I'm folks, I'm looking to build my first HTPC and I'm having some trouble sorting out a few things that I'm hoping you all can help with. This build will be used for the following, in priority order:
- Watching web based video, specifically Hulu & Netflix through Windows 7 Media Center
- Playing BluRay DVDs
- Streaming music from both HD (MP3 & Windows Media lossless) and online services (Rhapsody, etc.)
I'd like to have a fairly small, quiet, low power system and I don't need infinite expandablity. Here are the areas I'm still confused about.
Mobo/CPU - I like the mini-ITX form factor and in looking around I like the look of the Zotac boads because they have wireless and graphics built in. I'm wondering about two specifics in this area:
1. Pros/Cons of going with the Zotac IONITX with the Atom chip (Option 1) versus a Zotac/Wofdale combination (Option 2). I've seen both in the forums but don't have a good feel for how they each behavior. Specific options are blow.
Option 1
Zotac IONITX-A-U Atom N330 Dual Core 90-Watt PSU WiFi ITX Intel Motherboard (9400M integrated graphic with dual core 1.6)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500027&Tpk=Zotac%20IONITX-A-U
Option 2
Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072
ZOTAC GF9300-D-E LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 9300 HDMI WiFi Mini ITX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500022
2. Second question is about power, you can get the Zotac borads with or without a 90W power supply. Is it worth going for the on-board power or skip it and use the PS that comes with most the cases?
3. Finally, I haven't really found a case that seems right yet. Most the mini-ITX cases seem to only allow the slim DVD drives, but I have not found any BluRay drives in that format. Any recomendations for cases that fit this system? (Note: Expandability isn't an issue, I'll build a new HTPC if I ever need more functionality.) Cases I'm considering at this point:
Antec Black M FusionRemote 350 Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129046&Tpk=Antec%20Micro%20Fusion%20Remote%20350
IN WIN BP655 Black Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case 200W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108189
Interested in any suggestions for a solid case that can host the full size BluRay DVD player.
The rest of the components are pretty standard per postings I've seen in this forum:
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Now-ish BUDGET RANGE: Around $500
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Primarily newegg.com COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
PARTS NOT NEEDED:
Operating System:
Windows 7 Ultimate RTM 64bit
PARTS PREFERENCES:
Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar Green WD7500AADS 750GB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136359
Optical Drive: (No real favorite here, I'm open to suggestions.)
LITE-ON Black 4X BD-ROM SATA Internal 4X Blu-ray Disc Reader Model iHOS104-08 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106326
Memory:
G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-4GBPI-B - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209
THanks for any help/advice you can offer.
Mike
- Watching web based video, specifically Hulu & Netflix through Windows 7 Media Center
- Playing BluRay DVDs
- Streaming music from both HD (MP3 & Windows Media lossless) and online services (Rhapsody, etc.)
I'd like to have a fairly small, quiet, low power system and I don't need infinite expandablity. Here are the areas I'm still confused about.
Mobo/CPU - I like the mini-ITX form factor and in looking around I like the look of the Zotac boads because they have wireless and graphics built in. I'm wondering about two specifics in this area:
1. Pros/Cons of going with the Zotac IONITX with the Atom chip (Option 1) versus a Zotac/Wofdale combination (Option 2). I've seen both in the forums but don't have a good feel for how they each behavior. Specific options are blow.
Option 1
Zotac IONITX-A-U Atom N330 Dual Core 90-Watt PSU WiFi ITX Intel Motherboard (9400M integrated graphic with dual core 1.6)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500027&Tpk=Zotac%20IONITX-A-U
Option 2
Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072
ZOTAC GF9300-D-E LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 9300 HDMI WiFi Mini ITX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500022
2. Second question is about power, you can get the Zotac borads with or without a 90W power supply. Is it worth going for the on-board power or skip it and use the PS that comes with most the cases?
3. Finally, I haven't really found a case that seems right yet. Most the mini-ITX cases seem to only allow the slim DVD drives, but I have not found any BluRay drives in that format. Any recomendations for cases that fit this system? (Note: Expandability isn't an issue, I'll build a new HTPC if I ever need more functionality.) Cases I'm considering at this point:
Antec Black M FusionRemote 350 Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129046&Tpk=Antec%20Micro%20Fusion%20Remote%20350
IN WIN BP655 Black Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case 200W Power Supply - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811108189
Interested in any suggestions for a solid case that can host the full size BluRay DVD player.
The rest of the components are pretty standard per postings I've seen in this forum:
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Now-ish BUDGET RANGE: Around $500
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Primarily newegg.com COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
PARTS NOT NEEDED:
Operating System:
Windows 7 Ultimate RTM 64bit
PARTS PREFERENCES:
Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar Green WD7500AADS 750GB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136359
Optical Drive: (No real favorite here, I'm open to suggestions.)
LITE-ON Black 4X BD-ROM SATA Internal 4X Blu-ray Disc Reader Model iHOS104-08 - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106326
Memory:
G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL4D-4GBPI-B - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231209
THanks for any help/advice you can offer.
Mike