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HTPC Build for your review...

post #1 of 4
12/6/11 at 10:32am
Thread Starter 
Hello Everyone,

New to this forum. I just pulled the trigger on a HTPC build. Please review, pick apart and debate. But let's start with my requirements for this build.

Here’s what I want in a HTPC:
  • Play all of the 1080p Blu Ray movies I have ripped to my Home Server PC
  • Play any other personal videos I have taken that are stored on my Home Server PC
  • Access the internet to round out my ability to see movies and TV online (I have DirecTV and Vudu, but I know there are other options open to me like Hulu and YouTube)
  • Future-proof to some degree, as much as is possible

And here's my current list of components (just purchased):
  • GIGABYTE GA-Z68M-D2H LGA 1155 Intel Z68 $104.99
  • SILVERSTONE Black Aluminum skin ML03B Micro ATX Media Center $59.99
  • ASUS ENGT430 DC SL/DI/1GD3 GeForce GT 430 (Fermi) (out of stock, $69.99)
  • SILVERSTONE SST-ST40F-ES 400W $48.99 or Antec Neo ECO 400C
  • Intel Celeron G530 Sandy Bridge 2.4GHz LGA 1155 65W $51.99
  • G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL $30
  • SAMSUNG Black Blu-ray Combo SATA Model SH-B123L $59.99

Have at it! smile.gif

And thank you.
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post #2 of 4
12/6/11 at 10:47am

You're selections are good.  I'd be a bit more tempted to go with an ATI video solution instead of Nvidia, but the 430 is a good bang for the buck.  Spend some money and get a decent gigabit switch to go with this for transporting heavy content across a home network.   Some cheap realtek based gigabit switch is not going to help you much, but a really good (and surprisingly affordable) switch will.

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post #3 of 4
12/6/11 at 11:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattCR View Post

You're selections are good.  I'd be a bit more tempted to go with an ATI video solution instead of Nvidia, but the 430 is a good bang for the buck.  Spend some money and get a decent gigabit switch to go with this for transporting heavy content across a home network.   Some cheap realtek based gigabit switch is not going to help you much, but a really good (and surprisingly affordable) switch will.

I have a 16 port gigabit switch for the home network, but do you mean a PCI NIC? I was going to buy this netowrk card, but folks on another board talked me out of it. I have that NIC in my Home Server PC and it really improves the data rates streaming a .mp4 file by 7 or 8 times.

So, if I have it in my Home Server PC, which supplies my ripped Blu Ray movies, do I need it in my HTPC too?
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post #4 of 4
12/7/11 at 5:01am

No, actually, you're onboard NIC in most newer boards is fairly decent (as long as it's not a realtek whatever).. but the switch is what kills most people.. they throw a cheap no-name switch into the network, and that's the killer.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by GamingDaemon View Post


I have a 16 port gigabit switch for the home network, but do you mean a PCI NIC? I was going to buy this netowrk card, but folks on another board talked me out of it. I have that NIC in my Home Server PC and it really improves the data rates streaming a .mp4 file by 7 or 8 times.
So, if I have it in my Home Server PC, which supplies my ripped Blu Ray movies, do I need it in my HTPC too?


 

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