New HTPC Build Help

[Kenny536]

I am building an HTPC for my parent's home. I have less than a week to research because I need to have it built and ready to go in two weeks. The budget is around 2500 but that is flexible.

I am new to this stuff and I need help. I have built a PC before, but I still don't know a lot about this. I have been researching a bit lately, but it is hard to figure out where to begin. I am hoping you guys can ask my questions to narrow down what it is exactly that I want.

This is going to be from scratch, meaning I also need to purchase a TV as well.

The majority of the $ will be going toward the TV, which is going to be 55" at the very minimum. Should have specified that, sorry.

Basically, what the HTPC will be used for is:

-Netflix/Watching movies that we have downloaded/blueray movies
-Streaming youtube videos
-Webcam chatting
-Playing music
-Viewing family pictures

I have Dish network. The Dish already has DVR playback. That has nothing to do with the HTPC - that is just something separate, because I think it will be too much of a hassle to integrate satellite into the HTPC.

It will be HDMI. We do have an external hard drive, but I'm sure it won't be enough and we'll have to store things in the HTPC hard-drive, or if it gets too loud, upstairs on the desktop PC and then network it to the HTPC downstairs somehow.

I was going to start from here, but a lot of that stuff in the link is over my head. From what I gather, I should figure out the type of mobo, because that will determine the type of case (form factor). It's a shame that the most recent edition (holiday edition) - he is making you pay for

I'm the type of person that likes to research everything to death before purchasing, to ensure that I get the most bang for my buck. So I tend to stray away from generic cookie cutter build recommendations, especially if it is outdated. But I would still consider the various parts on an individual basis.

Anything would be appreciated including:

• links to guides for htpcs
• links to good deals for tvs/pc parts
• any advice/guidance

Would this suit my needs? Boxee - Watch Movies, TV Shows and clips from the Internet on your TV.

Thanks!

[Kenny536]

Budget wise for the actual HTPC - I was thinking 400, 600 at the very most but I'd prefer to stay under. I already have an OS CD for win 7 so that isn't an issue.

I was thinking about a SSD instead of an HDD. Why do you recommend an HDD? I am reading that SSD have quicker access time, lower power consumption, and less latency.

How would I go about choosing the form factor? You think the case should determine the form factor? I thought it would be vice versa, since mobo is more important I am assuming.

[glc]

Why do you recommend an HDD?

COST. Below is a recommended component list, and with the SSD it's about $65 over your budget.

Newegg.com - nMEDIAPC Black Aluminum / Acrylic / Steel HTPC 5000B Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

Newegg.com - Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

Newegg.com - ASUS P7H55-M PRO LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Newegg.com - Intel Core i3-550 Clarkdale 3.2GHz 4MB L3 Cache LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Desktop Processor BX80616I3550

Newegg.com - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 Desktop Memory Model CMV4GX3M2A1333C9

Newegg.com - Intel X25-M SSDSA2MH080G2K5 2.5" 80GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARS 2TB 64MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Newegg.com - Sony Optiarc Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA CD/DVD Burner - CD / DVD Burners

Replacing the SSD with this drive will get you back under budget:

Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

[Kenny536]

Thanks glc. Isn't that overkill though for my purposes? Like the processor and the RAM and things like that? Will it really affect video quality?

My parents have DISH network - at first I was not going to bother integrating it. But I just want to be sure. Is it really a big hassle? I thought it was based on reading this.

Is a HTPC w/ Dish Network possible? - DBSTalk.Com

Am I missing something? Do I not just need a tuner card and coax? Also, the DISH receiver is upstairs, and the HTPC will be downstairs, so that may be another problem right?

As far as the CPU - could I not just buy a decent CPU and then offload some the processing power to the GPU - is that feasible? I heard it may not work in Netflix though.

So here is what I am thinking for price range:

Mobo - ~$60 (most likely microATX)
CPU - ~$60 (maybe a dual core AMD?)
GPU - ~$80 (HDCP-capable, and maybe even passively cooled)
RAM - ~$40 (ddr3, 2gb is fine, 4 is overkill)
HDD - ~$70 (2TB!)
PSU - ~$?? (modular?)
Case - ~$??
Case Fan - Necessary??
Blu-Ray/DVD Player - ~??
Blue-ray software - will I need to buy this?
OS - Win7 Home 32 bit (I have the trial version)
Media center - XMBC or WMC (free)

TV - ~$1500 (55+", HDMI, 1080P)
Speakers - ~?? (surround wireless? Probably too expensive)
Remote - ~?? (MCE?)

How does that all look? Am I missing things? Wireless card? Do I need that? Should I do OTA HD?

Thanks for all the help.

[quartet-man]

GLC picks out quality components, without waste, and as much in budget as he can. So, assuming he knew your needs, and special requests (SSD), that is probably the best you can do without skimping somewhere.

[Bob338]

Originally Posted by Kenny536 I have Dish network. The Dish already has DVR playback. That has nothing to do with the HTPC - that is just something separate, because I think it will be too much of a hassle to integrate satellite into the HTPC.

The link you include in another post is referring to HD, not to Dish itself. I have a Hauppage card in my desktop and can play Dish on my monitor. It's not a big deal and a very simple connection. Any card that is HD capable can be included in your HTPC. You'll connect your Dish receiver through the card in your HTPC and the output, which must be HDMI, to your HD capable TV set. Not a hassle at all.

[glc]

You don't need a video card when the motherboard has onboard HDMI.

Yes, you NEED a 2 TB drive when you start using the thing as a DVR.

[Kenny536]

Thanks glc and everyone else.

So my family decided they don't want anything less than a 60 inch TV.

Right now, the best deal I can find is this one: LG 60" 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV

Newegg.com - LG 60" 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV 60LD550

This is a recent deal on Newegg - 1300 for the LD550. It was sold out last night but it looks like they restocked. It is relatively the same price as the PK550. Putting aside the plasma vs lcd discussion, it still seems like it is better than the PK550 (60 inch plasma). What do you guys think?


Regarding HTPCS, I think it will be easier for me to decide on one thing at a time. So right now, I will focus on CPU and motherboard.

Based on what I want to do, please help me weigh the cost and benefits of the following:

Also, please feel free to suggest other options!

CPU OPTIONS:

- AMD Athlon II X2 240 (2.8Ghz) - $57
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X2 240 Regor 2.8GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor ADX240OCGQBOX

- AMD Athlon II X2 245 Regor 2.9GHz - $60
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X2 245 Regor 2.9GHz 2 x 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor ADX245OCGQBOX

- AMD Athlon II X3 445 Rana 3.1GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor - $77
Newegg.com - AMD Athlon II X3 445 Rana 3.1GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Desktop Processor ADX445WFGMBOX

- AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition 3.2GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core - $90
Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor - C3 Revision HDZ555WFGMBOX

I don't see any reason to go with the $57 when I can pay $3 more for the 2.9 Ghz. But is the triple core the best deal? Or is it even needed?

MOBO OPTIONS:

- MSI 740G Motherboard mATX AM3 - $50 (integrated ATI Radeon 2100)
Newegg.com - MSI 740GM-P25 AM3 AMD 740G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

- GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM mATX - $70 (integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200)
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-MA785GM-US2H AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
or
Newegg.com - ASUS M4A785-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

- ASRock 880GMH/USB3 Micro ATX - $82 - (integrated ATI Radeon HD 4250)
Newegg.com - ASRock 880GMH/USB3 AM3 AMD 880G HDMI USB 3.0 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

- GIGABYTE GA-880GM-UD2H AM3 AMD 880G Micro ATX - $90 (integrated ATI Radeon HD 4250)
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-880GM-UD2H AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

CPU/MOBO COMBO:

- ASUS M4A785-M Micro ATX: $65 (integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200)
- AMD Phenom II X3 Black Edition Heka 2.8 GHz Triple Core - $76
Combo Discount: -$15
Combo Price: $126
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

- ASUS M4A88T-M AM3 AMD 880G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard: $85 (integrated ATI Radeon HD 4250)
- AMD Athlon II X2 260 Regor 3.2GHz - $68
Combo Discount: -$17.00
Combo Price: $136
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

- GIGABYTE GA-MA785 Micro ATX: $70 (integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200)
- AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2 GHz Dual Core: $90
Combo Discount: -$15
Combo Price: $145
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

HTPC COMBO:

$501
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

OTHER COMBO:

$250
Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

What do you guys think?

[glc]

Sorry, I can't give you any more input. I only work with Intel processors and Asus motherboards and it looks like you want neither. Someone else who works with AMD and non-Asus motherboards is going to have to help you any further. Good luck!

[Kenny536]

I don't have any problem with Intel or ASUS. Honestly, I don't think I am knowledgeable enough in this subject to form a respectable opinion on the matter. I actually did list some ASUS mobos in the combo deals I posted.
If you think those manufacturers will give me a better "bang for the buck" then I am all open to your suggestions/recommendations.

The only reason I did not list your CPU and MOBO recommendations in your initial post was because I thought it would be overkill for my purposes. Do you disagree? Perhaps you recommended that because I gave a $2500 budget, but that budget included the TV. Let's say that the budget is $500ish instead. We are likely going to buy a $1600 Sony - BRAVIA 60" Class / 1080p / 120Hz / LED-LCD HDTV - KDL60EX700 (DISPLAY MODEL) from Sam's Club tomorrow. No tax!

Thanks.

[glc]

No, I don't think an i3 is overkill. Prices change daily it seems, and now the i3-540 is a better deal. When I posted the original list, the 550 was the same price.

Remember, you won't need a video card, just a TV card of some sort. The motherboard has HDMI out.

I'd rather spend a bit more for an Asus board than other brands, because they have been consistently good for me for many years. I can't say the same about other brands.

I think you may be trying to pinch the PC budget just a bit too tight.

[quartet-man]

I've seen GLC try to talk people out of certain purchases here because they were overkill and not needed. He goes for the best components and the best prices that will meet the needs. So, take what he says seriously.

[glc]

I always try to find the "sweet spot" between reliability, performance, and price.

[quartet-man]

That is what I like to do. You get the top of the line stuff and you pay through the nose, it might be unproven, might not even take off (think Beta, Laserdiscs, Dvx, minidiscs etc.) and it depreciates quickly. You skimp and pay more in the long run and have hassles. The sweet spot gets you the most for your money, lasts about as long as the newer stuff, and is time-tested.

[Kenny536]

I like to do that as well, to the best of my ability any way. Yes quartet, I do take what glc says seriously, and he has helped me in the past with other things.

glc - So I think I have a pretty good grasp on what kind of CPU/Mobo to purchase. I think I will most likely heed your advice and go with the i3. But for now, I have shifted focus today since we just bought a TV.
We purchased a $1600 Sony - BRAVIA 60" Class / 1080p / 120Hz / LED-LCD HDTV - KDL60EX700 (DISPLAY MODEL) from Sam's Club - no tax.

Next thing I want to focus on is the speaker system, which I am a complete newbie at, but I have been researching a bit.

Budget max is $400-450ish - is there anything out there like this for that price that meets the below requirements?

Living Room - 17x20x17
Kitchen - 17x12x9
The wireless rear speakers in the kitchen will be 30 feet away from the TV.

Home theater surround sound system requirements:

- 5.1
- wireless rear speakers (or cheap enough for me to buy a wireless rear kit like Rocketfish for $100?)
- HDMI input
- AV Receiver (either dedicated or included in the blueray or DVD player)
- reasonably high wattage
- DTS-HD or TrueHD audio format (how important is this?)
- good cross over design and THD
- 14 guage speaker wire should be adequate (right?)

Anyone know anything that meets this criteria?

So the best deal I've found so far is the Sony HTS-S370 - which meets all the above requirements besides the wireless rear speakers, which would be an additional 75-100$ to purchase (RocketFish). There was a recent deal in the past few months where this system, with a coupon code, was about $235 shipped - unfortunately, it is about a $100 more than that now. Anyone have any good deals/recommedations or advice?

Thanks!

P.S. We also purchased this for the universal remote:

Amazon.com: Lenovo Multimedia Remote with Keyboard: Electronics
Right now, it is $26 shipped with a coupon code

[Bob338]

Audio is pretty personal. I put in some Polk speakers which I bought individually after listening to each. Have no recollection what I paid for them and they are still available. I was able to negotiate a bit at Fry's. The rear speakers truly don't add much in my estimation and I recessed a couple of decent inexpensive ones in the ceiling for the rear speakers, either 8" or 10", don't recall. To my ear I get most of the good sound from the center and side speakers, and the bass for ochestral audio from the bass boom box. I'd guess I paid about $700 about 6 years ago. Look and listen to Polk, good bang for the buck.

I used an Onkyo receive, I believe it's 140W per channel but the sound in my room hasn't turned out to my liking. I have hearing loss and its sound is a bit too smooth for good listening. I would in retrospect chosen a Yamaha which has a bit more tinny sound I hear better. Again, it is personal and I'd suggest an audio store where you can hear the sound. The deficiency to my ear is what is causing me to replace the Onkyo with an HTPC, which I will do in due course.

[Kenny536]

I have been researching speaker systems heavily the last couple days, and I think I finally have a winner that meets all my requirements.

Sony HT-SS370 1 kW 5.1 Home Theater System

It is $258 shipped at thenerds.net with the -$8 holiday couponcode.

With the Bravia Sync, it is a perfect fit with our new Bravia TV.

The two requirements that it does not meet, by itself, is the wireless rear speakers and the true-HD/DTS-HD audio decoding in the A/V receiver.

The wireless rear speakers problem can be solved with the universal Rocketfish set, so +$110 (but we have a gift card!).

As for the true-HD/DTS-HD, that can still be done via LPCM even if the AV/Receiver does not decode that audio format. I have a PS3 and the blueray on there will do the decoding for those HD audio formats - so the blueray will do the decoding and send it to the A/V receiver.

So knowing that I am doing this, will it change any of the requirements for the hardware I need? I'll still be fine without a dedicated GPU? Whether that is having the GPU in the mobo, or included in the Intel i3 Clarkdale, either one will support the true-HD and everything else, right? Are there any problems that you guys anticipate I will have?

So the total will be:

$259 - Speaker system
$110 - Rocketfish
$15 - Tall front speaker stands
$238 - Pinnacle 56 Inch TV Stand with 2 Glass Doors - NEX1210 [link]

= $622

Now that all this is done, I can refocus on the HTPC hardware!

[David M]

Have you read the reviews on the Sony speaker system? There may be something better out there for less money. Sony tends to be proprietary and expensive for what you get. I would have a look at Polk Audio through Amazon before purchasing.

[Kenny536]

The other two alternatives that had everything I wanted was a Denon and an Onkyo. Which would have been fine as well, I'm sure.

But this had 1000 wattage, Bravia Sync and the reviews were 4.5 stars out of 5, and it seems like a great deal.

[Kenny536]

Do you guys see any need for an additional blu-ray player in my HTPC if I am already going to have one in my SONY PS3, which will be with the HDTV anyway, since it is needed for the trueHD/DTS-HD decoding. Also, wouldn't I need to buy blu-ray software if I went with a blu-ray player/DVD combo drive? I'm thinking of just going with a $15-20 DVDRW drive and leaving the blu-ray playing to the PS3, just to save $40 - although I know the ps3 can play dvds as well

Here is what I am thinking now - please let me know your opinion on this build for the HTPC:

-Intel Core i3-540 Clarkdale 3.06GHz LGA 1156 73W Dual-Core Desktop Processor BX80616I3540
-ASUS P7H55-M/CSM LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
-G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3
-Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal HDD
After combo discount for the 4 above (-$33)
= $300

CASE:

I am thinking this case will be perfect for the price:
Newegg.com - nMEDIAPC Black Aluminum / Acrylic / Steel HTPC 6000B ATX Media Center / HTPC Case
$70 nMEDIAPC Black HTPC 6000B ATX Media Center / HTPC Case
With that case, there is no need to buy an internal card reader.

PSU:

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ600MXSP 600W (Modular)
$63 with promo + $20 MIR

total = $433
- MIR = $413
Should I get this PSU instead?
Link

Am I forgetting anything? I will be using my ps3 as the blu-ray/DVD drive.

Will all these things be compatible with what I want to do? Am I missing any ports that I will need? Will I need anything else?

What about wires?
Besides an HDMI cable, what else will I need?
I was told that I may need an adapter cable from video card to TV? Are they called displayport to HDMI cables?
DisplayPort Adapters
I am here, but I am not sure which one I need.. especially when they assign genders to the adapters.

Do I need to purchase any other remotes aside from the Lenovo one I purchased? I noticed that has buttons to forward, play, rewind, and things like that along with functioning as a keyboard and mouse. Will I be able to sync all that with my PS3 blurays/DVDs? What about the DISH?

Thanks!

[glc]

1. We don't recommend G.skill ram due to quality and compatibility issues. We recommend Corsair, Crucial, Kingston, or A-Data.

2. We do not recommend Seagate drives. If you want a quiet drive, get a WD AV-GP, those are optimized for HTPC applications.

3. If you want a modular PSU in the lower budget range, get an Antec BP550 Plus.

Newegg.com - Antec BP550 Plus 550W Continuous Power ATX12V V2.2 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply

4. If you want to use the PS3 for playing movies, that's fine - but you do need an optical for installing software if nothing else. Buy the cheapest DVD burner of the day - today it's a LG.

Newegg.com - LG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD±RW SuperMulti Drive

[David M]

Originally Posted by Kenny536 The other two alternatives that had everything I wanted was a Denon and an Onkyo. Which would have been fine as well, I'm sure. But this had 1000 wattage, Bravia Sync and the reviews were 4.5 stars out of 5, and it seems like a great deal.

Check if that is 1000 watts RMS or 1000 watts peak. There is big difference. I would not put it past Sony to rate it in peak watts.

[Kenny536]

David - I already purchased it so I don't want to look into it anymore :P

glc - Thanks for the tips - please let me know what you think of my build now

CPU/MOBO Combo:

Intel Core i3-550 Clarkdale 3.2 GHz
+ ASUS P7G55-M PRO

- $220 Newegg


Hard Drive:

Western Digital 1.5 TB Caviar Green SATA Intellipower 64 MB Cache Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive WD15EARS by Western Digital

- $60 Amazon


PSU:

Ill just go with the non-modular PSU, 30$ after MIR.
Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W Continuous power ATX12V v2.3 / EPS12V 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC Power Supply

- $30 Newegg


RAM:

CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333

- $44 Newegg


DVD Burner:

LG DVD±RW SuperMulti Drive Black SATA Model GH22NS50B
- $16 Newegg

= $370

Now that I think about it, perhaps I should get the blu-ray player for $40 - only $24 more. Since the PS3 will not be able to rip blu-rays, and the blu-ray player on the PC will. Unfortunately, it is sold out now, but I will just wait until it is back.
Newegg.com - LITE-ON Black 4X BD-ROM 8X DVD-ROM 32X CD-ROM SATA Internal 4X Blu-ray Reader Model iHOS104-06 - Blu-Ray Drives

So that would make the total $354.

Will I need to use a TV tuner card for anything? Integrating the DISH satellite to the HTPC? Is that possible? Or is the TV tuner card just for recording DISH programs on to the HTPC?

I apparently have the following stuff lying around from a couple years back:
extra wireless adapter, tv tuner card, and a NVIDIA eGeforce-8600GTS

I can put the first two things to use, any need for the dedicated GPU? Just unnecessary clutter, right?

Lastly, I'm thinking of integrating bluetooth as well, but I doubt that comes with the motherboard. I'll just go with a USB bluetooth receiver for cheap.

[glc]

The 8600GTS, unless it's fanless, will just add noise and make a 380 watt PSU marginal.

I would not get a Green "EARS" drive for a primary drive. It's a good storage drive though. I think if you only want one drive, an AV-GP is a better choice.

You mean the P7H55-M Pro, right? It has 2 legacy PCI slots - so a wireless adapter and tuner card will fit.

The Blu-Ray drive you chose does not burn anything, it's just a reader. Your case only has room for one optical drive. So, get this combo drive:

Newegg.com - LITE-ON Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Disc Combo Model iHES208-08 LightScribe Support

[Kenny536]

Thanks glc.

So just to be sure, that blu-ray drive that you linked to will READ blurays, dvds, and cds and will WRITE dvds and cds, right? If so, it's pretty good for $50 and I may just go with that.

Could you please elaborate on your reasoning for avoiding the green EARS for the primary drive? I noticed you recommended the 2TB version of that drive in an earlier post. Although you did recommend another drive along with that one, so I guess that makes sense. I still want to know the reasoning behind your logic so I can look for a good deal accordingly.

Yes, it is the P7H55-M PRO. Do you think I should do OTA HD with the TV tuner card? I heard someone say that OTA HD is better. What is your opinion?

Thanks!

[glc]

that blu-ray drive that you linked to will READ blurays, dvds, and cds and will WRITE dvds and cds, right?

Correct.

The Green drives are low power, variable speed drives that really only run at 5400 rpm. The EARS is an advanced format drive and will not work well with anything older than Vista. It's a great storage drive but it would slow down your software and OS as a primary drive. The AV-GP is a good compromise for a primary drive.

You can watch OTA-HD simply by connecting an antenna to the TV, but if you want to DVR it, you are going to need a card. Then again, does Dish give you your local OTA channel feeds? I'm not really up on that aspect - all I have here is cable and I do not have a HTPC. If I want to watch a movie I just pop a DVD into the settop player.

[Kenny536]

Thanks a lot glc! Everything below has been ordered (besides the HDMI cables)

1 x ($49.99) BD COMBO LITE-ON | IHES208-08 R $49.99
1 x ($74.99) HD 1T|WD SATA2 WD10EVDS % - OEM $74.99
1 x ($43.99) MEM 2Gx2|CORSAIR CMV4GX3M2A1333C9 R $43.99
1 x ($69.99) HTPC CASE NMEDIAPC|HTPC 6000B BK RT $69.99
1 x ($44.99) PSU ANTEC| EA-380D GREEN RT $44.99
1 x ($124.99) CPU INTEL|CORE I3 550 3.20G 4M R $124.99
1 x ($109.99) MB ASUS P7H55-M PRO RT $109.99
1 x ($-9.99) DISCOUNT FOR COMBO #564761$-9.99
= $515 with shipping and rush processing

+ $5 - HDMI cables
+ $2 - bluetooth USB receiver
+ $259 - Speaker system (5.1 1000W Sony HT-SS370)
+ $106 - Rocketfish Universal Kit (RF-WHTIB)
+ $25 - Tall front speaker stands
+ $238 - Pinnacle 56 Inch TV Stand with 2 Glass Doors - NEX1210 [link]
+ $1600 LCD LED SONY BRAVIA 60"

= $2750

I'm sure I will run into plenty of problems when I start putting all these things together, and hopefully you will still be here to help!

Here are somethings I am going to research in the meantime:

1. Which OS for the HTPC? Win7 32 bit Home edition? My brother gets them all free through his university.

2. XMBC or WMC or what?

3. I also want to buy a microphone so we can do video chat on the HTPC (with the TV as the monitor). But I am wondering what my options are with these. It would be really cool if I can have a powerful microphone that can be used when not near the TV. But I don't want to pay too much. Perhaps a bluetooth microphone that we put near the kitchen (20ft from the HTPC) and speak through that? Will we be able to use the surround system for the video chat audio? How will that work with interference and everything?

4. I also need to look into the OTA HD possibility.

I would appreciate your opinion on any of these four things.

Thanks again!

[glc]

1. Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium.

[Kenny536]

Someone told me that 64-bit is unnecessary/overkill for an HTPC, and that I should stick to 32-bit. Will it make a difference in performance?

[glc]

If you don't use 64 bit, you won't have full use of all your 4 gb of ram.