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What is needed for the ultimate HTPC?

AndroidVageta

AndroidVageta

Banned
Sup y'all!

Have a question about HTPC's. I am currently building a HTPC from extra parts as well as some new ones.

What I currently have going towards a new HTPC are the following parts:

AMD64 3200+
Giga-byte K8N-S motherboard (full ATX) - LOOKING FOR MINI-ATX SOCKET 754 IF ANYONE CAN HELP
512MB x 2 PC3200
ATi X1950Pro 512MB
Either onboard sound, Creative Sound Blaster Live Digital 5.1, or Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value

Now I don't have fat cash sitting around so this is going to be a budget build on my part. Not that I'm cheap or anything...I'm just trying to get the most bang/buck I can.

The case I've pretty much decided on is this one from Athenatech:
LINK

For now this is my primary option. Has a 450watt PSU which should be enough for the above specs and from what I've read about the manufacturer it appears that the PSU is of pretty decent quality too. This solves my case and PSU problem.

The hard drive is going to be a 500GB Hitachi:
LINK

Pretty basic...SATA2, 16MB cache...500GB! Should be more than enough for video and music.

For the DVD+RW drive I chose an LG:
LINK

Again, nothing spectacular but it should get the job done no problem.

What I need help with is a tuner. I plan on using Vista Ultimate as I don't think that this hardware will really have an issue with it...especially since I'll primarily be using the Media Center function. I know that my X1950Pro supports HDTV out (through VGA or component) but what I really need is some kind of tuner. This is where I get lost. I know that I would like it to have a remote control (for Media Center) but don't know if these tuners support this. I see some that are like $16 that have remotes, cable input...is this what I need?

O.K...well I guess what I should really point out is that HDTV although NICE is not really a necessity in my case. My current TV is only a 27inch SDTV...my PC monitor is a 22inch 1080p compatible mother of a screen...but thats my PC monitor...not my TV. What I need is a tuner that is MCE compatible (remote control), can record live TV - acting DVR (do I need a digital cable box or can I run the cable straight to the tuner and use software for this function?). Is my X1950Pro really needed here or could I use my less power hungry and cheaper Geforce4 MX? I just need answers here...I've always been a computer nut and know more than anyone I've met (excluding internet geeks/friends) but HTPC and the needed hardware are just out of my realm of current knowledge. I mean, I'm pretty sure I know what I need but I'm just not sure. Like would this be a good tuner for my purposes:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16815153002

Another thing too...if I some day go HDTV and want to use the HD output on my X1950Pro...can I still use the DVR and remote control functions of the tuner and output on my X1950Pro...or is this what is already supposed to be done?

Like I said...total freaking N00b here on this stuff!

If anyone can help me or can send me in the right direction that would be awesome.
 
You might want to consider the following 500GB hard drives. If you take into account shipping cost, they're less inexpensive than the Hitachi.
WD5000AAJS - $89.99 free ship
WD5000AAKS - $94.99 free ship
WD5000AACS - $94.99 free ship

That TV tuner will probably work, but for analog cable, you might want something with hardware MPEG encoding. Hauppage tuners have it, I believe. No, you don't need a cable box. In fact, it's better not to have a cable box for recording analog cable. If you've got a digital premium subscription, though, you might not get all channels you get on your cable box.
 
Your TV maxes out at 800x600, so yeah, you could use the old videocard. The MPEG playback will probably be superior as well...while the newer AMD cards do a really great job, the older ATI cards didn't do nearly as well as nVidia.

Your ATI card doesn't do HDCP, so if you upgrade your optical drive and TV, you're still gonna watch content in lower-resolution.

With a gig and that proc, plus either of those videocards, I suggest you skip Vista...go MCE 2005. And if you don't want all the fuss, get a Hauppauge 150MCE and a standard MCE remote. It'll "just work". Need two tuners? Get another 150, or get the 500.

Once you get the HD optical and/or HD television, then you could start thinking about HD capture cards and Vista...along with a new videocard, board, proc and RAM.
 
Originally posted by: Slugbait
Your ATI card doesn't do HDCP, so if you upgrade your optical drive and TV, you're still gonna watch content in lower-resolution.
Click to expand...

only if it has HDCP on the content like bluray . If he get an ATSC or QAM capture card he could display it. although I think his hardware will be stretching it to playback some HD content depending on how it's encoded.
a good HTPC card at a cheap price is the ATI 3450. http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814121230
oops I just looked up your mobo and saw it's AGP.
stick with what you have.

I'll second getting a Hauppauge 150. they work with about anything. also condsider avermedia. they seem to be getting great reviews and their M780 has 1 NTSC tuner and 1 Atsc/QAM tuner (SDTV and HDTV in 1 card).

I currently run a dual tuner nvida card for capture and an radeon 9600 non-pro. I output this to a 20inch 720p TV I also use as a monitor. I'm very happy with it. with my P4 2.4C processor I can't run HD content with out stuttering but it handles SDTV very well and it scales my out up nicely.
I'll soon build something better to handle HD. But I think you've got a good start for getting into home theater stuff.
 
Originally posted by: AndroidVageta
Is my X1950Pro really needed here or could I use my less power hungry and cheaper Geforce4 MX?

Another thing too...if I some day go HDTV and want to use the HD output on my X1950Pro...can I still use the DVR and remote control functions of the tuner and output on my X1950Pro...or is this what is already supposed to be done?
Click to expand...

If you can watch DVDs with that Geforce4 MX, the answer is yes.

HDTV, supposedly yes. You might need to program the remote for whatever software you'll be using, though.
 
Originally posted by: AndroidVageta
Sup y'all!

Have a question about HTPC's. I am currently building a HTPC from extra parts as well as some new ones.

What I currently have going towards a new HTPC are the following parts:

Either onboard sound, Creative Sound Blaster Live Digital 5.1, or Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value


If anyone can help me or can send me in the right direction that would be awesome.
Click to expand...


Why not get a Xonar D2X sound card if you're really building an ultimate HTPC?
It's pretty lame to go with Creative these days judged by their lousy support and crack/pop sounds.

 
Originally posted by: lilohtpc3
Originally posted by: AndroidVageta
Sup y'all!

Have a question about HTPC's. I am currently building a HTPC from extra parts as well as some new ones.

What I currently have going towards a new HTPC are the following parts:

Either onboard sound, Creative Sound Blaster Live Digital 5.1, or Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Value


If anyone can help me or can send me in the right direction that would be awesome.
Click to expand...


Why not get a Xonar D2X sound card if you're really building an ultimate HTPC?
It's pretty lame to go with Creative these days judged by their lousy support and crack/pop sounds.
Click to expand...

agreed
 
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