Help Picking Parts for $800 DVR PC Please!!!

[Master Kibbe]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: 1-2 months

BUDGET RANGE: $800 before rebates

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: DVR/Watching Movies/Light Gaming

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Monitor/Speakers

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg.com USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: Intel i3 if possible! If not, i'm open to alternatives. I'm not sure if the motherboard or chip is out for it yet (any idea when it comes out with compatible mobo?), but I've heard from Anandtech and other sites that it's the ideal chip for a HTPC.

OVERCLOCKING: Nope
SLI or CROSSFIRE: Nope

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080 attached to a HDTV

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: A regular tower is fine. He doesn't require it to blend into his setup.

I promised a co-worker of mine that I'd come up with parts from Newegg.com for a PC used as a DVR, and I was hoping you guys could help me out. I appreciate the help in advance.

~Paul

 

[p55ibexpeak]

For under $1000, I strongly recommend AM3.

Do you mean this review? Then you missed the most important part. It's not the same as the final product. Intel can change anything.

Today you'll see results from the Core i5 661 as well as a simulated Core i3 540 and Core i3 530.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3704&p=6

 

[Master Kibbe]

Thanks for the response p55. Looks like I did miss the important part of that article. i3 should be coming out withing the next month or two from what I've read. If I have a few months, should I probably hold off then? Or do you not see a potential advantage i3 has over the AM3?

 

[Master Kibbe]

Bump. Help from a system builder please!!!

 

[p55ibexpeak]

i3 per sec is ok. Intel is trying to innovate, but the i3 IGP is epic-fail. No mobo manufacturers would make a budget mATX board without an IGP. That means 2 IGPs: 1 in i3; another in mobo. Epic fail. Can you point me to a currently available mATX budget board without IGP?

What Intel should've done or should do is to integrate north bridge into a cpu. Why? Cuz the NB dictates which cpus can be used (P965, P35, P45, P55, X38, X48, X58). Of course, Intel doesn't want that cuz it will cut into profits cuz all people had to do is to upgrade to a new cpu with the same socket. Right now we have to upgrade cpu and maybe mobo, depending on the chipset.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northbridge_%28computing%29

To use the i3 IGP, it must be paired with a H55, H57 and Q57 motherboard. We don't know the prices, but this article says 75-100 Euros. Can't they just shoot me?

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,702559/Intel-H55-H57-and-Q57-New-chipsets-for-Clarkdale-processors/News/

You can build a capable quality HTPC RIGHT NOW for $800. I'd recommend AM3 + DDR3 + mATX with IGP.

 

[Master Kibbe]

p55: point taken. Although, he doesn't require a mATX build, since it doesn't matter to him whether or not it will blend into his entertainment center. Does that change anything from your point of view?

 

[p55ibexpeak]

Oh you can build one with ATX as well. Probably cheaper as mid-tower ATX cases are generally cheaper than tower/desktop mATX. Go figure.