Let's try to consolidate some of the threads of individual htpc projects and see if we can get some juicy pics posted in one place, eh? Don't forget to post your rig's details.
Here's mine:
Case: Lian-Li PC-V800B
CPU: Opteron 165
Heatsink: Zalman 9500-AM2 (running at 1700-2000 rpm, temps never go over 40 C during normal use)
Motherboard: Asus A8V-E SE
Video: Gigabyte Nvidia 6600LE (passive)
Decoder: Nvidia Purevideo
Sound: onboard (SPDIF passthrough to receiver)
Tv tuners: 2 x Hauppauge PVR-150 MCE
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint-T 300Gb
PSU: Seasonic S12 330W
Notes:
I put the 2 x 60mm exhaust fans on the Coolermaster Musketeer's fan controller so they run virtually silent. I also stuck the zalman's fanmate to the rear of the case so I can adjust it without pulling out the case and opening it up.
I also removed the 80mm fan that came attached to the case's top lid. At some point it would be worthwhile to cut a wider hole for better air circulation, but first I'll have to get some tools...
The room this thing is in is nothing to look at and I’m no photographer so these aren’t exactly glamour shots like the ones kovboi posted. But for what it's worth here's a look at the inside of my rig (same computer is in my sig.) I live in a small apartment, with small rooms, so for now I just have this thing hooked up to a 19in LCD. And for sound I use SPIDF pass through from the onboard sound to a receiver hooked up to a couple of BOSE bookshelf speakers. Oh and in the picture those case fans are some SilverStone FN121s but they’re coming out and the original Antec 3 speeds are going back in because they’re near silent on the lowest speed setting.
Okay but be gentle.. I am replacing the SATA and Floppy cables with UV blue one (I have them just havent got around to changing them..) and am swapping out the rear fan for a blue LED one from my iCage. Also will be adding a full length Blue and UV CCFL, although am considering a 3.5 bay switch I made to add to it...that will need work (cuz I dont have a 2nd pre made 3.5 slot)... and wont matter cux 3.5 is facing the wall for now so maybe i will rebuild the pci slot switch.. I need some longer cables...
Can revert to standard ATX once I get a USB hub and my PS2 extension cable arrive... oh yah and I need to find a male DVI to male VGA cable too...
EDITED cuz I forgot to resize one pic
EDIT EDIT: NO I did not lose the back of my chaire. I purchased a new one and turned the old one into a hassok
When I first set up my HTPC/file server/FTP server I thought I would play games on it as well (since it is hooked up to the TV). So I basically ended up with a big, loud, ugly box sitting in my living room. The other half never liked it to begin with, and I grew to dislike it more and more. I used it for two years and then decided to replace it.
And so I started by making a list of all the things I wanted to do which was basically:
- View pictures (Irfanview)
- Play music (WinAmp 2.9X)
- Play videos (Media Player Classic)
- Browse the interweb
- RAID array for data storage
- FTP server (Cerberus)
Then I looked at my first box and thought about where I went wrong. CPU was overkill (Celeron 330J - 2.66ghz). This was a waste of power for a 24/7 box, and needed fairly hefty cooling. Too many fans, which made too much noise - and also sucked in an incredible amount of dust (well, not as much as hyperasus). I had a 4x200GB RAID 5 array. This worked well, but over time I discovered that new drive capacity was increasing faster then I was filling my array and that it would be much simpler to just use a RAID 1 array with two larger disks. This helps on power/heat/noise as well.
So I ended up with:
- Asus P3B-F (i440BX, Slot 1)
- Celeron-400 (slow, but I had one in a box)
- Zalman 6000 cooler (will cool a 20W CPU passively)
- Silverstone LC03 case (Black, ATX, normal power supply, right number of drive bays)
- Silverstone ST-365 power supply (360W, Quiet)
- 640MB memory (256MB + 256MB + 128MB is all that fits with the Zalman 6000)
- Radeon 9250 (VGA, DVI, and TV out)
- Audigy 1
- Marvell based gigabit NIC
- Mitsumi 7-in-1 floppy/card reader
- Samsung 2.5" 40GB PATA 5400rpm
- 2x Seagate 3.5" 400GB SATA 7200.10 (RAID 1)
- NEC ND-3550 DVD+/-RW
- Promise TX2300 (2 port SATA RAID controller)
- NEC based 5 port USB 2.0 card
The USB 2.0 card was modded to make three internal connectors for the two front case ports, and the card reader:
And then today I grabbed an Upgradeware slocket so I can use a Celeron-1200 (100FSB) to replace the Celeron-400 (66FSB). I'm undervolting the Celeron-1200 so I can still passively cool it.
Here it is in all its glory. Cards from left to right are: USB 2.0, Promise TX2300, Audigy 1, Gigabit NIC, Radeon 9250. The power supply fan is the only fan in the system. I made a little air dam so it sucks air from the CPU area. You can also see why the 3rd memory module can only be single sided (128MB) - otherwise the Zalman 6000 would hit it.
Floppy / card reader is in the lower bay because with the overhang on the case you can't see what slot you're plugging your stuff into when it is in the top one.
I just have the power cord connected, a bluetooth dongle for the keyboard/mouse in one of the USB 1.1 ports, S-video for my crappy TV, ethernet, and a digtal coax cable from the Audigy digital out to my Yamaha receiver. DD and DTS are passed through directly - everything else is stereo PCM (receiver plays it in "6 channel stereo"). "USB 2.0" label covers the holes where the other external USB ports used to be.
About a year ago I decided I needed a dedicated multimedia PC. The major function of this computer would be to serve video to the living room TV, a normal old-school CRT. Funds were a major issue, so I was trying to use cheap components while still having a usable and stable system.
After some trial and error, the system I ended up installing was this:
CASE: Antec MINUET II MicroATX Case
MB: BIOSTAR TForce6100 Socket 754
CPU: AMD Sempron 64 2800+
RAM: CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB, 2x512MB, PC3200
DVD: LG DVD drive
DISK: 250gb IDE, 7500, 8mb
Sound: Creative Audigy2 ZS
VIDEO: Nvidia GEFORCE FX5200, PCI version
Peripherals:
MON: Rosewill R912E Black 19" 8ms DVI LCD
KB/M: Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110
SPEAKERS: Logitech 5.1 something-or-other
Here is a shot of the whole system just before installation:
and few more inside the case: http://www.arationalmind.com/minuet/2006_03_20/IMG_1121.JPG
Case with the cover removed. You can see the color of the front bezel doesn't match the rest of the case. This is my biggest gripe with the minuet. The rest of the case is classy, but the front is ugly.
http://www.arationalmind.com/minuet/2006_03_20/IMG_1126.JPG
The Minuet has a pretty cool design. The drives in the front fit into a removable cage that lifts up and out. Also, the rubber mounts visible here are useful in dampening vibrations.
http://www.arationalmind.com/minuet/2006_03_20/IMG_1130.JPG
Back panel. Note the video card on the right. DVI and S-Video out are all I need for my current video requirements. Actually, I had a ******* of a time getting a video signal during installation. Apparently, you have to disable the onboard video BEFORE you install a graphics card. Of course, you have to connect to the onboard video in order to disable it, otherwise you will get no signal to your monitor. What a pain it was figuring that out. Luckily my monitor has both VGA and DVI inputs.
Some notes:
1. What processor to buy? [Remember this was Spring '06] I chose AMD over Intel, and Socket 754 over 939 due to the difference in retail price. The down side of this decision is largely that socket 754 is obsolete, so upgrading the processor would be difficult in the future. We'll come back to that soon. However, Socket 754 does have a lot a power; plenty for the task at hand.
2. For the motherboard, I was limited to the microATX form factor which I talk about below. With this in mind, I had initially purchased an ASUS K8V-MX, but it was DOA so I switched to the Biostar. I have to say, I really like the layout of the TForce. It is well designed, cheap and the built-in overclocking utility is very decent. Also, there is a power switch and a reset switch built directly onto the motherboard which means you don't have to plug the MB into the case just to power up. I gave up some expansion options going with the smaller form factor, but I doubt I would need them in a system with such limited scope anyway.
3. I skimped on the memory because price and stability is more important than overclocking for this system.
4. The case I originally chose was a POWMAX 3304 SV. This purchase taught me that you get what you pay for in computer cases. The Powmax is built from plastic and aluminum and I have nothing good to say about it. It had sharp edges, the front buttons literally fell off, and the case flexed under slight pressure. I think it was about thirty bucks shipped, and it went straight to the dumpster.
5. While I'm talking about cases, I should talk about form factor. I wanted a slim case that would fit inside our wooden device cabinet with the DVD player, VCR, etc. I figured the best choice for this would be a half-height, microATX case. I learned the hard way, there are major downsides to going with a low-profile case. First, it is very difficult finding components to fit inside the case. Even if you do find a low profile expansion card, it still has to come with a replacement bracket, or you'll have to mod the metal of the full-height stock device. To illustrate this point see the following picture: http://www.arationalmind.com/minuet/2006_03_20/IMG_1128.JPG
Shown in that picture is the video card on the left, and the soundcard on the right. The video card came with both a full-height and a half-height bracket. All I had to do was swap them for the card to fit. The sound card, on the other hand, did not provide this luxury. I was forced to cut the stock bracket, bend it, and then cut a notch out of the head. I can't do that sort of mod at home because I don't have the tools or the place in my apartment. Instead I took it to work where we had a vise grip and a hacksaw. Unfortunately, I was so engrossed in conversation with a coworker while making the mod, that I didn't realize I was cutting the wrong side! As you can see in the picture, there are now two notches in the bracket, and crappy ones at that. Learned: A)Measure twice, cut once, and B)You need the right tool for the job.
A second downside has to do with placing a case inside a cabinet to begin with. I handle the cables in the rear of the case so often that it soon becomes annoying and impractical to place the computer in the media cabinet. As it is now, I have taken the computer out of the cabinet and moved it under an end table in the living room. The current arrangement is shown above, and it seems to be working pretty well. The previous setup can be seen here: http://www.arationalmind.com/minuet/2006_03_20/IMG_1139.JPG
A good option would probably be to move it out of sight within a closet accessing it via RealVNC or somesuch.
6. One major problem I had was serious stutter when starting a video. I knew it was either the CPU or the GPU as they were both budget items. The Sempron 2800+ is the bare minium you should consider for a machine of this type. However, after spending so much money on the machine, I decided I could live with the poor performance for a while. As it turned out, prices on all AMD chips went way down in the past year. A couple months ago I picked up an Athlon 64 3200+ for about $60 shipped which is an awesome price for a very decent process. I have seen a huge performance increase from this upgrade. I do still see some stutter, but it is rare compared to what I was seeing with the sempron. I paid about $80 for the Sempron and about $60 for the Athlon for a total of around $140. I should have just paid that much or a little more for a decent processor to begin with to save myself the hassle. AnAthlon 3400+ would have been a good upgrade too, but they are nowhere to be found. I think AMD made a 3700+ chip for socket 754 as the terminal class for the socket, but I don't recall ever seeing one on sale.
7. The video card in this system is using a PCI interface. I don't think I need to linger about the (de)merits of this particular solution. When I built the system, PCI Express was simply too expensive. Luckily, this Biostar board does have a PCI Express x16 slot, so I have an upgrade path provided I can get it in a low profile form factor. If it comes down to it though, I would move the whole system into a new, full-height case if it meant a good graphics boost. Right now, performance is acceptable, especially with the recent CPU upgrade.
8. A BlueTooth Keyboard/Mouse solution would be the best option if they weren't so expensive. I hear the range and reception of those devices are respectable. In terms of features having a mouse integrated into the KB would be the ideal situation, as it is very difficult to use a mouse when sitting in an armchair or on the couch. It's not impossible, but it is not comfortable either. You also need to maintain two RF connections one for the KB one for the mouse. It's really a moot point however, because you can't operate a computer using a CRT TV because you can't read the text. This means if you are going to be using a CRT, you also need a monitor connected to the computer in order to control it. And I can't read a monitor screen from ten feet away, so I the wireless KB/M is a moot point anyway. I would really like to hear how others have resolved this issue because as it is now I have two options for controlling this computer. 1) get up, walk over to the screen where I use the KB/M. 2) I use RealVNC to operate the computer remotely. This second method works fairly well in most situations, but there are times when I still need to be at the physical computer to get the job done.
9. When the budget allows, I have a few ideas for the future.
a) A digital TV. A widescreen HDTV LCD would eliminate the need for a secondary monitor in addition to the obvious improvement in video quality. Another good option would be a home theater projector. very cool. very expensive.
b) A decent receiver would be an excellent addition. I understand that I could output audio/video signals from a computer into a receiver, and the receiver could forward it to the appropriate device. I could then use one set of speakers for all of the home theater devices, and they would all be controlled by one device.
c) Obviously having a top-end computer would be choice.
Well, that's my setup. I hope I haven't bored you all to death with the details. Perhaps this will help someone else just getting into the HTPC realm to make some smart choices as well as broaden their understanding of what the HTPC is for and can do.
I guess I should upload my pics now that I changed from my stacker, on the first, its becoming a 1TB file server (to start) with a beta test of WHS.
Of course this case is getting modded soon....DVDRW is going external, HDDs are moving to 5.25" bay... and the hdd area is going to be incorporated into a mini WC design somehow...
EDIT: Oh yah DFI infinity ATI motherboard... x1950XT to power the 22" ws for now (card coming monday) and the onboard video powers the TV... YES, both PCI-E and onboard at the same time!!!
I use a modded xbox. If you dont need all that a pc offers and just want to watch movies and play a game now and then I highly recommend a modded xbox cause they are cheap to build
Not the greatest pics cause I just took them real fast to share. It is alot more clear in person than the pics show.
Home page:
Movie section(300+ movies at a touch of a button):
Okay so it took a little while, but I've been a wee bit busy. So one of these shots is of the inside of my "HTPC" with the new 8600GTS in it:
The other of the very non-home theater room that it currently resides in:
If it puts anyone's mind at ease there is a couch directly across from the widescreen monitor where people can watch TV and movies... It bears mentioning that out of the box the MSI NX8600GTS-T2D256E-OC is intolerably loud for HTPC applications but I am holding out hope that something can be done to control fan speeds, I just haven't had the time to look into it yet. I let you all know if I find that there is something that can be done about.
I've just finished overhauling my htpc, though it's involved a lot of time and annoyance to get things working right (not worth it to go into the niggling details). In a nutshell, these were the changes:
motherboard: Asus A8V-E SE --> Abit KN8 SLI
vga: Gigabyte 6600LE --> Gigabyte silent 8600gt
tv tuners: Hauppauge pvr-150 --> Avermedia M780 (pci-e x1)
psu: Seasonic S12 330W --> Corsair VX480W
wlan: Netgear 311 --> Abit airpace Wifi (pci-e x1)
...I added an extra gig of RAM for grins.
I replaced the stock 60mm fans with quieter panaflos, then stuck a couple of zalman fanmates towards the back where they can be easily reached but won't be visible once it's recessed inside my entertainment center.
Lastly, I added a 2.5" hdd exclusively for music. Since I tend to manage all my music on my main rig, i got this rosewill enclosure that lets you pop it in and out as needed. So when I need more music, i just carry it to my other pc, copy everything over, then return the enclosure to the htpc:
underneath the hdd on the front panel is a standard front panel for a floppy disk. i removed the fdd panel and glued a filter behind it. there are thee silent scythe 40mm fans behind it, as well, in case i need some extra ventilation.
I just did a fresh install of Vista Home Premium and I'm pretty happy with the improvements in the media center interface and features. The new rig handles it quite well, just in time for football season.
I might as well join in on the fun...
I dont do much gaming anymore and I bought the cheapo toshiba laptop from worstbuy on BF. I use the laptop for email, typing papers, browsing forums so I decided to turn my desktop into the new HTPC and eGay the old one. I guess the new plasma might have had something to do with it too
New specs:
COOLER MASTER Centurion 5
Antec Truepower 430w
DFI Infinity NF UltraII-M2 nF4
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ AM2
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800 Dual Channel
Western Digital Caviar SE 250GB 7200RPM SATA
XFX GeForce 8500GT 256MB DRR2
VGA Leadtek TV2000XP Expert Tuner PCI
SAMSUNG 20X DVD±R SATA
Microsoft Wireless comfort curve
Logitech X-530 5.1
Panasonic TH-42PZ77U
This HTPC is used primarily for playing back DVDs and MP3s, internet browsing and Google Earth with a flight/driving sim every great once in a while. As such, it's more than adequate. Media storage is via a gigabit network with the rig in the sig acting as a file server.
I'm using the same Silverstone case as JCLW; very solid well-designed case, great cooling and room for standard components. The only downside is that there's not much vertical headroom for the HSF. I voltmodded the fans down to 7V and the system is essentially silent; the relatively quiet fan on the projector completely drowns out any noise the system makes.
Monitor, keyboard, mouse with the htpc and projector in the background. Things were a bit dusty when I took these images due to our home expansion project.
HTPC and projector; note the remote for the sound system; the rear speakers are on the shelf above the HTPC.
The subwoofer is on the ground and the wheel and pedals for the driving simulator on top of it.
7' of BIG SCREEN magic with the smaller monitor in the foreground. Not having to fire up a 400W projector to do smaller tasks is a big energy saver. Front and center speakers are above the retractable screen.
Here is the setup. I know the HTPC doesn't match, but I had white and green laying around and I was bored LOL. It looks better in person, especially the top since for the bezel I was working with less paint. I didn't do the sides, because Like I said, temp case haha. Sub is behind the tv. The system is samsung's HT-X50, perfect (to me) for a budget build.
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