Looking to build an HTPC

[Power5]

I have built a few computers, but nothing for a specific purpose. I have been reading lots of threads, and have put together what I think is a very good HTPC. Are there any suggestions to make it better, or areas where I can scale back with no problems?

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16811190105

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16813135075

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16815116015

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16819103774

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?item=N82E16827106227

Plus I will put in 2gb of ram and a 750gb HDD.

 

[Mohonri]

What software do you plan to use?

 

[Archaea]

Slimline.




Skip all that and buy a refurb HP slimline and save money and get an overall better product with a warranty.

I fully agree with building out your own performance PC, but for a HTPC....why? The slimlines are completely silent, have a variety of options and a very nice small 'sexy' case --- and you can get them refurbed for about half what it would cost you to build the components yourself - also includes windows vista home premium with media center.


http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1298300

and

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1224011


It's worthy to note. The last s3200t I bought on Ubid was configured at the one that initially cost 1,600. It has the blue-ray, hd-dvd combo drive in it that alone costs more than I paid for the whole PC at auction.

For $297 I got
e4500
case/motherboard
2GB RAM
Built in Wireless
500GB WD Sata Hard-drive
Blue-Ray/HD-DVD/DVD-RW combo drive
8500GT
HD TV Tuner
Windows Vista Home Premium
Media Center Remote Control.
Mouse and Keyboard.

 

[Power5]

I would like to use MythTV, but know nothing about linux. So, I would probably be stuck with Vista.

On those Slimline. The 945 chipset ones should only have 1 sata port open on the board. Wouldnt that limit you a bit much? I would have to run any HDDs external I suppose. Any idea what board the others come with? Like the ones with the 8500 or 8300 VC?

 

[Mohonri]

I've actually set up a MythTV machine, and it was a lot easier than you might expect. Unfortunately, the drivers for GPU-accelerated video playback aren't up to par in Linux, so if you were to go that route, I'd recommend going for a more powerful C2D CPU and going cheap on the motherboard. The extra you spend on the CPU is more than compensated by the fact that you can get a less expensive motherboard and you don't have to pay for any software.

 

[Archaea]

I would like to use MythTV, but know nothing about linux. So, I would probably be stuck with Vista.

On those Slimline. The 945 chipset ones should only have 1 sata port open on the board. Wouldnt that limit you a bit much? I would have to run any HDDs external I suppose. Any idea what board the others come with? Like the ones with the 8500 or 8300 VC?

All slimlines to my knowledge only have two sata ports - one typically for CD/DVD media, one for Hard-drive. Since you can buy 1TB drives now for a couple hundred --- space isn't much of an issue to me. I have a 500GB external USB drive that I store some extra media on. For mp3's, movies, and pictures an external USB drive works just fine.

Just bear in mind that I got this slimline PC = s3200t as configured to intially sell for $1550 dollars which also reviewed better than a $3,500 dollar Alienware HTPC for < $330 shipped through ubid.

http://review.zdnet.com/desktops/hp-pavilion-slimline-s3200t/4505-3118_16-32743720.html

 

[Rogue71]

Slimline.




Skip all that and buy a refurb HP slimline and save money and get an overall better product with a warranty.

I fully agree with building out your own performance PC, but for a HTPC....why? The slimlines are completely silent, have a variety of options and a very nice small 'sexy' case --- and you can get them refurbed for about half what it would cost you to build the components yourself - also includes windows vista home premium with media center.


http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1298300

and

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1224011


It's worthy to note. The last s3200t I bought on Ubid was configured at the one that initially cost 1,600. It has the blue-ray, hd-dvd combo drive in it that alone costs more than I paid for the whole PC at auction.

For $297 I got
e4500
case/motherboard
2GB RAM
Built in Wireless
500GB WD Sata Hard-drive
Blue-Ray/HD-DVD/DVD-RW combo drive
8500GT
HD TV Tuner
Windows Vista Home Premium
Media Center Remote Control.
Mouse and Keyboard.

understanding of course for some people cost is a huge thing. but straight up the pre-fab computers ala hp or whatever other sticker you wanna put on it just plain suck. 99% the time you have to upgrade it even before you get it home. most parts are the lowest quality and that is why they are so cheap. yea the cases are nice and slim, and the power supplies are usually not standard. they also are known to fail quite often. if all you wanted was basic dvd playback or tv recording that s all fine and good, but as most people know once you build one u tend to learn more ways to use it everyday. better to build it properly and not fall short before you start. for the 297 i would have bought one and stripped it for parts... just my opinion.

 

[Power5]

All slimlines to my knowledge only have two sata ports - one typically for CD/DVD media, one for Hard-drive. Since you can buy 1TB drives now for a couple hundred --- space isn't much of an issue to me. I have a 500GB external USB drive that I store some extra media on. For mp3's, movies, and pictures an external USB drive works just fine.

Just bear in mind that I got this slimline PC = s3200t as configured to intially sell for $1550 dollars which also reviewed better than a $3,500 dollar Alienware HTPC for < $330 shipped through ubid.

http://review.zdnet.com/desktops/hp-pavilion-slimline-s3200t/4505-3118_16-32743720.html

Did you get the one in your sig? I have been trying to pick a slimline. At the moment there are none like you spec'd out in your earlier post. I would love to find a 4500/TV/2gb/500gb/BR for $300. I would buy it and not look back. I have not found one yet on ubid, but I keep looking. But knowing prebuilt quality, I would probably get an external drive for my movies and keep the internal for DVR capabilities.

 

[Archaea]

I bought two s3200t units from ubid - one for $279 and one for $297. The only difference is one came with the Blue-Ray/HD-DVD drive and the other came with the TV tuner/media remote. Both had e4500, 2GB RAM, 8500GT. I combined the best into one unit to get the slimline that retails for $1550, and I'll sell the other without the TV tuner and with the regular CDRW/DVDRW for about what I paid for it on ebay.

These models are
s3200t

It seems like every s3200t they sell there is different - so you gotta keep watching.


There are at least three slimlines on ubid that close today that look very nice for a HTPC. Two need a tuner card though price is cheaper, and one has everything but needs 1GB of RAM instead of two.

None of these that close today have the HD-DVD/Blue-Ray combo drive. To watch for that the cd-rom needs to be listed as a HD-DVD multi or super drive I think. I know mine did not mention blue-ray but it was a combo drive.

The auctions at ubid are typically 1-2 day max close time...so you should check everyday until you find one you want. Any of the sxxxxx models are slimline models and make excellent HTPC units.

**********************************

As far as upgrading Rogue 71.... (what in my component list needs to be upgraded for a HTPC?)

Even the TV tuner card is high def capable.....

HP computers are just as reliable as a home built setup....I would NOT argue against manufactorers reliability ---- BUT I would argue against manufactorers options. Lots of times there are proprietary things (IE the slimline does have a proprietary power supply connection that's impossible to mate up to a aftermarket PSU without modification) and slower things --- IE CAS latency of 6 on the RAM, but that doesn't hurt anything....Reliability on these pre-built systems in my exp. (which is quite a lot) --- is as good as home built systems with aftermarket parts.

I worked on a helpdesk before my current server team position and imaged and supported over 1000 Dell and HP machines by myself in our local office, and supported multiple external offices. All computers we used were IBM, DELL and HP consumer models.

Had VERY FEW isssues.