Builing a Budget HTPC...

[motolube]

I need your input before I go wasting hard earned money that I don't really have. I had a EVGA780i FTW SLI board with a Q9650 + 8GBs of Corsair DDR2
RAM that went belly up on me and I can't make it start. I tossed it away to the corner of the garage, all of a sudden my MoM & Dad need a new PC and I had a thought... why not make an HTPC & PC with the components I already have? they really don't need the latest technology to watch youtube video, check email, cruise the internet and stream a few football matches (the real one, the one you actually play with your foot ) on his HDTV.

So the question is... can I build an HTPC with what I have or will I be better off with everything new?

Components I already have...

Medium Case Alkum or Steel... I have a few I could spare.
New Rosswill Capstone 450w PSU
Used Intel Q9650 CPU
Used 8GBs DDR2 Ram
CD/DVD/r Rom
MSI 9600GT GPU
Windows 7 Ultimate 32/64 bits


Components I would need?...
New Motherboard ... Must have HDMI output and compatible with DDR2 RAM
1 TB HDD (max)


What do you guys think? will I be ok with this or better off with a DDR3 Mobo... if ok with DDR2 Mobo

1.- Which one will you go with, the best budget and easy use of HDMI... this is the most important for me, otherwise, I am going to have to hear my pops all day that he can't stream or watch on his big hdtv, every day and well, I love him to death but I wouldn't be able to handle it

 

[Dangman]

The main problem is your HDMI requirement for the motherboard. That sounds like you want to use the onboard video. Intel's onboard video for their socket 775 mobos weren't all that good and may not be able to handle a lot of current HD content well or even flash content.

If you can get a good socket 775 mobo, regardless of whether or not it has onboard video or HDMI, for under $40, I'd say it's worthwhile. For the video card and/or HDMI issue, just get the HD 6450 or HD 5450, whichever is cheaper. After that, you should be set.

Though just to be clear: What cases do you have to to spare?

 

[motolube]

Dangman, I don't really know if I am understanding you correctly, I know my way around computers but a Techky I am not... I will try to answer your questions and ask other questions regarding your post as well.

What gave you the idea that I want to use an Onboard Video? are you telling me the HDMI video comes out from an Onboard chipset and not from the Video Card? as you can see I am confuse.

My understanding, wrong as it may appear to be, was that the video would be coming from the primary video card, whether it was onboard or pci/pcie... is that not the case

I have about 2 cases but I am not sure of their brands, not really high ends but I have used them for workstations and as far as cooling, I have a few fans to spare if need be.

I am guessing that, ultimately, my best choice is to sell the Q9650 + Ram on eBay and just get a DDR3 mobo with a newer CPU with good video?

 

[Dangman]

What gave you the idea that I want to use an Onboard Video?

When you wrote this:

Components I would need?...
New Motherboard ... Must have HDMI output and compatible with DDR2 RAM

See how one can get the idea that you want to use onboard video?

are you telling me the HDMI video comes out from an Onboard chipset and not from the Video Card? as you can see I am confuse.

My understanding, wrong as it may appear to be, was that the video would be coming from the primary video card, whether it was onboard or pci/pcie... is that not the case

Not the case with older motherboards and CPUs. Basically, if there's an HDMI output on the motherboard itself, for the most part, the video is going to come from either the motherboard's onboard GPU or the CPU's onboard GPU (this particular feature was introduced around 2008 to 2009 IIRC). With that said, you don't have to use or need HDMi on the motherboard if the video card supports HDMI. You can save some money by going with a cheap DVI to HDMI adapter for your current 9600GT. If you want to cut down on power usage or noise levels, then get a new video card like the HD 5450/HD 6450.

I am guessing that, ultimately, my best choice is to sell the Q9650 + Ram on eBay and just get a DDR3 mobo with a newer CPU with good video?

Off the top of my head, you're looking at around $150 to $180 for a new CPU, mobo, and RAM.

 

[motolube]

I think I am going to sell the Q9650 + RAM and go the new route instead... Thanks

 

[Dangman]

You want advice on the new CPU, mobo, and RAM as well?

 

[motolube]

Sure, that would be sweet... I have built a few rigs but I can't never seem to figure out what works better with what and I usually have issues with incompatibility... one of the reasons I come here and bother you people LOL

 

[Dangman]

A bit more than I thought:
$65 - Intel Pentium G3220 CPU
$65 - Asus H81M-A LGA 1150 mATX Motherboard
$75 - Corsair CMV8GX3M1A1600C11 8GB DDR3 1600 RAM
---
Total: $205 plus tax and shipping

 

[motolube]

I think I can live with that, since it will be a regular htpc, I can use one of my old hdds for the os and the folks would be thrill... thanks a lot, my tax return should hit pretty soon and I will pull the trigger then.