HTPC Build

[jca08]

I've built a few PCs but this will be my first HTPC. I want to see what the pros have to say about it so please comment, especially if you see a way I can lower the price while maintaining quality and aesthetics.

My goal is to build a small, good-looking HTPC (with NAS capabilities) to go in our living room. It needs to do the following well:
1. Play movies (Blu-ray, streaming and archived) over HDMI with good audio output
2. Always-on NAS serving/storing files, music and videos for 2 to 3 computers to access
3. Stay cool, stable and quiet
4. Last priority is minimal gaming, word processing and internet

I would really like to lower the price but I am willing to pay for a product that will do what I want it to do well for the next 3 to 5 years so I guess my main questions are:
1. Do all of these components come together to form the best/most effective system for the price?
2. Can I cut costs anywhere while maintaining quality?
3. Will this do what I want it to do well?

Here is what I have currently put together:
Case: Moneual Moncaso 312B - $239.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0mocaso%20312b
Power Supply: Antec EarthWatts Green 430W ATX12V - $59.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817371034
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-785GMT-USB3 - $94.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128432
Processor: AMD Athlon II X2 240 Regor 2.8GHz AM3 65W Dual Core - $58.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103688
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2x2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM 1600 - $119.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231303
Hard Drive: OCZ Vertex OCZSSD2-1VTX30GXXX 2.5" 30GB SATA II SSD - $79.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227393
Optical Drive: LG Black Blu-Ray Disc SATA - $104.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827136183

TOTAL: $758.93

I know the price of the case is out of control...I want a good-looking case with card readers and USB on the front and access to the BD drive that can fit at least 2-3 hard drives. Are there similar cases for cheaper? My current plan is to put the system files on the SSD and then add HDs I have laying around and maybe a 2 drive RAID array in the future for data storage.

Is that Mobo/Processor combo powerful enough/too powerful? Is it versatile enough to serve whatever I throw at it into the next 3-5 years? Could it accommodate some gaming? Are the on-board graphics and audio enough to play home theater quality movies on par with or better than a devoted Blu-Ray player?

Thanks in advance to the PCMech community for any advice or edits. Thanks for all the help I've received from you guys in the past as well.

- Josh

[Bob338]

I'm in the same process and not nearly as far along as you are. I haven't seen much on HTPC's on this site but I'm sure the expertise is here. The problem is that the focus isn't; at least I haven't seen it yet. I found this article that's a primer: http://blogs.amd.com/home/2009/08/19...budget-part-1/
That site has quite a bit of other information on them. Hope it helps and I hope you get responses here as I definitely want to do this.

[XenaWP]

The guys here have great advice on PCs.

But the real experts on HTPCs are at AVS Forums. There are extensive forums on both hardware and OS/software issues. Extensive.

[Bob338]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/index.php?

[jca08]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, guys. I've got a more active thread over at Missing Remote now. I do have a couple questions that might be pertinent to the PCMech community:

What is the difference between the Gigabyte GA-MA785GM US2H and the GA-785GMT USB3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128394 vs http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128432) beyond USB 3.0 support? If that is the only difference, is USB 3.0 worth the extra $15 and is it coming soon? Are there other comparable or better motherboards out there for a similar or better price?

My other PCMech question was about the RAM. I've heard GLC recommend putting at least 4GB into any new build. Does this hold true for a build like this? Is this lower latency 1600 DDR3 too much for this system and is it even optimized by this FSB and Mobo/CPU combo?

I'm really trying to drop the price on this system now, does anyone from PCMech have any recommendations?

Thanks to PCMech as usual.

- J

[glc]

DDR3-1333 is plenty good enough.

[jca08]

Thanks again. I've updated my components list to reflect all of your suggestions and I have just a few more questions:

1. The only difference I can see between the Gigabyte GA-785GMT-USB3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128432) and the Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128394) is the USB 3.0. Is this really the only difference and is it worth the $15 extra dollars?

2. Does latency make a big difference with the RAM? Currently, I'm debating either getting 2x1GB sticks of CAS Latency 6 and adding 2 more of the same sticks later OR getting 2x2GB sticks of CAS Latency 7 or 9 RAM now. Which is the more effective choice that will make the most difference?

3. Any other tweaks I should make? Any other recommendations?

Updated Components:
Case: Moneual Moncaso 312B - $239.99 (OR Chieftec HIFI HM-02B-OP - $194.99)
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-785GMT-USB3 - $94.99
Processor: AMD Athlon II X2 240 Regor 2.8GHz AM3 65W Dual-Core - $58.99
Hard Drive: OCZ Vertex Series OCZSSD2-1VTX30GXXX 30GB SSD SATA II - $79.99
Optical: Lite-On Blue-Ray SATA 4X - $64.99
Memory: Geil 2GB (2x1GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1333 Dual Channel CAS Latency 6 - $84.99
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12II 330 Bronze 330W - $45.99

TOTAL: $669.93 OR $625 with cheaper case

[glc]

You will never notice the difference between low and high latency ram in a HTPC. I personally would be putting a 2x2 kit of 1333 CAS 9 in it to save money. MORE ram is better than FASTER ram.