Building my HTPC (Part I)

For Christmas, the wife and I bought ourselves a 40" Bravia W Series LCD, and we've really started to appreciate 1080i TV broadcasts, and other HiDef content. We also happen to own two computers each (1x laptop, 1x desktop), so we decided to put one of them to use as a HTPC, since we lack the extra limbs to make use of two computers each at the same time.

Current Configuration
Software

• Windows Vista Ultimate
• CoreAVC
• ffdshow

Hardware

• AMD Athlon X2 3800+ (S939)
• Gigabyte K8NF-9
• 320gb Seagate SATA HDD
• Pioneer 111D DVD-RW
• 3gb DDR400 (2×1gb + 2x 512mb)
• MSI 256mb 7900GT
• Corsair VX-450 (450w) PSU
• Sony 40" W Bravia LCD (KDL40W3100)

 

With us both being gamers, this system ('my' desktop), is more appropriate as its fairly capable. There is just one problem for HTPC use - its a little noisy.

The AMD X2 (S939) processes aren't the greatest things on the block, but they're certainly no slouch. Being an older CPU, the amount of heat generated (and power used) is significantly more than AMD's current generation CPU's, and depressingly more than Intel's Core2Duo line up. The X2 3800+ for example, has a Thermal Design Power (the maximum amount of power the CPU will use) is 89w. Compare that to the Intel E2140, which has a TDP of 65w - although some reviews put its 'true' TDP well under 40w.

Back to the issue of noise, I've managed to silence the both the graphics card and CPU by putting on massive, and reasonably expensive, coolers. The 7900GT has a Thermalright HR-03, and the CPU has a Scythe Mini Ninja.

So with that all said, we're going to buy a new system soon that will spend its life as a HTPC. The current computer will move upstairs to be the workhorse, and the other system (X2 3800+, mATX mobo, 7600GT) will be given to in-laws in a custom built case (more on that soon)

Proposed Configuration
Software stays the same (maybe X64?)

Hardware

• Intel Pentium E2140 (Yeah, its under the Pentium name, but is still a Conroe)
• Asus P5GC-MX/1333
• 500gb Western Digital HDD (quieter and cheaper than a Seagate)
• 2gb DDR-2 (maybe 4gb?)
• Sapphire 512mb HD 3850 Ultimate (or 8800GT/HD 3850 with aftermarket cooler)
• Antec NSK2480 (case)

Eventually we'll add a HD-DVD or Blu Ray drive to it, but the current cost isn't particularly worthwhile, given the "war" is still not over.

The crazy thing is it'll cost roughly $720. By comparison, when I built the current HTPC, the ram was $200, the CPU ~$500, and the graphics card ~$550.

• The X2 3800+ was the low end of dual cores, but single core still made up the majority of sales - the E2140 is the slowest Conroe CPU out
• the 7900GT (was actually a 7800GT, it got upgraded under warranty) was a similar sort of card to the HD 3850 - not the fastest, but great value for money.
• 2gb of ram was still considered a massive amount, 4gb today is almost considered normal today, and will only set you back $130.

The case isn't a particularly HTPC-esque case (I plan to use it for my distant-Windows Home Server case), but its a stop-gap solution until I finish building my own case out of Jarrah and Tasmanian Ash - but that's for another post…

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