[alkit]

Hi,

Just recently started looking into HTPCs
According to this thread, I can get an HTPC for under $200 (excl ram, HD and OS):
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=94199

All other factors aside - how does an HTPCs video QUALITY compare to dedicated media players (eg Popcorn Hour A-210 or Netgear NeoTV 550)?

I've seen some old posts on the forums (from 2009) that seem to claim that the Popcorn hour's quality looks a lot nicer than an HTPC. I was wondering if that was still true?
Will the quality be different if I go for the Nvidia builds over the Zacate build?

Thanks in advance for the help!

PS - Will be playing 720p and 1080p mkv files, as well as 700mb AVI files. Will be shown on a 1080p projector.

[SpectreX]

Yeah right, and pigs fly

WD Live : http://www.anandtech.com/show/3830/wd-tv...reviewed/8

HQV bench score 56

Ati HD5450 : http://www.anandtech.com/show/3973/nvidi...e-gt-430/4

HQV bench score 189

[T800]

I just happened to have my Popcorn Hour C200 and my new HTPC plugged in at the weekend comparing a file (not video quality reasons, I was trying diagnose a stuttering file) and I could not believe how much better the HTPC looked!
I was very surprised, I didn't think there would that much of a difference but there was.

[alkit]

Yeah right, and pigs fly

WD Live : http://www.anandtech.com/show/3830/wd-tv...reviewed/8

HQV bench score 56

Ati HD5450 : http://www.anandtech.com/show/3973/nvidi...e-gt-430/4

HQV bench score 189

Thanks for the heads up on the HQV benchmark stats. Did some searching on google and looks like the Zacate build (the build I'm looking into) scores almost right up there at 179:
http://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/...review/15/

[quicklyspent]

I have an HTPC w/ a 5450 in my living room and a PCH A200 in my bedroom. I really can't see a huge difference in video quality between the two.

I'd still say HTPC all the way. The interface on the PCH is VERY painful. Sluggish menu, NMJ is still terrible, YAMJ requires another PC and can't track watched/unwatched, etc.