[ian804]

Hi,

I’ve been looking around at all the great help available on this forum for a while now.
I was a long time user of Windows Media Centre and then Media Browser, but then moved over to using XBMC (about 9 months ago).

My current setup consists of 3 computers all connected to a MySQL database, all are connected via LAN. Two of the computers live in bedrooms (looking at adding a third but using a Raspberry Pi for that one) and one in my living room. The one in my living room is connected via HDMI to a 3D TV, sound then ‘passes’ through using an optical lead from the TV to a surround sound system.
I’m also waiting on delivery of an arduino board and LED’s to create an ambilight system. (any advice is welcome, any questions are too!)

Now to my main point of the post, I’m currently searching round here and there for all my bits and pieces to create a new HTPC for my living room, this is what I have so far…
Case – Silverstone ML03B (£43)
Motherboard – AsRock FM2A75 Pro4-M Micro ATX (£56.81)
CPU – AMD A10-5700 (£91.41)
RAM – Corsair CML8GX3M2A1600C9 LP Vengeance 2x 4GB (34.98)
PSU – Artic Power 500w PSU (this is an old PSU, this is both quiet and cool but can this be used at the moment and upgraded down the line?)
HDD – 2 x 3.5 SATA drives (these may be moved to an UNRAID server after I get a SSD)

I’m really stuck on two parts of this build, one is the PSU, is it ok to use this one?
The other question is concerning the RAM. I know from looking at all the reviews of the Trinity APUs that the faster the RAM, the better the graphics performance and that using 1866 makes these chips run far superior to their Llana brethren, but looking at AsRock’s memory support list is not really helping me find any and I’m wondering if I could see if anybody could help point me in the right direction?

This computers primary use is going to be XBMC, but I have many a game bought using Steam so I will be playing with Steams big picture as well (not a graphics hog, so nothing major here). I’m also looking at running a few other bits of software installed, but these will only be accessed virtually using a Microsoft Surface remoteApp session.

Thanks for any help you can give

[Dougie Fresh]

http://www.compucase-hec.co.uk/psu_arcti...00-700.htm will definitely work so if you're happy with this PSU I say reuse it.

Any quality, reliable DDR3-1866 from Kingston, Crucial, G-Skill will work. You'll have to set it to DDR3-1866 manually in the BIOS. In the ASRock A75M-ITX I use Kingston HyperX DDR3-1866 all the time and it works great.

[ian804]

So any decent (big name) ram will do, that's brilliant to know.

Thanks for responding so quickly

[Dougie Fresh]

These are the specific ones that I've used:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820104260
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820104277

So, yes, any quality brand with the same timings should be compatible.

[Joe K]

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=144728

There's a link to my build, major difference is the MSI mobo.

I should note that because you don't have a dedicated video card or a ton of peripherals you can get away with a tiny PSU. I used a 150W external brick.

Gaming performance from the integrated graphics is quite nice, most steam games will run at decent settings surprisingly enough.

If possible get at least 1866 ram, there is quite a bit on sale here and there. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820231550 is the RAM I got, it went on sale for $40 recently ($5 less than what I got it for around Black Friday). It is low profile and great price for 8gb 1866 DDR3. I should also mention that it is 1.5v and 9 CAS latency, which is a slight performance boost over other similar RAM.

[ian804]

Funny that you put a link to your build, it's one of the many I looked at before deciding which way to go. I was actually going with the 5800 to begin with but after looking at your thread I actually started veering towards the 5700 due to less heat and saving a little on the lecky bill but keeping the majority of the performance. (think there is an average of 6-7% difference looking at the many reviews and tests I've seen).


I'm also going to go with the stock cooling option and see how that goes, if I find it running a bit too hot or it's too noisy I'll get one of these scythes I've seen everyone mentioning.

At the moment I have some Kingston (4GB 1866) and the G-Skill (8GB 1866), price obviously is a little different between the two but I keep thinking towards the 8GB.
Once I've flicked that coin then I think I'll be ready to press that big ol' buy button on Amazon! (no newegg in the UK and ebuyer, our sort of version, doesn't stock everything I'm looking for and pricing is almost the same for the bits they do have).

So it looks like a busy week I've got coming up, a cheeky htpc build and an arduino LED system for me to put together (not done that before), feels almost like Christmas, again!

[Tragic]

That Asrock board will support up to 2600 ram so why not go for some 2133 ram? It again gives you another boost over 1866 when gaming and the price is roughly the same from my quick look on newegg. Something like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820231468

Also there will be no issues with your PSU

[RaggSokk3n]

That Asrock board will support up to 2600 ram so why not go for some 2133 ram? It again gives you another boost over 1866 when gaming and the price is roughly the same from my quick look on newegg. Something like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6820231468

Also there will be no issues with your PSU

+1

[Dougie Fresh]

You need to overclock the RAM to go above 1866Mhz. There's probably no issue though running the linked 2133 at 1866. I'd go with whichever costs less, 1866, 2133, etc. The point of diminishing returns is actually DDR3-1600 but with 1866 and 1600 prices being the same (or better for 1866), 1866 makes sense.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-...975-6.html
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1652/8/

[Tragic]

The point of diminishing returns is actually DDR3-1600 but with 1866 and 1600 prices being the same (or better for 1866), 1866 makes sense.

Not sure about the US but in AU I can get 2133 ram for the same price as 1866 ram so for me at least 2133 is the point of diminishing returns. Also my understanding is that even though the A10 only officially supports 1866 as the motherboard supports 2133 with all the correct multi's there is actually no OC'ing required.