[esoterix]

So after having a second Directv DVR fail on me in the last 2 years, I've decided to cancel my service and build my first HTPC. I am looking to do this for as little money as possible (<300) as it looks like I will be needing to upgrade my wireless network to N speeds as well.

I am looking for something to stream movies/tv shows from my desktop pc downstairs to my 65" DLP upstairs and eventually my 37" LCD in the bedroom at a later date. I don't need 3D support, most likely won't need Netflix support, but would like support for Hulu.

I've been looking at all of the various options (ATV2, nettops, custom builds with both mITX and mATX) and have decided that a custom build is in my best interest because I would like to add a BD-ROM at a later date. I really like the small footprint of the mini ITX but I am not sure it's worth the price. I just don't like the majority of HTPC cases out there that don't break the budget.

Here are some parts that I have been considering and I am open for any suggestions.

MB: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6813138283
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819103698 I am hoping to unlock the second core. If I am unlucky, will I still be able to accomplish my goals?
RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820231149
Video Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6814127454
Hard Drive: I will probably be using an old drive in the beginning to get me by until I buy an SSD. I have an 80gb Seagate SATA or a 36gb 10k RPM WD Raptor drive that I could use.
Case: http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Mini-ITX-Case-w-...5d293bcfe7 I saw this case posted in another thread and I really like the look compared to other cases in this price range. Not to mention the PSU is supposed to be of pretty good quality. The case does have some downside to it though. I have heard it does have some heat issues according to the post on the Hard forums but then again all of their components were higher performance. The other issue is the need for a pci-e riser card. This has really hung me up. PCI-e risers are not cheap. I guess my other options are to switch to an ION board or if there is a mATX board with good enough onboard video to meet my needs.

I guess I'm just looking for some advice or reassurance so I can pull the trigger on this. Any help is much appreciated.

[eskro]

might wanna read here http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=92375

[maxinc]

Have you considered the Shuttle X35GT which keeps the small footprint of the nettops but has the option for a optical drive? And is completely silent (no fans).

The MB in your setup is a mATX and will not fit inside the miniITX case you mentioned.
The 36G WD Raptor is really loud, I have 2 and I can hear them from the loft. Maybe a quieter hard drive is a better choice.

[eskro]

i agree with the Shuttle X35GT ~$240 idea.
worth looking at at-least.
just note that it doesnt have a Gigabyte LAN (10/100Mbps only)
& it does not handles Dolby True-HD + DTS-HD Master audio...
Has no Optical output & has 2 Channels audio..
A slim BD-PLayer costs around ~$130..

Also you could have a look at the Zotac ZBOXHD-ID33BR-U ~$420
comes with a slim bd-player built-in already.
you still have to buy some RAM and a Hard Drive though
& it does not handles Dolby True-HD + DTS-HD Master audio...
But it has USB 3.0 ports + 1 eSATA ports.
Also has an Optical output & a Gigabyte LAN (10/100/1000Mbps) + 8 Channels audio..

and if not, u can always have a read here http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?p=7...post707433

[esoterix]

Thanks for the responses! I actually hadn't considered the Shuttle before. When the Shuttles first started coming out I was working at Fry's Electronics so my mind just kind of associates them with the bigger older models. The noiseless aspect would be really nice but I think that I can get by without that for this machine. For the bedroom, I will definitely be looking at it again though.

As far as the small footprint goes, I can get by with something bigger as I'll still have an xbox and possible a stereo receiver at a later date. So a "receiver style" case would work for me. I forgot to mention that the case I linked in my original post has been confirmed to work with mTX boards or even a full ATX board. It just happens to be listed as a miniITX.

Yes I know the raptor drives are noisy. If the performance difference is negligible between it and the 80gb Seagate drive that I have then I will just use the Seagate. This is just to tide me over until I see a deal on a small SSD that I want to jump on anyway. I still haven't decided if I am going to run Ubuntu/XBMC or XBMC Live yet. Any suggestions or pros/cons for one or the other?

I guess what I am questioning at the moment is how much of a difference in performance will there be between an unlocked Sempron/Geforce210 and a mini ITX board with ION/ION2.

[eskro]

regarding the OS,
it really depends on which your comfortable with....
Like me, im a Windows users, and i wouldn't use anything else

and an unlocked Sempron/Geforce210 will be more powerful then a mini-ITX/ION2 combination....
but slightly...

[esoterix]

Well its been quite a few years since I've messed around with any sort of Linux but I feel confident enough to make it work. It seems XBMC Live would be the simplest route. I think I am missing what going with Linux or Windows and running XBMC on top of that will give me for a machine which is just going to be used for media playback. If anything, I can get by with a smaller SSD drive by not going Linux/Windows.

[TugboatBill]

If you can run a ethernet line do that instead of going wireless.

You may be ok with wireless, but far fewer people have problems with a 100MB/1Gb ethernet connection than do with wireless setups.