Lost with HTPC build. Any help?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
J

Jules

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,213
0
76
1. HTPC for Blu-rays, Netflix streaming and Web surfing.

2. Around $600

3. USA

4. Doesn't matter. Whatever is the most bang for the buck.

5. None

6. I have searched and read many HTPC threads but im not sure what to get at this point so im making this thread.

7. I might if its capable.

8. As soon as i can.





Hey guys im trying to figure out what i should get. I will be using this on a 720P Plasma with 5.1 surround sound. I pretty much need everything besides a monitor for now. I would Prefer 4 gigs of ram and atleast 1TB Drive. Thanks for any help.
 
yh125d

yh125d

Diamond Member
Dec 23, 2006
6,886
0
76
X2 7750 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819103300
Asus M3N78 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131318
4gb DDR2 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820134730
BR/HD DVD drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827136133
400w PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817256032
Samsung 1tb - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822152102

$467, leaving you plenty of money for a case of your choice. If you want you could downgrade to a cheaper motherboard and get a dedicated video card, but the IGP handles 19x10 playback fine

The x2 has plenty of grunt for an HTPC, the 8200 integrated graphics handles BD playback fine, motherboard has optical audio out. I have that BD drive, which also reads HD DVDs, and it's quieter than my already quiet normal DVD drive. I also have the samsung HD. It's just about the fastest 1tb drive out right now, and the quietest HD I've owned.
 
J

Jules

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,213
0
76
Originally posted by: yh125d
X2 7750 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819103300
Asus M3N78 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813131318
4gb DDR2 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820134730
BR/HD DVD drive - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827136133
400w PSU - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817256032
Samsung 1tb - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822152102

$467, leaving you plenty of money for a case of your choice. If you want you could downgrade to a cheaper motherboard and get a dedicated video card, but the IGP handles 19x10 playback fine

The x2 has plenty of grunt for an HTPC, the 8200 integrated graphics handles BD playback fine, motherboard has optical audio out. I have that BD drive, which also reads HD DVDs, and it's quieter than my already quiet normal DVD drive. I also have the samsung HD. It's just about the fastest 1tb drive out right now, and the quietest HD I've owned.
Click to expand...


Thats a nice build thanks. I will be using it. Hmm not sure what case to get. I still need to get a wireless keyboard with built in mouse.
 
J

Jules

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,213
0
76
Now im not sure, Should i get a 780G or 8200???? I wanted something that decodes stuff like TRUE HD and Master Audio and stuff like that for Blu-ray.
 
H

heyheybooboo

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2007
6,278
0
0
Originally posted by: Jules
Now im not sure, Should i get a 780G or 8200???? I wanted something that decodes stuff like TRUE HD and Master Audio and stuff like that for Blu-ray.
Click to expand...

I don't think that's gonna happen on the PC side - at least not now. Your best chance will be with a Xonar HDAV1.3 sound card but you need to travel over to the AVS HTPC Forums rite cheer.

The thread is like 150 pages long :D

100% of Blu-ray Discs are AACS protected and thus require down sampling without a protected audio pathway (PAP). I don't think the PAP has been adequately addressed on any PC motherboard (though some onboard audio chipsets from Realtek offer content protection the 'bus' on the motherboard does not have complete PAP so the 'chain' is broken and the audio is down sampled).

The initial Xonar HDAVs had problems IIRC but a new version is out which may start addressing them - not sure how this may work with/without the PAP.
 
J

Jules

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,213
0
76
That sucks. What kind of audio can i get outta the 780G or 8200 for Blu-ray playback?
 
DSF

DSF

Diamond Member
Oct 6, 2007
4,902
0
71
If you can find it on sale the Antec NSK2480 is a solid HTPC case that includes a good power supply.

I can use the Logitech LX710 from my couch with no problems. (And it matches the two-tone scheme of the NSK2480 for an added bonus.)
 
H

heyheybooboo

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2007
6,278
0
0
Originally posted by: Jules
That sucks. What kind of audio can i get outta the 780G or 8200 for Blu-ray playback?
Click to expand...

Really, really good :p

I personally think compressed (or 'lossy') audio with the latest codecs is closer to the original master than most people are able to hear - at least for us 'old dudes'. I pass lossless multichannel PCM through my PC analog outs to my receiver and it works just dandy (but I have yet to enter the Bluray phase).

I have also passed AC3 via optical and coax with great results.

Folks may perceive a difference in the bit-for-bit accuracy of Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD-Master Audio but that doesn't make lossy Dolby formats or other compressed HD formats bad. I can tell a difference but (and I'm sure this is just me :D) not an exceptional difference that simply blows me away.

I'm now pulling on my flame-retardant suit - LOL.

Here is the link to the Realtek ALC889 HD Audio Codec with content protection.

Note that your software 'player' choices are limited to those which provide 'protection' - and that's a whole other discussion.

Will you be using a receiver?

FYI - I use a Divco Fusion tuner in my PC which recognizes unencrypted cable HD without a STB (including the audio channels) - it will not help you with encrypted premium HD channels (except on 'free' weekends).

Here is the SilverStone case that I use - it looks great with my components and will take an ATX form factor but it's 'deep' (might be a problem if your 'rack' is shallow) and doesn't have a PSu
 
J

Jules

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,213
0
76
Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
Originally posted by: Jules
That sucks. What kind of audio can i get outta the 780G or 8200 for Blu-ray playback?
Click to expand...

Really, really good :p

I personally think compressed (or 'lossy') audio with the latest codecs is closer to the original master than most people are able to hear - at least for us 'old dudes'. I pass lossless multichannel PCM through my PC analog outs to my receiver and it works just dandy (but I have yet to enter the Bluray phase).

I have also passed AC3 via optical and coax with great results.

Folks may perceive a difference in the bit-for-bit accuracy of Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD-Master Audio but that doesn't make lossy Dolby formats or other compressed HD formats bad. I can tell a difference but (and I'm sure this is just me :D) not an exceptional difference that simply blows me away.

I'm now pulling on my flame-retardant suit - LOL.

Here is the link to the Realtek ALC889 HD Audio Codec with content protection.

Note that your software 'player' choices are limited to those which provide 'protection' - and that's a whole other discussion.

Will you be using a receiver?

FYI - I use a Divco Fusion tuner in my PC which recognizes unencrypted cable HD without a STB (including the audio channels) - it will not help you with encrypted premium HD channels (except on 'free' weekends).

Here is the SilverStone case that I use - it looks great with my components and will take an ATX form factor but it's 'deep' (might be a problem if your 'rack' is shallow) and doesn't have a PSu
Click to expand...

Great. What would you recommend? The 8200 or 780G??? Im still lost on the case i should get.
 
yh125d

yh125d

Diamond Member
Dec 23, 2006
6,886
0
76
The 8200 will do 8 channel lossless LPCM over HDMI, but TrueHD and DTS-HD MA does not work

780g will do DTS/dolby, and 2 channel lossless LPCM. Not sure if it does DTS or DD (AC3)

Another option would be to just get a normal motherboard, and add a HD4550. Then you'd have much better performance in games if you ever play any, 8 channel LPCM, and Dolby True HD and DTS-MA HD
 
J

Jules

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,213
0
76
Originally posted by: yh125d
The 8200 will do 8 channel lossless LPCM over HDMI, but TrueHD and DTS-HD MA does not work

780g will do DTS/dolby, and 2 channel lossless LPCM. Not sure if it does DTS or DD (AC3)

Another option would be to just get a normal motherboard, and add a HD4550. Then you'd have much better performance in games if you ever play any, 8 channel LPCM, and Dolby True HD and DTS-MA HD
Click to expand...

I like this option. What kinda cheap mobo can i get?
 
yh125d

yh125d

Diamond Member
Dec 23, 2006
6,886
0
76
After looking a bit, all the motherboards with the good audio chipsets are the 780g/8200

What I'd do in this situation, is buy the motherboard I first linked, and if you're not pleased with the performance/audio capabilities, add in a 4 series card later
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom