Advice on HTPC / Workstation...$1500 budget.

[andyfromoz]

Hi Guy's and Gal's,
I know all of you tech geniuses out there get lots of dumb sh1ts begging for your help but if you could have a little look at what i'm hoping to build and give me some advise i will be eternally greatfull.


Approximate Purchase Date: 2 - 3 weeks time.


Budget Range: Approx $1500


System Usage from Most to Least Important: Media Centre networked with NAS and TV, Internet, workstation, light gaming (Age of Empires style sim and arcade style card games, nothing major like MW2), Graphics software e.g. Photoshop.


Parts Not Required: need everything.


Preferred Website(s) for Parts: no preference


Country of Origin: Australia


Parts Preferences: Intel, Would also like to be able to sit back on couch with wireless keyboard of some description maybe with a trackball built into it.


CPU: Intel core i5 750 or 760 (i just found out that the 7XX series of the i5 doesn't have integrated graphics)


Motherboard:

Asus P7P55 D E EVO
or
Asus P7P55 D E DELUXE


Graphics Card:

ATI Radeon HD 5850 (another $350 and probably overkill)
or
Radeon 5670


HDD: OCZ Vertex 2 OCZSSD2-2VTX50G 2.5" 50GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)


RAM: Gskill - DDR3-1333 4GB Dual Channel [ECO] F3-10666CL9D-4GBECO


Optical Drive: Haven't really looked into these much either.


Digital tuner: Not sure yet but i want to be able to record 3 or 4 channels at a time, so i dont know if that means 2 x twin HD tuners ?.


Power Supply: Corsair CMPSU-650HX


Operating System: Windows 7Home Premium 64bit


Case: Cooler Master CM690 II Advanced


Overclocking: No


SLI or Crossfire: Not really sure what this is.


Monitor Resolution: 1024x768, I really haven't put any thought into monitors yet.


Additional Comments:

The case will likely be kept in the entertainment cabinet in the loungeroom so ideally it should be fairly quiet.

Now i don't know if this is possible but we don't really have a lot of room for a designated study area, so i am wondering if there is a way that another member of the family can be using the computer in another room while the case is in the lounge.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I am but a lowly mortal cowering in the shadow of your incredibly large knowledge filled brains.

regards,
AndyfromOZ

 

[cmcghee358]

You might be able to get everything you need for 1500

But I'll tell you right now, that the SSD isn't worth it for your intent.

You'll need a true media drive, like 1.5-2TB

If you want to record 3-4 channels at a time, you'll need 2 TV tuner cards.

I can put together a newegg.com build to give you a good frame of reference.

What monitor size are you looking for?

 

[andyfromoz]

Hi, Thanks for your reply.
I was thinking something around the 20inch mark.

Also, with regard to the hard drive how am i best to set it up, should i partition it and have the operating system on a seperate partition.

cheers, Andyfromoz

 

[cmcghee358]

I put my OS on an inexpensive 500GB HDD, and had a 5400 RPM 1.5TB HDD as my media drive.

Thats my personal preference, to keep my OS/Applications onn 1 physical drive, and my media on another.

 

[andyfromoz]

Hi Guy's, My purchase date for this build has now been moved up to this weekend.

If anyone else has any suggestions, would be great.

thanks again.

AndyfromOZ

 

[ScrewySqrl]

take a look at my HTPC build in the builder contests. Its about $700, but is a solid base for expansion

 

[andyfromoz]

Hi Screwysqrl, I'm having a little trouble tracking down your $700 build, could you post the link for me .
Thanks, Andyfromoz

 

[rwpritchett]

Here ya go:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/296091-31-best-configs-home-theater

or

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/294018-31-bestconfigs-home-theater#t2177340