Could you please help me configure a HTPC?

We just moved into a new house, and we bought a 32'' LCD TV there, which we plan to connect with an HTPC. The main uses we have are...

1. Watching Hi-Def movies (720p)
2. Watching Hi-Def TV Shows (720p)
3. Playing games, not such as Crysis, but like Burnout Paradise or Wolverine.
4. Downloading (almost) 24x7

Bear in mind that I will be using the existing 500GB hard disk I have and the existing DVD Writer I have, so no need to include those in the specs...

And I plan on getting a wired XBox 360 controller as joystick, so INCLUDING THAT, the total budget should not exceed 25K.

Also, please make sure that the system does not make much noise as we will be keeping it in the drawing room and it might be on fulltime for downloading.

Also, I was looking around some MoBos using Lynx-India... and I wanted to ask you people which one would be better for me, given all my requirements...

# Asus M3A78-EH
# Asus M4A78 PRO
# Asus M3N-H-HDMI
# MSI K9A2 CF - F

And in the processors, I saw this one...
# AMD Phenom 8650 - Tri Core

Is this good for my needs or not? Does Intel have a better one in the same price range?

Thats all I guess, please help me out people! Quick replies would be highly appreciated and so would replies from dealers.

Meanwhile, I live in Nagpur and thus also wanted to ask if I should order this stuff from online or not?

Instead of older phenom x3 you could go with phenom II 550.

AMD x2 7750 / phenom 2 550 - 3.5k / 5.5k ( x2 7750 will be more than enough i think )
M3A78-EM - 5k
HD 4670 - 4.5k
2gb ddr2 ram - 1.2k
Zebby 350w pro series psu - 1.5k

u can replace the amd combo with E5200 + gigabyte g31 and save more money . as u want casual gaming dont use onboard , get the 4670 .


u can get the stuff online . pm dealers here and get prices .

i dont mean to derail you or anything, but why do you want to use the HTPC for downloading?

why not build a low cost build for downloading and general use?

@lazygarfield

Relax boy.. first put a list of your required parts e.g. Procy + mobo + GPU + PSU etc... give us the complete list and your budget. You will get the best combinations of them from the members. I am not telling you to list model names or brands, just mention the parts.

P.S. It will be helpful if you tell us your location as some peripherals are not available everywhere.

This looks best to me.

4gb ram is useless if u use 32bit edition OS. Dont use ur HTPC for downloading 24 X 7 life will be limited. I am telling by experience

Okay...

1. I already mentioned that I had a budget of 23K~24K.

2. I don't think that the games I will be playing are just casual. I am more into games like Burnout Paradise, NFS, Wolverine, Ghostbusters and I would like to play these games at the highest settings. But, I am not gonna play games like Fallout 3 or Crysis.

3. The reason I am gonna use an HTPC for downloading is because, in our new home, we are just gonna keep a laptop for our general use, and if I keep a laptop on for the day, won't it get overheated?

And, can you please explain in a little more detail why the life of an HTPC would be shortened?

4. I live in Nagpur and have no qualms about ordering stuff online. Infact, i was planning to assemble this from the TE dealers.

5. I am currently using Windows 7 RC x64 and will be using it in the future too...

6. I DO NOT NEED -
# Monitor
# Hard Disk
# DVD Writer

The rest (such as CPU, MoBo, RAM, Cabinet etc.) I will need.

7. My brother told me that DirectX 11 cards would make their wair way around soon, and so instead of splurging on a card now, I should just make do with the onboard graphics for some time.

If what he said makes sense, then I WILL NOT NEED a graphics card either. If what he said is wrong, then you need to include a graphics card in the specs too.

That is all I can remember now. Does that help? A few more replies would be highly appreciated people!

Stick with a 32bit OS for now, specially for an htpc. If you want to use the igp for some time, then you need to go for an amd solution. A 790gx board paired with a x2 or maybe an x3 cpu.

If you'll be connecting it to an LCD TV, then do get a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Well, DX11 may be released in end of july to August and in India they might be available after three weeks. Do you want to wait till then? Also, the games you have mentioned can be played at good settings using ATI 790G chipset. So, here is my recommendation :

AMD Phenom II X2 550 BE -> 5.2k or if you wait a bit more X3 740 will be available

Biostar TA790GX 128M ( AM3+ if you want to use DDR3 or AM2+ if you want DDR2 ) ->6k (AM3+) / 5k (AM2+)

Corsair xms2(DDR2) 2 X 2GB RAM or xms3(DDR3) 2X1GB -> 3k

Corsair VX450 SMPS -> 4k

Cabinet :: Cooler Master Elite series starting from 1.7k or If you want a local one then Zebronics Bijli for 1.2k

UPS :: APC 650VA -> 3.5k

Keyboard Mouse :: This should be your choice. However I prefer Logitech products.

So 22k-23k without Keyboard & Mouse.

who said the life of the HTPC will be shortened? no friend...nothing like that...

in fact, for downloading, i keep my laptop on 24X7...and keep transferring data off of it to my external HDDs...i've been doing that for more than a year now...no glitches in my laptop...


a suggestion from my side....if you are not going to get the Graphics card soon...consider using XBMC on the HTPC....and you can get one of multi-purpose remotes that works flawlessly with XBMC (amarbir is selling one)....why get into the hassle of a keyboard and mouse at all when you can easily control the HTPC with a remote...

all in all, what i'm suggesting is...that the HTPC should primarily remain just that, a HTPC.

Yes, i want to wait for DirectX 11 cards.. so the specs you are giving me have good onboard graphics right? I mean, I will be able to play the games I listed at 720P (my TV is not 1080p).

anyway, thanks for all your help so far... Will surely take all this to the higher authorities (parents lol)...

I have lost a motherboard doing 24X7 dowloading hence quoted.

@lazygarfield

Yeah, 790GX mother boards have the best on board graphics so far. I play CRYSIS at medium setting with that.

A few more points to be clarified -
* How vast is the performance difference between AMD x2 7750 & phenom 2 550? Will the X2 7750 be able to handle the games for atleast 2 years?

* Has anybody here used a BioStar MoBo? I have never used a biostar before and hence am apprehensive about the reliability. How does it fare against ASUS?

* Since I am planning to go for a DX11 GFX card later on, isn't AMD 780 enough to run the games at 720p resolutions?

* I am planning to buy a Mid-Range HTPC cabinet, will it come with a SMPS or will I have to buy a SMPS for the MoBo + CPU combo?