HTPC / Is this doable?
 

I'm toying with the idea of build a HTPC - what I want is something small, but fits in with other audio/video equipment.

I just want something that will play dvds (with the option of blu-ray at some point in the future), divx,etc, and play 'backed up' copies of dvds - so ideally what I'd like to do is take my son's dvds, copy them to an iso, store them on the hard drive, and then use something like daemon tools to mount then in a virtual drive, and watch them that way.

I've been looking at this case :

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=480141

which is nice, and wouldn't look out of place - but it's only got a 130w powersupply.

I was thinking of using this cpu : http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Compo...roductId=30004

as it uses about 45w - but then that leaves 80 odd watts, for everything else - am I likely to get hard drive/dvd/Motherboard/Graphics card out of that?

The more I look at it, the less likely I think it is...

Re: HTPC / Is this doable?
 

thats a low profile case you can get full sized cases with nice front displays about the sized of a good amp this is the route I would take

http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/prod...CAT-XMOZVFD-SI something more like this. Bung a near silent 400/500 watt psu a good dual core cpu with 120 mm fan(like the noctua) so thats quiet and a HD gfx something like a 3850 gfx fair mobo and good ram and your laughing

or there is http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/prod...CAT-XMOZSXV-SI less height still atx. If you notice this comes with a riser card for you pci e gfx card which is pretty nifty if you ask me. Think you you need to buy the case to get the riser and match it with a board though as its 1 pci e 2 pci

http://www.thecoolingshop.com/produc...oducts_id/2833 this looks like the pci e riser so it should be easy to set up

Re: HTPC / Is this doable?
 

I can highly recommend the Thermaltake cases - using a Bach one at the moment. The only thing with that (and the other Thermaltake cases) compared to the one you were looking at is that it's quite a bit bigger front to back.

Re: HTPC / Is this doable?
 

Yeah, spent some time on Friday looking at this (when I should have been working) the original case would have been nice, but it's just not realistically possible.
I'd looked at the one you mentioned above, and was coming round to the idea of that one.
Time to start looking at parts :)

---------- Post added at 20:15 ---------- Previous post was at 20:09 ----------

Alright zing, what MB / CPU & cooler / PSU & gfx do you recommend :) ? - ideally I'd like to spend <£400 on these parts

Re: HTPC / Is this doable?
 

Some more ideas:

http://www.mini-itx.com/
http://linitx.com/
http://www.sfftech.com/
http://www.serener.com/
http://www.hushtechnologies.net/

Re: HTPC / Is this doable?
 

I bought this ~2-3 months ago and am very very pleased with it. Has space to fit a matx mobo but full size graphics and fan.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/129281

Re: HTPC / Is this doable?
 

I'd looked at that before, and I do really like it, but I really need one less that 10cms high.

Re: HTPC / Is this doable?
 

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...d=5&subcat=913 possibly this mobo

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...d=6&subcat=793 something like this cpu

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=MY-072-OC this stupid cheap for what it is ram

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...=14&subcat=768 hard drive

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...23&subcat=1088 perhaps this psu as its not to expensive should be ok and is modular

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...=56&subcat=168 none gaming gfx but looks like it will suit your needs well

any of a choice of loads of optical

Total of about 300 quid not including the case . It should easily cover your needs as in post 1 :)


cpu cooler needs to be thought about if an artic freezer 7 pro would fit that will be a good choice as your not gonna be pushing this machine to extremes

---------- Post added at 22:12 ---------- Previous post was at 22:06 ----------

If you sub the psu for this http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...23&subcat=1099

motherboard for http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...d=5&subcat=913

its 334 plus delivery