HTPC build - higher end gear

[WalkinTarget]

Doh !! Newegg has several combo deals on the board, but some are listing a Phenom 125w CPU with the combo.
The board only supports up to the 95w CPUs, so someone who orders the higher end chips is in for a big surprise. I myself linked to a 125w CPU, which would not work in this board.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Size=10&page=1

It pays to do your research on these things. Like I said, they are nothing like building a regular desktop rig.

[juneau]

I'll say one thing WT. You're making this HTPC almost as complex as you can. I hope you're lucky and don't run into too many problems. Especially when it comes to Blu-ray playback.

[WalkinTarget]

Actually, I'm ignoring BD on this until things are more complete in the BD camp. And DRM is such a STUPID, STUPID idea !!! I tried to watch recorded shows from my Home Server across the network on my main rig and it gives me a VIDEO CONFIGURATION error. I had done this just last year, albeit not off of the Home Server, but off of the HTPC.
And the only thing that has changed was some of Microsoft's additional DRM stuff that will not allow you to view movies across your network. Its documented on MS website in fact, so I gave up and figured I would try an alternative viewing method to Media Player.

[Duke{CLR}]

So if you aren't going to play games on it then the on board video would work?

[WalkinTarget]

Hey now, I didn't say I wasn't going to play games on it !! Its just .... did you ever try and use a mouse while sitting on your sofa ?

It just doesn't work, but I'd like to think that some workaround or solution would allow me to do some casual gaming with a strategy game or similar game. First Person Shooter ?? Fuggedaboudit !!

[juneau]

You should by a Bluray drive tbh WT. They're not that much expensive than DVDRW drives when you think about the added options you get. It'll save you buying one further down the road. I don't know what i'd do without BR/HDDVD now.

[Duke{CLR}]

Hey now, I didn't say I wasn't going to play games on it !!

What I was wondering if there was a non gaming reason for having the other card. Like being able to run to screens in different rooms with it or something like that.

[WalkinTarget]

Duke, the 3650HD card will do the video/TV capturing. It is essential to at least have SOME capture capability, or else this box serves no purpose at all.

The card is known as the ATI All In Wonder, so regardless of what card I would buy, it would HAVE to do video capturing. The onboard 3200 does not capture video, hence it is worthless for what I plan on using the PC for.

If I were to add a separate capture tuner (I will in fact be adding a second capture card) then I could get away with the onboard IGP. But this is a higher end build, so I spec'd two capture cards for a total of 3 devices. That allows me to record two shows and watch a third. Yea, its overkill, but sometimes I just don't settle for average stuff.

Think of it this way .. with a Slingbox attached, or even a Media Extender or HDHomeRun, I could run separate channel outputs to multiple TVs or PCs in the house, and my wife could watch one show while I record two others. When you have multiple TVs hooked up to the network, having extra capture cards doesn't sound so crazy anymore.

[Duke{CLR}]

That explains it a bit more.

[WalkinTarget]

Thread ! OK, the time has come to commence getting stuff ordered, so as Juneau and Trooper know, I am back scouring the web looking for info or reviews on the hardware linked above.

Seems like the mainboard is the clear choice, but I have dropped the ATI video card for now, as my move from cable to satellite has eliminated multiple inputs to record from. Quite a surprise to me, but I've researched it and see no way around this limitation.

So as it stands, I am hoping for CPU recommendations on this build:

Phenom 9600 95w for $105. Seems to be a hotter chip than I want.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...819103244&nm_m

This takes care of the storage situation: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...Sku=TSD-1500AS

[{CLR}geneSW]

as my move from cable to satellite has eliminated multiple inputs to record from. Quite a surprise to me, but I've researched it and see no way around this limitation.

Gotta ask... Why can you not pull multiple inputs from the dish. Do you not have a dual LNB to pull from? Or if so do you not have a spare box to pull the data from the dish into and back out of?

[WalkinTarget]

Do you not have a dual LNB to pull from?

Gene, I've looked at it every angle I could think, and even called Dish about it, but I've gotten no concise answer on this, other than I would have to splice the existing wiring, and I am not interested in cutting unless I know what to cut. If you have any ideas on how to arrange it, I am all ears !

Or if so do you not have a spare box to pull the data from the dish into and back out of?

I assume you mean to run an external eSATA HD off of the Dish 722 USB port ? That was how I was going to go about moving the recorded shows, but I was hoping to skip that extra step and record it directly onto the Media Center box.

Again, I am all ears if you have suggestions. No one near me has a similar setup, so I am on my own in regards to making this work as expected.

[Duke{CLR}]

I am interested in seeing how this turns out. I have Satellite service and I want build a HTPC whenever we add on to our house.

[{CLR}geneSW]

a dual LNB set-up allows you to pull from multiple dishes in the sky at once. On the 110 and 119 dishes (dishnet IIRC) you can get a dual LNB, which will allow you to point your dish into the sky, and adjust it slightly one way or the other untill you pick up both dishes at once. BTW, a LNB is the pic below, and the pic below it is a dual LNB. Also, you can get a LNB that has 5 heads on it! Heads are the white caps on the LNB that actually capture the sat signal.



NOTE There are two main types of dual LNB's out there. One has a single head on it with two fittings on the end to hook up your cables to, and the other has 2 heads on it, one labeled 110 and the other labeled 119, each with it's own fitting.





The second dual LNB is what I have used in the past. It's a bit hard to aim, but works great once you have it aimed.


As for the box... I'll P.M. you about the box.

[WalkinTarget]

Late getting a reply to you on my wiring setup, Gene I'll get to that this weekend if I find some free time. Long story ....

Parts showed up today, and I went with the MSI board (paid a premium, but I really wanted that amp, even if I will wake up everyone in the house) and also picked up an AMD 5050e chip to pair with it.
Decided that a Phenom @ 95w was just too darn hot and power sucking to use in this build, so I went with the energy efficient and power sipping 5050e. No need to use a high end CPU when the 780G board does so well with the DVD/BluRay playback.

I wish I could build it this weekend, but my daughter goes in to get her tonsils out on Friday so my priority is clearly the family over this weekend. Gene, thanks again for your help, and I'll get you as much detail on the DVR hookup as I can before I go tearing into this.