[tgmm82]

I plan to build a new HTPC for my main viewing room. The build will use some older hardware within it.

My goal for the HTPC is to act as both the media server and client. It will be used for all forms of media, as well as some light game playing. The games will be mostly ROMs and certainly does not need to be anything high end. I have a much better gaming rig already.

I am not looking at going the route of a NAS right now as it simply is not in my budget.

I am mostly looking for advise on if my older hardware is worth keeping around and if it will play nicely with the new hardware and provide my HTPC requirements.

Also, I will be using this same unit to run Sickbeard and Sab heavily.


My possible Setup:
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz 6-Core Processor
MSI 880GM-E43 Micro ATX AM3 Motherboard
Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
G.Skill 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory

Those items I own and hope to use.

In addition:
WD Red 3 TB NAS Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, SATA III, 64 MB Cache - WD30EFRX
Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 120GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Single Unit Version Internal Solid State Drive MZ-7TE120BW
Silverstone Tek GD08B Aluminum Extended ATX / SSI-EEB / SSI-CEB HTPC Computer Case Cases - Black

I also have an IR blaster, two External HDDs, 360 controller with adapter for pc, and a USB Tuner.

The 3Tb drive above is because most of my media is on the externals HDDs and I hope to transition them out and use the externals as backup or for other storage. The SSD is included for my main boot drive.

I know I will need a power supply, hoping for advice on that.

I also have an older video card I could use, Asus Radeon HD 4670 1GB Video Card, but I am not sure how well it will work with this setup and if it is good enough.

I will be using Windows 8 with XBMC. The HTPC will be connected to a Onkyo AVR and HD TV.

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. I do not have a budget per-sae, but I do not want to spend more money than I need to.

[dagatech]

Your old hardware isn't that old, it would definitely get the job done. That case is nice but pricey, you could save some money there if you wanted too. Budget is a personal thing - to one person $300 is a ton of money, to another keeping the cost below $1000 makes it reasonable. You can build a full fledged HTPC, with no pre-existing parts, for under $400 without breaking a sweat. So decide what your priorities are...

If this is going to be a 24/7 machine, that processor is going to draw a lot of power and create a lot of heat meaning a fan would run and probably be loud.You could choose to sell the motherboard and processor, buy a cheap Pentium or i3 chip and motherboard, and work it that way. Would also save you from having to use the video card, as onboard video works fine for most htpc tasks.

[tgmm82]

you are right, the parts really aren't that old, I think three years or so from when I got them.

I actually have two sets of "older" parts. My other pair is:

Intel Core i5-750 2.66Ghz Quad-Core Processor
Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 Micro ATX LGA1156 Motherboard

I only listed the other set because I thought it was better, however your i3 suggestion now has me wondering. Which set is better?

It's good to know I wont need to grab a new cpu/mobo though... I'm not too worried about the sound of the fans, though do you think I should look for additional cooling beyond the fans?

Any recommendation for a power supply?

[dagatech]

hmm...the AMD chip has more cores, but otherwise they are pretty similar. Take a look at http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/649/AMD...5-750.html. Either one would absolutely work for an HTPC, and is likely more than you actually need. Motherboards are pretty comparable - one has more sata ports, which could matter down the road but probably not. So it's kind of a tossup...I suppose I lean towards the intel chip, but it's more of a gut thing than any real reason. Maybe someone else can contribute experiences.

re PSU, go name brand, active pfc, 80+ (gold?). Take a look at newegg for well rated ones, they shouldn't be that expensive. don't go overboard on the watts, htpc's rarely have high energy needs so you're better with a lower wattage, more efficient psu.I like modular just to keep the case neat, but it doesn't really matter.