Does this all sound ok (First HTPC build)

[Fatal1ty]

Ok, so i've decided that at some point i wish to build a HTPC for my room.

Heres the spec that ive come up with.

Case: Silverstone SST-LC11 Silver
Mobo: Asus A8N-VM CSM
CPU: AMD 64 3200+ Venice
RAM: Crucial 3200 1Gb
HDD: 2x WD Caviar 400Gb SATA
TV: Hauppague WinTV PVR 500 MCE
OS : MCE 2005

and possibly a DVD-RW and Creative sound card of some sort

Comments and suggestions please. Cheers

[BloomerzUK]

Seems very nice.

[Fatal1ty]

Ive just realised what i forgot. Graphics card. this is where i ask for suggestions as to what i should get for that setup.

[Fatal1ty]

How about this for a GPU? XFX GeForce 6200 256MB DDR TV-Out/DVI PCI-E

[Fatal1ty]

First real question, does the PSU in the Silverstone LC11 have SATA connectors or would i need adaptor to use SATA Drives?

[stew]

6200 should be okay for this sort of setup.

Might want to look at a 9600 as I think its about the same price but the performance is better.

Good call on the PVR-500 card, its a cracker. Just need to get myself one now, lol.

[six5tring]

motherboard has pretty good onboard graphics :) i have one hear running with a 3200 and 1gb crucial! - six

[Fatal1ty]

Oh yeah, i misread the product description that it has in integrated GeForce 6!! lol. That'll Save me some money.

Now two questions.

1) Can you have two different tuner card in the same HTPC or not?

2) Is there a PCI-E x1 riser card available for the stated case (refer to first post) If so this will alow me to use the Terratec 2400i DT MCE Edition.

[stew]

You don't say what software you are using so a definate answer to #1 isnt possible.

The PVR 500 is a dual tuner card so you don't need another tv card.

In MCE you will be able to use both cards as long as they are both set for use on an Antennae, not if you are using a set top box as in that case there is only one input and you are only able to use one type of setup at a time - STB or Antennae.

If you were to use Media Portal, GBPVR or maybe Myth then you should be able to use both cards as you want, although if you have one hooked to an STB the other would need to be done to a different STB.

Hope thats clear. lol

As for the second one I don't know if there is.

[Fatal1ty]

You don't say what software you are using
Sorry, like I said at the start, i'm new to this area. What is the best software to use for TV?

I'd prefer if i could, to use the dual DVB tuner rather than the analoge one. thats why i asked about PCI-E x1 risers. I've seen somewhere that if you're lucky u can get it to work in a PCI-E x16 slot. But I much doubt on this working

[six5tring]

You don't say what software you are using... you said MCE earlier up in the post. That's all you'll need other than the tuner driver.

If kustom don't sell 1x risers might be worthwhile getting them a tinkle and finding out if they can possibly get one :)

six

[Fatal1ty]

At the moment I've got no software to run. Hence asking what the best software is to get for TV.

I'll give them a bell such to say.

[six5tring]

Personally i'm a MCE man. Easy to use and setup and looks good. - six

[Fatal1ty]

Excellent. MCE plus drivers it is then.

[Fatal1ty]

I might seem to be drumming on about the same thing then but can MCE handle two TV cards (one analogue, one DVB), if all the relevant drivers required are there?

[Fatal1ty]

K just you let you all know. I dont need to look for a PCI-E x1 riser card. I can get the x16 card and plug the x1 card into it. This is a design spec of PCI-E. Problem solved there then.

[six5tring]

can MCE handle two TV cards (one analogue, one DVB), if all the relevant drivers required are there?

No sadly not! Both have to be same type. Something to do with it's program guide.

six

[Fatal1ty]

Ok then, cheers. I suppose i'll get the DVB card instead and then get some sort of PCI video card with s-vid, composite etc to give me the connectivity of the Hauppague card. :rolleyes:

I've also just noticed the size of the case. Its huge for where its gotta go. Oh well I'll get it in there.

[Fatal1ty]

kk, so my build can now be postponed for a bit. A mate of mine has given me a m-ATX system tha the doesnt want. so i can use that till i want a shiny new one. Its only got an 800Mhz celeron in it :D :eek: . new HDD on order and XP and well see how well she runs. :p It probable wont last long :p

[Modfather]

Guessing thats a skt 370?? check ebay for a faster pentium 3 ;)

[Fatal1ty]

Apparently it is a skt 370... Yep, sure is. I'll have a look on ebay, but i'm a bit pushed for space for a heatsink though. Will post up pics. Potential mod and then sell job. :rolleyes:

[Fatal1ty]

Ok, so it's been while, but the unit is running fine with the Seagate HDD that I got for it. (didn't ever realise that they were that silent or fast :eek: :) ). I havn't as yet found a cpu for it (very limited for a heatsink due to positioning of the CPU).

If I remember rightly, ive put some more RAM in so its got 186Mb of random RAM - (will upgrade soon hopefully). The DVD drive will have to be changed. A bit big & it won't read disks that ive burnt.

Before I do anything else, I'm going to spray it to get rid of hte horrible beige colour. I'm thinking along the lines of Black, silver. No window for this mod as the inside is horrible to look at and its too cramped anyway to make it look anywhere decent.

I'll take some pics of the parts i want to spray tonight (will put up tomorrow as i'm not going to wait for dial up to upload them - wiil do it at college) and say what's to be what colour and let you guys have you say.

[Fatal1ty]

Sorry for delay. Problems with Firefox at college.

[Fatal1ty]

kk, so here we are, the long promised pictures. After some problems with Firefox at college (only way to get here :() i've now got the pics of me case-to-be-sprayed.

Case :
http://www.apolloscoutnetwork.org/images/stories/pics/case.jpg
http://www.apolloscoutnetwork.org/images/stories/pics/case_front.jpg

On the front fascia to the case i'd like to ideally spray the dark grey part a separate colour to the rest of the case. I'm thinking of maybe spraying the case black and the dark grey part of the fascia maybe, a steel/aluminium/gunmetal colour.

http://www.apolloscoutnetwork.org/images/stories/pics/front_fascia.jpg
http://www.apolloscoutnetwork.org/images/stories/pics/case_off.jpg

Now, whilst i'm here, i wish to find a low profile cpu cooler (maybe passsive :rolleyes: that i can put in. The fan on the existing cooler is dying (bearings) and apart from flea-bay, i'm not sure of any other suitable coolers (Do Kustom do any) for a skt 370 :confused: :confused:

http://www.apolloscoutnetwork.org/images/stories/pics/cpu1.jpg
http://www.apolloscoutnetwork.org/images/stories/pics/cpu2.jpg

Cheers in advance guys.

[Fatal1ty]

Guys???.... U there?? Anyone?? :(

[BloomerzUK]

No, Kustom don't do heatsinks for Skt 370's from what I can see.

Have a look around for some, maybe could do your own.

[Fatal1ty]

Nah I saw soon after posting that they don't (couldn't be bothered to alter my post). I have found a low profile skt370 cooler on another online store ~£10.
The main point now is about the colour scheme.

[Fatal1ty]

Update: Colour scheme decided. The case is going to be gloss black and the dark grey part of the front panel is going to be silver. If all goes to plan, i'll at least prep the metal part of the case ready for spraying.

Also got a new 60mm ThermalTake inlet fan as the old Evercool gave up the ghost (dead bearing stopped fan from spinning.) Going to get a PIII CPU off ebay i hope and then get a new h/s & fan for it.

Just need to find a new DVD drive of some sort that is short enough to fit in the case.

[Modfather]

you could allways just find a replacement fan for the heatsink?