First Media Center Build

[Doom]

I've built two gaming systems based on reading, research, and a lot of help from the PC Mech forums. My first build was two years ago and I'm still so happy it's almost scary.

I'm scrapping my home phone and DirecTV package as I think they're too expensive. In their place, we have the best high-speed connection we can in Omaha (i.e. FIOS doesn't exist here). My plan is to build a media center for playing music, surfing the web, watching Netflix downloads, TV via hulu.com and (if we need it) phone or teleconference. This system will not be running games (PS3 and Wii for that)...except stuff like "Zuma."

I'm comfortable picking components and the like...but I'm curious if there are any things I should know about building a media center that won't be anything like my gaming rigs. Any advice is appreciated, but specifically:

- If I have a video card w/ an HDMI output and connect it direct to the TV...will audio be included in that? This is kind of a big deal since I need to run audio from my TV to a Bose. Other option is running an adapter from on-board audio to RCA connectors.
- Should I be looking at a MicroATX form factor?
- Any case considerations I should keep in mind?
- Any hard drive considerations (am I looking at multiple 1TB drives)?

Thanks as always. These forums rock.

[glc]

Audio will be included if you use an ATI card with native HDMI. Make sure it's also HDCP. No need to go high end, something like a 5450 is plenty adequate.

Get something like a WD Black 500gb for the OS and software, then start adding 1tb drives as needed for your data.

[Doom]

Okay...thinking of the following to start things off:

Case: Cooler Master Centurion MicroATX Tower
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811119088

CPU: Core i3 2.93GHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115222

Mobo: MSI MicroATX (is MSI any good...all the ASUS stuff had on-board video which I don't need or didn't have very good ratings on Newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813130253

Sound: On Board

Video: nVidia GT240 (I'm an nVidia fan...their website indicated that the GT240 states that the card has internal audio input for HDMI...I assume this means audio will go into my TV via the HDMI connection)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121353

PSU: Corsair 450W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139003

Wireless: Linksys PCI card I already own (I'm streaming audio from main home PC upstairs via wireless router)

OS and details on hard drives TBD. I'm thinking of windows 7, a 500GB drive for OS and software, and a 1TB drive for media. I'll be streaming audio via a PC upstairs. Hard drive on this system is pretty much for video.

Thoughts?

[Doom]

Oh yeah...since there is no intent for gaming on this system...will integrated video be adequate? Was also looking at and thinking about...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813121355

w/ an appropriate processor of course

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115206

[glc]

Trust me - for a HTPC you want an ATI card. Nvidia cards are for gamers. The mobo you want is an Asus P7P55-M.

[Doom]

Thanks. Whenever I check ratings on newegg..the ASUS boards seem to come up lower, but everybody on these forums swear by them. Time for me to experience ASUS.

[Tin]

I have a couple Acer Aspire Revo's for my media centers. With XBMC, they play 1080p just fine, even with a single-core Atom CPU. Im also running a MythTV front end on mine, so they also serve well as DVRs. If youre not playing games, theyre perfect for a media center.