ended up spending twenty bucks for the optical out from some guy on an auction site which I could have put into the mobo in the first place.
Live and learn.

 

[assassin24]

I wonder if the people that had USB 1.0 said at the time that they would "never need" USB 2.0? Needs change.

 

[Coldkilla]

Alright you sold me. Even though the USB 3.0 stuff I wont need, the optical out sounds like a better idea specifically because I don't want to repeat the issues I'm currently having with the dell. Plus I've got an optical cable around here somewhere.

Here's the back of our television:

I assume the PC's optical audio cable being plugged into "Digital Audio Out (Optical)" will work.

 

[assassin24]

Alright you sold me. Even though the USB 3.0 stuff I wont need, the optical out sounds like a better idea specifically because I don't want to repeat the issues I'm currently having with the dell. Plus I've got an optical cable around here somewhere.

Here's the back of our television:

I assume the PC's optical audio cable being plugged into "Digital Audio Out (Optical)" will work.

Do you have an AV Receiver? Really that's the best way to use any Home Theater equipment.

Otherwise you should connect your HTPC to the HDMI in on your TV until (if ever) you upgrade to an AV Receiver with surround sound.

That optical out on your TV is meant to send digital sound to an AV receiver and then to your speakers (with surround sound speakers if you have them).

 

[Coldkilla]

We simply have an all-in-one bluray+surround Samsung BD-P1500. Here's the back:

Would an HDMI cable using the motherboard you mentioned also carry sound? I plugged my primary PC into the television once using the DVI to HDMI cable I have where I plugged my video card in on one end and plugged it into an HDMI on the other but no sound traveled through the video card.

 

[assassin24]

We simply have an all-in-one bluray+surround Samsung BD-P1500. Here's the back:

Would an HDMI cable using the motherboard you mentioned also carry sound? I plugged my primary PC into the television once using the DVI to HDMI cable I have where I plugged my video card in on one end and plugged it into an HDMI on the other but no sound traveled through the video card.

What inputs does that thing have?

 

[Arkitekt]

Would an HDMI cable using the motherboard you mentioned also carry sound? I plugged my primary PC into the television once using the DVI to HDMI cable I have where I plugged my video card in on one end and plugged it into an HDMI on the other but no sound traveled through the video card.

HDMI does carry sound. If no sound travels through then you most likely need to set your sound playback settings in windows to default to the HDMI if it is present.

EDIT: DVI does not carry sound, on the new motherboard you just need to connect the HDMI from the motherboard to your TV HDMI Inputs

 

[assassin24]

In a nutshell...

HDMI: HD Video *and* HD Audio (DTS-HD, Dolby True HD) assuming you have an HD Audio capable reciever. No HDTV (or soundbar that I know of) can accept and decode HD Audio. HDMI can also send non-HD audio (DTS and Dolby Digital) to AV receiver.

Optical: Non-HD audio only (DTS and Dolby Digital). Almost all HDTVs can only accept Dolby Digital only if at all. Use HDMI to connect to HDTV for video.

RCA: Analog stereo only. Use HDMI to connect to HDTV for video.

This is why an AV receiver is so important for a proper home theater with surround sound.

 

[Coldkilla]

Then I'll be going the improper way. All I have are the two devices pictured and cannot afford yet another one.

 

[assassin24]

It's not improper. It's just not ideal.

But that's why having some additional connectivity options are nice to have if/when you upgrade in the future.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You've got HDMI inputs on the TV, use them.

 

[assassin24]

You've got HDMI inputs on the TV, use them.

Agreed.

 

[Aso]

Would an HDMI cable using the motherboard you mentioned also carry sound? I plugged my primary PC into the television once using the DVI to HDMI cable I have where I plugged my video card in on one end and plugged it into an HDMI on the other but no sound traveled through the video card.

HDMI does carry sound. If no sound traveled through then you most likely need to set your sound playback settings in windows to default to the HDMI if it is present.

Wouldn't the HDMI to DVI cable lose the audio signal? I didn't think audio would travel over the DVI connection.

 

[Arkitekt]

Wouldn't the HDMI to DVI cable lose the audio signal? I didn't think audio would travel over the DVI connection.

Sorry, I was answering his question about whether or not the HDMI on the ASRock H77M would carry sound. I guess I worded it wrong, I will fix that. You are right though, DVI cannot carry an audio signal.