HTPC Spec ?

[Cornholio]

Building a HTPC for my dad, wondered what hardware you guys would recommend, ive built everything else bar HTPC's.

My dad is lucky enough to have a 42" LG with dvi/vga/hdmi on so would like to build him a nice looking htpc with vista on/wireless keyboard with built in mouse etc but what would you say for hardware ? if i recall not long ago on this forum there was talk of a mobo with hdmi that was pretty cheap..

Look forward to your replies, all components will be bought from scan if in stock so possible LN codes would be greatly appreciated !

Andy

Edit, found the mobo its LN18012, argh says its overdue !

Possible case ? LN9301

[dave87]

What sort of budget are you working to?

Something like an AM2 3800+, motherboard with integrated grapgics, 1 or 2 gb of RAM, and a couple of hard disks would be my suggestion

[thermique]

The Silverstone can take full atx and youve gone for a matx mobo. Id say in that case you may as well get a matx case which will be smaller and less intrusive in the living room.

[Cornholio]

any ideas on a m-atx case ? as for cpu i was thinking the am2 3800x2, bought one the other week for my sister and its a cracking little cpu, 1gb corsair xms2 or value select probs pc5400. 320gb hdd ?

[staffsMike]

as long as you find a low profile cpu cooler it would be quite kool to build into this

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=480142

and this for the mobo if you use intel

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=548096

otherwise this for am2

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=535322

both use better on board graphics chipsets than intels own imo.

[Giraffe]

any ideas on a m-atx case ? as for cpu i was thinking the am2 3800x2, bought one the other week for my sister and its a cracking little cpu, 1gb corsair xms2 or value select probs pc5400. 320gb hdd ?

The Antec Solo is a good-quality, neat case - not pure mATX but allows for expansion.
A couple of us are waiting for that Asus board that's overdue (we were sent the other 690G one by mistake, without HDMI). With the modern chipset and small heatsinks it won't take much cooling.

Samsung HD is probably the quietest and this year's range is supposed to be reliable.

CPU: I was going for the 3800+ X2, but the Brisbane-cored 65nm 3600+ X2 is lower power and doesn't need much cooling. LN18023

I'm using a Seasonic S12 PSU (fan is v. quiet up 50% output) and atm it's on my present setup which has an old Athlon that sucks the juice and the input is only 91W! If any doubt, the 380W would be sufficient, but the power draw would be below the top of the efficiency curve.

HTH,

Peter.

[Cornholio]

Nice guys, i will opt for the am2 3600x2 as you say it uses less power, will the cooler that comes with the retail cpu be sufficient ?

Samsung spinpoint for the hdd, something around the 300gb mark should be plenty. And cheers for that link to mobo staffsmike but it doesn't have hdmi output like the Asus that people are waiting for so will opt for the asus as its am2 socket. Giraffe don't suppose you have any idea when the asus is coming in stock do you ?

Cheers

Edit : Case has to be in desktop format so it can go on his stand under T.V

[dave87]

Something like an Antec Fusion perhaps? Takes a full size power supply, few hard disks, has a VFD. Its in the desktop format, and takes mATX motherboards

Other option on the CPU front is a 3800+ EE CPU (low power version), which may suit the situation better

[Cornholio]

am i blind ? ive looked on scans site and can't see the fusion.

[dave87]

Sorry, the closest on Scan is the NSK2400 here.

Same design, simply lacks the VFD.

[Cornholio]

Other option on the CPU front is a 3800+ EE CPU (low power version), which may suit the situation better

never heard or seen one ?

[dave87]

This is what I was referring to (though that is OEM, would need a HSF). Basically a low power version of the standard 3800+

[Cornholio]

is this not the energy efficient version but retail ?

As for cases, i'l either get the NSK2400 from scan, or the fusion from elsewhere, i do like the idea of the vdu and stealthed drive bay.

[dave87]

Yes, that is the same but retail. Sorry, was in a bit of a rush when I posted.

The Antec's are good looking, and good value for money too, considering they include a half decent PSU

[Cornholio]

So i have to make my mind up on which antec to buy ( scan why dont you stock the fusion ??? ),

cpu is the 3800x2 ^^,

mobo is the asus...when it comes in it as its currently overdue.

Hdd is this samsung

Will probs just dump a sata or ide dvd-rw in it, doesn't need anything fancy.

PSU - case comes with a half decent one.

Keyboard with onboard mouse -- heading off to look now..

RAM - Again, looking...will probs opt for 1gb corsair xms2 pc5400

[dave87]

I'd go for 2gb if you can afford it, will help if he puts TV tuners in there