I'm wanting to build myself a HTPC. I'm in love with this case http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_info.php/pName/gmc-avcs7-htpc-case-wvfd-and-remote-black/cName/htpc-cases
I have a few questions I'd like to ask and I'd like to just kill it all in one thread so please forgive as some of these might be in other realms.
1. Can I record HD smoothly onto 1 hard drive or do I have to have two in raid? This case only takes 1HD and at 1TB I figure that's plenty.
2. For HD recording and playing what kind of additional hardware do I need? By looking at this case what kind of card or cards can I put in there to make it work? It does say PCI express in one of the configs.
3. Is it possible to passive cool the CPU in this case? I don't have a CPU in mind really yet. My top priority is to build a unit that works smoothly and great for HD and music. If this can't happen then I won't do it. Functionality first. I have a 1.8ghz Opteron 165. I did some checking and saw it runs at 110w. What wattage do I need to stay under to keep this case as quiet as possible? I think the Phenom quad cores are 85watts. That should be plenty of power. If it's overkill perhaps I could underclock it?
Basically I'd like to make a HD HTPC for that case if possible. Do you think it's possible and if so how? I'm will to explore other options too.
I have a few questions I'd like to ask and I'd like to just kill it all in one thread so please forgive as some of these might be in other realms.
1. Can I record HD smoothly onto 1 hard drive or do I have to have two in raid? This case only takes 1HD and at 1TB I figure that's plenty.
2. For HD recording and playing what kind of additional hardware do I need? By looking at this case what kind of card or cards can I put in there to make it work? It does say PCI express in one of the configs.
3. Is it possible to passive cool the CPU in this case? I don't have a CPU in mind really yet. My top priority is to build a unit that works smoothly and great for HD and music. If this can't happen then I won't do it. Functionality first. I have a 1.8ghz Opteron 165. I did some checking and saw it runs at 110w. What wattage do I need to stay under to keep this case as quiet as possible? I think the Phenom quad cores are 85watts. That should be plenty of power. If it's overkill perhaps I could underclock it?
Basically I'd like to make a HD HTPC for that case if possible. Do you think it's possible and if so how? I'm will to explore other options too.