New HTPC Build

[INM8]

Hi everyone,

I am planning on building a new HTPC soon, which will be a combined mythtv frontend/backend system. Here are the specs:

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Motherboard: Asus M2NPV-VM Socket AM2

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 x2 3600+ EE Socket AM2 (65w TDP)

RAM: 1gb DDR2 Corsair Valueram (2 x 512mb kit)

HDD: 2 x Samsung SP250C 250gb HDDs (I am taking these out of another computer)

GFX: N/A (using onboard 6150 gfx)

DVD Burner: BenQ DW1650

Tv Tuners: 2 x Leadtek DTV1000

CASE: Antec Fusion

Keyboard + Mouse: Shintaro SH-FK760 2.4ghz WIRELESS KEYBOARD

Remote: Microsoft MCE Remote

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That will set me back about $1000 AUD going on current prices (remembering that I already have the hard drives).


I plan on just using the stock cooler. Most people I have spoken to have said that the new AMD stock cooler is fairly quiet , and since there are going to be two 120mm fans right in front of it I dont think that cooling will be an issue even with QFAN turned on to lower the fans rpm. However, I would like to have quiet system, so if anyone has used the stock AMD AM2 cooler please leave some feedback on how good/bad it is because if it is noisy it will only cost me $22 AUD to get an Arctic Cooling Alpine 64.

What do you think? Is there anything I should change?

Thanks

 

[snowdogg187]

I prefer media center even though it's microshaft.

Why leadtek instead of Hauppage? You can get the dual card and it's probably better than leadtek

 

[snowdogg187]

Also I forgot to include that in my opinion this is overkill big time if you are just using it to watch dvd's and record tv.

I have a P4 1.5ghz w/ 768 memory and it does a great job keeping up w/ mce 2k5

 

[kimohw]

I suggest this mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128010

the ASUS has some problems with high end ram cuz max vdimm is 1.85v

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Id get a small CPU, alot of memory, and a very high clock graphics card with h.264 decoding. That would probably be your best bang-for-the-buck combination currently.

 

[Tsuwamono]

probably something like a P4 3ghz would be fine. AMD is better for single threaded Apps. so if your using it as a media centre and storage for all your movies, music, docs, things like that a multithreaded capable CPU would be better. Dual core if possible and it would last you 5-6 years probably

 

[INM8]

Why leadtek instead of Hauppage? You can get the dual card and it's probably better than leadtek
Also I forgot to include that in my opinion this is overkill big time if you are just using it to watch dvd's and record tv.

Im going with the Leadtek ones because they are a lot cheaper basically. I can get two of the Leadtek cards for $148 AUD, whereas a Nova T 500 (hauppauge dual tuner) would set me back around $300 AUD.

I went for that CPU because it has a relativly low power draw (65W), is dual core, and the extra grunt wouldnt hurt when I am playing back HD content. Do you use your HTPC for HDTV?

I suggest this mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128010

I looked at that mobo, and it does seem more solid then the ASUS, but unfortunatly its not microatx. The case I plan on getting, only takes microatx mobo's, which would leave that out of the question. Does anyone know of a good alternative AM2 microatx mobo?

probably something like a P4 3ghz would be fine. AMD is better for single threaded Apps. so if your using it as a media centre and storage for all your movies, music, docs, things like that a multithreaded capable CPU would be better. Dual core if possible and it would last you 5-6 years probably

I would be happy to go Intel if I could find a reasonably priced microatx motherboard with onboard graphics that has vga, dvi, and tv out's. I could just purchase a seperate graphics card to do this, but I am trying to keep costs down as much as possible. Do you know of any good lga775 microatx motherboards?

 

[Slammy1]

I'd separate the GPU from the MoBo to avoid shared memory. The CPU is very important to what you're doing, I assume you'll be resizing DVDs as one of the primary roles. MCE won't allow upconverting and it's hard to go through your music, so it's not a great front end. Most the enthusiasts run TheaterTek as a front end with DScaler5, ffdshow, and avisynth (limited sharpen). You might even consider a Conroe at this time (AM2 isn't a bad choice either) for maximum computing power.

 

[kimohw]

Originally posted by: INM8

Why leadtek instead of Hauppage? You can get the dual card and it's probably better than leadtek
Also I forgot to include that in my opinion this is overkill big time if you are just using it to watch dvd's and record tv.

Im going with the Leadtek ones because they are a lot cheaper basically. I can get two of the Leadtek cards for $148 AUD, whereas a Nova T 500 (hauppauge dual tuner) would set me back around $300 AUD.

I went for that CPU because it has a relativly low power draw (65W), is dual core, and the extra grunt wouldnt hurt when I am playing back HD content. Do you use your HTPC for HDTV?

I suggest this mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128010

I looked at that mobo, and it does seem more solid then the ASUS, but unfortunatly its not microatx. The case I plan on getting, only takes microatx mobo's, which would leave that out of the question. Does anyone know of a good alternative AM2 microatx mobo?

probably something like a P4 3ghz would be fine. AMD is better for single threaded Apps. so if your using it as a media centre and storage for all your movies, music, docs, things like that a multithreaded capable CPU would be better. Dual core if possible and it would last you 5-6 years probably

I would be happy to go Intel if I could find a reasonably priced microatx motherboard with onboard graphics that has vga, dvi, and tv out's. I could just purchase a seperate graphics card to do this, but I am trying to keep costs down as much as possible. Do you know of any good lga775 microatx motherboards?

better alternatives than ASUS:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813128009

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138027

 

[INM8]

I'd separate the GPU from the MoBo to avoid shared memory.

Ok, so if I want to do that then the type of onboard gfx my mobo comes with no longer matters. What if I go with this mobo: Foxconn K8M890M2MA-RS2H

And this gfx card: Gigabyte 7300gs

That package will cost me about $164 AUD, which is only about $20 more then the Asus M2NPV-VM.

Im not sure about the foxconn motherboard, because I havent even been able to find a review on it. I would prefer to get a board from a more reputable brand, but as I said, I''m trying to keep costs down. Any suggestions?

 

[Slammy1]

What kind of connectivity do you need (DVI, VGA, etc.). A number of decent MoBos run VGA, you might consider one of them and upgrade to a decent GPU at a later date. The throughput will make a difference for HDTV content, which requires a fair amount of bandwidth. So, I'm guessing you're looking to PVR and not rip ts-files to your HDD?

 

[INM8]

At the moment I am going to need component, because that is the best my TV can support, but I plan on purchasing a new 32" LCD soon, which will require DVI (or VGA). And yes, one of the systems main functions will be to perform as a PVR, but I also plan on using it for upsampled DVD playback. Since I will probably be running linux on there, I dont know how many of the new Nvidia cards hardware accelerated features are actually supported, which may mean that I have to put more weight on the CPU rather then the GPU. If any linux user could clarify this, it would be good.

Any mobo reccomendations would be greatly appreciated (even if they only output VGA). In fact, they dont even have to have integrated graphics. All I need is a good value microatx motherboard with decent integrated sound, sata, and gigabit ethernet.

 

[INM8]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. After much deliberation\research I have decided to keep the system like this:
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Motherboard: Asus M2NPV-VM Socket AM2

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 x2 3600+ EE Socket AM2 (65w TDP)

RAM: 1gb DDR2 Corsair Valueram (2 x 512mb kit)

HDD: 2 x Samsung SP250C 250gb HDDs (I am taking these out of another computer)

GFX: N/A (using onboard 6150 gfx)

DVD Burner: BenQ DW1650

Tv Tuners: 2 x Leadtek DTV1000

CASE: Antec Fusion

Keyboard + Mouse: Shintaro SH-FK760 2.4ghz WIRELESS KEYBOARD

Remote: Microsoft MCE Remote

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The only thing I am considering changing is the CPU. If I go with a single core 3500+ then I can save about $60 AUD. Really its not a big price difference though, so if the dual core is going to be beneficial I would rather keep it. What do you think? Is it worth going for the dual cpu, or should the 3500+ be sufficient for HDTV playback and DVD upsampling?