Media Live Diva 5.1

Search HTPC for a couple articles on the Maui HTPC build. They will answer all your questions.

I personally think MGDJoker's post is trash, as its groundless hateboi accusations. AMD doesn't run hotter than Intel - i7s run hotter than anything AMD has at the moment (fractionally warmer than a X4-965BE), the "good" 65W C2Qs are rare and expensive (Q9550s is a sweet chip, but too scarce and overpriced) and they have no 45W CPUs either. AMD has cheap 65W tri- and quad-core CPUs running at a perfectly reasonable 2.5GHz and will soon have cheap low-cache 45W 2.3GHz tri- and quad-cores out too. As for aftermarket cooling? I've never seen a heatpipe on an Intel stock HSF, that's for sure! Even when the CPU in question needed it! At least AMD try to provide stock coolers suitable for their CPUs - i7s need aftermarket cooling practically as a matter of life and death!

And I've never had a problem with an MSI anything. Unlike Asus and especially Gigabyte!

Back to the original topic: The HD3200 on the DIVA will handle 99% of what's out there. The other 1% is typically incompatible with provided codecs and won't run on anyone's GPU, which is why sticking in a 65W Phenom2 is often a good defensive move if you have the cash. If they launch soon and launch cheap then the 405e or 605e could be alternatives... only 2.3GHz and no L3 cache but three and four cores respectively and just 45W of heat output at absolute max. And if you ever think you'll need an aftermarket cooler due to noise issues (which aren't so common on AMD CPUs, especially 65W and lower) then think Scythe. You don't need to break the bank, for example a Shruiken is grand for most sub-95W builds, is near-silent and fits in low-profile systems while being cheap to boot.

And why would you need a graphics card if you're not gaming? The DIVA's onboard HD3200 is fine for HD acceleration purposes. If you are gaming then there are still single-slot HD4850s out there, although they tend to be hot customers. Sadly I can't think of any single-slot HD4830s or HD4770s... so the logical step down is a HD4670 if you need cooler-running.

I didnt say anything about i7 moron. I said Core2 fool. MSI is junk I've worked with there crap for years and probably delt with and supported more of it then about 90% of people in the industry. Its one step above Jetway and Foxconn when it comes to quality.