HTPC build - higher end gear

[WalkinTarget]

Looking at updating my woefully antiquated Home Theater PC, and this is what the list looks like if I had no monetary limit on the build:

Mainboard:
MSI Media Live Diva 5.1 AMD 780M mATX -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130206

Amp/preamp built onto the board !! Nice setup, and I'm looking to read some more reviews on it.

Video:
ATI Radeon 3650 All In Wonder (with HD accessory pack) -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tek-_-14129115

I like this setup, altho I think its overpriced at $200 (you can buy a freakin' GTX260 for that price today !!) HD may be somewhat wasted on my 720p plasma until I purchase a better 1080p 42"+ display.

CPU:
AMD Phenom 9850 Black Edition -
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103249

AMD 2.6 quad core unlocked multiplier. Wish it wasn't a 125w chip, but it is, so just buy a good cooler for it.

I doubt this is what I will buy, but it represents the current high end for what I want the rig to do. Any suggestions or comments are always welcome.

[juneau]

Why do you need it to be so high end?

[bobytt]

WT
175$ for GTX 260

Newegg.com - MSI N260GTX-T2D896 OC GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
I dont see reason to avoid this. And MSI are cool with the rebates. I got mine 2 weeks ago.

[Ghost_Rain]

WT
175$ for GTX 260

Newegg.com - MSI N260GTX-T2D896 OC GeForce GTX 260 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
I dont see reason to avoid this. And MSI are cool with the rebates. I got mine 2 weeks ago.

Yer they are Reduce the cards because they are not sell well and to clear Stock for the 290 and 300 cards to come in Feb Mar 09

[bobytt]

Yer they are Reduce the cards because they are not sell well and to clear Stock for the 290 and 300 cards to come in Feb Mar 09

Whatever is this is cool, this price is unbeatable, and when we consider that 4870 is much more expensive.....

[WalkinTarget]

@Juneau - good question. I wish I could answer it properly, so let me try.

The built in amp replaces my need for a separate component setup. I have a Yamaha 5.1 setup now with a burned out tuner. Rather than have it repaired, I thought it would be easier to use the onboard amp/preamp to drive my speakers. It will save a LOT of space.

Next, on to the video, and this should answer bobytt's as well. No need at all for a GTX260, as this is going into an SFF case (Ultra Micro Fly - I doubt it will even FIT !) and silence is more important than raw horsepower. Besides, the GTX doesn't come with HD outputs - look at the Newegg pics and you'll see a backplane featuring every possible I/O you could ever want.

Combining all of the regular components attached to the TV and running them through one box is what I want to do. Having every conceivable video plug available future-proofs the build as well, so whatever I need to plug into it, it all feeds through that.

I'm undecided on the NTSC/ATSC tuner at this point, as I want dual tuners but I am not sure whether I want to go with SD or HD. I like hybrid tuners, but MCE2005 and Vista will only use one at a time, not both SD and HD on a hybrid card. Keep in mind the use of this one .. it is NOT a gamer setup. Building an HTPC is a much, MUCH harder process than a simple desktop gamer rig .. I can do those in my sleep ... but these (if you haven't built one, you won't understand) are much more detailed builds due to the complexity of what the HTPC can or should do to fit your needs.

[juneau]

Never seen that MSI mobo before so i can't really comment on it's sound quality or compatibility with things like powerdvd.

I wholely recommend the HD3450 for your gfx card. Cheap, passive, low heat.

edit: Linky !!

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100233L Radeon HD 3450 256MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

[WalkinTarget]

The 3450 is an OK card, but I still prefer the additional breakouts on the AIW HD card. Displayport, HD, HDMI .. it has you covered on all input ends !
I'm actually missing an ATI video adapter to my current setup (the purple external adapter box) if anyone has one to sell me. I accidentally tossed it when the wife forced me to houseclean my PC parts closet.

That MSI board is currently the holy grail of HTPC guys looking to do exactly what I am trying to do, and that's eliminate some of the clutter around the TV itself.

Note that the build is tentative, and we were going to add a 42" HD 1080p display over the holidays, but a vet bill of $1,800 put the kibosh on those plans, so we are now minus a TV and a doggy from the WT household.

[juneau]

The 3450 is an OK card, but I still prefer the additional breakouts on the AIW HD card. Displayport, HD, HDMI .. it has you covered on all input ends !
I'm actually missing an ATI video adapter to my current setup (the purple external adapter box) if anyone has one to sell me. I accidentally tossed it when the wife forced me to houseclean my PC parts closet.

That MSI board is currently the holy grail of HTPC guys looking to do exactly what I am trying to do, and that's eliminate some of the clutter around the TV itself.

Note that the build is tentative, and we were going to add a 42" HD 1080p display over the holidays, but a vet bill of $1,800 put the kibosh on those plans, so we are now minus a TV and a doggy from the WT household.

The reason i linked that card is because HTPC's can be very twitchy. I know for a fact that this card works flawlessly with HD playback via PowerDVD and WinDVD.

I know of a few people who have HD3650's that wish they didn't. However none of them have that make.

What do you need all those inputs for? Surely all you need is DVI or HDMI out for typical HTPC usage.

[WalkinTarget]

What do you need all those inputs for? Surely all you need is DVI or HDMI out for typical HTPC usage

You never know what you might be hooking up to it. I just like covering all of my bases, whether or not I feel I will use the extra inputs. As of right now, this build (and especially this card) is a bit too rich for me.
Thing is, I already have an e2180 chip, but had no luck finding a suitable mATX s775 board to pair up with it, so that led me to scrapping the entire Intel plan and approaching it from an AMD perspective.

[juneau]

You never know what you might be hooking up to it. I just like covering all of my bases, whether or not I feel I will use the extra inputs. As of right now, this build (and especially this card) is a bit too rich for me.
Thing is, I already have an e2180 chip, but had no luck finding a suitable mATX s775 board to pair up with it, so that led me to scrapping the entire Intel plan and approaching it from an AMD perspective.

What case are you building it around? Are there no good ATX cases you would use?

[WalkinTarget]

What case are you building it around? Are there no good ATX cases you would use?

as this is going into an SFF case (Ultra Micro Fly

Its old, but I haven't found anything that exceeds it so far. Full size PSU support is essential. If you want to price out a budget Intel build minus the CPU (e2180), feel free to do so.
My biggest problem with any mATX has been finding one that will do a credible job using its own onboard graphics. I had plans to buy a new Nvidia 9300 series board and use its video setup, but looking at the prices they are only $60 cheaper than the MSI board which offers the audio that is clearly head and shoulders above ANYTHING else out now.

Needs:
1) Must function properly coming out of Sleep mode (several 630i boards from eVGA and Gigabyte do not resume from S3 sleep mode, so be aware of this if you are building a budget HTPC).
2) Must have at least passable onboard graphics (either hybrid or 9300 is fine).
3) HDMI output

[WalkinTarget]

Added this board to the mix - cheaper and meets all my needs. I still want the audio and preamp built into the board, which is why the MSI was my initial suggestion, but I am open to suggestions as well.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131348

[Duke{CLR}]

Why do you need a video card if there is on board video?

[WalkinTarget]

Duke, the MSI board features an ATI 3200 onboard IGP, which is nothing special at all, but the 3650 should offer the ability to take advantage of the Hybrid Power setup, and what that does is use onboard for anything but games, then uses the discrete 3650 card for games.
It effectively throttles back the system based on what you are doing. Don't need 3D? It then uses onboard ! Playing CoD:WaW ? Then the 3650 gets a workout ! Thats a nice feature that I hope works as expected. Saving a few dollars each month on the electric bill is always a plus in my book.

Also, keep in mind the use for this PC - recording TV. The onboard setup doesn't offer a DVR, so I would need to purchase a capture card. The board doesn't have ANY PCI slots, so my existing PCI capture card is now rendered worthless.

The 3650 AIW card offers up an ATI 650 HD tuner built in, so I can use that immediately to get the HTPC up and running, but otherwise, its useless as an HTPC if you can't record TV.