My first HTPC

[aimlessnub]

Hello everyone, i decided to start the new year with a new computer . This is going to be my first build ever, so i need your guys help. i have a 40inch samsung that i got on blackfriday and i want to build a htpc/gaming rig, enough to play bluray movies smoothly and some basic gaming (counterstrike,wc3,etc).

case: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/81...ack.html#blank - $165
mobo: ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 - $130
cpu: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz - $190
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EACS 1TB SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $105
cooler: Scythe SCMNJ-1000 80mm Sleeve "NINJA MINI" CPU Cooler - $40
tv-tuner: AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe ATSC/NTSC/QAM TV Tuner Card (White Box)w/L-P Bracket 7 95522 96058 0 PCI-Express x1 - $90
memory: still looking for something cheap and reliable, anyone?
GPU: also need help

i was going to get an antec htpc case until i saw the lian li case, which completely won me over hahah, im not sure if all this parts will fit in the case, does it look good this build? can anyone shed some light on this?

[six_storm]

Originally Posted by aimlessnub

Hello everyone, i decided to start the new year with a new computer . This is going to be my first build ever, so i need your guys help. i have a 40inch samsung that i got on blackfriday and i want to build a htpc/gaming rig, enough to play bluray movies smoothly and some basic gaming (counterstrike,wc3,etc).

case: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/81...ack.html#blank - $165
mobo: ASUS P5Q Pro LGA 775 Intel P45 - $130
cpu: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz - $190
HDD: Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EACS 1TB SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - $105
cooler: Scythe SCMNJ-1000 80mm Sleeve "NINJA MINI" CPU Cooler - $40
tv-tuner: AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe ATSC/NTSC/QAM TV Tuner Card (White Box)w/L-P Bracket 7 95522 96058 0 PCI-Express x1 - $90
memory: still looking for something cheap and reliable, anyone?
GPU: also need help

i was going to get an antec htpc case until i saw the lian li case, which completely won me over hahah, im not sure if all this parts will fit in the case, does it look good this build? can anyone shed some light on this?

Wow, seems like you are going all out on this HTPC. Since this is a gaming rig as well as a HTPC, the parts seem pretty good. I'm assuming money is no object here?

Here are my opinions on a few of these things:

TV-Tuner - I almost don't see any point in these any more, most providers such as Comcast, DirecTV, etc, encrypt their signals, especially the HD channels. And you can't record them!!!! So what's the point? And what about the digital switch in two months?

RAM - Are you going to use a 32-bit or 64-bit OS? Go with 3GB or 4GB depending on your answer.

GPU - NVIDIA 260 sounds good to me with this setup. Heck if money is no object, go for the freakin 280.

HDD - If I were you, I would get a small 80GB drive for your OS and use the 1TB drive for your storage (movies, music, etc). That way, if you have to reformat one day or your stuff crashes, you won't lose your goods

CPU - The Q6600 is still rockin on games IMO.

Hope this helps!

[aimlessnub]

six_storm thanks for your comment very helpful , i read everything on your thread "building another htpc" and learned a lot about it. I really like your idea on putting emulators! hopefully once i get my stuff ill try to do that. Im trying to keep the budget around $1000. I have directv but its the basic package, i thought i could record tvshows and view hd channels through a tvtuner, can you enlighten me more about this subject?
Im still thinking about 32bit or 64bit os, but im swaying more towards the 64bit cuz i been reading that its better for bluray playback, dont know if im wrong. Im going to take your advice on the hdd and get a 80gb for the os (does it have to be raptor or raid or some thing like that). Since im trying to keep the budget around 1k im not sure if i will purchase the gpu you recommended me, also im not a hardcore gamer.

would this memory fit in my motherboard? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231122

thanks again for the help, i really appreciate it

[nekrosoft13]

that memory will work just fine

[six_storm]

Originally Posted by aimlessnub

six_storm thanks for your comment very helpful , i read everything on your thread "building another htpc" and learned a lot about it. I really like your idea on putting emulators! hopefully once i get my stuff ill try to do that. Im trying to keep the budget around $1000. I have directv but its the basic package, i thought i could record tvshows and view hd channels through a tvtuner, can you enlighten me more about this subject?
Im still thinking about 32bit or 64bit os, but im swaying more towards the 64bit cuz i been reading that its better for bluray playback, dont know if im wrong. Im going to take your advice on the hdd and get a 80gb for the os (does it have to be raptor or raid or some thing like that). Since im trying to keep the budget around 1k im not sure if i will purchase the gpu you recommended me, also im not a hardcore gamer.

would this memory fit in my motherboard? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231122

thanks again for the help, i really appreciate it

Not sure about Blu-ray playback, I haven't dove into that pool yet.

As for recording TV, the last I tried with Comcast, the signal is encrypted and the cable box decrypts the signal. But I haven't tried anything with DirecTV.

Just get a basic, cheap 80GB SATA hard drive to hold your operating system and basic programs on, then a 1TB HDD for music, movies, games, etc.