Building a HTPC out of Windows 2008...

[Shyatic]

Here's the parts I have:

Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. 965P-DS3
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6300 @ 1.86GHz, 1867 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
LITE-ON DVDRW LDW-851S ATA Device
1xRaptor Drive (74gb)
1x200GB SATA drive
ATI Graphics card (no external power) PCI-E
400 Watt Antec PSU

Now I've been told I should swap the motherboard/processor for an Athlon 4850e with a 780G motherboard so I can do BluRay decoding, but how well will it run Windows 2008?

I'm a sysadmin who learns everything on his own, so having a 24/7 2008 system is important because I run a domain in the house. My current apartment has utilities included, and now when I move (to a bigger place) it obviously will not.

I don't mind spending a little money if I need to -- especially since I can re-sell the motherboard and E6300 processor if need be. I just don't want to do it for the sake of doing it without knowing the returns first. I know if I get rid of the graphics card, lower the processor, maybe change the power supply or whatever... then I figure I have a start.

Thanks for any ideas... !!

 

[SpeedEng66]

easy way/ cheap option get a 3450 ish card and your done

im running a e2160 (stock) + 3450 and it does hd without a prob

 

[Blain]

One word... "Intel Atom"

 

[Shyatic]

Originally posted by: Blain
One word... "Intel Atom"

How is that one word?

Besides, the 1.6 is obscenely slow, I don't think it's going to run 2008 properly. It runs XP on my sister's netbook okay, but otherwise I don't know...

 

[heyheybooboo]

Do you want 'turnkey' HTPC case, etc? Tuner capability? Audio/video pass-thru to a receiver?

What about chipset, ethernet, video, etc. drivers fir Win08?

 

[Shyatic]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
Do you want 'turnkey' HTPC case, etc? Tuner capability? Audio/video pass-thru to a receiver?

What about chipset, ethernet, video, etc. drivers fir Win08?

I need Gig-E, audio video pass through to a receiver. I don't need tuner/DVR capability, I have that in my cable box, I just want to be able to play BluRay movies, surf the web (on my TV hehe), and that's about it.

Windows 2008 will use most of the drivers Vista64 has, so I'm not too worried about that.

 

[JackMDS]

Intel ATOM dual core 1.6GHz witj 1Giga LAN

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...&Tpk=Intel%20D945GCLF2

Used by many to run Windows Home server (WHS) which is a subset of Windows 2008.

This guy is running WHS and out on it a Virtual HTPC thus get both a very good server and HTPC.

Same idea probably would work on Windows 2008 too.

http://www.andrewgrant.org/200...ndows-home-server.html

 

[jae]

keep what u have and get a AMD 3450 or something... and youll be SMOKIN!

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: Scribe

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
Do you want 'turnkey' HTPC case, etc? Tuner capability? Audio/video pass-thru to a receiver?

What about chipset, ethernet, video, etc. drivers fir Win08?

I need Gig-E, audio video pass through to a receiver. I don't need tuner/DVR capability, I have that in my cable box, I just want to be able to play BluRay movies, surf the web (on my TV hehe), and that's about it.

Windows 2008 will use most of the drivers Vista64 has, so I'm not too worried about that.

It seems folks are interested in mini-ITX for you - here are 2 mini-ITX mobos which support BluRay processing with the onboard IGP. Each has pluses and minuses.

The 780g mini has HDMI and eSATA but no S/PDIF-out. The GeForce 8200 does not have HDMI-out or no S/PDIF-out so that won't really help yah (it does have dual giga-LAN, however)

Your best bet may be the mATX GIGABYTE GA-MA78GM-S2HP AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G HDMI for $70 AR. Has decent connectivity and onboard BluRay processing.

IIRC Tom's review of the 780g with an X2 4850e was something like 45w idle and 75w during BluRay playback. They even successfully tested tested BluRay playback on a single-core Sempy (can't recall the clock) so one of these Semprons may further reduce your power consumption.

There are new mobile Semprons that would further reduce your power consumption as much as 50% but they are socket S1 - I don't believe that any available retail socket S1 mobos exist with onboard BluRay processing. (That may not mean anything because the last ones I saw were over a year ago.)

I'm not really up to speed on Win08 and how it will handle HDCP and the 'protected media pathway' of BluRay. Does Win08 even have WMP? You may want to consider an email to the folks at Cyberlink to see if they have support for PowerDVD in Win08 ....

Do you have a preference for your 'media' case ?