My HTPC config

[pprajaa]

Hi guys,

I am planning to build a HTPC for my home theatre. My main use for the HTPC is to play blu-rays and play games. I wont be using this comp 24*7.

This is what i have planned.

Processor:
i5 - 3570K / 3.3 GHz
Or
i5 - 3470 / 3.1 GHz

Mother Board:
Z77 mother board with cross fire support(2 PCI 3.0 slots) and atleast 2 sata 6.0 gb/s port
Guys i need your help here.

Ram:
G.skill Ripjaws DDR3 1600MHz Desktop RAM (F3-12800CL9S-4GBXL) - 3 * 4GB
or
Corsair DDR3 1600MHz Desktop Memory (CMZ4GX3M1A1600C9) - 3 * 4GB

SMPS
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

Graphics Card
SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition OC 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102983
This one i have already purchased.

Hard Disk
Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200RPM SATA
Also wil add a 60 gb ssd if my budget permits.

Cabinet Case:
Some normal Case as i am from india and it is difficult and expensive to get a media centre cabinet here.

Blu Ray Drive:
Asus or Lite on bly ray writer.

Also i dont need a monitor as i am connecting this system to my Panasoic AE-700 projector through my denon
AVR - 3312 AV receiver

Guys your suggestions are welcome. Its been so long since i build a new system. So I need all the help i could get.
Thank you guys

 

[sadams04]

Waaaaaay overkill for an HTPC setup.

MB - ASRock A75M-ITX - $90 + $7 shipping
CPU - AMD A6-3650 w/ HD 6530D - $85
GPU - Integrated HD 6530D
MEM - 2 x 2GB DDR3-1600 (a pair of modules, not 3 x 2gb)
SSD - Opt up to a 128GB ssd. 60GB is just to small even with a 1TB along side.

I stuffed the above setup into the case below and am very happy.
CASE + PSU - Thermaltake Element Q mITX w/ 200W PSU - $65 + $10 shipping

If you want to stick with Intel, look toward an I3 or G860. Even with those "smaller" CPUs you won't come close to hitting a CPU threshold in an HTPC role.

Now... what exactly do you mean by "play games"? This could take you right back to an i5, but if you are truely looking for an HTPC before a gaming machine then the APU is a good option.

 

[azeem40]

I would not get a Thermaltake PSU, no matter how underpowered the build may be. Get a EA380D.

 

[pprajaa]

Waaaaaay overkill for an HTPC setup.



If you want to stick with Intel, look toward an I3 or G860. Even with those "smaller" CPUs you won't come close to hitting a CPU threshold in an HTPC role.

Now... what exactly do you mean by "play games"? This could take you right back to an i5, but if you are truely looking for an HTPC before a gaming machine then the APU is a good option.

I am not a fan of amd thats y choosing Intel. Some bad experiences in the past.

Also I want to play all the latest games and future games on my htpc. So only chose hd 7870 for this purpose.

 

[pprajaa]

Guys need more advices ?

 

[diellur]

If you want to play the latest games on this system, you're building a gaming rig that will be used for media purposes also. A HTPC and a gaming rig are on opposite ends of the hardware spectrum, basically. Your current system will play games well enough, but it'll also be noisy...you'll hear it over any movie or TV show you're playing.

Check my sig...I have a gaming system and an HTPC. You can get newer components for both now, but it makes the point about differing component types.

 

[pprajaa]

Rite now i can afford one system only. (Not only money is the concern here, but no more space in my home theatre room)

I opted for the SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition OC 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 because it runs cooler than other 7870 cards because of twin fans. I am ready to go for a after market cooler for my processor if I find that the system is nosiy.

Also what you think of the smps i had mentioned in my build.
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3899435&SID=skim1402X558040X9e3bc245c5cdea9801779d66986f28cc

 

[diellur]

The level of noise off of this system will be perceptible regardless of what CPU cooler you use...trust me, I spent a long time getting a quiet HTPC put together. You can definitely use a gaming PC for watching media, but don't expect it to be a true HTPC...it's not. And it may very well annoy you in the long-term!

 

[pprajaa]

My config is

Intel - 3570 K
AsRock Z77 extreme6 mother board
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000) Desktop Memory Model F3-17000CL11D
H-212 CPU cooler
Safire HD7870 OC Graphics card
Intel 330 60 GB SSD
Segate 1 TB harddisk
Asus Internal Blu ray Writer
Antec EA 750 PSU
Cooler Master Chasis Elite 430 with side window

Was busy couldn't update this thread.

Also i have one problem now, I am currently using this ram

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231468&name=Desktop-Memory
timing: 11-11-11-30

Planning to upgrade ram to 16GB Since my H212 cooler is blocking one of the Ram Slots, I am planning to use this ram

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231552&name=Desktop-Memory
timing:11-11-11

or this ram

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231554&name=Desktop-Memory

timing:9-11-1o

Which is the best low profile RAM for my configuration of the above two.



Also I don't hear the CPU cooler fan or the chasis fan when I play games or watch movies.

 

[Erus00]

Mine is

OrigenAE s10V case
Corsair HX 650 PSU
4 x 4 Gigabyte Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 1600 Mghz
i5-2320, working on a i7-3770.
Noctua NH-L12 CPU cooler
Gigabyte GA-H77M-D3H Motherboard
Zotac Nvidia GT 640, Also have Sapphire HD 7750 but been having driver issues.
Panasonic UJ265 6x Blu-Ray drive.
1 TB Seagate Barracuda
120 Gb Samsung 840 SSD

Still a work in progress though. This system has been silent except for the Zotac card. Its still not very loud. The Sapphire card is silent but I can't get it working right.

 

[Outlander_04]

So much wrong with the original build ... its hard to know where to start

5 mins later

After much pondering I tossed a coin
Triple channel RAM kit designed for an entirely different motherboard and processor that would actually harm performance and void the warranty on the i5 because of the too high voltage

 

[Erus00]

So much wrong with the original build ... its hard to know where to start

5 mins later

After much pondering I tossed a coin
Triple channel RAM kit designed for an entirely different motherboard and processor that would actually harm performance and void the warranty on the i5 because of the too high voltage

You used the triple channel kit on your motherboard?