[AndyMac]

First HTPC, planning on trying out both openELEC and Ubuntu 11.10 separately.

Component-wise, I'm looking at the following ... please let me know if any red flags jump out at you!

CPU / GPU: Celeron G620 - $70
Mobo: ASRock H61M/U3S3 - $70
RAM: 2x2Gb Gskill DDR3 1333 - $23
SSD: Patriot 32Gb - $54
PSU: PicoPSU - about $50? Not sure where to get this, though. Any suggestions for something in the range of 90 to 150W?

Now ... I'm going to start with just that and see how well it does. Here's my thoughts:

This box is predominantly for streaming 1080P from a NAS. I might use it to stream some shows from Netflix or the web in general, but probably not. It'd be nice for it to be just a generally capable linux box as well (nice to have a computer hooked up to the big screen), but that's not hugely important either.

On the CPU / GPU, I'd like to see how XBMC and linux look these days with the integrated intel chipset. If it runs my videos fairly flawlessly, great. If not, I'll get a cheap GeForce 430 to put in there (about $70). I'm hoping it's not required based on a lot of the fairly recent reviews I've been reading, but we'll see.

Initially, I'll just set it up with a simple wireless USB mouse / keyboard, but will probably work on some kind of LIRC solution later on.

All told, this system doesn't look like it'll produce hardly any noise or heat, but I also want to check how it does in operational mode before I go spend $30 or $40 on an aftermarket HSF.

The video card decision and HSF decision will also push the decision for which case to get.

Of course, this also means I finally need to upgrade my receiver, which is a very nice Onkyo 5.1 system from back in the day, but doesn't have HDMI at all . Oh well. Time to get with the future .

EDIT:
One change I'm looking at already is the SSD. Found this review of the Torqx Patriot: http://www.storagereview.com/patriot_torqx_2_review. Doesn't look so good.

So I'm thinking of moving to the OCZ Vertex. $75 after rebate instead of $50, but way faster, lower power, and even bigger (a little OS future proofing there, or dual-boot opportunity).

[thethirdnut]

Buy a discrete GPU...you won't regret it.

Besides no concerns for performance video-wise you'll also have option of HD audio bit-streaming in *nix evenutally.

I personally wouldn't spend all the time, effort & money on a build knowing that it could've easily been even a little bit better...

[AndyMac]

Buy a discrete GPU...you won't regret it.

Besides no concerns for performance video-wise you'll also have option of HD audio bit-streaming in *nix evenutally.

I personally wouldn't spend all the time, effort & money on a build knowing that it could've easily been even a little bit better...

I may end up agreeing with you, but the crux here is that I don't have to wonder if it will work without a discreet GPU. I can test it without and then buy one if it doesn't perform up to standards. If you already get perfect 1080P streaming (the entire goal), why spend more money to make it better (better than perfect?). More specifically, why spend more money than you have to? I don't need a $1000 box for an HTPC, though it would undoubtedly be a better computer.

Again, I don't know that it will work perfectly, but in just the last couple months, the latest linux builds have advertised a lot more support for the intel graphics, so we could be at a tipping point there.

And if it doesn't work great, there's absolutely nothing stopping me from getting a discreet GPU later (even in just a week or two ... or whenever HD audio streaming works in linux ... though that support will quite possibly also come to the intel chips).

[thethirdnut]

@AnyMac

I get what you're saying, but still think that a $50 differential is worth knowing that you got the best solution.

For me personally free-time is at a premium so anything I can to cut down on 'pissing around time' is worth the $$.

Good luck with your build either way.

[AndyMac]

Any opinion on where (or what) to get a good picoPSU? That's possibly my biggest question since they aren't listed on newegg or tigerdirect that I see. Seems like it's a good option and would still support a future graphics card as long as I get one that's 120W or so.

[Mallet21]

Buy a discrete GPU...you won't regret it.

Besides no concerns for performance video-wise you'll also have option of HD audio bit-streaming in *nix evenutally.

FWIW the G620 bitstreams HD audio just fine using windows.

[cwide]

Any opinion on where (or what) to get a good picoPSU? That's possibly my biggest question since they aren't listed on newegg or tigerdirect that I see. Seems like it's a good option and would still support a future graphics card as long as I get one that's 120W or so.

If you google search picopsu the first two options are pretty good.

mini-box.com I think is a little cheaper when you are buying the whole kit.

Wesena picopsu's

As far as supporting future graphics card... I have no idea.

[AndyMac]

If you google search picopsu the first two options are pretty good.

mini-box.com I think is a little cheaper when you are buying the whole kit.

Wesena picopsu's

As far as supporting future graphics card... I have no idea.

Yeah, I found them, but wasn't sure what people were using as a company ... who makes anything "good", so thanks for the recommendation.

And I just meant the wattage would support me adding a geforce 210 or 430 to the build without much trouble if I went with a 120+ PSU.

[Balinus]

mini-box.com and itxcanada.com are selling picopsu.

[eskro]

[delete plz]

[AndyMac]

PicoPSU's are pricey :/

only somewhat good deal i found for us Canucks is this

PicoPSU 90W + 90W Power Brick ($46.94)

That does look like a good deal! I just don't know if 90W would be enough to drive the box all the time (startup especially).

And yeah ... definitely pricey. I'm going back and forth on the picoPSU. A quiet PSU in general would probably be fine and definitely would have enough connections (not all the picoPSU's come with enough connectors to run the mobo in addition to a separate GPU). But man ... the silence and the efficiency .... how sweet

*le sigh*

[eskro]

actually, after reading the specs correctly, the Adapter is only 60W, bummer...