Building an HTPC

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ryken

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Ok, so I've been researching the heck out of HTPC components the past month, and have convinced the girlfriend it's a good idea to buy me a motherboard for Valentine's Day (I know, I know, I'm lucky), and I have a few questions for you knowledgeable folks.

I want my HTPC to do things:

1. Be Cheap
2. Play Blu-Ray in at least 720p through HDMI
3. Have 7.1 audio through HDMI to my Onkyo 606
4. Only have to run one HDMI cable out with both audio and video
5. Be a PVR/Blu-Ray database

I have a leftover case, PSU, hard drive, and DVD drive from another computer. The tuner card and blu-ray player will be purchases down the road. I also have a copy of Vista Ultimate 32-bit.

My big question is, will the following achieve all of my goals?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131318
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103211

Secondly, is it worth ten bucks to upgrade to the same ASUS board with GeForce 8300? And is that processor enough power?

Thanks in advance to any help given!
 
I recommend spending the extra $10 for the 8300 version of that mobo due to the better (assumption) audio chip on the 8300. Also, swap out the X2 5000+ for the X2 4850e since it uses less power but its performance is on par with the X2 5000+. With those changes, you will definitely meet all of your goals.

Also what PSU do you have?
 
Right now it's a 280W with 16amps on the only 12v rail. I figured if I run into stability issues I'll look at something else. Think it will be a problem?

Thanks for the heads up on the other AMD chip, that will be perfect, love the low draw.
 
I myself am building a HTPC shortly and would recomend going with a board that has the 780G chipset. I read somewhere (Tomshardware, HardOCP, Anandtech) that is decodes the video better. I am going to get this board however it is a ATX board but I know there are Micro-ATX versions if you want smaller.
 
EndersShadow said:
I myself am building a HTPC shortly and would recomend going with a board that has the 780G chipset. I read somewhere (Tomshardware, HardOCP, Anandtech) that is decodes the video better. I am going to get this board however it is a ATX board but I know there are Micro-ATX versions if you want smaller.
Click to expand...

AFAIK, it doesn't decode the video any better than the 8300 chipsets. Any link to the article you read?

In addition, you forget about the audio through HDMI support of the 780G. Even with the best 780G mobos coming from Gigabyte, the 780G chipset at most only supports 5.1 audio through HDMI. In fact, many 780G mobos only support 2.1 audio through HDMI. However, the 8200/8300 chipsets support 7.1 LCPM audio through HDMI, exactly what many HD content supports. Therefore, the 8200/8300 chipsets are better choices for HTPCs than the 780G chipset.

@ ryken
Who is the manufacturer of that PSU? While 16A on the +12V rail might be enough, I would only recommend using that kind of PSU if it's made by a quality manufacturer.
 
That psu is generic/doesn't have a brand name on it. I actually harvested an Antec Smart Power 350W psu from another computer I had laying around. It has two 12v rails with 10 and 15 amps each. Thinking that should be plenty.

I would definitely go with the 780G if it supported 7.1 through HDMI, but the lack of that paired with my Onkyo TX-SR606 just makes the 8300 the better choice. I've seen graphs of the two, and the performance is close on all benchmarks, with the winner changing from benchmark to benchmark.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.
 
Danny Bui said:
AFAIK, it doesn't decode the video any better than the 8300 chipsets. Any link to the article you read?
Click to expand...
It doesn't and:
1.) NV's chipset supports more/better features.
2.) Less issues with receivers and NV boards (ATI boards are incompatible with several different boards
3.) Tons better drvers for NV's IGP then ATI's.
 
Danny Bui said:
AFAIK, it doesn't decode the video any better than the 8300 chipsets. Any link to the article you read?

In addition, you forget about the audio through HDMI support of the 780G. Even with the best 780G mobos coming from Gigabyte, the 780G chipset at most only supports 5.1 audio through HDMI. In fact, many 780G mobos only support 2.1 audio through HDMI. However, the 8200/8300 chipsets support 7.1 LCPM audio through HDMI, exactly what many HD content supports. Therefore, the 8200/8300 chipsets are better choices for HTPCs than the 780G chipset.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected, sir. I was not aware that any board supported 7.1. I looked at my links and you are correct, it was a wash for the most part. I cannot find the main article (been researching HTPC's chipsets/tv tuners/receivers for around a year). My apologies.

Now I just have to throw everything I thought I knew out the window and restart looking for a new board...oh what joy.....:cool:
 
How can you tell if a motherboard supports 7.1 throught the HDMI port? I've searched high and low for this, and no one seems to say it on their site.

Trying to look at the difference between the Realtek ALC1200 audio chipser that comes with the 8300 and the VIA VT1708B chipset that comes with the 8200. Neither Newegg, Asus, or the chipset manufacturers seem to want to tell me!
 
ryken said:
How can you tell if a motherboard supports 7.1 throught the HDMI port? I've searched high and low for this, and no one seems to say it on their site.

Trying to look at the difference between the Realtek ALC1200 audio chipser that comes with the 8300 and the VIA VT1708B chipset that comes with the 8200. Neither Newegg, Asus, or the chipset manufacturers seem to want to tell me!
Click to expand...

All NV 8000 series (AMD) and all NV 9000 series (Intel) support 7.1 over HDMI; Intel's G45 does and Gigabyte's 780G supports it (IIRC, the 780G doesn't support but the audio chip this board does supports it).
 
EndersShadow said:
I myself am building a HTPC shortly and would recomend going with a board that has the 780G chipset. I read somewhere (Tomshardware, HardOCP, Anandtech) that is decodes the video better. I am going to get this board however it is a ATX board but I know there are Micro-ATX versions if you want smaller.
Click to expand...

780g doesnt do 7.1
 
from what I gathered at avs forum, the gigabyte 780 board supports 5.1, but some other manufacturer's 780 board only support 2.1

I also confirmed that all 8200/8300 boards support 7.1 through HDMI due to the audio controller for the HDMI being part of the chipset, and not the audio chipset. This means that no matter what audio chipset you have, it doesn't matter, you still have 7.1 HDMI audio. Wow, learning lots!
 
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