[Desisuperman]

So I think i've done enough reading to fully understand what it is I need and don't need for my new HTPC build. I've read through some guides here and other forums and this is what I came up with.

CPU AMD Athlon II X4 640 Quad Core Processor AM3 3.0GHZ 95W

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=53854&vpn=A...acture=AMD


MOBO Gigabyte 880GMA-USB3 AMD880G mATX AM3 DDR3

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=60766&vpn=G...e=Gigabyte


GPU ASUS GeForce GT 430 700MHZ 1GB 1.6GHZ GDDR3

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=56230&vpn=E...cture=ASUS


CASE Antec Fusion Remote Black HTPC Case mATX

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=35746&vpn=F...ture=Antec


PSU OCZ StealthXStream 2 500W

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=53965&vpn=O...omoid=1322


RAM G.SKILL F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM Ripjaws 4GB 2X2GB DDR3-1600 CL7-8-7-24

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=44261&vpn=F...=G%2ESkill


SSD Corsair Storage Solutions Nova Series 32GB

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=52887&vpn=C...re=Corsair


Of course, I still need to shop around and price match so these won't be final prices but it will be pretty close.

I've never built an HTPC before and my biggest concern is how future proof is this and will I encounter any limitations with this hardware and setup? Will this handle anything I throw at it?

Also, is it worth switching to Intel i3 Sandy Bridge? Other than lower power consumption is there anything that i3 Sandy Bridge can do that this build can't as far as being a dedicated HTPC? Is there any other benefit? Last I checked the hardware was unable to play 24fps at 24hz refresh rate, is that still an issue with the new Sandy Bridge chips?


Thanks in advance to all who provide feedback and share their ideas

[eskro]

yes its still an issue for the on-board i3 video unfortunately...

honestly,
its a really powerful HTPC build you made!

it'll eat Bitstream HD-Audio & play 1080P 3D for breakfast!

Do you need it that strong?

you could do all of this will a less expensive bill!

[Desisuperman]

yes its still an issue for the on-board i3 video unfortunately...

honestly,
its a really powerful HTPC build you made!

it'll eat Bitstream HD-Audio & play 1080P 3D for breakfast!

Do you need it that strong?

you could do all of this will a less expensive bill!

Thanks fo the reply Eskro... What do you suggest to save a few $$$. I'm thinking Motherboard and go with the one you recommend in your write up but will the MB you suggest do considering it's missing a few bells and whistles? (S/PDIF, USB 3.0, 6 x Sata3, external SATA connections etc.. )

[eskro]

my Gigabyte mobo, which is the one i suggest, has eSATA!!
dont know where you saw it didnt had it,,
i mean i have it right here in my HTPC....

and because of the eSATA, i dont need USB3.0...

and i personally dont need Optical OUT because i use HDMI for sound....

oh and also,
SATA-11 devices are fast enough, and pricey enough also, so,
dont see whats the hype about SATA-111's....

Now that being said, you could get a dual-core instead of Quad-Core,,,

500W PSU is overkill and you have to read this review about it --> http://ow.ly/1tlNFM

GT430 is ok if you need 3D playback on your 3D-HDTV,
if not, your paying to much for nothing,
you can get less expensive cards that will eat 1080P for launch to!

that ANTEC case is pricey, but this is about taste,,
so i cant tell you its not good,, you have your taste and its ok,,
However, if your buying it simply because it has a LCD screen,
your making a wrong choice,,,
LCD screen is barely useful, a pain to set up,
you have to use a seperate application to make it work with XBMC,
the remote control it comes with i suppose is as cheap as the one i have
right here from ANTEC...
Barely responsive and i want to throw it out of the window...
let me put it this way, next HTPC for me = NO LCD SCREENS!!!

~hope this helps~

[Desisuperman]

Thanks Eskro It just so happens I have a Silverstone LC13B case in perfect condition. It's never been used and I was able to pick it up for $50. It's the model seen here.

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p...p?pno=lc13

This is not the LC13B-E which is their new model. Is there any reason to replace this case and get another one or should I just use this as my build? It can also handle ATX Motherboards which I guess has it's benefits. In which case which MB would suggest?

Eskro, can you point out where you see the eSATA for Gigabyte GA-MA78LMT-S2 ? I've red the description over many times and examined the pics and don't see an esata connection.


In repsonse to your reply. I suggested the OCZ StealthXStream 2 500W because it's on sale for $29. I know it's overkill but it's the cheapest one I can find and I guess it doesnt hurt to have the extra power.

The video card is a good suggestion. I don't have a 3D HDTV and i have no intentions of getting one for a long time (if ever). Dropping down to the MSI GeForce GT 210 makes complete sense.

I can see what you mean about the LCD. I'm already annoyed with the amount of lights on all my components now. I really could use without and I could see myself disconnecting the LCD. I thought it woul dmake sense because it comes with a remote which I just discovered are not much if you buy them seperate.

[eskro]

because an eSATA connection on a motherboard is called simply --> SATA port

If the motherboard has 3 or 4 SATA ports, you can use one of them for eSATA....

Now, eSATA means of course --> External SATA

So the HTPC case you'll buy need to have eSATA capabilities...

Because if not, you wont be able to use one of you motherboard SATA ports as eSATA!!

Well not totally true, if your HTPC case has some Expension slots,
you can use one to place an eSATA Slot Plate Bracket and you'll then have eSATA capabilities
http://ow.ly/1tmBFN
From then on, you'll be able to connect an External eSATA Hard Drive to your HTPC!!!

Now which OS your planning to run? Linux? Windows?

Because if its Linux, keep a Nvidia Chipset Video card..

But if on Windows, you can use an HD5450 or even HD6450!
What would you gain with those instead of the GT210,
well, they have HD-Audio Bitstreaming capabilites!
oh yeah and, i even think that the HD6450 can play Bluray 3D!!

[Desisuperman]

because an eSATA connection on a motherboard is called simply --> SATA port

If the motherboard has 3 or 4 SATA ports, you can use one of them for eSATA....

Now, eSATA means of course --> External SATA

So the HTPC case you'll buy need to have eSATA capabilities...

Because if not, you wont be able to use one of you motherboard SATA ports as eSATA!!

Well not totally true, if your HTPC case has some Expension slots,
you can use one to place an eSATA Slot Plate Bracket and you'll then have eSATA capabilities
http://ow.ly/1tmBFN
From then on, you'll be able to connect an External eSATA Hard Drive to your HTPC!!!

Now which OS your planning to run? Linux? Windows?

Because if its Linux, keep a Nvidia Chipset Video card..

But if on Windows, you can use an HD5450 or even HD6450!
What would you gain with those instead of the GT210,
well, they have HD-Audio Bitstreaming capabilites!
oh yeah and, i even think that the HD6450 can play Bluray 3D!!

Ah, got it! I plan on running Windows 7 Pro, which I already have. Here's my Revised list for my build


CPU AMD Athlon II X4 640 Quad Core Processor AM3 3.0GHZ 95W

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=53854&v...anufacture=AMD


MOBO Gigabyte GA-770T-USB3 ATX

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=50567&vpn=G...e=Gigabyte


GPU Gigabyte Radeon HD 5450 650MHZ 512MB

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=58227&vpn=G...e=Gigabyte


CASE Silverstone LC13-B (already have this on me)

http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p...p?pno=lc13


PSU OCZ StealthXStream 2 500W

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=53965&v...y&promoid=1322


RAM G.SKILL F3-12800CL7D-4GBRM Ripjaws 4GB 2X2GB DDR3-1600 CL7-8-7-24

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=44261&v...ture=G%2ESkill


SSD Corsair Storage Solutions Nova Series 32GB

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=52887&v...acture=Corsair

[eskro]

so you really really need an Quad Core!?
+ a USB3.0 motherboard??
O.O

and i suggest this video card --> http://ow.ly/1tmWEw
great price!!
%100 Fanless!!

[Desisuperman]

Finally put together my system and this is what I finally ended up going with. Some of the items are overkill but only because they were on sale and/or had rebates so in some cases they ended up cheaper.

CPU AMD Athlon II X4 640 Quad Core Processor AM3 3.0GHZ 95W

MOBO Gigabyte GA-870A-USB3

GPU ASUS 5450 Silent 1GB

CASE Silverstone LC13B-E

PSU OCZ Modstream Prow 500w

RAM G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series DDR3 1600MHz (PC3-12800) 4GB (2x2GB) Dual Channel Kit (F3-12800CL7D-4GBXM)

HDD (4TB) Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000 2TB 3.5" SATA3 6Gb X 2

SSD OCZ (AGT3-25SAT3-60G) Agility 3 2.5" 60GB SATA3 6GB/s

WIRELESS KEYBOARD Visiontek Candyboard Bluetooth Wireless Mini Qwerty Keyboard



Thanks for your help Eskro

P.S any suggestions on how to view 1080p movies at 24hz. Most of my content is 24fps. I have enabled the option in the settings menu to view video at the actual framerate. My TV does display 24hz from 60hz but i get jitter. It's not playing back smoothly and seems to be dropping frame rates.

[eskro]

if your TV is an LCD 120Hz or LCD 240Hz,
you need to disable the Natural Motion feature it has....

[Desisuperman]

I figured it out. the motion feature is off so I had to set my refresh rate in Catalyst to 24hz

thanks

[eskro]

and if you enable the motion feature as a test,
do u get jitter too?

[Desisuperman]

My tv is a Samsung LCD LN52650. I turned the 'Auto Motion' feature to High and I did not get any jitter. it worked just as it was intended by giving it that soap opera look

[eskro]

well thats great for you, i have jitter when AUTO MOTION is turned ON...

[dotnetnerd]

@Desisuperman

Nice system! I went with something very similar:

Same MOBO, the GA-870-USB3 - I notice you switched that from your earlier GA-770 choice. Smart move, the 870 has built-in support for RAID5. Currently I'm running plain JBOD with 2x2TB WD greens but might go RAID later.

I went with a dual-core AMD Athlon II X2 260 3.2ghz

8 GB Mushkin Silverline 1333Mhz ram

Corsair Builder Series CX430 430W PSU

same Visiontek candybar (very cute)!

GeForce 210 GPU

I didn't get a SSD yet. I ghosted an older Seagate for now.