I have been mulling over building an HTPC versus buying one (think Asrock Ion 330) for some time - and I'd much appreciate any input anyone has on this.
What I'm looking for is a system with the following generic specs:
- HDMI and the ability to play high bitrate video seamlessly
- Onboard network adapter (wifi not a priority though)
- HDD expandability (a couple bays would be nice) - i do realize this would increase the size of the unit
- Optical drive (BD not required)
Those are my hard and fast requirements - but I'd also like to run XBMC and some lightweight apps i.e. utorrent and the like.
Should I build or buy a system with these specs? I do have build experience, but not with an HTPC. My budget is probably somewhere in the 500-700 range.
Any input from people would be awesome! Thanks in advance!
What I'm looking for is a system with the following generic specs:
- HDMI and the ability to play high bitrate video seamlessly
- Onboard network adapter (wifi not a priority though)
- HDD expandability (a couple bays would be nice) - i do realize this would increase the size of the unit
- Optical drive (BD not required)
Those are my hard and fast requirements - but I'd also like to run XBMC and some lightweight apps i.e. utorrent and the like.
Should I build or buy a system with these specs? I do have build experience, but not with an HTPC. My budget is probably somewhere in the 500-700 range.
Any input from people would be awesome! Thanks in advance!