Building a cheap HTPC.

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Just get an nVidia ion based Atom nettop like the Acer Revo and you're good to go. It will support native 1080p and true 5.1, but dont expect to game on it.
 
reddymail said:
friends................

my VALUE FOR MONEY HTPC, config goes like this

amd asus 880g mother board with radeon 4250 on board chip, 4850/-
athlon 2 x2 e245 2800/-
4gb ddr3 corsair 4200/-
1 tb green wd 2850/-
corsair 400w 2400/-
slim internal dvd drive 2000/-
n wifi card 2000/-
vfd device price approx 65$ on the way

customised u3 rack to fit dvd and vfd.............2200/-

software would be

win 7 64 starter
xbmc as shell
apad to control xbmc over wifi

any suggestions, i would love to hear them..........
Click to expand...

Whoa! I got Corsair 400W for 3000/- a year back!! :eek:

E series amd is good!! The only CPU I will ever choose :)

Is 880 better than 785G?

Cheers
 
reddymail said:
the board which we tested carried hd audio,.............the receiver showed hd audio input.............now, you and our mod venkat have created a confusion in my mind............i would definitely would like to recheck again.....

but when we contacted the amd thru mail they cleared that 880g with 4250 carries hd.................anyone else who can clarify on this...........it would be great
Click to expand...

Well,its just alert as amd sites says(my link)HDMI carry 5.1 audio & not specified HD(says latest audio).So the confusion.
 
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venkatcr said:
ATI seems to have in 2 of 3 points!! :)

Cheers
Click to expand...

Sure Sir,but image Q which we care abt looks soft.
I think new ATI drivers are better than older & may give better image.
Just see anandtech 1st said 5570 is not good for deinterlacing
AMDs Radeon HD 5570: Low Profile, Higher Performance - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

& then with driver update,everything seems fine-
The Final Word on the Best Radeon HTPC Card - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News
May newer do better.:)
 
spirovious said:
Zebronic cabinates for cheap & good looking-
HTPC building guide
Techtree.com India > Guides > PC buying guides > Building a Low-End HTPC
Product Pluto
Product Yuvraj
Product Geforce4

can be used both way-
Click to expand...

Last month I went to SP road and I found new cabinet designs from BEETEL - yes the telephone manufacturer for Indian Telecom. And boy they are good looking and I thought better than other big local brands like iBall etc.

Unfortunately I did not need a cabinet and I was sorry not to buy one. :D

No slimline ones though for htpc.

--G0bble
 
I need a screw ...

Ok, You dirty minded fellows!! Let me clarify... :ohyeah:

I built a new desktop last fortnight with a Phenom 840 and 880G mobo. I used a Cooler Master Gemini II S cpu cooler I had purchased last year.

top1.jpg


So the story goes that I damaged my old 780G mobo while trying to fit this cooler on it - by trying to prise loose the existing backplate on the mobo with a screwdriver instead of turning some plastic screws holding it in place (Confession 1: failed IQ test :o).

Now the next gaffe was when checking how all the little parts of the cooler fit together, I failed to realise that the 4 screws that hold the cooler clamped over the cpu actually have a double threading - the top level thread is meant to be rotated anti-clockwise thru a bracket surrounding the copper plate that rests on the cpu, while the bottom level thread actually goes into the mobo holes and clockwise through the backplate. Hence the anti-clockwise+clockwise design.

Confession 2 : I failed the IQ test twice. :o

I kept rotating a screw clockwise thru the bracket until the threads wore off in frustration and I gave up. I realised the mistake only the next day <Tubelight Flickers>. :mad:

Now with my new cpu, that one screw is not fully inserted and although I have managed to put in all nuts from the backplate of the mobo to lock down the screws, somehow the one corner is not tight in place as the screw no longer comes through fully length-wise to make it a tight fit.

I have a lm-sensors and a graphical monitoring program called Psensors charting the following:

  1. CPU socket
  2. CPU Core
  3. Mobo Temp
  4. NorthBridge Temp
  5. HDD 1 & 2

The first week the socket showed 42 max and cpu core at 16 to 18 celcius - suspicious readings by itself, when ambient temperatures are in the teens to early 20's late nights and indoors. But alarmingly now after a week, the Socket, CPU Core, Mobo and Nbr temp have all climbed up to hit a peak of around 44, 34, 43 and 46 celcius!! :eek:

Atleast the cpu core looks normal as it looks to be about 10 degrees above ambient. But the rise in Mobo, NBr and Socket temps are worrying me. Actually so is the 16 degree rise in cpu core - although it may be not too much above ambient.

I suspect that one corner screw is gradually loosening and reducing effectiveness of the cooling


And so now I have a more complete opportunity to justify my original statement in the subject line - The temperature is rising and I need a screw. ;)

The question is where to get them? I got this thingy from an online IT store who had the last one in stock, and it was after a desperate search across Delhi and Mumbai I found a last piece.

Now what?!!

--G0bble

Here is what those screws look like:
 

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