HTPC build recommendation

isdufhs67

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May 11, 2010
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18,510
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE
in a month

BUDGET RANGE
650$ (canadian, before taxes)


SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT
HTPC with no tuner
basically streaming HD videos, audio, pictures on my HD TV
web browsing w/ multimedia content (Youtube, etc...)
reading emails
optional SDHC reader


PARTS NOT REQUIRED
monitor, I'll be hooking it through HDMI to a 1080p TV
I don't want to buy an ODD at the moment
built-in video card on MB, no discrete video


PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS
directcanada
ncix

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Canada

PARTS PREFERENCES
AMD cpu
low-power, modular power supply
anything that is quiet

No overclocking / no crossfire or SLI

MONITOR RESOLUTION
1920 X 1080 (1080p 42" HDTV)

PARTS CHOSEN FOR NOW (comments appreciated)
MSI 890GXM-G65
AMD Athlon II X2 245 2.9 GHz
OCZ DDR3-1333 2*2 GB RAM
Western Digital 500 Go
Case nMedia HTPC-5000b mATX (no PS)
PS CoolerMaster 600W modular
wireless Logitech EX 100 keyboard and mouse combo
ASUS N13 USB wireless N adapter
 

tecmo34

Administrator
Moderator

isdufhs67

Distinguished
May 11, 2010
4
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18,510
The only problem with the Antec PS is that it's not modular. The nMedia case looks roomy though, so I'll probably be able to fit everything inside. The fact that I don't have a discrete video card helps a lot too...

Thanks for your advice !
 

Wolfshadw

Titan
Moderator
As an NMediaPC Case owner, I can safely say there isn't as much room as you'd like. I have the HTPC 200BA case which is nearly identical to your 5000B in size and dimension. While I do have a non-modular power supply in mine and it does fit, all that extra cable has to go somewhere. Initially, I stuffed it beneath my DVD drive and I believe that was what caused the drive to die on me.

Given the layout of the 5000B I can already see you'll have trouble with the power supply sitting directly behind the CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive bay and not just from a cabling stand point (I'm assuming you'll place one in there eventually). There just isn't that much room for installation unless that drive compartment pulls out and if you have all the cables from a non-modular power supply sitting there as well, it just makes it that much more difficult.

Don't get me wrong. I love my NMediaPC case (once everything was installed) and I do recommend it, but if I had to start over again, I'd almost certainly go with a modular power supply.

Tecmo's is right though in that you don't need a 600 watt PSU, but if you can't find one of lesser power and still from a quality manufacturer, I'd go with your original modular.

-Wolf sends

My HTPC Specs:
NMediaPC 200BA HTPC Case
Antec SP500 Power Supply
Gigabyte GA-965GM-S2 socket 775 Motherboard
Intel Core2Duo E6600 CPU
Kingston DDR2-667 2x1GB RAM
Seagate 320 GB OS Drive
Seagate 750 GB Media Drive
LG DVD Burner
Sapphire HD2600 Pro Graphics Card
B-Gears B-Enspire Sound Card
Windows XP MCE 2005