New HTPC build for a nooby

[brywisco]

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Basic HTPC duties:
Netflix/Hulu streaming, DVR'ing OTA TV broadcasts, ripping/playing DVD's (& maybe blu-ray?), surfing web, etc.
Other occasional duties:
Light gaming, home video editing, photoshop

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

$500 - $750

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

USA

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

None

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

I currently have:
SSD (Samsung 830 128GB)
HDD (Samsung F4 2TB)


7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

Default is likely fine for this

8. What resolution will you be using?

HDTV 1080P

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.

By September?

OTHER INFO:
Would like to keep overall case size fairly small but not comfortable with mini-itx size - likely micro-ATX is good.

I have no real experience with any of this, but have researched somewhat. Am cluless about gaming in general, but know my son will be interested in that feature.

I have 2 TV's which are about as far apart as they can be in a 2-story home. The upstairs bedroom TV will likely be hooked up to the new HTPC and the downstairs living room TV currently has a PS3. Is there any way to stream files from the HTPC to LR TV via the PS3 (can be connected with cat6 cable BTW)?

 

[JPerk]

Quick comment on streaming to the ps3, there are a couple programs that do exactly that for free. I use one called ps3 media server. Works pretty well through my wireless network.

 

[brywisco]

Thanks JPerk....
I am looking into that a bit as well.
The whole networking thing is a bit confusing so far!
At least the building of the htpc rig seems simple enough for now.

 

[Binky]

A very good base system would be something like this:

H67 motherboard (Asrock is popular with HTPC builds)
G530 or G620 CPU, maybe up to a 2100 if you need 3D capability
8GB of memory
Use the built-in video to start, and if needed jump up to an AMD 6450 or Nvidia GT430 (I'm partial to the GT430, but the 6450 is more popular). The build-in video is usually good.

Windows7 gives you media center, then install Media Browser and Media Center Master and you're in great shape. XBMC is also very popular, and free.

If gaming is needed, you'll need to specify what games and how often. My suggestions above are for a pure HTPC machine with little or no gaming.

 

[Zap]

G530 or G620 CPU
stock cooler
integrated graphics
micro ATX socket 1155 motherboard of choice depending on features (SATA 6G, USB 3.0, etc)
2GB+ 1.5v DDR3
PSU (anything decent quality that is on sale)
case (if you want it to "look" HTPC, Silverstone ML03 or GD05/GD06)

G530 or G620 CPU, maybe up to a 2100 if you need 3D capability
8GB of memory

I somewhat disagree. 8GB memory is overkill for media playback. It will probably work fine with even 2GB. The 3D gaming capabilities of those CPUs are around the same. The big difference is the 2100 supports Quicksync, if the OP's software supports it.

 

[Binky]

What Zap says is true...but 8GB is $40. So the savings are very small.

If gaming is involved, I'd probably use the 2100 or above, and something like an AMD 6670 video card.

 

[brywisco]

Thanks for the prompt replies.
I was initially looking at the AMD Llano A6-3500 CPU b/c it is a bit less costly and has decent integrated GPU. Would using the intel G530 or 620 or 2100 be a better choice for future upgrade-ability? It seems like it to me, but I am new to this.

I am not sure what games are most popular. My son is 10yo and we don't really let him play anything too gruesome etc. yet. I am also willing to add a discrete vid card down the road if he shows interest.

I have purchased and am looking thru Assassin's htpc guides. I have gained some confidence from them and ready to start gathering hardware.

This is kinda fun!

 

[mfenn]

Both the 1155 and FM1 platforms are dead, so you won't see a difference in upgradability by going with either. Llano is fine for this application, but I tend to like the really low idle power draw of an Intel Sandy Bridge config.

With the amount of components that you're reusing, you won't need to spend $500, much less $750.
http://redirect.anandtech.com/r?url...duct.aspx?Item=N82E16819103951&user=u00000687
A8-3870K $105 AP
ASRock A75M $75
Patriot DDR3 1600 8GB $43
Reuse SSD $0
Reuse HDD $0
Lite-ON BD-R $65
Silencer Mk III 400W $50 AR
Silverstone GD05B $90
Total: $428

The unlocked multi on the 3870K is kind of useless here, but it is cheaper than the 3850 and only $25 more than the 2.1 GHz triple core A6-3500.

 

[brywisco]

Thx mfenn. That A8-3870K is interesting and was not on my radar at all.
Is it's stock cooler a bit loud for an htpc?

Forgive my ignorance, but what platforms are the 'latest'?
Just curious and fascinated by all this!

 

[krnmastersgt]

mfenn's build is very good for the cost, given the uses for the system. But I also agree that an HTPC would be better off with an SB config due to the incredibly low power draws at idle (and even at load for the G530).

Personally I'd rather go for something like:
Pentium G620 $56
Biostar B75MU3+ $60
MSI GTX 460 $120 AR (+$8 shipping)

Up in cost over mfenn's suggestion by about ~$60 but has some pretty powerful gaming performance. Aside from a few games like BF3 that require quite a bit more CPU power, this system should be able to run most modern games at decent settings, and older titles fully maxed out. Could grab the XFX HD 6850 for the same price, performance in games depends on title but they're relatively similar, however with 2 fans this card should be able to keep cooler while staying quieter. In terms of power draws they're also similar with the 460 edging out better at idle and low loads, and the 6850 better at full load.

Forgive my ignorance, but what platforms are the 'latest'?
Just curious and fascinated by all this!

The socket 1155 is the latest platform for Intel, however this past generation of CPU's was its last (3rd gen i5/i7). It will see a few more releases (still haven't had an i3 launch) but around this time next year Intel will be moving onto a new socket with the launch of its Haswell family CPUs.

As for AMD, F1 is their latest socket type. Good thing about AMD in the past was that their boards were typically compatible with multiple generations of CPUs, great for the budget conscious consumer however they've fallen far behind in the CPU race for the past 2-3 years. At this point, aside from some seriously budget gaming rigs, I'd only suggest an Intel CPU + discrete GPU (their integrated is quite bad in comparison, but it is picking up).

 

[Charlie98]

Thx mfenn. That A8-3870K is interesting and was not on my radar at all.
Is it's stock cooler a bit loud for an htpc?

When I was researching parts for my HTPC build, I thought the AMD A4-6-8 series was a natural for an HTPC, but I wound up going with a G620 instead (and probably a Gigabyte H61 mobo.) I got the 620 for $50 at MicroCenter. The Intel graphics are pretty capable, but if I find it not up to snuff, I can stab in a $75 GPU and be done with it.

 

[wetech]

A very good base system would be something like this:

H67 motherboard (Asrock is popular with HTPC builds)
G530 or G620 CPU, maybe up to a 2100 if you need 3D capability
8GB of memory
Use the built-in video to start, and if needed jump up to an AMD 6450 or Nvidia GT430 (I'm partial to the GT430, but the 6450 is more popular). The build-in video is usually good.

Windows7 gives you media center, then install Media Browser and Media Center Master and you're in great shape. XBMC is also very popular, and free.

If gaming is needed, you'll need to specify what games and how often. My suggestions above are for a pure HTPC machine with little or no gaming.

Just tried putting together a new HTPC to replace my 6 yr old one that was starting to die. Gambled on an ASRock H67M MB, got a board that wouldn't POST, RMA'd it, and got another that wouldn't POST. Now replaced with an Intel board.

 

[Slugbait]

Everybody is forgetting the tuner. Both my primary and living room HTPCs have this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116024. The remote sucks on the more expensive version. I already had MCE remotes, so I didn't care. If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten the 2250 for dual-tuner capabilities.

Gambled on an ASRock H67M MB, got a board that wouldn't POST, RMA'd it, and got another that wouldn't POST. Now replaced with an Intel board.

This can happen when you go for the cheap cost...you can get cheap stuff. My first HTPC had an Asus mobo, which for the most part was fine, but they never updated their audio drivers...as a result, I had to switch between the COAX and an Audigy every time I wanted to switch from watching a movie to watching TV in order to get 5.1 audio. All those cables sucked, too. Six months before retiring that machine, I found compatible drivers from a different mobo manufacturer and finally got rid of the Audigy.

My current primary HTPC has an Intel Bad Axe II. Not one single problem, not one minute spent troubleshooting.

My living room HTPC has an MSI mobo...nothing but problems, too many to list, I'm surprised that I got it into a decent operational state (I want all those troubleshooting hours of my life back). Also had problems with an MSI video card I threw away a few years ago. And don't consider price AR on MSI...they have a long history of not paying off rebates.

Mobo options are limited in micro-ATX. For example, *if* it has S/PDIF, no COAX, just Toslink (many full ATX mobos will have both). With this in mind, consider a case like Silverstone LC17, which does full-size ATX.

 

[Binky]

Not everybody needs a tuner. If needed, I'm partial to the HDhomerun for ATSC/QAM use, or maybe the HDhomerun prime for cablecard. HTPC cases are often small with minimal fans, so keeping as much heat as possible out of the case is good. The regular HDhomerun is rock solid but i have no experience with the Prime.

 

[brywisco]

I have been looking at tuners and my top 2 picks are the Hauppauge 2250 and the HDhomerun. I do not have cable feed at all, only OTA ATSC.

So now I am considering the following CPU/GPU's:
Option 1: G630 + discrete GPU
Option 2: i3-2100 (or 2105) and using its iGPU
Option 3: AMD A6-3500 (65W)
Option 4: AMD A8-3870K (100W TDP is a bit of a concern)

I welcome all suggestions!!

 

[Binky]

Options #1 and #2 will be identical for most daily uses. The built-in GPU is essentially the same in all of those CPU's. You can always add the discrete GPU to any of those CPU's later, if more oomph is required. The ONLY reason that I would personally add a discrete GPU is if you need smoother scrolling in MediaBrowser, or you do post processing with something like MadVR. Try the built in GPU, then add a 6450 or GT430 later if needed.

Same for #3 and #4 - the GPU performance (excluding games) should be about the same, if not exactly the same. A discrete GPU should not be needed at all with the AMD platform.

 

[brywisco]

Since this is my first adventure into building a PC, I am also interested in keeping it as simple and reliable as possible.

Nobody has yet commented on my home video editing requirement.
I currently shoot a few home/vacation videos in AVCHD. I do not have any editing software yet, but just put the raw videos on an HDD for future editing. Any future editing would be pretty basic home stuff - nothing extensive or fancy. This is not a huge priority for this HTPC build, but i am curious how it factors in to my CPU/GPU choice.

 

[krnmastersgt]

Hence the reason we didn't really delve into it, if it were a more serious/common task than maybe a stronger CPU would be called for. However as this is primarily meant to be a HTPC with the ability to game, I recommended parts on that basis.

 

[mfenn]

Hence the reason we didn't really delve into it, if it were a more serious/common task than maybe a stronger CPU would be called for. However as this is primarily meant to be a HTPC with the ability to game, I recommended parts on that basis.

My thoughts exactly. I can't imagine a typical HTPC setup being very conducive to serious video editing anyway. You're going to be too far from the screen to comfortably read text and the mouse and keyboard will likely be sitting in your lap.

 

[mfenn]

mfenn's build is very good for the cost, given the uses for the system. But I also agree that an HTPC would be better off with an SB config due to the incredibly low power draws at idle (and even at load for the G530).

Personally I'd rather go for something like:
Pentium G620 $56
Biostar B75MU3+ $60
MSI GTX 460 $120 AR (+$8 shipping)

I agree that Sandy Bridge system is going to have better power characteristics at idle, but you can't really make that argument and then throw a Fermi into the build. Even the lower-end cards like the GTX 460 are going to add a small, but relatively significant idle power draw.

 

[krnmastersgt]

I agree that Sandy Bridge system is going to have better power characteristics at idle, but you can't really make that argument and then through a Fermi into the build. Even the lower-end cards like the GTX 460 are going to add a small, but relatively significant idle power draw.

Fair point on the power draws, however that's also what was throwing me off on the balance of build The G620 is preferable in basically every scenario except for the gaming performance of its iGPU, and since the resolution is 1920x1080 I wanted to recommend something that had a combination of low idle power draw and still supplied decent performance for gaming.

Unfortunately I can't really think of a card better than the 460 for the purpose while considering price into the budget as well

At the end of the day I like your build for a system that is ~70% HTPC or more with just a bit of gaming and editing on the side, but I'd still back my option if gaming takes up more than 33% of the system usage by itself :hmm:

 

[mfenn]

At the end of the day I like your build for a system that is ~70% HTPC or more with just a bit of gaming and editing on the side, but I'd still back my option if gaming takes up more than 33% of the system usage by itself :hmm:

Oh definitely. I'd go further than that and say that any sort of gaming beyond flash gaming warrants a GPU of some sort. There's always trade-offs to be made in any build, but especially an HTPC build. The more general purpose you want to make it, the less of a quiet, low-power HTPC you're going to build and the more your going to get a "desktop that happens to sit next to the TV". There's nothing wrong with either option, you just have to know what you're getting into.

 

[brywisco]

I am seriously considering going with the i3-2105 cpu.
My research keeps pointing to that.

It should handle the htpc stuff easily and allow for some occasional basic gaming.

I am also curious about the Quick Sync and how that would work for putting ripped DVD movies and recorded OTA TV onto an ipad or ipod for the kids + roadtrips. If Quick Sync makes that process easier, then the i3-2105 really starts to look good for my build. The WAF would be huge if she could easily load vids onto the ipad!!

I did find a G620T and mini-ITX mobo combo on craigslist. I would consider that as well, but I am willing to spend more on the cpu if you experts feel Quick Sync is worthwhile. Plus, I feel I would want to add a discrete video card to that G620T, and I think the mobo only has 1 PCI slot. I may need a slot for the TV tuner...Oh it never ends! I am also a noob, so maybe I should avoid the mini-ITX stuff for this go round.

 

[mfenn]

QuickSync is pretty much made for the use case that you described, so if that's important to you, you should definitely go with the i3. I don't really see any reason to go with a mini-ITX build here unless you're really space limited, so just take my build above and swap the CPU and mobo for this:

i3 2120 $110 AP - neither HD2000 or HD3000 are going to play real games so there's no benefit to the 2105
ASRock B75M $65 - use audio out over HDMI

 

[TheAdvocate]

FYI - I haven't gotten around to selling my Silverstone GD05, but I need to - it's just sitting in a box.

You can ask around or look up my previous threads. I liked the case - I just outgrew it because I was gaming so much.

Here's a picture from my case conversion back in April. The GD05 is on the right:

It really is a great case for HTPC use.