the newer C-Media chipsets. Only really necessary if you haven't got 6ch input on your receiver though, since DD is a lossy compression. And agreed, an 'HTPC on a budget' article would be a *great* idea... difficult to pull off, but great nonetheless. For...

when it comes to building HTPC's? Another finely written article...thanks for the info! Covered many pitfalls that I hadn't really thought about. Ditto, Tom's has the best articles! I think that a small form factor is essential to the HTPC. I have always...

recommend against overclocking, if you really need more speed, spend more on a faster CPU. HTPC's aren't roomy to begin with, and airflow isn't so great with the small form factor cases. Also, places where people tend to stick HTPCs, cramped spaces surrounded...

something with a built in gpu so i dont have to bother with vid card. also, i dont want to go with a small form factor (dont want to deal with trying to squish everything into a small box. and i have plenty of room for a full size case) . thanks for the...

Very Open-Ended Budget HTPC!. After building my new i7 powerhouse and cannibalizing two older computers for WHS, I've turned my sights toward my first HTPC. I've wanted to build one for years, but have never had a nice enough TV to justify it. I just inherited...

trying to mesh his TV and computing resources into one capable unit. Since my tube is just a 19" 720p, I really would prefer the small form factor of a microATX case. Other than that, aesthetics aren't important. Here's what I have in my Newegg cart: Intel...

and Blu-Rays - Get a video stream from HAVA video over my home network - Occasional light browsing - Occasional ripping It needs to be QUIET and small form factor. I also want it to boot quickly and make it easy for the family to use. I also don't want...

a small footprint, quiet and cool. Ok, so here is my question... I'm building an HTPC and want to stay with a mini-ITX motherboard and form factor for size reasons. But I don't want to go with an Intel Atom processor, I'd rather go with something more powerful...

if i should get an amd phenom II 710 instead? all purpose computer Are you trying to build an "all purpose computer" in an HTPC form factor case? Or are you trying to build a HTCP which I though was more along the lines of a PC used on a hdtv with DVR support...