[removesstains]

Hey Everybody!

I just started using XBMC over the weekend on my laptop and WOW. I think i'm in love. So in love that i am totally wanting to build a HTPC now. I have been researching the past 2 days on what to buy. I never built a PC before from scratch, but i'm not scared since i have upgraded a lot of hardware on many PC's in my life. Here's a list of what i'm looking to get so far, all from newegg.

APEX MI-008 Case
ZOTAC GF9300-D-E LGA Motherboard
320 GB western Digital HDD (mainly be streaming off home server or net so no need for a lot of space)
OCZ 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 800
Intel Pentium E6300 2.8GHz
Anyware GP-IR01BK remote (Picked this since i read it work out of box with Ubuntu 9.04)
2 80mm case fans

Everything comes to $406.

So my main question is, will this be good for 1080p streams. Also i'm 98% confident it will work with Linux. I just don't know if i should install Ubuntu 9.04 32bit or 64bit. I use Linux Mint 7 64bit heavily on my Laptop and i love it. I may even use Mint, but that's not important to me since all i'll use this for is videos and music. I will not be using windows, since i really hate it and don't want to deal with driver issues. I may choose to dual-boot later. But i really hate windows.

So is there anything i may be missing? I know, i know, i did not have any type of optical drive on there. Thats because i plan on getting a Blu-ray drive later when its fully compatible with linux (i own a PS3 anyway). i was going to use my 360 HD-DVD drive to install the OS over USB or just use a thumbdrive.

Is what i picked so far to slow, to fast, just right? Again this will be a Ubuntu 9.04 setup.

[ion_man]

That mobo is recommended in the "best Linux HTPC mobos" article, so you can't go wrong with it, the other bits sound good too, 1080p won't be a problem at all, as long as you set everything up correctly (I mean the software).
The parts are certainly not too slow, if anything you could save some money by getting a E5300 cpu and only 2x1GB RAM.

[michal]

I'd like to point out (for those who care) that the ZOTAC GF9300-D-E Motherboard seems to have dropped the coax S/PDIF connector since the time that the list was compiled.

[removesstains]

That mobo is recommended in the "best Linux HTPC mobos" article, so you can't go wrong with it, the other bits sound good too, 1080p won't be a problem at all, as long as you set everything up correctly (I mean the software).
The parts are certainly not too slow, if anything you could save some money by getting a E5300 cpu and only 2x1GB RAM.

Yeah i used that article when picking the Mobo. I decided to pick the E6300 since it was only like 13 bucks more. same with the ram. I usually like that when it comes to buying stuff. But isn't everyone? Wheres the best place for linux tutorials on tweaking out the software to run at maximum efficiency?

I'd like to point out (for those who care) that the ZOTAC GF9300-D-E Motherboard seems to have dropped the coax S/PDIF connector since the time that the list was compiled.

Newegg states it has both, but on zotac's website does not have coax. So i'll wait and see, however i'll either be using optical input or HDMI on my receiver anyway. Prolly optical that way i can just watch videos using the TV sound that don't have 5.1 audio.

I'm on the edge of ordering this stuff. But like i said i just learned about XBMC this week. So i better think it over a few more days. At least until pay day. Although my laptop locks up on some of the plug ins that have HQ videos. Which doesn't surprise me cause the graphic card in that thing is crap.

I really want this now.

[sternyy]

I just did the same thing you did on sunday. here is what i got: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=59548

found out that hardware is more than enough for 1080p in windows as well. ill be testing my bluray today as i just built and installed everything last night. the only problem i am having is a halo like effect around my text and opened windows in vista when displayed through hdmi on my tv. i will testing a vga and dvi cable today to see if its my tv, cable or onboard video.

[ion_man]

I'm on the edge of ordering this stuff. But like i said i just learned about XBMC this week. So i better think it over a few more days. At least until pay day. Although my laptop locks up on some of the plug ins that have HQ videos. Which doesn't surprise me cause the graphic card in that thing is crap.

I really want this now.

Like sternyy says, that hardware is perfectly suitable for a Windows HTPC too, so you are not locked in to one of the two OSes, you can still decide later on if you prefer Linux or Windows.

[removesstains]

Sweet, thanks for the responses. I'm probably going to order stuff tomorrow. I'm going to go to Fry's 1st and see what or if theres anything i can get there 1st cheaper. Plus my Bro-n-law is going to check if he has any Ram laying around. I also think i have a original xbox remote laying around somewhere in my house. i read somewhere that you can solder the receiver to a usb cord and it will work with xbmc. I also found out today that theres a Android app that turns your Android phone into a xbmc remote. I have a G1 so that would be cool but i don't really want to use wifi since this HTPC will be sitting right next to my router. So that will save me about $25 bucks.

I also learned about boxee today 2 so i'm going to try both out. this stuff is awesome.

[sternyy]

I also learned about boxee today 2 so i'm going to try both out. this stuff is awesome.

same boat... ive been wanting to do this for a long time and now that costs of equipment has gone down, this is awesome..

[removesstains]

Well, i just ordered everything. I must have went to the checkout 5 times in the past 2 days going back and fourth. But after messing with Boxee and the new Hulu desktop for linux i had to just break down and order it. All 3 of these programs combined will be awesome. I know you can view hulu on boxee but the hulu desktop seems better quality.

I went ahead and added a DVD drive, that way i can get rid of the dvd player on my entertainment center and i also got a 500 hdd instead of the 320. Everything came to 450 after shiping. I'm happy with what i'm getting for the price. I know i could have spent less by downgraded some of the stuff. But i feel better w faster equipment. Plus i wouldn't have saved that much. I never found my old xbox remote. Its prolly in my attic or i gave it away. So i decided to just get the remote. Cause the remote app for my phone was cool but i need something to control all the apps plus my wife might want to watch something when i'm not home. Like she'll be able to figure it out.

Is there anything i need besides the obvious to put a PC together? I picked up a cheap grounding wristband and zip-ties yesterday. Do i need thermal paste or will the new processor and heatsink already have some on it? I forgot to get that yesterday.

Well now i get to play the waiting game.

[joshuass]

Chips come with thermal pads on the heat sinks so its just a matter of sandwiching it on the chip.

[removesstains]

I wanted to post a little update. I got everything last Thursday and got it all working Saturday. I had some frustration with Linux, but its mainly because of little annoying things. Like for instance over scan and updating ALSA which never seemed to update, POS. I could not find a good place to fix Overscan with HDMI, i could get it to work over VGA. But the VGA picture on my TV had some halo effect and that was more annoying then overscan. Plus i only have about a year of Linux experience so a lot of the how-to's where still over my head to get the over scan issue fixed.

I almost settled on ubuntu 9.10 with a slightly less annoying over scan issue, but with that 1 i couldn't get boxee to work right.

So i used the copy of Vista that came with my laptop that runs Linux Mint. I got pretty much everything working. Except the MCE remote isn't fully compatible with XBMC. Not that big of a deal, it looks like i'm going to have to map everything. but after messing with it all night friday and all morning Saturday. I didn't care anymore. I am more then happy with running everything in Vista.

I'm actually shocked on how good its working. The over scan issue in vista was stupid easy to fix using the Nvidia control panel. In fact it made no sense as to why i couldn't have the same option in the Linux version. It actually kinda pisses me off. But what ever. The audio set up was extremely easy as well. I decided to use HDMI audio for the TV and digital coaxial for my receiver for now. My receiver supports HD audio over HDMI but it only has 2 HDMI inputs and i'd rather use those for my PS3 and 360 anyway since i won't be using anything with HD audio on this PC yet.

I'm so happy with this setup so far. I am getting the urge to buy a logictech DiNovo Mini keyboard. But can wait until thanksgiving week for a possible deal. I may buy a blu-ray drive for it later as well.

I'm going to stick with vista as long as it keeps running smooth. but i have low faith in it since i don't really have much installed as of yet. So i know it may start to slow down. Maybe i can get a sweet deal on windows 7 or try ubuntu again a month after 9.10 is officially released.

I accidentally ordered a IDE DVD drive instead of a SATA. So i didn't install it. Sucks cause its not worth sending back to newegg cause it was only 18 bucks. Guess i'll try and ebay it.

Well off to finding out more cool stuff for this little magic box. Peace