building a htpc

[zimu]

hey guys,

until now been using my laptop to watch hd content on my tv, which is a pain to carry back and forth. and my server that i have plugged in (P4 2ghz) is not powerful enough for HD, i just use it for xvids.

Requirements:
1) Cheap. looking at <£200
2) specs: 2 gig ram, core2duo 2ghz at least. harddrive not important, i have a 500gb external so a 160/320 internal would be more than fine.
3) please post ebuyer.com links or alternative UK based stores (or ship to the UK) if you have recommendations!

finally - this is NOT JUST AN HTPC. i don't want linux or some custom htpc software as its OS. My server is currently windows 2003 and runs my email exchange services, ftp services etc etc. the new server will simply be an image of the old windows machine with ability to play high def. if you know some cool win2k3 software that does htpc stuff please let me know!

For a start I've built up two PC's, an intel and an AMD. The AMD comes with more usb ports and HDMI and seemingly a better processor for about the same price, and i'm all about value for money

System 1: Intel


case: el-cheapo tower
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/108273
£10.13

cpu: intel core2duo E4600
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/135668
£73.28

motherboard: MSI geforce 7050 onboard vga 8 channel mATX
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140212
£30.90

hdd: maxtor 250gb
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131214
£30.18


cd/dvd: 20x DVD+RW DL SATA
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/139414
£14.99

memory: crucial 2x1gb modules PC-6400
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/142390
£28

PSU: 400W
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136630
£7.99

fans:
cpu fan
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/144851
£5.17


Total build price:
£200


system 2: AMD

case: el-cheapo tower
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/108273
£10.13

cpu: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ Socket AM2 (2.8GHz) L2 Cache 2MB (2x1MB) OEM Processor
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136201
£57.99

motherboard: MSI K9AGM3-FIH socket AM2 AMD 690G PCI-E HDMI 8 channel audio mATX
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134741
£40.99

hdd: maxtor 250gb
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131214
£30.18


cd/dvd: 20x DVD+RW DL SATA
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/139414
£14.99

memory: crucial 2x1gb modules PC-6400
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/142390
£28

PSU: 400W
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136630
£7.99

fans:
cpu fan
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/144851
£5.17


Total build price:
£195.44

 

[heyheybooboo]

Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H 780G Socket AM2+: £54.57 inc vat
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/142347

X2 4800+ 2.5GHz 65w: £46.21 inc vat
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/134571

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Asus P2-M2A690G Black AM2 Barebone With HDMI Output - 200W PSU 133755 £100.78
Kingston 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ecc CL5 Unbuffered 1.8V 129954 £28.99
Maxtor STM3160215AS 160GB SATAII 7200RPM 2MB Cache - OEM 130408 £25.98
Optiarc AD-7200S 20X DVD±RW/DL/RAM Internal SATA Bare Black Drive - OEM 139414 £14.99
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ 2.5GHz Energy Efficient Socket AM2 L2 1MB (2x512KB) Cache Retail Boxed Processor 134571 £46.21
Cart total inc vat: £216.95

You spend a little more on the case/psu/ mobo, but you get everything in a nice looking enclosure, and get a multi-function media card reader plus HDMI out to your TV since this is an HTPC, I would think HDMI would be important.

This is all from ebuyer.

 

[zimu]

how come you guys are recommending the 4800+ over the 5600+? Wouldn't it be better to have the additional power of the 5600+?

 

[mshan]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/...s/viewtopic.php?t=4644

I would recommend a dedicated video card vs. integrated graphics; not because of performance, but for me, there seems to be more noise, and perhaps colors are not quite just as accurate, for Nvidia 6150 integrated graphics vs. XFX 7600GS.

Antec Solo (tower) or Antec NSK2480 (horizontal home theater case) are nice starting points.

Other general comment is to consider acoustics and noise level (hard drive idle noise, seek noise, and vibration transmitted to case, and fan noise in general).

 

[theAnimal]

Intel:

Antec NSK4480 Black & Silver Mini-Tower ATX Case - With 380W EarthWatts PSU
Gigabyte GA-G31M-S2L iG31 Socket 775 Onboard VGA 6 channel audio mATX Motherboard
Intel Pentium Dual Core E2180 2GHz Socket 775 800MHz FSB L2 1MB Cache Retail Box Processor
Crucial 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL6 Lifetime Warranty
Western Digital WD1600AAJS 160GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 8MB Cache - OEM
Optiarc AD-7200S 20X DVD±RW/DL/RAM Internal SATA Bare Black Drive - OEM
Cooler Master Hyper TX 2 Processor cooler (Socket 754, Socket 940, Socket 775, Socket 939, Socket AM2) - aluminium with copper base

Total ~206

AMD:

Antec NSK4480 Black & Silver Mini-Tower ATX Case - With 380W EarthWatts PSUGigabyte
GA-MA69VM-S2 690V Socket AM2 Onboard VGA 8 channel audio mATX Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Socket AM2 (2.5GHz) L2 Cache 1MB OEM Processor
Crucial 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL6 Lifetime Warranty
Western Digital WD1600AAJS 160GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 8MB Cache - OEM
Optiarc AD-7200S 20X DVD±RW/DL/RAM Internal SATA Bare Black Drive - OEM
Cooler Master Hyper TX 2 Processor cooler (Socket 754, Socket 940, Socket 775, Socket 939, Socket AM2) - aluminium with copper base

Total ~206

 

[gameover]

Originally posted by: zimu
how come you guys are recommending the 4800+ over the 5600+? Wouldn't it be better to have the additional power of the 5600+?

I just finshed my 2nd htpc build and will be working on my 3rd soon. I started about the same way you did. I didn't really care about the case or front end. After I started using the HTPC full time I started adding more and more and finally have a really polished system that I can't live without.

To answer your question above the recommendations for the 4800+ over the 5600+ is because they were suggesting you buy the 4800+ EE which ulses less power and is easier to cool. More heat = more fan noise that you don't want to hear while watching a movie.

I really like the suggestion of the AMD system from The Animal. You don't say much about what your going to be doing with your system so I can't realy say much else.

I also think that no matter what you go with you should get a remote.

MCE Remote

It will work with Vista or XP out of the box. It's also the most common remote and will work with almost any front end if you choose to go that route.

 

[fuentefan]

alot of good reading here

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=26

 

[Chosonman]

Originally posted by: zimu
how come you guys are recommending the 4800+ over the 5600+? Wouldn't it be better to have the additional power of the 5600+?

for the reasons stated above and the fact that the CPU doesn't do much on an HTPC. The bulk of the video decoding is done by the graphics cards, so that's where you'd be better off spending your money.

 

[Chosonman]

I just noticed you didn't include a graphics card. I recommend an ATI 2k or 3k series. I'm using an HD3850 for one of mine.