HTPC build and system shuffle

[birthdaymonkey]

Hi guys,

I'm planning a new build and a serious rearrangement of all my computer parts, and I'm looking for the wise advice of Gen Hardware to get the best cool/quiet performance and bang for my buck. Please get comfy because this is gonna be a big post.

I've currently got 2 computers.

One is my office/internet/gaming computer:
i5 750 @4.0, ASUS P7P55-D, 8GB DDR3-1600, Galaxy 560 Ti, Vertex 2 50GB, 256GB Western Digital SSD (for games), 1.5TB WD Green, Seasonic X-660, Hyper 212+, Fractal Define R3, Dell U2211H

The other is my HTPC, which also serves as a secondary SC2 machine when my friends come over for our weekly video games night:
2500K @4.2, ASUS P8P67-M Pro, 4GB DDR3-1333, XFX 6870, Mushkin Callisto 60GB SSD, 2x 2TB WD Green, Lian Li PC-v351, Noctua U9B-SE2, Seasonic X-560, Samsung LCD TV

I just got the green light from the GF to turn a spare bedroom into a "dork den." She hates it when my friends and I are yelling at each other across the apartment, so all of my nerdy activities will be confined to this room once I get it set up.

So my plan is to basically gut the current hybrid gaming/HTPC system and buy cheaper hardware that will serve as a true HTPC, with no need for any gaming oomph. The case, hard drives, and PSU will stay in the HTPC. All the other parts will need to be purchased.

Then I'll move my i5 750 system into a new case (already ordered a Lian Li PC-9F) for use as the secondary gaming machine. This computer will be shut off when not in use; the other systems will run 24/7. The 2500k system will take over as my main computer.

TL/DR:
Need to get -

i5 750 - PSU

New HTPC - mobo, CPU, video card (?), memory, SSD, Operating System

^^This is where I'm really looking for input. I watch movies using madVR and need enough GPU horsepower to run its filters. Would Llano be enough to do this or would I be better off with an SB Pentium + discrete GPU? I also want this machine to be as cool and quiet as possible. If I could run it with just one fan (exhaust over hard drives) in the PC-V351, I would be very pleased. Do I need an aftermarket HSF? Motherboard needs to have SPDIF out. Would using the Windows 8 beta as an OS be feasible? I'm not sure I want to invest in yet another Win7 license with the new OS on the horizon now.

Monitor - This will be my primary monitor. Looking at the Dell U2412M, Asus PA246Q, or maybe the new 24" Samsung PLS. Whichever of these I can get for a good deal in the next few weeks.

I'm going to try and get most of the parts on Boxing Day sales (Canada) to save as much money as possible, so I'm not really looking for current deals, just general recommendations.

If you're still reading, thanks! This is going to be a big project, so any advice or suggestions to make it as cheap and hassle-free as possible are appreciated.

 

[mfenn]

You wrote 1000 words but left out the most important part. Budget! What is it? :awe:

 

[birthdaymonkey]

How silly of me! I'm shooting for $400 without the OS.

 

[mfenn]

OK, so based on my research about madVR performance, you want an Nvidia card, but it doesn't have to be very powerful at all. Even the lowly GT 520 can decode at over 100 FPS in most situations. With that and your budget in mind:

Pentium G620 $73 - plenty of CPU grunt to decode non-GPU accelerated 1080P if necessary
Biostar TH61 $80 - I know you don't need an ITX board, but it has the features that you are looking for and is priced nicely.
G.Skill DDR3 1333 4GB $20 - all you need
GT 520 $27 AR - cheap, passively cooled and plenty of performance for madVR
Crucial M4 64GB $120 - it's an SSD that is well-priced given its (high) level of performance
Total: $320 AR

 

[birthdaymonkey]

Thanks a lot, mfenn! I'm particularly enthused about that motherboard. I've been pondering a move to an ITX case for a while now and this will give me the ability to do that with minimal hassle should the opportunity present itself.

I am a bit biased towards AMD GPUs, however, as I've had driver issues using an nvidia card in an HTPC application in the past (audio synch...almost drove me mad). Do you know of any good deals on AMD cards (passively cooled would be nice)? I read some more of the AT article you referenced, and it seems like the 6570 would be a good choice.

As I said, I'm waiting till Dec. 26th to make the purchase as there are usually some excellent sales, but your input on the build is appreciated.

Picked up a Dell U2412M today for $279 on a "Days of Dell" deal, so that's another item ticked off my list.

 

[mfenn]

I would say that the 6570 is a fine choice as well, albeit more expensive. Here's passively-cooled version for $70. The only thing I worry about is the lack of CUDA support, there are some really nifty GPGPU-based decoders and post-processors in development.