EggXpert

I have been reading about 10 or so threads on here about HTPC building and I would kind of like a straight answer to the most important question I have. This is PRICING!!!

I read http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/60087.aspx and priced out all the components they used on their HTPC and it came to about $1,400!!!

Now is that like a average price range if I want to build one or are there certain areas I can cut corners and still achieve a good HTPC. If I understand correctly, you kinda want the best tuner card, sound card, and video card...but can you opt out of certain things or is that thread I mentioned above a blueprint for all the components you need.

Thanks for taking the time, your input is greatly appreciated!!! 

well you could definately save money on the case and by skipping the "hard drive for OS and Apps". the 10k raptor is fairly unnecessary.

other than that this system is pretty mid ranged in my opinion. you could cut a few corners but not many. it would be tough to get a decent HTPC for less than a $1000

 

thats high unless you want to hardcore game on it. HDtv resolution isnt as high as your most of your fps games so you wouldnt need a 8800 based video card. You dont need that fast of a cpu either. Sound and reliable storage is where you want to spend your money. imo

you could also skip the $314 on 3 copys of vista and go with an oem version of xp

Faelok:

you could also skip the $314 on 3 copys of vista and go with an oem version of xp

thanks, didn't even notice that, couldn't find an OEM Vista Home single pack besides the upgrade or DVD retail.  

 

I did alot of research before choosing my parts, but you can shave the price down alot by using DX 9 parts and older tech.
 
A 7600GS video card is more than enough for a  HTPC...

a cheaper power supply included in a case would be fine too.  Around 400W maybe...

an AMD 3800 AM2 is probably more than you would need. 65 watts of course....

any case would work for a HTPC, but alot of peeps are in to aesthetics, like me....

on board sound works too.  just stay away from Realtek, hard but worth it...

micro ATX boards are cheaper...just be careful how much hardware you want to add and the case, sometimes the video card gets too big for both. 

and one tuner card is good enough also... 

and just one 250gb HD will suffice for awhile...

Windows Xp Media Center is tried and true.......and cheap 

hope this helps... 

 

 

 

Awesome info, I agree that I would like to be aesthetically pleasing..but I am reading that sometimes it doesnt offer the room that some of the components need. So if that was the case I would probably be fine getting a tower if it came down to that.

 I haven't built a computer in a while but I am confident I still can do it, but since I am in the presence of people who have done it let me ask this. First off (and im slightly embarassed to ask) but with me not building a computer from the ground up for 5 or so years I am out of touch with some of the different hardware. Such as the ATX and microATX. Also does newegg provide enough info with the specs of say a video card to determine if it will fit in what we can call an "aesthetically" pleasing case.

I would definately like to get a good looking case, but I am always turned off by some of the reviews. Like the case is 80% 5 stars, but the cons I read are kinda disheartening. I am sure you've come across the same thing..

And I must ask it now, is XP media center DRM free. In the sense that I am sure a MythTV or Media Portal will let you play DivX movies and what not.
 

Sorry for the long post, I know people dont like to teach and would rather help. But I have been out of specific hardware sectors so I am trying to touch up a little. 

Most of us still get confused with the concept of a "real" HTPC.  I can't believe most "eggxperts" here recommend a gaming gear for an HTPC.  Saczilla, if you need to store important digital pictures (e.g., baby pics, wedding stuff, etc), or any important media files, just remember to back them up as a gaming gear can have some serious troubles (frequent reboots, overheating, busted power supply, etc).  I have some friends crying and begging me to recover pics from crashed hard drive.

a59cheffy:

Faelok:

you could also skip the $314 on 3 copys of vista and go with an oem version of xp

an AMD 3800 AM2 is probably more than you would need. 65 watts of course....

Cheffy, this is off topic but can't resist to ask, is AMD 3800 AM2 35 watts still available?  Yes, 35W version, and the last equipment I've seen that's got this animal was an HP (Dell) box.

 

 

Were you looking at a horizontal case that fits on a stereo shelf?

I am one of those never get an included power supply folks. Heres a nice case that you can add more fans if needed. I like adding air filters to keep th inside clean.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811128022

and a very decent power supply

Its a 450W FSP with a big quiet fan for less than $60

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104954

aso3:

a59cheffy:

an AMD 3800 AM2 is probably more than you would need. 65 watts of course....

Cheffy, this is off topic but can't resist to ask, is AMD 3800 AM2 35 watts still available?  Yes, 35W version, and the last equipment I've seen that's got this animal was an HP (Dell) box.

 

 

verry hard to find, the ADD is a rare commodity.  Not sure where yu would find one, I've tried! 

saczilla:

Awesome info, I agree that I would like to be aesthetically pleasing..but I am reading that sometimes it doesnt offer the room that some of the components need. So if that was the case I would probably be fine getting a tower if it came down to that.

 I haven't built a computer in a while but I am confident I still can do it, but since I am in the presence of people who have done it let me ask this. First off (and im slightly embarassed to ask) but with me not building a computer from the ground up for 5 or so years I am out of touch with some of the different hardware. Such as the ATX and microATX. Also does newegg provide enough info with the specs of say a video card to determine if it will fit in what we can call an "aesthetically" pleasing case.

I would definately like to get a good looking case, but I am always turned off by some of the reviews. Like the case is 80% 5 stars, but the cons I read are kinda disheartening. I am sure you've come across the same thing..

And I must ask it now, is XP media center DRM free. In the sense that I am sure a MythTV or Media Portal will let you play DivX movies and what not.
 

Sorry for the long post, I know people dont like to teach and would rather help. But I have been out of specific hardware sectors so I am trying to touch up a little. 

If you have a Brick and Mortar store nearby, check out the size and width of the cases compared to your video cards size (can be found on manufacturrers' website) then buy the one that works online.  And yes an ATX mid tower has more room than a media center case, but there are some media cases that will do just nicely.  You shouldn't have a problem with the right case fitting any nVidia 7000 series video card.  Most people get in to trouble trying to fit an nVidia 8000 series card. ( due to their large size and taking up two pci slots.)

I never worry about DRM issues, there will always be software to work around it. And I don't think it is an issue with XP as much as Vista.   

Now if you want to build a quiet machine, that is a whole nother thread, lol..... 

I am going to go in order of how I can respond...

- I am 21 and in college so baby pictures are not in my to-do list but seriously, it is going to strictly be a HTPC not a gaming machine as well...

- To continue on this college lifestyle, I have no real nice furniture so while I would like to have a sleek case, I would be content with a tower if it meant I got the functionality I am striving for. 

- @ a59cheffy: When you say quiet machine, are you saying mine may be jumbo jet loud? I am content with the noise of the fan if that is going to be the sounds I hear while it is running...

No, it won't be loud if you buy the right hardware...

get a fanless 7600GT or GS, hard to find but worth it, Gigabyte used to make a good one, still for 70 more bucks or so you can get a silent pipe  8600GTS. 

7600GT

8600GTS 

get a PSU with a single 80mm fan in back 

the case you buy should have 120mm fan in back, maybe an Antec Sonata III case? (just an example) Comes with a decent power supply too. Bigger fans make less noise in the case. And you need less of them to move air.

Sonata III

I have heard that the stock heatsink on the AM2's are pretty quiet. 

I could go into more detail if needed...... 

 

 

Ok, after reading this is my first go a component list. And away we gooooo:

CPU: 

AMD Athlon  64 3800+ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103029

MOBO:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131013

combo deal includes PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159058 

Case: 

Spec-Research 01024 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811292004

or

Ark HTPC 400BA http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811128022 

Power Supply:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104954 

Video Card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125063 

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125057 

case size will decide probably.... 

TV Tuner:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116628 

Hard Drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822144392 

 

Thats all...give me a run down, are anything overlapping. How does it look for size (i know we cant go to newegg warehouse and measure)...any suggestions on adding anything? Maybe a stick or two of RAM? What do you think...

I would go dual core on the cpu....65 watt version

The Spec research case is the one I would pick out of the two, it has 2/5.25" bays and it looks to be a little longer than the Ark....

You would have to call Spec Research to find out the distance between the PSU and the back of the case to fit the 8600GTS...

Go SATA on the hard drive, and the optical drives....faster and neater in the case....

1gb of RAM will be sufficient, 2gb if you have the money....

good choice of mobo, although I would pick the Gigabyte 590sli...

I would pick a PSU like this one...One fan PSU ... has a dual 12v rail with 38amps, more than enough for the 8600GTS, of course it all depends on your budget...

fun aint it!! 

 

 

 

i'd get a quad, a couple 8800 in sli, a 1000 pow max psu, 4GB  put it on water, then a gaming keyboard except for loading up some games I could save some dough just getting a cdrw.

 

or am I missing the point?

I need a vacation

    That looks like a pretty nice rig but if I were you I would go with the directX 9 card and spend the difference on a smaller  hard drive for the operating system. If you record and erase video a lot, your hard drive will get fragmented pretty fast. You may notice some stuttering of video playback if your drive is fragmented. Also a direct x10 card is a complete waste for an HTPC.  Windows Media center & Vista do indeed have DRM issues. You are better off with Win XP and using stand alone software for recording and playback. I recommend Snapstream BeyondTv.

Thanks jerry I will definately consider that and probably do exactly that. But my question is, if I will be recording and erasing on the drive anyways, how does the fragmentation matter on that drive. I guess if that "recording" hard drive is going to be fragmented and thus have possible playback issues, what good will it be to have a hard drive just for the OS? Do you get what I am trying to ask...?

I agree with Jerry, is better to isolate the OS and apps on a smaller and faster hard drive.  Use the second larger drive for storage and playback of music and video.  Just make the smaller drive ie: 80gb's the main C:\OS and Apps, then the larger HD, ie: 400gb's D:\ with subdirectories of \music, \video and \misc.

saczilla:

I am going to go in order of how I can respond...

- @ a59cheffy: When you say quiet machine, are you saying mine may be jumbo jet loud? I am content with the noise of the fan if that is going to be the sounds I hear while it is running...

 

Sound can be an issue. I'm working on building an HTPC machine myself. My regular (gaming) machine, until recently, was quite loud. I swapped a couple of parts and it made a dramatic difference. Now you have to be within about 4 feet of the machine to hear it, before you could be 15-20 feet away and hear the fans whirring. Not very pleasing when you're in the quiet parts of a movie.

First off, and something I did a year ago, was to replace the stock cooling fan on the CPU with one of the big Zalman ones. Large, copper and has a speed dial so I can adjust it for just enough speed to cool without being too loud.

Second, and more recently, I changed an older 80gb HD for a newer WD 250gb 7200 SATA. Very high ratings and very quiet. I have two of these in there now and from more than a few feet away from the case they're essentially silent. I also changed out the case fans for a quieter one and that too made a remarkable difference. After each change I would listen to the system and the drop in volume was quite noticeable. All combined and I would consider this system quiet enough for HTPC usage.

So, while I'm planning my HTPC system I am looking for quality parts that are also quiet. If it isn't sold specifically as a quiet part, or the reviews don't really mention the noise level (or lack of) then I eliminate it from consideration.

 Think about your DVD player or VCR or CD player... do you hear fans running on them? Is the noise from them audible over the movie itself? Then your HTPC shouldn't be either.

 -Gary

If I read this right you are a college student and so am I. I have been wanting to build a computer also to have as my HTPC in my dorm room. With a nice 22in Monitor from Newegg. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001096

 I do want to try and stay under $1k. Since i jsut spent around $1500 on a laptop. I want the HTPC to be able to play and record all my movies, shows and music, but also want it there to be able to at least play world of warcraft, and some other games, like half life and Fear. I really am not the biggest gamer that needs full blown best quality on everything but at least want to play without lag. I think everything listed post with the specs should be able to do that but I would opt for a dual core and the 8600 instead of the 7series. What does everyone think. I already have the mouse, keyboard, etc, only need the case, psu, ram, mobo, monitor which is the 22in, hdd, video card and processor.

 

any comments?
 

gustav213:

If I read this right you are a college student and so am I. I have been wanting to build a computer also to have as my HTPC in my dorm room. With a nice 22in Monitor from Newegg. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001096

 I do want to try and stay under $1k. Since i jsut spent around $1500 on a laptop. I want the HTPC to be able to play and record all my movies, shows and music, but also want it there to be able to at least play world of warcraft, and some other games, like half life and Fear. I really am not the biggest gamer that needs full blown best quality on everything but at least want to play without lag. I think everything listed post with the specs should be able to do that but I would opt for a dual core and the 8600 instead of the 7series. What does everyone think. I already have the mouse, keyboard, etc, only need the case, psu, ram, mobo, monitor which is the 22in, hdd, video card and processor.

 

any comments?
 

Sounds like you need the whole computer! What you're describing is more of an all purpose rig with a tuner, than an HTPC. For what you're aiming at, I'd stay away from the horizontal 'HTPC' cases. Most have restricted airflow/ventilation compared with towers. They're designed for minimalist systems with lower cooling demands. Go with a tower and set aside some extra dough to get the quietest fans, PSU, HSF you can get. silentpcreview.com has a wealth of information on quiet components.

I built my HTPC in 2002 and originally setup the 120Gig drive as 1 partition but soon found that fragmentation was a big issue.  Windows updates would put themselves on the fringes of the hard drive because that was the next available space so the machine could never be fully defragmented.  My next attempt was to partition the drive into a 20gig and the remainder and it worked much better.  I do not see a good reason for more than 20Gigs on the boot, IMHO. 

Here is what I have on my C using about 9Gigs of space:

• Windows XP
• ClamWin Antivirus
• SageTV & A bunch of additions (Comskip, DVD Burning, etc.)
• 1200 pictures

If you plan to have music and other things on the machine, I suggest a larger boot.  I have read that people like to buy 2 drives, but if you are going on the cheep just get one and partition it, you can always buy an 2nd drive later.

gustav213:

If I read this right you are a college student and so am I. I have been wanting to build a computer also to have as my HTPC in my dorm room. With a nice 22in Monitor from Newegg. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001096

 I do want to try and stay under $1k. Since i jsut spent around $1500 on a laptop. I want the HTPC to be able to play and record all my movies, shows and music, but also want it there to be able to at least play world of warcraft, and some other games, like half life and Fear. I really am not the biggest gamer that needs full blown best quality on everything but at least want to play without lag. I think everything listed post with the specs should be able to do that but I would opt for a dual core and the 8600 instead of the 7series. What does everyone think. I already have the mouse, keyboard, etc, only need the case, psu, ram, mobo, monitor which is the 22in, hdd, video card and processor.

 

any comments?
 

Just use DX9 parts and AMD processors and you should be able to get a good rig to do both gaming and htpc to fit your budget, just don't skimp on motherboard or storage...