2011-07-19, 07:34
First I would just like to say hello, I have been browsing these forums for some time trying to decide if XBMC was the solution I would pursue for my home entertainment. I was previously looking at a SageTV setup, but since their buyout I have had to research other options.
I am looking at building a budget, very small form factory HTPC that will run XBMC on Windows 7 or XBMC LIVE. I would like to have full streaming 1080p playback, minimal menu lag (probably a less resource intensive skin), and of course a high WAF. All media will be streamed from a separate Windows 7 media server over 100mb LAN. Future upgrades I will be pursuing are Gig LAN, whole house audio (probably Squeezebox or Sonos), and minor home automation (some lights etc). One of my goals with this build is to have a HTPC that can be hidden easily (VESA mount?), as I will be wall-mounting my TV and will not have a convenient stand or cabinet to place components in.
On to my component list and the questions! All these parts are from Newegg.ca, but if there are better deals out there please let me know.
Option 1: AMD Zacate build (Total w/ shipping & tax: $338.49)
- ASRock E350M1/USB3 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo $129.99
- G.SKILL NS (2x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) $28.99
- WD Scorpio Black WD1600BEKT 160GB 7200 RPM 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s $44.99
- Habey EMC-600B w/ DC power supply 120W (Currently OOS, it was $75 or so)
Option 2: G620 Sandy Bridge (Total w/ shipping & tax: $369.44)
- Pentium G620 Sandy Bridge 2.6GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core CPU $71.99
- ASUS P8H61-I (REV 3.0) H61 HDMI USB 3.0 Mini ITX $84.99
- G.SKILL NS (2x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) $28.99
- WD Scorpio Black WD1600BEKT 160GB 7200 RPM 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s $44.99
- Habey EMC-600B w/ DC power supply 120W (Currently OOS, it was $75 or so)
Option 3: Zotac AD-02 (Total w/ shipping & tax: $372.62)
- Zotac ZBOX-AD02-U AMD E-350 AMD Radeon 6310 $234.99
- Kingston ValueRAM 4GB (2 x 2GB) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1066 $35.99
- WD Scorpio Black WD1600BEKT 160GB 7200 RPM 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s $44.99
And some questions:
1. Will I require dedicated graphics with the G620 and a H61 board? I know the CPU has the HD2000 onboard, but do I require a H67 board?
2. Will these CPUs/boards fit in the Habey EMC-600? It is very low profile case, but I'm having a hard time finding specifications on CPU cooler height.
3. Is the 120w PSU in the Habey case enough for these builds?
I'm sure I'll have many more questions, but that should do for now. Thanks in advance for the help!
I am looking at building a budget, very small form factory HTPC that will run XBMC on Windows 7 or XBMC LIVE. I would like to have full streaming 1080p playback, minimal menu lag (probably a less resource intensive skin), and of course a high WAF. All media will be streamed from a separate Windows 7 media server over 100mb LAN. Future upgrades I will be pursuing are Gig LAN, whole house audio (probably Squeezebox or Sonos), and minor home automation (some lights etc). One of my goals with this build is to have a HTPC that can be hidden easily (VESA mount?), as I will be wall-mounting my TV and will not have a convenient stand or cabinet to place components in.
On to my component list and the questions! All these parts are from Newegg.ca, but if there are better deals out there please let me know.
Option 1: AMD Zacate build (Total w/ shipping & tax: $338.49)
- ASRock E350M1/USB3 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo $129.99
- G.SKILL NS (2x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) $28.99
- WD Scorpio Black WD1600BEKT 160GB 7200 RPM 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s $44.99
- Habey EMC-600B w/ DC power supply 120W (Currently OOS, it was $75 or so)
Option 2: G620 Sandy Bridge (Total w/ shipping & tax: $369.44)
- Pentium G620 Sandy Bridge 2.6GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core CPU $71.99
- ASUS P8H61-I (REV 3.0) H61 HDMI USB 3.0 Mini ITX $84.99
- G.SKILL NS (2x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) $28.99
- WD Scorpio Black WD1600BEKT 160GB 7200 RPM 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s $44.99
- Habey EMC-600B w/ DC power supply 120W (Currently OOS, it was $75 or so)
Option 3: Zotac AD-02 (Total w/ shipping & tax: $372.62)
- Zotac ZBOX-AD02-U AMD E-350 AMD Radeon 6310 $234.99
- Kingston ValueRAM 4GB (2 x 2GB) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1066 $35.99
- WD Scorpio Black WD1600BEKT 160GB 7200 RPM 2.5" SATA 3.0Gb/s $44.99
And some questions:
1. Will I require dedicated graphics with the G620 and a H61 board? I know the CPU has the HD2000 onboard, but do I require a H67 board?
2. Will these CPUs/boards fit in the Habey EMC-600? It is very low profile case, but I'm having a hard time finding specifications on CPU cooler height.
3. Is the 120w PSU in the Habey case enough for these builds?
I'm sure I'll have many more questions, but that should do for now. Thanks in advance for the help!