My First HTPC - Getting confused

Hi guys I am new to XBMC, I recently jailbroke my atv2 and installed it. I loved the interface and looked so much cooler then the stock atv menus. However cause of the atv2 limitations it runs slow and will never output 1080p and also at present the 5.1 has issues.

Anyway due to my library of rips swelling and swelling thought I would take the plunge and get a HTPC

Thought I had a spec that I was happy with listed below but I have read issue about the sandbridge and 24fps!! Also I was going to be doing alot more encoding than I now plan to do. I will still encode the odd film to get the file size down but in general will keep bluray and dvd rips as direct mkv copies.

Having read a few other threads on here I am thinking I would also like a small sized SSD to have the operating system, XBMC, AV stuff installed on to help speed up XBMC.

Want to also use the HTPC to run itunes so I can use home sharing so I can access my library on my iphone. (although this isn’t a big deal if it doesn’t do it as can keep my library on my other computer) At present don’t have an av receiver that can decode HD audio at the moment but might be on the horizon!!

The spec I was looking at was;
Silverstone LC17 Case
i3 2100 processor on a Gigabyte Sandy Bridge motherboard
4Gb of Corsair memory
2x 2TB Samsung drives (upto 6 drives (12tb) can be used in the above case and am keen to have more than just a couple drive bays in the case to save me getting a NAS too soon!!
600w modular power supply.
LG CH10LS20 BluRay drive (can give 10x rip speed)
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit

Would appreciate any comments on the above and was to improve and reduce cost! 

The only way to avoid the 23.976 "issue" is to get a discrete GPU like the Nvidia gt450. Frankly for me, I never even noticed any dropped frames using other chips that also have this "issue". The i3 is a very good processor that can handle 1080p without the need for a separate gpu. I say start with this and if the dropped frames bother you, you can always get a gpu later.

tboooe Wrote:The only way to avoid the 23.976 "issue" is to get a discrete GPU like the Nvidia gt450. Frankly for me, I never even noticed any dropped frames using other chips that also have this "issue". The i3 is a very good processor that can handle 1080p without the need for a separate gpu. I say start with this and if the dropped frames bother you, you can always get a gpu later.

Ok probably not an issue for me then as my eyesight isn't that great!!!

Was thinking i3 and psu might be a bit over specd!!? was wondering if there was recommend alternative that maybe would be ok for a bit of occasional encoding as that will be the most taxing thing I will do on it but 90% of the files will stay as mkv.

gooner Wrote:Ok probably not an issue for me then as my eyesight isn't that great!!!

Was thinking i3 and psu might be a bit over specd!!? was wondering if there was recommend alternative that maybe would be ok for a bit of occasional encoding as that will be the most taxing thing I will do on it but 90% of the files will stay as mkv.

The i3 is indeed overspec'd if you are just talking about streaming HD video. Even an Atom/Ion system can easily handle that. The reason why I am going to guild my HTPC with an I3 is the user experience. I have an Acer 3700 and a Zotac ND-22 and their responsive browsing XBMC is sluggish to say the least. I like to use "heavy" skins like AeonMQ and the Atom struggles mightily. If you intend to use a light skin like Confluence, an Atom system would work find for you. If you intend to encode then perhaps consider the AMD Zacate chip. I would rather spend a little more money and get a processor that gives me a great user experience...and to me that means responsive and fast.

I have an i3-550. It has done everything I have asked it to and didn't fight back. Even some 3d rendering.

Ok well have had a bit of a setback!! The case will not fit in my tv stand. Limiting dimension are 45cm wide x 17cm high by 40cm deep. Although would prefer to keep a solution similar to the one in my first post

So am thinking maybe have a media server which I just use for storage and ripping dvds and blurays. Sugguestions HP prolient can you put a Bluray drive in it?

Then under the tv just have a head end that can run XBMC.

Also the server would be in the garage and the XBMC head end in the living room which has a kitchen inbetween so would I connect the homserver via homeplugs as router is in the living room?

Any sugguestions guys would be appreciated just seem to keep going round in circles!!!