I have a Q6600 CPU, an Antec 900 case and am looking to build a Media PC around it, one that will be permanently connected to the TV, which is a 32in LCD with HDMI connectors. The advice I need is twofold: a) what motherboard will I need? b) what graphics card should I buy - I want to use it for blue-ray playback, BBC iPlayer etc. c) I'll need it to connect wireless to the internet, too. Any helpful advice gratefully received. Cheers, AllanRoy.
A budget would help, but if you want a dedicated gpu id just grab the cheapest S775 mobo i could find from a decent maker, with an Ati 4550 or higher graphics card and a pci wifi card
As it's going in an Antec 900 (I have one), get a gfx card with a passive heat sink (unless you plan on gaming on it.) The upper of the 2 front fans will blow cooler air straight onto the gfx card, and you get zero noise from it. Although try to get one with HDMI out, otherwise you'll have to connect the pc audio to the tv as well.
Asus P5KPL-AM is a good board, no frills although it will handle some light overclocking - May people seen skeptical about the 5450 but from the benchmarks I've seen there isn't really another £30 card that can compete with it, and its DX11 and a new card so it will support almost everything you can think of, I don't see why not Bog standard wireless card
I have been offered a second hand nVidia 8800 GTX - for nothing! It doesn't have a HDMI socket though. Could I make this work? I wounldn't know how to connect it to the TV. Also, I've been told to get a wifi enabled mobo, as this will simply things - will it? As for budget - I don't really have one as such, not looking to go mad, just produce a workable and reliable media PC and buy the parts I need to fit in with those I already have. If the nVidia card will work, the main buying decision will be wich motherboard to buy. Cheers AllanRoy.
i would say an 8800gtx is overkill for a htpc, you'd have to use the sound from the motherboard using a 3.5mm to phono lead to connect to the telly. Ive got a 4550 in mine it was only £25 at the time and has hdmi and audio and its passively cooled, the 5450 would be a good choice.
Only in that you won't need to install a PCI card - my gaming rig has onboard wi-fi but required drivers for all OSes except Win7. My HTPC doesn't have onboard wi-fi so I went with this Edimax card - it's doing the job nicely & offers 300Mbps 802.11n for when I get round to upgrading my router. The first OS boot on my HTPC ran without a hitch and it found suitable drivers from the OS DVD Both rigs now use Win7 which is very good at finding suitable drivers without an internet connection. Titanium Angel is spot on - you could get the video to the TV simply by buying a DVI-HDMI converter but there's still the matter of getting audio to your TV. a 3.5mm jack to jack cable may suffice if your TV has a suitable input AND can combine it with HDMI or DVI (some 3.5mm TV jacks only provide audio when you use the VGA input - hardly a good option!) But it's certainly not as neat as HDMI. Saying that, the 8800GTX is definitely overkill and a hot card. You are indeed far better off getting a passively cooled card but any Ati 4xxx or 5xxx card will do the job, or any nVidia 9xxx+ GPU. I'd go for the cheapest option. Even the X4500HD onboard GPU in the G45 Intel chipset S775 mobos will suffice for Blu-Ray.
I'd like to thank you all for your advice and comments, it's been very helpful. I've decided I'll accept the 8800 GTX of course, (after all it's free) but after considering the pros and cons, I won't be using it in the media PC build - so yes I'll have to buy one - probably the 5450 or something very similar, not a huge cost involved. But one question still in the back of my mind, if anyone can help - how do you remotely control a media PC? What's invloved in making that happen, I wonder? Cheers all, AllanRoy.
Media Board - http://www.ebuyer.com/product/158377 Bluetooth Keyboard - http://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?product_id=24352&tid=frooct or if you feel extravagant; Logitech Dinovo - http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/41621...ja=tsid:11518|cc:|prd:4162120|cat:Peripherals
If your using it purely as a media PC, as in windows boots straight to media center then have a look HERE some of them arent instock but theres plenty to look at to give you an idea.
