Rate my HTPC Build

[droberts]

Case: Silverstone LC13B-E
PSU: Antec earthwatts EA500 500W 80 PLUS
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3LR LGA 775 ATX
CPU: Intel E5200
RAM: Kingston 4GB DDR2
Video: nVidia Palit 9600GT
Storage: Western Digital 1TB 3.5 drive
Blueray: LG drive
TV Tuner: Hauppauge ATSC
Wireless Adapter
OS: Win 7 64-bit

Keyboard: Logitech DiNovo
Mouse: Logitech MX Revolution

I'm looking for recommendations. We want to game and watch movies. We'll be sitting about 10 ft away from the system and TV.

 

[kalrith]

Looks pretty good to me, except that I'd switch the 9600GT for a 4770 or 4850. They're close to the same price, and you'll get better video-playback and game performance from the latter. Also, if you have an HDMI receiver capable of processing video, then you can get lossless audio from the ATI 4xxx cards but not from any stand-alone nVidia card.

And if you really want to research building an HTPC, I recommend reading this avsforum thread. Renethx provides excellent recommendations and really stays on top of the questions in that thread.

 

[droberts]

Thanks for the quick reply! Funny story, I actually own both a 4850 and a 9600GT. I didn't know about the lossless audio from the 4850! Charts have shown the 9600GT to be very quiet and cool, which I thought would have been good for an HTPC system (my 360 sounds like a rocketship). Thanks for the link!

 

[kalrith]

The lossless audio is mentioned in AT's 4850 review here. It does say that the 4850 is quiet at idle but not overly quiet at load. It certainly shouldn't sound like a rocketship though.

 

[haffey]

Originally posted by: kalrithIt certainly shouldn't sound like a rocketship though.

His 360 is the thing that sounds like a rocketship...

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: haffey

Originally posted by: kalrithIt certainly shouldn't sound like a rocketship though.

His 360 is the thing that sounds like a rocketship...

I realize that. He was stating that he didn't want his HTPC to sound like a rocketship just like his 360. I was warning him that the 4850 wouldn't be silent, but it certainly wouldn't sound like a rocketship either.

 

[droberts]

And like I said, I happen to own both, so I'm familiar with the noise level, and it's not bad.

Here are some other questions: I'm going to be sitting 10ft away. I'd like a mouse and keyboard that can perform at that range. Am I overbuying?

 

[kalrith]

You could probably spend less, but I wouldn't. I had a Logitech Cordless Desktop Pro (or something like that) that I swiped from my main computer to use in the livingroom. The keyboard range was great at 9 feet, but the mouse hardly worked at all. I wound up getting a diNovo Mini, and I've been really pleased with it. I obviously won't be gaming with the Mini, but strictly for HTPC usage it supplements my remote very nicely.

I personally don't like to skimp on the finesse components like keyboard, mouse, universal remote, etc., but that's really something for you to decide on.

 

[s44]

Keep the 4850, but put an Accelero S1 on it. Also, you might as well use Win7 RC1 until it comes out officially -- I think there are some Media Center upgrades in it.

Edit -- wait, the cooler probably won't fit in that case... Hm. You *could* also get lossless audio by combining your 9600 with a 8200/9300/9400 Nvidia mobo, as described here.

 

[Ballatician]

I've heard the 4850 is a tad loud with the stock cooler as well. There is a great deal on the XFX version from ZipZoomFly today but it's a bit soon for me. Unfortunately I've heard the same about the 4770. Does the Accelero S1 make a big difference?

 

[droberts]

I'm a bit slow here. When I connected my 4850 to my TV via HDMI I had audio. With the 9600GT, if I connect it to my TV via HDMI, will I have any audio? If so, lossy or lossless? What would the wiring look like if I had an nVidia mobo?

 

[droberts]

Is it a big deal if my power supply isn't modular for an HTPC build?

 

[Ballatician]

Do you mean like modular cables because that isn't too big a deal. Of course if you are going for a fanless design with your components then the airflow within your case becomes very important. In that case, modular cables would be nice since there would be less useless cables impeding air flow.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: droberts
I'm a bit slow here. When I connected my 4850 to my TV via HDMI I had audio. With the 9600GT, if I connect it to my TV via HDMI, will I have any audio? If so, lossy or lossless? What would the wiring look like if I had an nVidia mobo?

Yes, you will have audio with either video card. The 4850 can pass lossless audio, whereas the 9600GT will pass audio from the SPDIF, which can still pass Dolby Digital, DTS, etc., just not lossless audio from BD (Blu-Ray Disc). The issue of lossless audio is moot from any source other than BD, and even with that source it's moot if you don't have an HDMI receiver that can accept audio over HDMI (some HDMI receivers only accept video and not audio via HDMI). It sounds like you're using your TV speakers. If that's the case, then you'll get the exact same sound quality from either video card; however, I would give the video-processing nod to the 4850 over the 9600GT.

 

[droberts]

I've owned Antec Sonata cases for my towers for a long time. Although not designed to sit sideways, they have properties which make them quiet: rubber hard drive mounts, large 120mm fan on the back, quiet power supply. The rubber feet at the bottom will no longer provide sound protection, and putting in DVDs will be awkward.

Would it make sense to use a system such as the Sonata 3 as my HTPC enclosure to reduce noise?

 

[ZetaEpyon]

I actually turned an Antect 3500BQE (same as original Sonata minus the finish) on its side for my HTPC, prior to getting an actual HTPC case (Fusion Max). It worked alright, but it's obviously not as nice a solution as a purpose-built HTPC case. Loading discs is definitely a little bit of a hassle, but most disc trays have little parts to hold the disc when the drive is oriented vertically. You'll also have to do something about the side of the case that's on the bottom, particularly if it's going into a wood enclosure. There's a bit more of a risk of scratching things up, since there are no feet there.

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon
There's a bit more of a risk of scratching things up, since there are no feet there.

You could just remove the feet from the bottom and place them on the side of the case. I agree that the disc loading will likely give you the most trouble.

This probably goes without saying, but be sure to lay it on the right side of the case, which will have the bottom of the motherboard facing down and all of the components and heatsink on top of it.

 

[droberts]

ZetaEpyon: Right now, it seems that the Fusion Max and Sonata III are my top two competitors for HTPC case. (I happen to own an extra Sonata III)

So given the choice between those two, you would chose the Fusion Max as your HTPC case? Can you compare the noise between the two cases please? Do you leave your Fusion Max on all the time or turn it off nightly?

Kalrith: Thanks for the advice. I'm considering laying the Sonata on a bunch of mouse pads if I go that route. To be honest, I care more about dampening noise than I do scratching my shelf.

 

[ZetaEpyon]

I like the Fusion Max pretty well, with the exception of the LCD display. I didn't like how it looked, so I just have it unplugged right now. It's a little difficult to compare the two cases, because I never had the exact same components in both of them. However, the Fusion Max is very quiet with the stuff I have in it now (C2D E6300, 1 HD, passively-cooled 8500GT). The included fans are very quiet when they're on the slowest setting, which has been enough for me. It's barely audible even with nothing else on in the room, and if there's any background noise (I often have a fan on for air circulation in the room), I can't hear it at all.

If you're planning to load it up with a full complement of 4 HDDs, you might have to settle for a little more noise; I had three installed for a while, and the drives were running warmer than I would have liked. I'd originally planned on having the drives all in that case, which was one of the reasons I went with the Max. If I were buying again, I might choose something different, but it's pretty hard to find a nice HTPC case that will support a standard ATX motherboard and doesn't cost a small fortune. I do leave the HTPC on all the time, as I use it for torrents in the background, and it certainly hasn't been an issue.

Between the Sonata and the Fusion Max, I would go with the Max (and obviously did), if for no other reason than that it looks like it belongs there, next to the receiver and other HT equipment.