Gaming HTPC - Budget 40000 INR

[vaibhavyagnik]

Apparently it does ......

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Motherboards- ASUS P8Z68-V

Else why would I have suggested it ....



HDMI would be handly if the user decides to use both GPUs for dual display. The whole point of Z68 board.

@laghusikarwar

Check out the benchmarks for HD6870 and HD6770 in games. even HD6770 is more than enough for full HD gaming even at high settings. if you want to go for a more future proof card then go for HD6870.

I have no complains with 6870 AFA gaming goes, infact ATI is ahead in gaming department from nVidia, but when it comes to Video playback nVidia leads. I myself have a Pair of these awsome HD5850 CF. But I (and few or many others) have faced some rare driver issues while hight bitrate HD playback specially 3D files. Hence I decided to go nVidia way when I built my HTPC. Havent looked back since then ,,,,,

my mistake. the board does have bluetooth. about using dual GPUs, i think you are talking about virtu. If thats the case then yes, z68 is the only way. But why spend so much money on the board when op does not have the requirement of using quicksync nor overclocking? All requirements are being met and that too within op's budget

 

[thatguy]

Hi Friends,

i am planning to buy a new HTPC and have a budget of around 40,000 INR (+ 5000 INR)

The following are my requirements:
1. Video Output to 32 HD LCD TV (so no monitor required)
2. Sound output to Logitec Z 5500
3. want a system with Wireless keyboard & mouse
4. Should have wifi & bluetooth
5. should have blue ray capability (reader a must, BD-writer would be a dream in this budget)

Usage from system:
1. Gaming (should be able to play all current games at mid to high resolution and future games at mid/low resolutions
2. Direct 11.0
3. Internet surfing - so require an OS
4. Home Theater use- watching movies - 70% time, 30% listening to songs

Also how are - Dell Zino HD, Bragpc.com's FJ8. Please advise guys who have built your own HTPCs

Please consider me as a noob.

You might want to take a look at this build:

http://www.hifivision.com/av-lounge/20685-proud-owner-llano-based-home-pc.html

You could even talk to him and check if your favorite game will play.

 

[sam9s]

But why spend so much money on the board when op does not have the requirement of using quicksync nor overclocking? All requirements are being met and that too within op's budget

Thats why I initially clearly mentioned that its gonna shoot the budget, if specific requirements like Bluetooth, Wifi are needed. If you omit Bluetooth, Crossfire and HDMI. H61 chip-set suits the requirements and would also obviously lower the cost ....

 

[laghusikarwar]

thanks a lot guys!!! i read through all your responses and sat back and thought hard!

My no.1 requirement - form factor must be small as i want it to be placed next to my LCD TV.

No.2 requirement - Should be able to play most current games at medium settings and future games at low settings

No. 3 requirement - should be able to play Blue ray discs with a superb sound output via optical/co-axial to my Z5500

No. 4 requirement - wifi is a must and bluetooth may be optional

No. 5 requirement- wireless keyboard,mouse combo

If an amd cpu, dedicated gpu (although a less powerful) can be put inside the smallest formfactor--then this is the deal that i am after!!

(I have one 1TB 2.5" portable HDD, two 500 GB 2.5" portable HDDs)

 

[sam9s]

My no.1 requirement - form factor must be small as i want it to be placed next to my LCD TV.

If you are building a serious gaming PC then ITX cabinet is not possible. The smallest you can go for is Micro ATX like the CM ELITE 3xx series cabinet.

The best short with an ITX board I can suggest is the Zotac Z68 wifi supreme

Its ITX small from factor
It has inbuilt Wifi that too wifi n
Supports sandybridge 2000 series processors
1155 latest chipset
gigabit lan
USB 3.0

The biggest drawback is the GPU which is a meek GT430. Now personally I am not sure how you define medium settings, but all the current gen games without AA, AF and least at a res of 1024x768 would not do justice to the game. GT430 barely crosses 30 fps for COD Mordern Warfare 2 with AA and AF turned on. The case is even worse with Battlefield BC-2. With fps touching just 10fps with all AA AF turned on and settings set to high @ 1080p. So even if you turn down the settings to medium you still have to switch off AA and AF to make the game playable (cross atleast 40fps mark). and as I said playing the current gen graphically/visually stunning games without AA, AF, soft shadows etc is like eating egg without salt or even worse eating egg without salf with its shell still on ....

And these are not the latest games I am talking about. The upcoming Battlefield 3 and COD MW 3 are just ****n visually spectacular and trying these games on these low end GPUs would be an insult in itself ...

My recommendation as a gaming PC is atleast get something in the lines of HD58xx series or nVidia GT 5xx series.

However there would not be any issue what so ever with this card (GT430) playing any HD movie, not even 3D, so its pretty safe in that respect (for HTPC)


No.2 requirement - Should be able to play most current games at medium settings and future games at low settings

Already discuessed abouve

No. 3 requirement - should be able to play Blue ray discs with a superb sound output via optical/co-axial to my Z5500


Another drawback of the ITX board I mentione above. You do not get any audio out except the HDMI and 5.1 Analogue out. So no optical/co-axial.

No. 4 requirement - wifi is a must and bluetooth may be optional


If you decide to get the above board, it has wifi inbuilt, else the best way is get an inexpensive router (like Linksys WRT54g, 1000-1200 bucks), get a wifi expansion card and make your regular ATX board wifi.

No. 5 requirement- wireless keyboard,mouse combo


That is no big deal I already suggested/mentioned the same.

Your move for decision ...

 

[arnprasad]

Hi everyone,

My friend yesterday bought a Sony EX 720 46 incher for a lakh and Onkyo 509/Pure Acoustics combo for 45K. He currently has big TV SD dish.

Unfortunately after having spent a bomb, he does not have any sources to input HD into his system leave alone 3D.

So I told him the cheapest way to get HD on his TV is to buy Tata Sky HD DVR and instead of wasting money on Blue Ray 3D player, it is cheaper to build a HTPC which can be connecting to his Onkyo.

He is not willing to spend more than 15K on the HTPC and my question to you is to suggest if its possible to build a HTPC for 15K considering the following:

1) The maximum load it will take is to play 3D HD content into the Onkyo or Sony.
2) 5.1 sound
3) Absolutely no gaming
4) AMD or INtel - dont care as long as it does the job
5) Dont care about graphics card if INtel HD is good enough
6)Minimum needed RAM and 1TB of hard drive
7) The tower may not be the greatest..just needs to look decent next to the HT setup
8) Prefer WIFI but if its more than 1K..can plug the network cable into
9) Dont care abt Blue ray drive since finding 3D Blu Rays is a rarity, DVD player will do as long we can download 1080P content and play it
10) Should be able to do what computers normally - install software, OS, Browser, XBMC....etc
11) Should be capable of using wireless keyboard and mouse or remote control. - so infrared or blue tooth or whatever

Please let me know the cheapest but a decent build possible and how much it is going to cost:clapping:

 

[sam9s]

^^ arn I suggest you stat a new thread for the same. I will provide my full support and suggestion there, plus others can chip in there as well without disturbing this thread ....

 

[arnprasad]

^^ arn I suggest you stat a new thread for the same. I will provide my full support and suggestion there, plus others can chip in there as well without disturbing this thread ....

Thanks will do.

 

[thatguy]

No. 3 requirement - should be able to play Blue ray discs with a superb sound output via optical/co-axial to my Z5500

No. 4 requirement - wifi is a must and bluetooth may be optional

No. 5 requirement- wireless keyboard,mouse combo

Don't obsess about these. They can all be added to any computer. For now, focus on the case, CPU, MOBO, power supply, RAM and the graphics card. If you get the main stuff right, other things like Blue ray player, wifi card, sound card and bluetooth dongle are just add-ons. You can take your time to add these capabilities.

Get at least a uATX board. mini-ITX boards have at most one expansion slot and hence limit your future choices severly. They are good for very specialized tasks. (Ask me, I have two of them, one in a music server and another in a NAS.) Since you want the PC to do many things, stay away from the mini-ITX form factor.

I also don't like buying SO-DIMM RAM because they wont fit in a uATX MOBO in case I want to upgrade the MOBO.

Who is going to do the assembling/testing?