£550 HTPC build (very slim, and hopefully quiet...)

cpdave

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Hi,

I've just finished ordering the component parts for my first HTPC build. Budget was about £500-600 (actual incl P&P £568). I should have sought some forum advice before the purchase, but I got impatient... Anyway, I wanted something slim, so opted for the following:

Keyboard - Ceratech Wireless Accuratus Toughball

Processor - Intel Pentium Dual Core E2180 2.0GHz LGA775

Hard disk - 500Gb Samsung Spinpoint T 7200Rpm S-ATAII

OS - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32Bit OEM

Cooler - NORTHQ 3392 CPU Low Noise Copper Cooler

Memory - 2GB (2x1GB) CorsairTwinX XMS2, DDR2 PC2-6400 (800)

Optical Drive - Optiarc AD-7630A 8x DVD±R, 4x DVD±DL, DVD+RW x8, -R x6, x5 RAM, Slot-Loading slim IDE black

Motherboard - Abit Fatal1ty F-I90HD ATI, S775

Case - Hiper Media Center HMC-2K53A-C0 - Intel Chassis with Psu for 775

Exhaust - Evercool SB-F1 PCI slot system exhaust fan

I originally consider the Silverstone LC19 - but the power was restricted to 120w (plus the Hiper case has Wi-Fi & VFD built in).

Even though its to late to cancel my order, is there anything obvious I've missed?

Thanks,

CPDave.
 
not a shabby system there i wouldn't say you missed anything, so long as ur exhaust is next to silent you've done pretty well, that boards quite nice to allowing hdmi for digital audio & video

maybe you should consider getting a hd dvd or bluray drive

you should be making sure the following are as close to silent as possible as it's a htpc:

psu
cpu fan
exhaust & any other case fans
 
Thanks - I thought of a HD/BR DVD drive, but I can only use a slim laptop/slot unit. If that changes over the next year or two, I'll certainly consider it.

My main worry was heat from the integrated GPU, processor and disk, I'm hoping the exhaust helps a bit. From what I've read the extractor fan is fairly quiet.

I can't do much about the PSU noise (built in to the case), but I believe its also quite quiet.

Can't wait to assemble it, and see how good this vista media center front end is... - almost ordered XP MCE, but decided to take the plunge with this new fangled OS thing...

CPDave.
 
maybe try a zalman cpu fan? very quiet fan & great cooling and i'm not too sure if it will fit in your case... i don't think so, i just google imaged ur case thats smaller than a small baby lol i do see what your problem is, nice case though

i would have thought in a case like that the cooling will be respectably good & quiet & Hiper is a v good brand, i'm using my 580w Hiper Type R modular PSU in my gaming case & it still serves me well, on nearly always for the past 3 years just set me back about £60 then.

the integrated GPU is nothing special x1250.. will play your games just but it's very good considering it's integrated, it shouldn't generate a lot of heat, nothing compared to the heat given off by a separate gpu, i have read that the HD is good, in this review

take note of an alternative Intel Dual Core:

The e4300 handles HD-DVD/Blu-Ray without hardware assistance better than the e2180, so the cache does make some difference.
But as you are getting a ATI HD 8500 256MB GDDR3 this shouldn't affect you.

I'm not sure (not yet) if Vista was a good move, I have Vista Home Premium on my new Tesco Gateway Laptop lol, [<--- btw great performance & value best specs for new lappy at only &#163;550 with 2gb ddr2, 17" LCD & C2D cpu]. not a problem for the past month, however did not like my 2.0MP USB Lidl webcam lol gave me BSOD even though it even installed the drivers itself??

Anyway, good luck, let me know how it goes, message me because I have ordered the e2180 so cheap off ebuyer, cheaper than the e2160?? another good cockup by ebuyer...

this is what i will try it with:

--------------------------------------------------

&#163;285 inc. shipping

MSI P6N SLI-F V2 NF650i SLi, S 775, PCI-E (x16), DDR2 533/667/800 MHz, SATA II, SATA RAID, ATX (apparently good at o/c, saves me having to buy pata to sata converter at has support for up to 4 ide drives, supports: quad core, SLi &8gb ddr2 for future upgrades)

intel dual core e2180 2ghz 1mb (2x512kb) L2 cache (cheap will do for now, can o/c up to 3ghz easily with stock fan apparently just changing the FSB speed, will get quad core when prices come down)

ocz 2gb ddr2 pc6400 800mhz non-eec unbuffered (pushed the budget off the cliff on this one, will buy another 2gb of these at a later date)

ati dabs value x1950 pro 512mb gddr3 pci-x dual dvi (amazing card needs 512mb for higher performance at high res)

-------------------------------------------------------------

good name btw Dave, wink wink nudge nudge no not gay i'm dave too! :smashin:
 
Hi "Dave" - I have the same hiper psu in my gaming PC - and am v. pleased with it...

The e2180 isn't the best CPU - but as you say can be oc'd easily - I ordered mine from microdirect for 57.65 - which I think was the same price as the e2160 :thumbsup:

Is your OCZ memory expensive? I got my Corsair 2GB XMS2 for £66, and will probably go for another 2GB if/when the machine actually works...

Your setup's in a different league to mine, quite impressive, - but then it wouldn't fit into the hiper case.

CPDave (also straight :D)
 
580w Hiper Type R modular PSU
I have the same hiper psu in my gaming PC

I would rip that out ASAP. There have been loads of failures recently with that PSU. I believe taking out the rest of the components.
 
I would rip that out ASAP. There have been loads of failures recently with that PSU. I believe taking out the rest of the components.

dangerous failures (going on fire???) or performance failures?

CPDave
 
oh dear seriously?
 
I'm not sure (not yet) if Vista was a good move, I have Vista Home Premium on my new Tesco Gateway Laptop lol, [<--- btw great performance & value best specs for new lappy at only &#163;550 with 2gb ddr2, 17" LCD & C2D cpu]. not a problem for the past month, however did not like my 2.0MP USB Lidl webcam lol gave me BSOD even though it even installed the drivers itself??

Vista may not be a good idea

With no hardware acceleration (same PC)
2160 (at 2.4Ghz) can play HD-DVD perfectly at 60&#37; CPU in XP
2160 (at 2.4GHz) can play HD-DVD with stutter at 100% CPU in Vista

With ATI x2600 hardware
2160 (at 2.4GHz) can play HD-DVD perfectly at 15% CPU in Vista or XP

I can't believe how much difference Vista/XP makes!

@cpdave
That system should work perfectly in Vista for the uses you have stated but if you ever decide to play HD-DVD/Blu-Ray you will most likely need to buy a graphics card with hardware acceleration. I would stick with XP!

@meizumintyboi
The USB hub (Toshiba?) in many cheaper lappys is unsuitable for Vista. Changing the OS to XP will most likely cure the USB problems.
I have just had to do this with a Compaq lappy, couldn't read anything over 40GB at all, loads of problems. I can't believe they are selling lappys with Vista that contain hardware that doesn't work in Vista.
 
badbob could you please post me a link to some info on the Hiper Type R Modular killing off components? thanks
 
check overclockers forum reg. hiper r.
 
badbob cannot find that overclockers thread on the Hiper Type R Modular 580w
 
Do a search, or post a thread.
 

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