New HTPC system i just ordered. Please send comments and suggestions.

[zymba]

Good morning.

I finally decided to order the components to build a new HTPC based on Mythbuntu 8.04

I am a kinda experienced mythtv user, I have been using it for over 5 years.

Last year, I have been using Mythbuntu, 7 and 8.04 right now. I am quite happy with my actual system, which basically is:

P4 3.2
2GB RAM
NOVA-T 500 and its remote
SKYSTAR2
NVIDIA MX-440
BULK PC CASE

But I have some concerns with this setup:

-Cannot play 1080p matroska content. I play fairly 720p with some tweaks to mplayer command line
-NOISE. I hate the damn noise. I could admit some, but now I have a hell
-Too many remotes all arround. TV, SOUND, SATELLITE BOX, MYTHTV
-1080 Display. I can work my SONY KDL-40-W3000 at that res, but colours are not reallistic. 1380x720 are fine. Im afraid is about the graphics card, its only 64 MB and the GPU is quite old.

So I decided to order this:

-Antec VERIS Fusion Black 430

I have been told this box is nice and reasonably quiet. The lcd display and volume knob seem fancy. Also the aestethic is important

-ASUS P5KPL-VM

Seems a decent motherboard. Its supports 45nm processors and has 6.1 audio. It has S-ATA 300 and BUS is at 1,333

-Procesador - 1 x Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 / 2.5 GHz ( 1333 MHz ) - LGA775 Socket - L2 6 MB - Box

I hope getting enough power to watch 1080p content. I am not sure, but I suppose therent exist x264 harware decoders, so for now i figure it has to be done by main cpu. I hope also make background flaggin and transcoding with no impact on regular performance. Also, this cpu is 45nm. Im believe this means less heat, right?

-Kingston ValueRAM - Memoria - 2 GB - DIMM de 240 espigas - DDR3 - 1333 MHz - CL9 - 1.5 V - sin memoria intermedia - no ECC

I hope its enough

-CPU Fan Thermaltake BigTyp for socket 775, K8 y AM2

Supposedly is very quiet, 13Db at low speed

-Maxtor DiamondMax 21 - Disco duro - 500 GB - interno - 3.5" - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm - búfer: 16 MB

As a start, I may add more of these in the future. I have some 250's and 160's I could use to store the less disk troughput demanding files

-Club 3D 8500GT Silent Edition - Adaptador gráfico - GF 8500 GT - PCI Express x16 - 512 MB DDR2 - Interfaz visual digital (DVI) ( HDCP ) - salida HDTV

Nvidia, of course. I hope this can display anything smoothly. I bought it fanless edition.

-Logitech Harmony 525 Remote

I am not sure if this is well supported under mythbuntu, I will try at least, if not, Ill use it for the rest of devices.


I will keep the NOVA-T 500 and SKYSTAR2 as tuning cards. I am looking for a single HDTV tuner that works in Spain (QAM i think)

I know it exists the HVR-1800 That has 3 tuners, 1xAnalog, 1xDVB, 1xHD-DVB, but read somewhere you only can activate one at a time.

Order will come Sep, 3rd. I will post my experiences when I assemble and setup the system. If you are interested in the performance of any component or the overall, lemme know what test you would like me to do and I will post results.

Regards,

-zymba-

[tamoneya]

looks okay. Personally I would have opted out of the DDR3. I would have gotten DDR2 800 which is plenty fast and I would have gotten more of it. I love the processor although it seems to be overkill for an HTPC.

[novellahub]

That is quite a processor! I agree that is overkill. I run a Athlon X2 3800+ processor and able to play 1080p matroska videos.

[zymba]

That is quite a processor! I agree that is overkill. I run a Athlon X2 3800+ processor and able to play 1080p matroska videos.

I agree with you both about the overkill. But I predict a future about transcoding HDTV content. Probably overkill for today, but will be ok for next years. My old (and currently running) system has served perfectly for 5 years. I hope this does for the same ammount of time.

Ah, total cost is 750€.

[zymba]

Well, I received some of the components, Im still missing the CPU and the memory, which I finally changed into 2GB KINGSTOM DDR2 800 (The most MoBo supports, thanks God I double checked it).

I also had to choose a Q9450 Quad Core because of availability reasons.

I have found a couple problems with this setup:

1) The Thermaltake BigTyp doesnt fit in the case, its too tall. I may try without the 12cm fan and leave it passive, after all, its pretty close to the case fans and I think its enough.
And for not taking the risk of delaying in case it doesnt work i ordered a Scythe Ninja Mini Low Profile. I have read a success review about it here (http://www.silentpcreview.com/article754-page5.html), without a fan on top of it, seems promising.

2) Im missing a pci slot, because the heat dissipator of the silent vga is over one of them, so only space for 1 pci card more, which will be the nova-t 500. I will have to find something that make HD DVB-T and HD DVB-S in a single card, 1x PCIe, not sure if does exist. Other option is to go for external USB.

The components will be here over monday, so expect a review for then, I cant wait :)

Regards,

zymba

[Disparu]

nvidia 8600ish card can be had for $50ish

q6600 would have been fine for this system and it is only $190
shipped with stock cooler from newegg.
and if the q6600 isn't enough it can easily be overclocked with no need for additional cooling. I currently have my q6600 overclocked to 3.4ghz STABLE on air.

i currently play 1080p content with a cheapo 8600gts? and an e2160 dual core 1.8 overclocked to 2.4ghz