HTPC Build...recomendations?

[ddrueding]

Case: SILVERSTONE SST-LC17-B
CPU: AMD Sempron 64 3000+ Palermo
MB: DFI nF4X Infinity Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce4-4X
RAM: Mushkin SP3200 1GB 184-Pin
HDD: 2x Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 ST3300831AS 300GB
GPU: AOpen 6200TC DV128 Geforce 6200TC 128MB
PSU: SeaSonic S12-330 ATX12V 330W
Audio: BlueGears/HDA Digital XMYSTIQUE7.1 8 (7.1)
Optical: BenQ Black DVD Burner With LightScribe Model DW1655

I've never used this case, CPU, motherboard, or RAM. This guy is trying to stick a budget, but I'm trying to get some bang in there as well.

Comments? Suggestions?

TIA

 

[sechs]

http://www.sfftech.com/

 

[ddrueding]

http://www.sfftech.com/

Thanks for the link sechs, I really liked this article.

Revised Specs:

Case: SILVERSTONE SST-LC11-B Black
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Venice
MB: ASUS A8N-VM CSM GeForce 6150 Micro ATX
RAM: Mushkin SP3200 1GB 184-Pin
HDD: 2x Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 ST3300831AS 300GB
Audio: BlueGears/HDA Digital XMYSTIQUE7.1 8 (7.1)
Optical: BenQ Black DVD Burner With LightScribe Model DW1655

Faster, cheaper, integrated video with DVI and a smaller chassis.

What more could anyone ask? Avoiding ASUS and getting S-Video would be nice, but not necissary. The biggest complaint I've heard about ASUS is that it's overpriced, but this board is $80.

 

[Bozo]

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1820

Bozo :mrgrn:

 

[sechs]

Thanks for the link sechs

I don't know do SFF myself, but hanging out at the Sudhian fora has exposed me to the issues.

 

[CityK]

Revised Specs:

Case: SILVERSTONE SST-LC11-B Black
MB: ASUS A8N-VM CSM GeForce 6150 Micro ATX

Make sure you get the new PSU model or else you can kiss booting your board goodbye. See me

Faster, cheaper, integrated video with DVI and a smaller chassis.

What more could anyone ask? Avoiding ASUS and getting S-Video would be nice, but not necissary. The biggest complaint I've heard about ASUS is that it's overpriced, but this board is $80.

There are lots of complaints about that board currently. Such as found in:
- here
- here and some others
- here if Linux interests you

 

[CityK]

The other thing to mention is that the MSI board might be more suited for you (I take it this is personal, as I see no tv card, and you mentioned previously you only stream videos with your htpc). Also, you might want to hold off a week or two until DFI's board shows up.

 

[mubs]

Also, you might want to hold off a week or two until DFI's board shows up.

er., which board might this be?

 

[CityK]

Those based on the nVidia 61xx chipsets (same applies to my MSI comment too). The following two links show the s754 6100 solution plus an ATI based board. I'm pretty sure I saw a s939 6150 solution too but don't remember where...would be pretty silly of them not to release one.

http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2669&p=7

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=196&type=expert&pid=5

 

[CougTek]

This one from the second link seems to be the most interesting :

• Image Link

It has a DVI output and supports s939 CPUs. It's also based on the ATI RS482 chipset. What I don't know is if it is combined to the ULi 1595 south bridge (which would be good) or to the pathetic ATI 450SB (which would be pretty bad). The 24 pins ATX connector could be better placed though.

 

[CougTek]

:/ Could someone please remove the link to the picture in my previous post? I didn't know they would block it.

 

[Mercutio]

I'd use an ATI card with support for component video output if humanly possible. I have a DVI cable running to my TV as well, but I appreciate being able to use my receiver as the video switch, rather than having to change the input on my TV.
My HTserver has an XMystique in it. I use the onboard sound for audio in. The XMystique cannot directly play back the from the analog Line-In while Dolby Live encoding is turned on. As a result, I don't watch anything on my HTPC in real time. Whatever. That's fine with me. The next-generation Bluegears cards will support digital input. One of them is supposed to be out by the end of this month.
CPU? Who cares. A 3200 is probably overkill unless you're gaming on it. You can take a step down, even use a socket 754 Sempron if you'd like.
I don't see a TV card in this. I like the AverMedia PVR150. It's a hardware MPEG capture card that produces IMO more pleasing output than the WinTV hardware encoders.
Motherboard: I'd buy something that isn't Asus. I found that my PVR app (Snapstream) behaved a lot better when I dumped my A7N8X for the Albatron board that's in my HTserver now.

Also, if you're doing 939, I think it's worthwhile to have some extra PCI slots. An HTPC is the sort of computer that might actually use more than two PCI cards.

 

[ddrueding]

Just for reference Merc, can you give me the rest of your HTPC specs?

 

[Handruin]

Fixed your link, Coug.

 

[CougTek]

Thanks.

 

[time]

The following two links show the s754 6100 solution plus an ATI based board.

You can get a 6100 solution for s754? I haven't seen any in my pricelists.

 

[CityK]

CPU? Who cares. A 3200 is probably overkill unless you're gaming on it. You can take a step down, even use a socket 754 Sempron if you'd like.

I disagree. For playback, an ideal CPU choice depends upon several considerations, such as:

• method of rendering
• whether you're doing any scaling
• whether you're performing any colourspace conversions
• whether you're performing any postprocessing
• format and resolutions you're decoding
• the amount of hardware assistance, for the above factors, being lent

 

[Mercutio]

Even a Sempron 2800 is going to handle H.264 well enough for playback.
The only format that might give it trouble is whatever the hell hi-definition WMV is and as we've discussed in other threads, that seems to be a video card issue more than a CPU issue.

 

[time]

The service manager at one of my suppliers told me a nasty story about some Silverstone power supplies. After reading that thread (and considering their prices), I think I'll be avoiding them.

 

[CityK]

Even a Sempron 2800 is going to handle H.264 well enough for playback.

That actually reminds me of something. Will start a new post.

The only format that might give it trouble is whatever the hell hi-definition WMV is and as we've discussed in other threads, that seems to be a video card issue more than a CPU issue.

Irregardless of that, what about scaling? What about image processing?

 

[CityK]

I'm skeptical of Sivlerstone's PSU's too time.

Re: a s754 6100 solution - perhaps the DFI will be the first. I don't know. Wasn't looking.

 

[sechs]

Fixed your link, Coug.

Still busted (and probably unfixable).

 

[sechs]

Even a Sempron 2800 is going to handle H.264 well enough for playback.

What about playback and record? How many media tasks do we want to be able to do, and what do you need to do that?

 

[sechs]

I'm skeptical of Sivlerstone's PSU's too time.

Silverstone doesn't make PSUs, so you're really just skeptical of their choice of OEMs.

 

[CityK]

What about playback

A function of the factors I mentioned above.

and record?

For capturing digital transmissions, CPU power really isn't a factor - a generalized ballpark response: you'll see around 5-10%.

CPU utilization for capturing analog is dictated by the compression format you have selected, and the resolution at which you are capturing

Encoding on the other hand ....

How many media tasks do we want to be able to do, and what do you need to do that?

Legitmate questions. I, however, don't view multi-tasking capablitiy as being something too important for an htpc -- viewing a single source should be the prime emphasis. Others are free, of course, to disagree.

 

[CityK]

Silverstone doesn't make PSUs, so you're really just skeptical of their choice of OEMs.

True enough.

 

[Mercutio]

What about playback and record? How many media tasks do we want to be able to do, and what do you need to do that?

Playback, you're going to be fine regardless. I mean, what are you doing to the video while you're watching it anyway? Real time color correction? Scaling?That's easy. Deinterlacing? Kind of a bitch but I haven't run into any high-res video that's needed it. Applying a sepia filter and film grain? Come on! If you're doing something that requires serious processing, you're probably doing it before you watch the video in the first place.

Recording? I already suggested a Hardware-encoding MPEG2 device. Those things work fine in anything as low-end as a Pentium2, so I don't think they'll be a problem for a Sempron.

Recording HD would be another matter, but even then, you've got enough cycles to throw at it.

 

[Sol]

A couple of suggestions from building my own HTPC;

I found I got a massive boost for playing really high bitrate video from chucking a gigabit network card in the system, this may just be windows (which I'm using because my DTV card does funky things to Linux, I'll probably just remove the DTV card though since I've only used it once and that was to tune it...).

You should probably look at an ATI card if you can because they seem to have much better hardware decoding support for newer codecs.

Thermalright make some great CPU coolers, basically just massive chunks of copper or aluminium with some heatpipes, if your using a small case the air moving through from just a couple of quiet little case fans can be easily enough to cool the CPU. I use a seperon 2500+ and even on 30C+ days it runs whisper quiet and rock solid. (And I live in a house with a tin roof and no airconditioning)