Building An HTPC

A case is only the start of a home theater system and you will need a microATX motherboard, a CPU, memory, an HDD, a DVD+/-RW drive, a TV tuner card, a remote and an operating system to complete this one. Here are the details of this system.

Table 4: System Components

I used these parts because of their easy availability, low price and likeliness that they would mimic spare parts from a recently upgraded system. Your build, of course, will depend on individual system requirements.

Parts installed

The AMD CPU used here is an 89-watt unit. You can select lower-wattage units from either Intel or AMD to further lower power consumption and heat. Another feature that is missing is an IEEE1394 interface for the front panel, which can easily be added with a card or by selecting a board with one built in.

To complete the build, I selected Windows Vista Ultimate as the operating system.

To complete the install, a few special connections are required. There is a Molex connector that needs to be plugged in, to allow the power-on LED to light. The fans also have to be connected to a Molex connection. I had to dismount one of the fans and rotate it to allow its cable to reach the font area of the case. Otherwise, it would have touched the top of the motherboard and been in the way. You also have to make USB connection for the front panel.

Special Front Panel USB Connection

Finally, the 430 requires an FDD power connection for the front panel. The 430 V2 and Black 430 use a 3-pin power cable from the display to the 3-pin connector on the 24-pin ATX main power connector of the power supply. Therefore if you are swapping out the PSU you will need to contact Antec to purchase a special 24-pin Extender with the 3-pin connector to power the display.