HTPC Help

[masman71]

Hey guys,

I am currently considering putting together a HTPC. I have built several computers in the past, but I need some advice on whether building an HTPC is worth the money. For this project to be worth it, I would need primarily it to act as a music server, a PVR, and also to run my television. Of course secondarily the web access and gaming aspects would be nice. I have picked out the following components as a starting point:

Case: http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=92400

MOBO: http://www.evga.com/products/moreinf...4-AX&family=20

Video Card: http://www.xfxforce.com/web/product/...812#openLarger

Processor: http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819103531

Sound Card:
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16829121123


I have heard good things from other members of this board about this card and the lynx (too expensive for me). Does anyone else have anything to say about this sound card(good or bad)?

1 GB DDR Ram
A couple of 120 GB HArd Drives
DVD Burner Player

My next step was to pick a TV tuner, but I haven't been able to find out what capabilities this would afford me. Specifically, I currently have a digital cable subscription. Is there any way for me to run this signal through my computer? Will I have the ability to control the channel for instance from my computer? If not I am worried that I will have a really glorified PVR that will be a nuisance to use.

Secondly, I would like to catalogue my dvd's on my hard drive. Are there good programs out there to do this? What kind of hard drive space would this take up?

Thirdly, I currently have rotel rsx-1056 running dynaudio 42 (fronts), 42w (backs) and 42c (center). Does anyone have any experience hooking the sound card above up to similar equipment? Any thoughts?

Lastly and on a different note and lazy note (I could probably google this : ), What is the compression of apples music files through itunes. I have noticed a lot of people complaining about mp3 quality, is it the same quality for the itunes music?

Thanks in advance for the help :T

[aud19]

Antec makes nice cases and that one looks to be no exception. Make sure you get a HS with a quiet 120mm fan (or fanless model) as well. Also try to find reviews of this model to ensure it has decent performing cooling, noise/vibration, easy to work in etc.

I only use Asus mobo's so I'm a little biased there. (I've got an A8N-E that I'm VERY happy with)

I've got a fanless Asus 256MB 6600 which I highly recommend as well (great performer and completely silent :T ) Good choice on the Nvidia 6600 but if you can find a fanless solution you'll thank me

I'd go for the 3700+ with it's 1MB L2 Cache instead.

Make sure you get good RAM and get it in matched pairs to run dual-channel. I recommend Samsung's SATA2 drives... great drives and very quiet :T Also if you can get a smaller drive for the OS/software and a seperate larger drive for data. I've had good luck with LiteOn's DVD-RW drives as well.

If you want to use your computer as a DVR with your STB you'll need to get a capture card with analog video inputs and utilize an I/R repeater system for the STB to change channels. Otherwise a tuner card nullifies the need for the STB as it will tune the channels itself. However unless you find one that allows for use of a cable card you will only be able to tune in analog cable channels. If you get a tuner card with a QAM tuner you can use it to watch any un-encrypted digital channels (which don't exist as far as I know) or the un-encrypted OTA digital/HD channels from local broadcasters (which thankfully do exist )

If you'll be using your Rotel to decode everything, you could just use onboard audio via a digitila output, otherwise M-audio maked good, affordable cards.

[masman71]

aud19 - Thanks for the help.

Couple more questions:

If I use the onboard digital audio out to my rotel, will the sound quality be worse than if I put in the m-audio card?

It sounds like if I ever want to watch any channels besides the locals, I am going to have to keep my stb. That being so, can you recommend any tuner cards that I should take a look at?

Thanks again in advance.

[aud19]

That's a tough one. A digital signal is digital and "shouldn't" really care where it's coming from and with the Rotel doing the decoding should be fine. That said, a dedicated card has the capacity for a cleaner output with hopefully less timing/jitter issues not too mention pustting less strain on system resources being a seperate card. If audio is important to you, perhaps one of M-audio's "Audiophile cards" with analog 2-ch output and digital pass through would be a better option for you?

I'm not really "up to speed" on tuner cards but Hauppage used to be one of the tob brands.