New HTPC Questions

[buzzforb]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE:
1-2 weeks

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT:
HTPC, Surfing, Gameplay

PARTS NOT REQUIRED:
Monitor, keyboard, mouse

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS:
neweggati
PARTS PREFERENCES: none, ATI

OVERCLOCKING: NO unless needed, like upgradability

MONITOR RESOLUTION:
1024 x 768 monitor, 1080p hdtv

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Looking at 630 propus, core i3, core i5 CPU's
Looking at 5750, 5770, 5870 GPU's
Signpoint 500gb HDD
4 gb of ddr3?
Loooking to get best value(cheapest) case and PSU that is realistic
Uusure whether to spend money on better CPU or GPU
Don't want to pay for something that is't going to improve performance but do not want to be locked down in the future(i know with TEch this is a joke)
500-700$

 

[irule9000]

You want to spend more money on a gpu because you are going to be gaming. Here are parts i suggest. Unless you are looking for an actual htpc case, I think you might just want to go with stander atx case

cpu/ gpu http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335176

cd drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

hardrive/ psu http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.328613

ram/mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.334349

These parts live you roughly 80 for a case + there are many rebates

 

[lothdk]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE:
1-2 weeks

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT:
HTPC, Surfing, Gameplay

..

MONITOR RESOLUTION:
1024 x 768 monitor, 1080p hdtv

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Looking at 630 propus, core i3, core i5 CPU's
Looking at 5750, 5770, 5870 GPU's
Signpoint 500gb HDD
4 gb of ddr3?
Loooking to get best value(cheapest) case and PSU that is realistic
Uusure whether to spend money on better CPU or GPU
Don't want to pay for something that is't going to improve performance but do not want to be locked down in the future(i know with TEch this is a joke)
500-700$

Are you looking for a HTPC that can play games, or a gaming PC that can double as a media player, which it kind of sounds like with your listing a 5870 as a possible video card.

For games, will you be playing those on your monitor, or in 1080p on the TV?

 

[buzzforb]

Looking mainly as HTPC but with the possibility of adding gaming. I have a PS3, so gaming is secondary for now.

 

[irule9000]

You want to spend more money on a gpu because you are going to be gaming. Here are parts i suggest. Unless you are looking for an actual htpc case, I think you might just want to go with stander atx case

cpu/ gpu http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.335176

cd drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

hardrive/ psu http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.328613

ram/mobo http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.334349

These parts live you roughly 80 for a case + there are many rebates

now that i know what you want this build may not work. The 5850 will be way to big for an htpc case. What i suggest is to switch it for something that is not so large and more discrete such as that new radeon 5570. unfortunately i can not tell you anything about the power of the card because it was just released today. Forunately this is in your budget at $80. I would though stick to most of this except the psu i gave you will not work i would get this psu/ case combo http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144232
in terms of the cpu i would get the amd 925-or higher(if you want performance for gaming(make sure to get those ending with 5 so that you get am3 compatible))

 

[buzzforb]

which is more important for htpc, cpu or gpu. Shoud i get a cheaper cpu with a nicer gpu - 955 propus w/5770 or nicer cpu with cheaper gpu - core i5 w/ 5750

 

[irule9000]

those large cards will not fit in a htpc case and you said you wanted mainly htpc. You need a discrete graphics card which is why i suggest the 5570 . If you end up with the 5570 do to the size of the case i would get an i5 just because they kill the 955 (which i have i used the money i save towards a 5850 on my gaming pc). The motherboard would have to be changed though because its the wrong socket type. I have no expierience with intel boards. Sorry!

 

[lothdk]

which is more important for htpc, cpu or gpu. Shoud i get a cheaper cpu with a nicer gpu - 955 propus w/5770 or nicer cpu with cheaper gpu - core i5 w/ 5750

A HTPC doesn't really require much of either, if it wasn't for gaming, you could do with a low-end intel dual-core or a similar low TDP AMD CPU with a low-end ATI or nVidia card or motherboard with a decent IGP, using a player capable of using the video card for playback of content encoded for this.

However with your intent to play games as well, I would go with an i3 530 and a H55 motherboard (adding a discrete video card when/if you want to play games as well).

A good source of information on HTPC for you to read is the avsforums.

 

[Dougie Fresh]

With the i3-530/H55 you pay a premium for the integrated GPU and related HTPC features. Then to put a discrete video card on top of that defeats the integrated GPU which in my mind seems like a waste of money, especially when it's a 5xxx series card.

There are plenty of HTPC cases that will take a full height card. I have the nMediaPC 1000b with an HIS HD5670 card and it fits just fine. The nice thing about the ATI 5xxx card is they've done a good job on the length of the cards which is where you really get into trouble.

So, if you really want a gaming PC that can also play media, it's going to depend on your budget which route you want to go. Again, you can find an HTPC case that will hold full-height cards and even a full ATX motherboard. Here are some examples:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204037
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811204032

Here's a whole ton more:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010090690%201549936684&bop=And&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&ActiveSearchResult=True&Order=PRICE

With these, or similar, you can build an AMD quad-core/AMD 770 or 790/ATI 57xx system that's look like an HTPC but plays games and whatever media you want to throw at it. If you budget is bigger, you can build a Core i5-750/P55/ATI 57xx system too.

 

[buzzforb]

Best answer selected by buzzforb.

 

[lothdk]

Not that I disagree that a quad core AMD or i5 750 would make a great [strike]HTPC[/strike] media player PC, but that would first and foremost be a gaming PC.

A HTPC would usually be equiped with components with low power consumption, and that does not fit most of the quad cores that AMD or intel offers, also using an IGP or low-end discrete video card, fanless if possible, to reduce noise while watching TV/video.

Again, this is why I asked if this was not infact a gaming PC which would just pull double duty as a media player, because in that case, then yes, if budget allowed I would go for a quad core, but with an eye towards components with low-noise cooling solutions.

- edit

We also still do not know if gaming will be done on the TV, or only on the monitor, as that makes quite a difference in what video card to choose.

 

[buzzforb]

The system will be placed in my office and will stream video to my PS3 which is hooked up to my HDTV. Any gaming will be done on my 22" monitor.

 

[rrad]

I was reading up on GPU's for my HTPC setup and looks like the 5450 and the 5570 cannot handle deinterlacing wellhttp://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3738&p=3. The best bet seems to be the 5670 series and above. Not sure how the onboard GPU will hold up either.