[chubs31]

I am looking to get into the HTPC game, and have been reading and reading and reading for almost 3 months.

After many trial installs of just about ever HTPC frontend available, XBMC is the clear cut winner, and it wasn't even close. It just works. I already know that the windows version is for me, as I need netflix streaming.

As for hardware, there are so many options out there, and just as many opinions as to what the best options are.

I am no videophile, but, do enjoy a quality picture. I have a vast collection of DVDs, including movies and series. I'd like to rip those to a network server, and use an HTPC to serve them to my HD tv.

I'm not looking to play blu rays, as I don't have any right now, but also don't want to make my new equipment outdated before I get it. Ideally, I'd like to be able to serve upscaled DVD rips, stream netflix, view pictures, and play DVD discs that I may get from netflix or redbox, or a new disc that the wife isn't patient enough to wait to be ripped. An onboard DVD is a must, as it will be replacing my DVD player.

I was looking at the Zotac ZBOX-ID37DVD-U. Will this setup work well for me?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6856173025

Thanks to everyone for the help and input.

[MidnightWatcher]

That will work for you, though I would normally dissuade anyone from opting for an Atom-based solution. Personally, I recommend something more along the lines of the Zotac ND22 (read review here) even though it doesn't come with a built-in DVD drive. You can add an external DVD drive and keep the ND22 out of sight behind the TV or something.

The reason why I recommend the ND22 is because it has a superior CPU and will offer better performance overall in Windows -- which is what you'll need to use if you want to stream Netflix -- and with ripping/encoding. Add in two 1GB or two 2GB memory sticks and an SSD and you've got yourself a great HTPC.

If you'd prefer to have the all-in-one Atom-based solution with the DVD built in, definitely get an SSD and not a normal HDD, and tweak Windows to use as little resources as possible to maximize performance.