HTPC Build - Thoughts, Comments or Concerns
#1
I'm looking for a low powered. Low profile power house. Here is what I'm looking at purchasing.
HD Movies / TV Shows.(BD Rips) when supported fully by xbmc
3D Viewing.
Live TV Support (with tuner)
If any games they will be very light.
I'm not much of an Audiophile however It does appear to be able to support a video card that has a low profile capability however it might be an extremely tight squeeze. However If I'm not able to use Bitstream DOLBY TRUE-HD & DTS-HD MASTER audio. It's not a HUGE deal. That might be a future build.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052T3...=&v=glance
Image

This case is sleek and very small. For $88 US its a very nice price point compared to cases similar to it's design like the OrigenAE M10 which is $300+

MOBO:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6813157235 $119.99
I picked this MOBO due to its CIR header on it.
It has an HDMI port as well as the ASRock has the instant boot capability which I really love.

Proc:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6819116394 $134.99
I'm not sure if this is to much or to little....

SDD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820220580 $99.99
SDD Only way to go. Seems to be the best for the price. No gaming here. All data will be stored on an UnRaid server I plan on building later. In the mean time I have a 2TB external drive I'll hook up until the server is up.

Memory:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820231427 $29.99
To much? To Little. Just right? IDK

Optical:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6827118070 $139.99
I know it's a bit pricy but then again slimline BD players are. From reviews It looks like it will work with the case. Unless you know of something else.

Power Supply
PicoPSU will be required of coarse that's really not the issue.
http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-150-XT

The power supply it's self is more the issue. How big to go?


All in all around $600 or so. But I'm always looking for suggestions.

The last thing I'll be looking to purchase for this build isn't really for the build.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6880111026 (Pricy I know. However, with most people I want it all and I want it now)

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#2
i think you got the wrong motherboard...
you need a Mini ITX mobo for that case,,,

i'd go for none T version...
its only 65W TDP anyways.
the T version is a downClocked version and
why dont u want more Horse POwer?

SSd is fine.

i'd get 2x2GB of RAM and avoid High Heat Sinks on ram modules.
if u plan someday to change your CPU cooler,
you'll run intoa disaster trying to find one that fits because of your RAM.

Optical is fine.

PSU, u need a picoPSU kit, not just the PSU,
u need its power brick too like laptop have...
for your build even a 90W picoPSU Power Kit would suffice!!

dont need to go up to that model of HARMONY remote,,,
i suggest mine which is the Harmony 650,
it'll do all u want and has backlit buttons for a fraction of the cost!!

ok good luck

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#3
Quote:i think you got the wrong motherboard...
you need a Mini ITX mobo for that case,,,

i'd go for none T version...
its only 65W TDP anyways.
the T version is a downClocked version and
why dont u want more Horse POwer?

Thanks on the save for the MOBO. I clicked the wrong button when searching newegg. Howver, What do you mean on the more "Horse Power?"
Is that in reference to the "T" Version. If its a downclocked version then I'll stay away from it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6813157239
Would this replace the mobo? It seems to be just the smaller version of what I had listed earlier.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6813157238
This doesn't have the HT Suffix however upon comparing them it seems the only difference is the package included.
Quote:PSU, u need a picoPSU kit, not just the PSU,
u need its power brick too like laptop have...
for your build even a 90W picoPSU Power Kit would suffice!!

Yeah I also knew about the laptop power supply. I guess I was looking for more fore the wattage that I should be getting but a 90w is what I was thinking as well.

Who sells the Kit. Newegg obviously doesn't sell Pico products.

Quote:i'd get 2x2GB of RAM and avoid High Heat Sinks on ram modules.
if u plan someday to change your CPU cooler,
you'll run intoa disaster trying to find one that fits because of your RAM.

Is the High Heat Sink only on the lower end memory or the speed of the memory or is it what ever the MFG wants to put on there.

However I do plan on this be a build and forget build for the most part. Adding in the TV Tuner or Video card that supports HD Passthrough / TV Tuner combo that might fight (if that ever gets made).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820146748
Thoughts?

Quote:dont need to go up to that model of HARMONY remote,,,
i suggest mine which is the Harmony 650,
it'll do all u want and has backlit buttons for a fraction of the cost!!

I'll look into it. Thanks
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#4
CPU: yes, the T version is a downclocked version of the exact same CPU.
However, why not get the Intel Core i3-2105?
it has the newest HD3000 graphix.
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-BX80623I3210...953&sr=8-1
the INtel i3-2100 has the HD2000 graphix...

MOBO: the HT versions are bundled with ASROCK's SMART REMOTE & CIR RECEIVER.
this will allow you to power ON your HTPC when its at a complete OFF state.
and i think HT versions also have built-in WiFi too.

PSU: you can buy the kits directly from mini-BOX
http://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-120-102W-power-kit
or check on my htpc guide for a list of where u can get them
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=119920
even the 72W i list there will suit your needs no problem at all.

RAM: check in my HTPC guide for RAM suggestions.
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=94199

REMOTE:
Harmony 650 rocks!
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#5
CPU ... OOOOOOOOOHhhhh. There's the T you were talking about.. Good deal. I'll switch that out right now.

DUH. I should of looked at your post for the memory you thought was the best.

And yes the HT does have an internal Wireless.

I'll look at the Kit from Mini-box.

Now for the IR solution. I've read that the one that comes with the case isn't quite the greatest. However, upon reading I stumbled upon this.

http://shop.inteset.com/Products/5-ir-re...oards.aspx

Now I do read that It's for Intel. However, is that such a deal that it will not work with an ASRock board? Because, the solution that is provided from ASRock requires a USB Stick jutting out from the front of the case. That's just about
the exact opposite of what I'm looking to accomplish.

Thoughts?
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#6
ineteset's CIR is indeed for INTEL motherboards....
u can rewire it to make it work with ASROCK's CIR Headers tho,,,
if u feel like taking that route....

Now, if your looking at Powering ON your HTPC from a complete OFF State using a Remote,
this thread Here will suggest you 4 ways to make this feature possible!
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#7
The picture in your first post is not the wesena itx7 - it's the streacom FC8 (http://www.amazon.com/Streacom-FC8-OD-Bl...791&sr=1-2) which is meant to be passive cooled.
It´s much more expensive!
I have an i3-2120T in the FC8 with an Intel DH67CF Mainboard and the inteset CIR Module.
The mentioned Bluray drive won't fit in both chassis because you need the out-button on the left side! A DVD-R drive which fits is for example the Sony 7640S.
This combination runs fine, also it´s waking up from S5 State via remote.

Image
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#8
@soulchar:
you sir were absolutly right. It was the wrong image. Right link though. What kind of boot times do you get with that system? I was really looking at the ASRock due to their "Instant Boot" ability on their boards.

Thanks for the note on the Optical drive. I didn't notice that. I'll look into an alternative. Unless you have one that you know of.
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#9
I do not run xbmc on the machine (I think about building a second one like that for xbmc), so I´m not sure what the boot times with linux/xbmc would be. I´m running Mac OS 10.7 on it which boots from loading spinner to desktop in less than 3 seconds!
Before I used Windows 7 a short time on it which booted in about 8 seconds.
Inside is a mushkin chronos ssd connected to the SATA 6GBit/s port.
Optical drives are hard to find because most of them have the out-button on the right side. I use the 7640S. Be careful, because the button needs to be exact at the position like it´s on the 7640S (+/-5mm).
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#10
Ok. Thanks. What optical drive do you currently have installed?
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#11
The Sony 7640S.
When planning the PC (I planned it for using xbmc) I was looking for an older version of the Sony 5600 Bluray which had a leftside button, but couldn't get one. Since xbmc doesn't support direct play from bluray disks (encrypted) under linux, it was not very important for me. So I decided to buy a DVD drive.
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#12
Just a quick note - there are hunderds fo Sony 5600s drives on ebay (they are spares for HP laptops I think) - they work fine in this case with the left switch...
Addons I wrote &/or maintain:
OzWeather (Australian BOM weather) | Check Previous Episode | Playback Resumer | Unpause Jumpback | XSqueezeDisplay | (Legacy - XSqueeze & XZen)
Sorry, no help w/out a *full debug log*.
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HTPC Build - Thoughts, Comments or Concerns0