[Andori]

I'm considering ripping my collection of DVDs/HD DVDs/Blu-rays as ISOs initally to an existing PC, then once disk prices get sensible building an unRaid box to house them.

For playback I was now thinking of putting together a box to run XBMCBuntu. As I want to bitstream HD audio to my Onkyo 875, this puts me in group 6. Longer term 3D playback would be good, but I don't know how it all works with a non 3D AVR (i.e. use 2 HDMI outputs to cover video and audio), plus I've got a Panasonic 310 in my system to cover it for now.

Having looked at eskro's suggested builds, I've priced up the following parts:
[mobo] Asus P8H61-M LE USB3.0
[CPU] Celeron G530
[GPU] ASUS GT430
[RAM] 2x Kingston ValueRam 2GB DDR3 1333MHz CL9
Comes out at £154.

I went with this retailer as they are local, so can use their counter collection facility.

Initially would use case and PSU I've got lying around, but need to add a USB flash drive to this to run it from.

I went with the G530 for cost, and the GT430 due to comments with regards to using AMD/ATI cards with Linux.

I'll be wanting to add an IR receiver at some point to be able to control it via a Harmony One.

Would this build be suitable/do what I want? Or are there recommendations on parts to change?

I'd possibly also want to build a second similar system for the bedroom, but atm that one wouldn't need to bitstream HD Audio as the AVR in there is pre-HDMI so would be optical or coax for audio or maybe even analogue.

[waxer]

Would buy a GT430 with a more silent fan. What case are you going to place it inside?

[BLKMGK]

Rip DVD as ISO, others I'd pull vid from, compress, and then store as MKV....

[Andori]

Not identified a case yet. Initially would see what I've got kicking around at home then look at an HTPC case at a later date.

I've had a quick play booting a laptop from the XMBCBuntu CD and got a couple of DVD ISOs to work. I'll look at converting the others to MKVs. Ideally I would have liked to keep the others as ISOs to maintain menus and stuff.

[BLKMGK]

Yeah for DVD iso works best, vob ifo can be done but it trips up many of the metadata programs like Ember and iso is much more portable! I use DVDShrink with no compression to rip, I dump languages I don't speak.

For creating mkv I've done several routes and even written guides. I'd suggest using Anydvdhd, some sort of front-end for eac3to, and then I have found that HandBrake works well for compressing. Use MKVmerge to combine the results. Pay attention to the eac3to log for forced subs. There's a java tool for converting those, sup2sub is the name I think. It's a java program and works well!

Hope that helps :-)

[Andori]

Well I've been thinking, and may change direction completely.

I'm now debating going down the Windows 7 route with something like an A6-3500, ASRock A75M-ITX (or maybe a Micro ATX variant), 4GB RAM and an SSD.

[Beer40oz]

Well I've been thinking, and may change direction completely.

I'm now debating going down the Windows 7 route with something like an A6-3500, ASRock A75M-ITX (or maybe a Micro ATX variant), 4GB RAM and an SSD.

Smart choice... from what I read I know it's flawless. No headaches. I am too getting a A6-3500 + an AsRock board. Finally going to build it and take it with me when I move around the world.

[eskro]

Smart choice... from what I read I know it's flawless. No headaches. I am too getting a A6-3500 + an AsRock board. Finally going to build it and take it with me when I move around the world.

FTW!!!!!1

[Andori]

Having a quick look, my local supplier sells the A75M-HVS. Looking at eskro's A6-3500 mini ITX build I'd want the A75M-ITX for an ITX build or the A75M for a micro ATX build.

For the SSD I was thinking 64Gb Crucial M4, though 64Gb seems overkill.

[eskro]

crucial ssd's are very reliable.

[Andori]

As an interim measure I've got an XPS600 with a 3.4 gig P4 in (only 2 gig RAM though), so going to try an XFX 6450 card in it (£30). Also ordered a 64 gig Crucial M4 from Amazon (£68 with a mounting bracket)