HTPC Help me, I'm lost! -HTPC thoughts-

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by bassboi72, 5 Jan 2008.

  1. bassboi72

    bassboi72 My dremel is broken.

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    Hey guys, going to try and get back in the swing of things with computers...

    Alrighty now.

    I have a P4 3.4GHz 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB CPU just lying around...

    I plan on buying a motherboard sometime soon, as well as the RAM, CPU cooler, and I have everything else.


    This is what I've been demanded by the market to buy:
    Biostar P4M900
    http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10005932

    $60ish


    But we also gotta have more guts to this frankenstien, before it comes alive...!!!

    Transcend 1GB DDR2 800 SDRAM
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820208321

    MASSCOOL 70mm Ball CPU Cooler
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150068

    Stars Silver Thermal Grease
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100302

    $40.81


    A little over 100 bucks to put together a decent machine for me to currently use, and then later on, being my HTPC with a 3.0 instead, of course overclocked :D


    I also have goodies for this project in the making... although in time!

    XFX GeForce 8500GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150244
    I'd get this first, for sure... as light computer work I do, this would be fantastic

    PCI-Express Gigabit Low Profile Network Card
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166015
    Second...

    Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 / ATSC/ClearQAM/NTSC TV Tuner
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116007
    Then the champ!

    You guys think it'd be a decent HTPC to playback 1080p as well as any other aspects on a 32" 1080p LCD TV?

    Thanks for any help guys, it's greatly appreciated.

    -bassboi!
     
    Last edited: 5 Jan 2008
    bassboi72, 5 Jan 2008
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  2. mm vr

    mm vr The cheesecake is a lie

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    Everything seems pretty good IMO.

    I'd suggest to get 2GB of RAM when it's that cheap currently.
     
    mm vr, 5 Jan 2008
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  3. bassboi72

    bassboi72 My dremel is broken.

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    I changed it from Transcend to Wintec AMPX.

    I switched because the AMPX has heatspreaders, and I plan to overclock a bit...

    Yeah, I'll grab another stick of RAM later on when I can afford it. I was going to get like a 2x 512MB kit, but I decided that I should get 1GB x2 instead. 2 gigs in dual channel should be great

    Thanks for the input man, it's greatly appreciated!
     
    bassboi72, 5 Jan 2008
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  4. mm vr

    mm vr The cheesecake is a lie

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    mm vr, 5 Jan 2008
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  5. Ending Credits

    Ending Credits Bunned

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    I have a 1GB RAM Stick and a 7600GT lying around. :naughty:
     
    Ending Credits, 5 Jan 2008
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  6. bassboi72

    bassboi72 My dremel is broken.

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    bassboi72, 5 Jan 2008
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  7. mm vr

    mm vr The cheesecake is a lie

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    The CPU cooler you're planning to get looks a bit small for the CPU you have. I'd suggest to get a larger one from a well-known manufacturer. :thumb:

    Take a look at the bit-tech reviews.
     
    mm vr, 5 Jan 2008
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  8. Fredrics

    Fredrics Hmm...

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    That motherboard says that it will only take ddr2-667 and you have chosen ddr2-800 ram. So you better choose compatible ddr2-667 ram.
     
    Fredrics, 5 Jan 2008
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  9. bassboi72

    bassboi72 My dremel is broken.

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    I chose a bit higher-rated RAM due to the fact that I'll be overclocking, and something has lead me to believe that it should work whether the speeds are diff
     
    bassboi72, 5 Jan 2008
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  10. ryanjleng

    ryanjleng ...

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    the board is actually a bit of rare item. quite interesting to see it in DDR2.

    Fredrics made an interesting point that i'll add an idea.

    IMHO, don't get DDR2-667, go for DDR2-800 simply 'cause price diff between 667/800 is so small.

    If you Get a DDR2 800MHz CL5, underclock to 667MHz and in most case you'll be able to run 667 at CL4. If you get a 800 CL4 module, a 667 CL3 with 2T (command rate) or CL4 with 1T.
     
    ryanjleng, 6 Jan 2008
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  11. bassboi72

    bassboi72 My dremel is broken.

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    Isn't the clock speed of RAM, plain and simply the frequency it can handle continuously/efficiently/effectively/dunno what word...?

    and in effect, if you were to get a higher speed stick of memory than needed, eg. ddr533 instead of the ddr400 required by your setup, the ram would function, but at preset frequencies...

    right?
     
    bassboi72, 6 Jan 2008
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  12. fathazza

    fathazza Freed on Probation

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    do they even make 1080p 32" screens?

    that should be fine for playing bluray hd-dvd back on powerdvd using purevideo HD hw acceleration from the 8500gt. Not sure it would cope without the graphics card.
    Im running an ati 2600xt at the moment for the same purpose and its doing pretty well at it (tho only 720p in my case)

    tv wise i can heartily recomend gbpvr for watching/recording stuff. Not a pretty gui but it does its job very well
    its also worthwhile getting a twin digital tuner, as on a lot of the cards the digital tuners and analogue ones cant record at the same time. Im not up on atsc so cant really advise you there tho.
     
    fathazza, 6 Jan 2008
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  13. bassboi72

    bassboi72 My dremel is broken.

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    bassboi72, 7 Jan 2008
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