Need Help with HDHTPC

[DerwenArtos12]

MODS:There are some software and some GH questions here as well but, it all pertains to getting the best performance out of my HDHTPC so I went with video, please move if more appropriate elsewhere. thanks.

I'm not a complete AV idiot, nor is this my first htpc but, I have been out of it for a while and while I've read a TON of information here, I just want to make sure I've processed it all properly.

I just inherited a busted PC and have gotten it back working, was a bad video card caused by a blown PSU, video card has been disposed of and PSU replaced. It fires right up now and has a clean XP install ready for me to play with. Equipment as of right now:
Intel Box D945GTP motherboard
Intel Pentium D 3Ghz Dual Core
1x 1GB Patriot DDR2 800 running @ 667 4-3-3-12
1x Floppy Drive
1x Basic DVD-RW drive

I've got a pair of Sapphire Theatrix 550 pro's I'm using in my current HTPC but, ever since I got my Samsung 46" 750 series, they're not holding up their end, especially with OTA high def and the few Clear QAM channels I get from my cable provider that the TV displays, beautifully, but the tuner doesn't even know exist.

I'd like to build this into a HDHTPC. From what I've read I have a good enough base. I'm thinking I should add another 1GB of ram, HD3450, dVico Fuzion 7, and a Blu-Ray drive.

My questions are:

Is the 1GB now fine or is it essentially a necessity to go for the 2GB

Should I be running Vista? I have BeyondTV 3 now, I like it a lot, and was considering going to BeyondTV 4 and staying on 32-bit XP. I'm not trying to start anything OS wise here, I realize this has nothing to do with mac or *nix but, there is enough debate about Vista vs. XP. I'm strictly asking if there are compatibility issues with running Blu-Ray or other HD content in XP that I may have overlooked.

I have PowerDVD 8 Ultra, bought it for playing blu-ray on my laptop.

Should I get the Fuzion 7 Gold or does the Fuzion 7 dual give as good of picture, just with dual tuners?

Will the HD3450 be a good choice or just an adequate one? How about an older passive 8500gt I've got in a box? It won't decode H.264 though?

I plan to hook this up to a Onkyo 6.1 receiver(I only use 5.1) that can decode DD/DTS via co-axial or optical, I'll probably go optical as it has only one co-ax and three optical. And a Samsung LN46A750, directly via HDMI. How am I doing so far?

 

[ss284]

3450 is good enough. Has digital 5.1 audio, hdmi, and h.264 decoding. I have no idea about the tuners.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

That's a start then, thanks. I have a passive 8500gt laying around, they don't decode H.264 though, right?

I've decided to ditch the tiny case and use an older silverstone I have to so I can use full height cards and put my Emu1212m in the system for better audio.

 

[spdfreak]

I'm using an old 6800 and ati HDTV Wonder on a 47in 1080p monitor. All of my OTA channels are perfect. Even my 6800 can handle x264 decode using the combined community codec pack and MPC. Having the right codecs is very important with x264 stuff. Your 8500GT should be OK unless you want to use HDMI. If you go to ASVforum you will get every opinion in the world on what the best HD tuner card is, but my experience is that they all seem to work pretty well. You might want to consider the new HDTV all-in-wonder card that visiontek has out and add another tuner card if you want dual HD tuners. It includes a 3650 video card. I would be careful with video card though since you are going to be getting OTA. The 2400 and 3400 series cards do not have enough power to deinterlace 1080i well. You need at least a 2600 or 3600 series card for that. But as I said, my old nvidia 6800 works fine so your 8500 should as well. Blu ray is a different story since I don't have a blu ray drive and can't test it, but a 8500 should work.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Thanks spdfreak. I actually have a topic at avs identical to the topic here but, got two really worthless replies and nothing since. I guess I'll just have to build it and start tweaking.

 

[coolpurplefan]

I don't want to hijack the thread but does anyone know if you need HDMI or HDCP on your motherboard as well as your video card to have those features? Or, could it be just on the video card?

 

[ther00kie16]

Originally posted by: coolpurplefan
I don't want to hijack the thread but does anyone know if you need HDMI or HDCP on your motherboard as well as your video card to have those features? Or, could it be just on the video card?

Just whatever you are using to output video.
As to OP, 1gb is probably fine but with 2gb kits at $25 after rebate, you might as well grab one.
550 doesn't support QAM since the newer 650 doesn't even support it.
Here's a good site with lots of info.
And if you are one of the few that has a circuit city with the Hauppauge 1600 left, get it for $30 (check online).