Multimedia PC - What spec?

[westkill]

How about this...

Scan Computers UK: Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H, AMD 780G, S AM2+, PCI-E 2.0, DDR2 1066MHz, SATA II, SATA RAID, HDMI1.3, ?ATX - ?59
Scan Computers UK: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4850e AM2 Dual Core 2.5GHz, 512KB x 2 Cache, Retail - ?54
500GB Samsung Spinpoint F1 502IJ SATA2 7200RPM 16MB cache - Aria Technology - ?42
AriaNet Elite 2GB PC2-8500 CL5 (2x1GB) - Aria Technology - ?32
LG GGC-H20L Blu-Ray/HD DVD-ROM, DVDRW SATA Black Retail Kit - Aria Technology - ?67

The case will be a personal choice because of obvious reasons. Have a google for 'htpc case' you will get a few sites. Overclockers.co.uk have a few too but have a look at this site KustomPCs - HTPC, Gaming, CarPC, Cooling and Modding Products in the UK ! they are in Ayr so I just picked the case up personally but I think you are further away.

Watch out, some cases come with a PSU and no media remote control and other have a remote and no PSU. You want at least a 450W power supply. The mobo has onboard HDMI so you won't need an additional graphics card which keeps the power of the supply down. If you can get a case with everything for ?100 then that's ?354.

You'll also need a keyboard, this is the one I got.

I also bought a better CPU fan (?30) but the cpu comes with a fan but I wanted it to be extra quiet.

if i do this setup and get some decent pc speakers can i still conect my dreambox and ps3 for the sound on the motherboard read up it says
"spdif in out head" at the bottom of the page
any ideas will pc speaker be good enough
thanks westkill

[cimi1234]

if i do this setup and get some decent pc speakers can i still conect my dreambox and ps3 for the sound on the motherboard read up it says
"spdif in out head" at the bottom of the page
any ideas will pc speaker be good enough
thanks westkill

First,it depends on the power of sounds that you like to hear.I think that the sound cards on markets are not so powerful with their embedded amplifier. The best way I think is to use an amplifier or to reuse a home cinema or TV amplifier.

On all posted replies is not specified what OS and media software are compatible with the suggested hardware.
I'm curios especially if that hardware is compatible with Linux since I like to setup my one with LinuxMediaCenter or MythBuntu or boxee-tv.

Regards!
Cimi

[Barryboy]

The spin points are quieter and its quietness you need to go for in a HTPC, so good choice. Just curious. do you intend on having a dvb-c or dvb-s2 card in your htpc. Or are you not going to bother ?

I to am seriously thinking of building a HTPC and would like to instal a dvb-c card instead of using a dreambox (less cluter and cables under the telly) or are they just to much of a problem to set up?

[Devilfish]

You will either need to use softcams or an actual cam with a funcard to get the premium channels.

I've never used one myself but know of people that do. You can use things like MyTheatre to watch the channels.

[birkenhead]

worth a noise if you thinking about buy a cheap barebones HTPC setup.

http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums/f8/htpc-barebones-scaleo-e-10531/#post59553

[waxhead38]

i have a 4200x2 cpu 2gb of ram and hd2400 graphics on my htpc and plays hd and blurays smoothly and also plays games very well. so anything about the same spec or above will be good for a htpc

[datmjd]

i got that antec case that you pointed out in your first post, very smart lookin case. the vfd craps out at times but when its workin its fine. the set up is:

400gb x 2
geforce 7300gs > gonna upgrade this bit shit
2gb ram
amd 4200

overall it plays everythin i throw at it. got ffdshow to upscale all programmes to 1080p with 5.1 sound.
coreavc handles the x264, blue ray, hd-dvd stuff very well.

if your gonna use vista media center get the media center remote. much better than a keyboard and mouse. also I have media center set up to monitor the folders so everythin like music and movies is organised.

also i use the microsoft wireless 8000 keyboard and mouse if i need to, the mouse though is a bit useless as the keyboard has a small touch pad built in.

its also set up as a server for my 360 which is set up as an extender. for doin this i also recommend grabbin MCE Standby Tool. allows you to configure the sleep settings of the media center much better than vistas settings.

[lamby]

Hi All
Just a quick question what do you think is the best Media software ?. I have tried a few and found Mediaportal as being the best for fare !!!!.

I have a Windows MCE remote and would like to use it for youtube any ideas.

If this post is in the wrong place please forgive.

[Ultim8]

Devil fish can you wait a month or 2? If you can then there will be a new mobo out with a nvidia 9400gt onboard, Otherwise PM me what you want to spend and i spec it up, also for HTPC you really want to go ATI for graphics due to there capability of VC1 and H.264 decoding....Nvidia claim they do them all but the do not do VC1 which still makes up 30% of Blu-ray disks so this ofloads the decoding to your cpu and cpus are pants at decoding video.

Also if you go for a new 4000 series ATI you have 7.1 audio through the card which it pulls from the southbridge without anything else and allows you to have hdmi with sound.

PM with a price you have in mind i work for the largest independant IT disti in the uk and i will sort it for you or get one of my customers to sort you out

Cheers

Ulti