Quote:
Originally Posted by Dad2David 
Yes I did forget the RAM sorry about that OP - I copied one of my replies on another thread about a similar build and tailored it to fit your needs and that guy had RAM sticks lying around from an old system I guess!
So here is an addition to my existing build -
RAM:
Kingston Hyper X Blu - 4 GB - 2x2 sticks would be more than enough for an HTPC! Then also you will never use all of it for the uses that you intend to use this system for, so no need to waste money on 8 GB - $25
Total Cost = $712 + $25 = $737
The PSU would work just fine, or your can look at the PSU in my HTPC build, not loud or hot! Of course if you can get a modular PSU it is going to be better for cable management but you would have to dish out out much more for that (not needed)!
CPU:
Not to say racer86 does not know what he is talking about but I would not ever OC an HTPC system - for what? Overclocking with the stock cooler in a crammed HTPC case is not recommended at all! Please don't kill your CPU, plus you really don't need the extra juice that bad, 2.1 or 2.7 clock speed is more than sufficient for what you want!
Cores:
Now about cores, what I said for RAM goes for cores too, you don't need more than a dual core system for playing movies really!
Cores vs. speed is an interesting discussion. We often refer to motor vehicles when talking about CPUs. A traditional quad core CPU being more like a truck... it can haul a big load but won't be winning a race onto the freeway. That's why I use cheap AMD quads in office builds. I know that as the user loads up the system with junk (and they always do) the CPU will continue to carry the load and not bog down.
Intel has changed this a bit though. The newer CPUs ramp up when just one or two cores are needed, making the quad cores behave like the sports car when needed and the truck when needed. That's not so true with Llano, so you want the race winner here for an HTPC not the big 18 wheeler truck, that is very nice for a gaming system or a work system, not a media player (which is what your HTPC is)!
You want to win the race on the freeway with an HTPC processor, and you don't want to bog it down with junk on the system, applications or programs and have it carry a lot of load. That is what you have a desktop for! With an HTPC you want to install what you want to install when you build it and then shut it and forget about it, and treat it no different than a DVD player or a AV receiver, set the O/S and applications to auto update and forget about tinkering with the software or hardware! Only do it if you absolutely need to!
So, If the choice is between no. of cores and clock speed of the processor, I would choose the one with the higher clock speed and lower cost! Hence the choice would be A4.
SSD:
This is a good to have part not a must have, your system would work well without this too! But I would include this if your wallet allows it, and your stated budget did , hence the suggestion! I have it in my HTPC for one reason and one reason only, that is for a faster boot times!
You don't want to treat or think of the HTPC any different than your other AV equipment, you or your family don't want to switch the thing on and wait for it start working, you want it to work immediately and an SSD was suggested for this purpose! I use it and it lets me forget that this system is actually a computer at all!
I have actually moved the User and Program Data folders (the most space consuming Windows folders) to my HDD and left the Program Files and other Windows folders int he SSD, that ways the SSD won't get bloated with more apps or programs - here is how I learned how to do that - only if you are worried about space in your 60GB SSD! Otherwise just install your O/S on the SSD and then connect your HDD and start using the system as normal!
This is true, I don't have cable and hence don't know much about the premium channels, but if that is indeed what you want to do then, get a Cable card from your cable provider and a different tuner that would work with the card, like a Ceton
- have heard this is the best out there, but it is insanely expensive and would eat almost half of your budget!
Someone else might be able to suggest a lower costing option!
Yes I did forget the RAM sorry about that OP - I copied one of my replies on another thread about a similar build and tailored it to fit your needs and that guy had RAM sticks lying around from an old system I guess!
So here is an addition to my existing build -
RAM:
Kingston Hyper X Blu - 4 GB - 2x2 sticks would be more than enough for an HTPC! Then also you will never use all of it for the uses that you intend to use this system for, so no need to waste money on 8 GB - $25
Total Cost = $712 + $25 = $737
The PSU would work just fine, or your can look at the PSU in my HTPC build, not loud or hot! Of course if you can get a modular PSU it is going to be better for cable management but you would have to dish out out much more for that (not needed)!
CPU:
Not to say racer86 does not know what he is talking about but I would not ever OC an HTPC system - for what? Overclocking with the stock cooler in a crammed HTPC case is not recommended at all! Please don't kill your CPU, plus you really don't need the extra juice that bad, 2.1 or 2.7 clock speed is more than sufficient for what you want!
Cores:
Now about cores, what I said for RAM goes for cores too, you don't need more than a dual core system for playing movies really!
Cores vs. speed is an interesting discussion. We often refer to motor vehicles when talking about CPUs. A traditional quad core CPU being more like a truck... it can haul a big load but won't be winning a race onto the freeway. That's why I use cheap AMD quads in office builds. I know that as the user loads up the system with junk (and they always do) the CPU will continue to carry the load and not bog down.
Intel has changed this a bit though. The newer CPUs ramp up when just one or two cores are needed, making the quad cores behave like the sports car when needed and the truck when needed. That's not so true with Llano, so you want the race winner here for an HTPC not the big 18 wheeler truck, that is very nice for a gaming system or a work system, not a media player (which is what your HTPC is)!
You want to win the race on the freeway with an HTPC processor, and you don't want to bog it down with junk on the system, applications or programs and have it carry a lot of load. That is what you have a desktop for! With an HTPC you want to install what you want to install when you build it and then shut it and forget about it, and treat it no different than a DVD player or a AV receiver, set the O/S and applications to auto update and forget about tinkering with the software or hardware! Only do it if you absolutely need to!
So, If the choice is between no. of cores and clock speed of the processor, I would choose the one with the higher clock speed and lower cost! Hence the choice would be A4.
SSD:
This is a good to have part not a must have, your system would work well without this too! But I would include this if your wallet allows it, and your stated budget did , hence the suggestion! I have it in my HTPC for one reason and one reason only, that is for a faster boot times!
You don't want to treat or think of the HTPC any different than your other AV equipment, you or your family don't want to switch the thing on and wait for it start working, you want it to work immediately and an SSD was suggested for this purpose! I use it and it lets me forget that this system is actually a computer at all!
I have actually moved the User and Program Data folders (the most space consuming Windows folders) to my HDD and left the Program Files and other Windows folders int he SSD, that ways the SSD won't get bloated with more apps or programs - here is how I learned how to do that - only if you are worried about space in your 60GB SSD! Otherwise just install your O/S on the SSD and then connect your HDD and start using the system as normal!
This is true, I don't have cable and hence don't know much about the premium channels, but if that is indeed what you want to do then, get a Cable card from your cable provider and a different tuner that would work with the card, like a Ceton
- have heard this is the best out there, but it is insanely expensive and would eat almost half of your budget!Someone else might be able to suggest a lower costing option!
For SSD I actually do encourage on getting one for HTPC. Not required but definitely saves you time if you do have one.
For CableCARD something like HVR-2650 should do the job. Centon Quad is pricy because it is a quad tuner.
Misaka
(18 items) |
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Misaka
(18 items) |
