Help with HTPC Build Options Please

[BarryR]

I have an HTPC in our family room which I built running Windows 7 with a TV tuner on which I record TV. I wish to build an additional very basic HTPC for another room. Its main functions will be to play some of the recorded TV files (they are in wtv format) that reside on the family room HTPC and watch internet TV on a 1080i HDTV.

I'm trying to figure out the most economical way to do this. I thought of an ITX motherboard with integrated CPU and graphics (or a prebuilt "barebones" system with same) but most of these do not support Digital-DVI or HDMI and only have VGA (which I'm led to believe will produce a poorer image). I could either buy Windows 7 (I am an educator and most likely can get Windows 7 Professional for $63). I could use Linux if it's fairly straightforward (and will result in an HTPC interface that my wife will tolerate) but I don't think Linux would enable me to watch the wtv files. I know I can convert the files to dvr-ms format and then watch them on the remote PC, but I don't want to have to do that)

Another option would be to use my old Dell Dimension 8200 but it only has 512MB of RAM. In order to play the wtv files I believe I'd need Windows 7 and it'll be at least $40 to upgrade to only 1 MB of RAM (it's expensive RAMBUS memory) + the cost of the OS. Also, the old PC doesn't have good energy saving modes (sleep).

Any hints / help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Barry

 

[whitemeat640]

Have you checked avsforum.com? They have a pretty extensive htpc thread there, everything from making them to having the most up to date coecs out there. It really helped me build mine about a yead ago.

 

[perry]

Would an XBox360 working as a media player extender do the trick?

http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/05/12/media-streaming-with-windows-7.aspx

 

[Arkansas]

I'd consider spending the money to get a real machine. Yes, you may well figure something out, but it will never be the real deal, will it?
Be frugal, certainly.
But do the job right, is my recomendation.
The itx or culv would be fine.

 

[BetterSense]

Bah! Cobbling together systems from random parts is half the fun. Since my DVD player died, I've also been think I might build a HTPC since I almost have enough parts to respawn a new system. The way I see it, you just need something you can hang a video card on. I'll be using an old micro-atx motherboard w/PCI express x16 slot, AMD 3700 processor with giant heatsink, and 2 gigs of ram. I just need a video card, and a PSU. The machine will sit under my TV and play DVD and maybe blu-ray rips from across the network. In the future I will get a TV card and make it a DVR. I don't use legacy operating systems so I'll be loading up the latest Ubuntu.

The two things I need new are a small, quiet PSU and a decent videocard. The videocard doesn't have to be gameable, but I would like it to be able to handle hi-def rips and maybe dual monitors. Passive cooling would be a big plus. Any ideas? There are dual VGA/DVI videocards on Newegg for like $30 but there's just so many brands out there I'm not sure if I should just buy the cheapest dual-output videocard from Newegg or what.

 

[ajkimmins]

I have an HTPC in our family room which I built running Windows 7 with a TV tuner on which I record TV. I wish to build an additional very basic HTPC for another room. Its main functions will be to play some of the recorded TV files (they are in wtv format) that reside on the family room HTPC and watch internet TV on a 1080i HDTV.

I'm trying to figure out the most economical way to do this. I thought of an ITX motherboard with integrated CPU and graphics (or a prebuilt "barebones" system with same) but most of these do not support Digital-DVI or HDMI and only have VGA (which I'm led to believe will produce a poorer image). I could either buy Windows 7 (I am an educator and most likely can get Windows 7 Professional for $63). I could use Linux if it's fairly straightforward (and will result in an HTPC interface that my wife will tolerate) but I don't think Linux would enable me to watch the wtv files. I know I can convert the files to dvr-ms format and then watch them on the remote PC, but I don't want to have to do that)

Another option would be to use my old Dell Dimension 8200 but it only has 512MB of RAM. In order to play the wtv files I believe I'd need Windows 7 and it'll be at least $40 to upgrade to only 1 MB of RAM (it's expensive RAMBUS memory) + the cost of the OS. Also, the old PC doesn't have good energy saving modes (sleep).

Any hints / help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Barry

I would take the money for the other systems and just build up the main system and add extenders in the other rooms. For about $350you can get a DROBO with 4 bays. Then on newegg.com you can get some 1-1.5 TB hard drives to build up the space. Then you have it all in one well backed up place, the drives are hotswappable and will rebuild a failed drive. Then a slingbox style option at the other tv's to watch what you have on the drobo.

 

[schweeb]

Acer Aspire Revo, built on the ION platform. They're like $200-300, HDMI out w/ audio... work well with Linux (I have a few friends using as XBMC boxes) or Windows (including 7).

Or look at other systems built on the ION or ION2 platform, that's just the one I have experience with.

 

[cdenton]

I'll second the xbox 360 idea. It is very easily integrated with 7. You can even watch live tv. You can pick one up on Craigslist for cheap and you only need the arcade version. My next suggestion would be to get a shuttle k series pc. You can build one out with processor (dual core) 2 gig of ram and a cheap disk for 200.