2012-09-25, 14:28
Hey all, just signed up and looking for some advice on building an HTPC
I currently use my 6yo old dell laptop as an HTPC, which was really starting to struggle on windows7, so had a play around with some other OS options and have fallen in love with XMBCbuntu. I've got it running how I want, just streaming all my video from my main desktop, with the chromium launcher add-on for live streams, and iplayer etc. I'd like to build a cheap HTPC to replace my laptop as it looks awful, it has no screen and missing loads of keys, especially under an HDTV and next to a ps3. and i use it alot so its a bit of a waste having two machines running just to watch some tv so want all my video on the htpc.
been looking at these bits and pieces....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-C60M1-I-Mot...ef=lh_ni_t
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001U...ROKL5A1OLE
will probably put in 4gb of kingstonvalue ram, & a 2TB HDD
I want to do this on the cheap really, and this would cost me just short of £200. I wont be playing games on it at all, i just want the integrated graphics to be able to take a reasonably high resolution as i cant get more than 1024x768 with my current set up.
I'm also a little confused with all the options and variants, and i'd rather have a case wit a built in psu, and a motherboard with a processor, and if there are two ram bays, but both separate colours i'm assuming it's not a pair... so can i just put one 4gb stick, or will it run better on 2x2gb?
oh and fyi, i've never built a computer completely from scratch, only ever taken them apart, fixed/upgraded them, and put em back together. another reason i don't want to spank £500 plus on parts and fuck it up :p
I currently use my 6yo old dell laptop as an HTPC, which was really starting to struggle on windows7, so had a play around with some other OS options and have fallen in love with XMBCbuntu. I've got it running how I want, just streaming all my video from my main desktop, with the chromium launcher add-on for live streams, and iplayer etc. I'd like to build a cheap HTPC to replace my laptop as it looks awful, it has no screen and missing loads of keys, especially under an HDTV and next to a ps3. and i use it alot so its a bit of a waste having two machines running just to watch some tv so want all my video on the htpc.
been looking at these bits and pieces....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-C60M1-I-Mot...ef=lh_ni_t
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001U...ROKL5A1OLE
will probably put in 4gb of kingstonvalue ram, & a 2TB HDD
I want to do this on the cheap really, and this would cost me just short of £200. I wont be playing games on it at all, i just want the integrated graphics to be able to take a reasonably high resolution as i cant get more than 1024x768 with my current set up.
I'm also a little confused with all the options and variants, and i'd rather have a case wit a built in psu, and a motherboard with a processor, and if there are two ram bays, but both separate colours i'm assuming it's not a pair... so can i just put one 4gb stick, or will it run better on 2x2gb?
oh and fyi, i've never built a computer completely from scratch, only ever taken them apart, fixed/upgraded them, and put em back together. another reason i don't want to spank £500 plus on parts and fuck it up :p