New HTPC/Server Build

sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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I haven't built a PC in around 5 years, as I've been at college since and have used a laptop exclusively. Now that I've got my own place and a bit of cash, I want to build a new desktop for several reasons. I want a PC that will store all of my and my roommates music, much of which is lossless (and >200GB of classical and jazz alone ripped from the school's library :D ), as well as movies and TV shows.

I also plan on running a music and web server from this computer, probably a simple sql/php setup with either lighttpd or apache. Based on these requirements, I want a powerful computer with a lot of storage, but in a small space. Here are the specs I've picked out:

Power supply - Antec BP550 Plus 550W - $70
Case - LIAN LI PC-V351B - $90
Motherboard - GIGABYTE GA-H55M-USB3 - $110
CPU - Intel Core i5-760 - $210
Heatsink/fan for the CPU - Retail
Memory - G.SKILL Trident 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-2000 - $125
Primary hard drive - OCZ Vertex 2 120GB - $310
Secondary hard drive - WD Caviar Green WD20EARS 2TB X2 - $240
Primary optical drive - LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer - $22
Video card - ZOTAC ZT-20201-10L GeForceGT220 1GB - $79
Monitor - Existing 47" 1080p TV
Mouse/keyboard - Have
Operating System - Either Linux or OSX86 - Free

Total - ~$1260

I am going to use either (K)Ubuntu or OSX on the machine, as both have great support for XBMC with nVidia Video Acceleration (thus the choice for an nVidia GPU). I'm going to use one 2TB drive as the primary, and use a nightly rsync script to sync to the 2nd 2TB drive.

I will probably invest in a nice HTPC mouse/keyboard combo, but my mian concern now is the system components. I also have a copy of OSX already because my laptop is a MacbookPro.

My budget is <$1200, and while I realize that the SSD is the biggest expense, I was thinking that it would also have a significant impact on performance.

I'll be building this computer in the US, specifically NYC, so if anyone knows of any places in the city that have cheaper deals on parts, let me know. Any other criticism, positive or negative, is welcomed and encouraged. Thanks.
 

Sp12

Senior member
Jun 12, 2010
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Is this going to be in the room with the TV or separate?

Alternative mobo (lacks USB3): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813157190 (65$, very well rated).

Ram is overkill and not attractive for a HTPC. Get this kit for 89$ (low voltage).

CPU is overkill, I'd get an i3-5X0 or something, alternatively an AMD x4+appropriate mobo (would probably net you sata3 in the process). Asrock 880g comes to mind.

You probably don't need a GPU at all if there's no gaming involved. Hardware acceleration is very hit and miss, and often can only take care of specific parts of the rendering process (e.g. deinterlacing). 220 isn't really powerful enough for that at 1080p anyway.

SSD is probably too big. If you're just running the server/HTPC duties off of the SSD a 40GB would be enough. Definitely something to consider.

I'd look into the new Seasonic 400 watt fanless PSU if it's going to be in the same room with you, as well as a quiet aftermarket fan. If you're into blu-ray the drives aren't super-expensive anymore.

Depending on the intensity of the server duties, the 30$ Intel nic from newegg may be useful.
 
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sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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Alright, I've switched a few parts around:

AMD X4 955
GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-UD2H
FSP Group ZEN 400 400W Fanless
Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB SATA3
G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB

Total comes to around $1000. The memory voltage doesn't make any real difference in power consumption in the grand scheme of things, but I won't be overclocking, so I'm not worried about it. The motherboard has SATA3 + USB3. The 955 is plenty to handle 1080p on its own. Now i'll be looking for an aftermarket CPU cooler for silence and some silent fans. I'll post back when I find some.
 

Sp12

Senior member
Jun 12, 2010
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Alright, I've switched a few parts around:

AMD X4 955
GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-UD2H
FSP Group ZEN 400 400W Fanless
Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB SATA3
G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB

Total comes to around $1000. The memory voltage doesn't make any real difference in power consumption in the grand scheme of things, but I won't be overclocking, so I'm not worried about it. The motherboard has SATA3 + USB3. The 955 is plenty to handle 1080p on its own. Now i'll be looking for an aftermarket CPU cooler for silence and some silent fans. I'll post back when I find some.

I'd swap the AMD x4 for an Athlon x4 635 (101$ version). Webserving and playing back 1080p isn't really intense in terms of computing requirements, even simultaneously. Both of them sharing hard drive/network access is much more likely to be an issue (but you have an SSD and seperate drives so that shouldn't be an issue).

Also, spend 25$ more on the PSU to get gold efficiency/modular/amazing specs on this. Alternatively if noise isn't an issue a good fan'd 650 watt can be had for the same price (but maybe lower efficiency). It's really your choice on this.

Mobo choice is excellent.
 
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sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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Ah, i didn't see that PSU at first. I'll definitely go with that one, fanless, modular.

I've chosen the Scythe SCSK-1100 100mm Shuriken Rev. B 3 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler, which is very quiet and cool.

I've chosen 2 Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm fans and 1 Nexus SP802512L-03 80mm Case Fan to keep the noise down.

As for the CPU, I dunno about the Athlon II X4. I'm thinking that the lack of L3 cache isn't worth the $50 drop in price.

So, for the tentative parts list:
AMD Phenom II X4 955
GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-UD2H
SeaSonic X series SS-400FL
Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB SATA3
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARS 2TB x2
G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB
LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer
LIAN LI PC-V351B
Scythe SCSK-1100 100mm Shuriken Rev. B 3 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler
Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm Case Fan x2
Nexus SP802512L-03 80mm Case Fan
Total: $1060

Still open to suggestions/criticism. Thanks.
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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Ah, i didn't see that PSU at first. I'll definitely go with that one, fanless, modular.

I've chosen the Scythe SCSK-1100 100mm Shuriken Rev. B 3 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler, which is very quiet and cool.

I've chosen 2 Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm fans and 1 Nexus SP802512L-03 80mm Case Fan to keep the noise down.

As for the CPU, I dunno about the Athlon II X4. I'm thinking that the lack of L3 cache isn't worth the $50 drop in price.

So, for the tentative parts list:
AMD Phenom II X4 955
GIGABYTE GA-880GMA-UD2H
SeaSonic X series SS-400FL
Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB SATA3
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARS 2TB x2
G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB
LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer
LIAN LI PC-V351B
Scythe SCSK-1100 100mm Shuriken Rev. B 3 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler
Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm Case Fan x2
Nexus SP802512L-03 80mm Case Fan
Total: $1060

Still open to suggestions/criticism. Thanks.

Looks fine to me, though I don't think you would notice the difference between the 635 and the 955. You might notice the $50 though.
 

Sp12

Senior member
Jun 12, 2010
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http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/88?vs=122

I just don't think you need the Phenom for your needs. It's not a huge loss, and even then it's unnecessary for HTPC duty. If you plan to rip/encode blurays or something on this system, then sure, but otherwise playback/streaming aren't bad.

If you plan to turn this into a gaming system at some point then it might be worth it, but in that case I'd get a bigger PSU in case you want to put a massive GPU in there.

Final build list looks good, I'd wait for mfenn/jchu/a few other people's verification, but I can't see anything.
 

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2009
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sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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I don't think there is another component in my list that I'd upgrade before the Phenom II. For not gaming, I don't think there's another component that would give more performance for the money than an upgrade from Athlon II to Phenom II. Please let me know if I'm wrong about my assumption. Thanks for all your help.
 
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Davidh373

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Jun 20, 2009
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I don't think there is another component in my list that I'd upgrade before the Phenom II. For not gaming, I don't think there's another component that would give more performance for the money than an upgrade from Athlon II to Phenom II. Please let me know if I'm wrong about my assumption. Thanks for all your help.

No Offense, but you are. The Phenom II X4 is only slightly (and I do mean slightly) better than the Athlon II X4. If you want something substantially better get the 1156 Intel Platform, or a Phenom II X6. Our point (I think I might be able to speak for everybody?) is that you won't use the extra performance from anything beefier. If you are going to Game on high settings at 1080p or use professional apps like Adobe's Premiere Pro or Autodesk's 3DS Max you may use a more substantial processor.
 

sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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Thanks for the reply. I see what you're saying, and after thinking more about my intended use, I'm starting to, yet again, rethink my decisions.

I have been looking at other cases and motherboards, and saw the review of GIGABYTE GA-H55N-USB3 which got me looking at mini ITX solutions, which I had previously neglected because I thought cases wouldn't be able to support my storage needs. Then I found the LIAN LI PC-Q08B, which supports 6 HDDs and an ODD. Looking at miniITX boards for AMD returned few attractive results: most required SO-DIMMS and had only 3 SATA ports.

So, I'm thinking about this config:

Intel Core i3-530
GIGABYTE GA-H55N-USB3
SeaSonic X series SS-400FL
Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB SATA3
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARS 2TB x2
G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB
LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer
LIAN LI PC-Q08B
Scythe SCSK-1100 100mm Shuriken Rev. B 3 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler
Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm Case Fan
COOLER MASTER R4-S4S-10AK-GP 140mm Case Fan
Total $1050

Hah, I know I'm indecisive. I do think this is a good build though, and will be a better match for what I'm looking for than the MicroATX PC-V351B.
 

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2009
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The i3 isn't all that great of a price when you can get a Quad Core that performs similar for less (The i3 is a dual core). I know the i3 consumes a little less energy, but the Athlon II X4 really is the best option. If mini itx suits your needs go for it, but If it is going to be on for long periods of time you should probably go for Mid-Full tower.
 

sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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The performance to be more or less the same - better in some tests and worse in others - while consuming much less power.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Prod....50.51.52.53.54.55.56.57.58.59.60.61.62.63.64

It will be on for long periods of time and therefore power consumption is a prime concern of mine. Coupled with the fact that this case gives me tons of storage options, I think miniITX is a really attractive platform for what I'm looking for. The i3 will not only give me lower power consumption, but will deliver adequate video performance as well.
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2010/05/24/amd-880g-graphics-performance-review/ (Pages 4-7)

If I could find a miniITX board for the Athlon/Phenom that used standard DDR3 and had more than 3 SATA ports, then I'd consider it.

BTW, why do you say I should go with a tower for a constantly-on PC?
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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www.mfenn.com
Thanks for the reply. I see what you're saying, and after thinking more about my intended use, I'm starting to, yet again, rethink my decisions.

I have been looking at other cases and motherboards, and saw the review of GIGABYTE GA-H55N-USB3 which got me looking at mini ITX solutions, which I had previously neglected because I thought cases wouldn't be able to support my storage needs. Then I found the LIAN LI PC-Q08B, which supports 6 HDDs and an ODD. Looking at miniITX boards for AMD returned few attractive results: most required SO-DIMMS and had only 3 SATA ports.

So, I'm thinking about this config:

Intel Core i3-530
GIGABYTE GA-H55N-USB3
SeaSonic X series SS-400FL
Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB SATA3
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARS 2TB x2
G.SKILL ECO Series 4GB
LITE-ON 24X DVD Writer
LIAN LI PC-Q08B
Scythe SCSK-1100 100mm Shuriken Rev. B 3 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler
Scythe S-FLEX SFF21E 120mm Case Fan
COOLER MASTER R4-S4S-10AK-GP 140mm Case Fan
Total $1050

Hah, I know I'm indecisive. I do think this is a good build though, and will be a better match for what I'm looking for than the MicroATX PC-V351B.

Doing mini-ITX with a Q08 is pointless IMHO because it is freaking huge for a mini-ITX case. The V351 is only 2" wider and 1" longer. Saving that small amount of space isn't worth the restriction to mini-ITX boards in my opinion. You'll probably not find a mini-ITX case that is truly "mini-ITX sized" and that supports the number of drives you want.
 

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2009
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If you're looking to consume less power then why even bother getting a dedicated graphics card? It will be useless if you aren't going to play games on it and it will use power. Get a mobo with a on-board (the i3 is it's own on-board) and save the money. Graphics cards won't matter if you are just serving up files and watching movies.
 

sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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The main reason I wanted the Q08 was the amount of hard drives it supports vs the V351, 6 vs 4, but you're right, I won't be using a board that even has that many SATA ports internally. Might start thinking seriously about the V351 again.

The graphics card was mainly for OSX, which doesn't work ATM with intel's iX graphics. Thus, I was thinking about a Zotac 9500GT that's fanless for ~$50.

Additionally, I think I'm going to drop the SSD and use another hard drive I have lying around. I'll probably upgrade when the prices drop a bit more, as I don't want to be limited by the 64GB (probably will be dual-booting), yet dont wanna blow $300 on a 120GB drive.

The search continues...
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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www.mfenn.com
The main reason I wanted the Q08 was the amount of hard drives it supports vs the V351, 6 vs 4, but you're right, I won't be using a board that even has that many SATA ports internally. Might start thinking seriously about the V351 again.

The graphics card was mainly for OSX, which doesn't work ATM with intel's iX graphics. Thus, I was thinking about a Zotac 9500GT that's fanless for ~$50.

Additionally, I think I'm going to drop the SSD and use another hard drive I have lying around. I'll probably upgrade when the prices drop a bit more, as I don't want to be limited by the 64GB (probably will be dual-booting), yet dont wanna blow $300 on a 120GB drive.

The search continues...

Say what? It's supported in the vanilla kernel now.
 

sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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That says that the processors themselves are supported, not the onboard video. I doubt the intel graphics will be supported anytime soon as Apple is adamant about having GPUs that support OpenCL, which i don't believe Intel's graphics do.
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
22,400
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www.mfenn.com
That says that the processors themselves are supported, not the onboard video. I doubt the intel graphics will be supported anytime soon as Apple is adamant about having GPUs that support OpenCL, which i don't believe Intel's graphics do.

I believe it is referring to the graphics as well because the new Macbook Pro's use Apple's version of Optimus which switches between the Intel and Nvidia graphics.
 
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sandman1687

Junior Member
Aug 17, 2010
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I've been searching through the OSx86 forums and Wiki and have found only one thread about it, concerning a Lenovo i5 Laptop without discrete graphics. I think support is coming, given the recent release of new models and 10.6.4, but not much has been confirmed. I'm not gonna pull the trigger on this until sometime next week anyway, so I have a while to research. Thanks for the help.
 

Davidh373

Platinum Member
Jun 20, 2009
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I wouldn't count on running OSX86. There are compatibility issues left and right. Windows or Linux would work just as well without neat as much hassle. It is up to you though.
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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www.mfenn.com
I've been searching through the OSx86 forums and Wiki and have found only one thread about it, concerning a Lenovo i5 Laptop without discrete graphics. I think support is coming, given the recent release of new models and 10.6.4, but not much has been confirmed. I'm not gonna pull the trigger on this until sometime next week anyway, so I have a while to research. Thanks for the help.

Alright, just wanted to give you a heads up. :)