Alright, here is the deal: I have been scouring the internet trying to do research on building an HTPC. I have come across a lot of great information but am still at a slight loss as to what to choose in the realm of Motherboard and CPU.
I am not locked down to AMD or Intel. Although from what I can tell, the i3; i5; i7 processors dominate the HTPC build community, although if AMD is better, I would like to know it.
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Within the Next 6 Months
BUDGET RANGE: $500-1000
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Television Viewing; DVR functionality; Video Ripping & Encoding.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Need everything except monitor. Completely fresh build.
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: No real preference as long as they are trustworthy. I regularly use Newegg.com; Zipzoomfly.com; and Amazon.com.
PARTS PREFERENCES: Nothing firm atm, just want the most bang for my buck.
OVERCLOCKING: Don't see a need for it.
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Don't see a need for it.
MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1920x1080; HD resolutions for a 40" LCD, with future expandability for a larger screen.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: I don't need nor necessarily want on board graphics, I am fine with an add on card for that job, although I am open to the idea of on board graphics if it will be able to handle what I need it to. I do need it to output both HD video to 1080 AND HD audio. I am also looking to have 4 TV tuners so a good recommendation for that would be superb. I have been looking at a Micro-ATX form factor board.
I have built gaming rigs before, but I am unsure on the nuances of HD video playback and encoding. I know that type of stuff uses much more CPU power, but I am unsure on what to look for in the rest of the components. I appreciate everyone's help on this.