HTPC?

[-TheGame-]

So.... I'm looking to build a new box in the next couple months, I haven't built a system in the past 5 years or so and trying to read up on HDCP and crap like that is making it kinda difficult to know what to buy!

my basic goal is to be able to have a DVD backup server ( couple of 1TB drives with my DVD images on it) that i could stream to a HDTV.

I really dont understand HDCP and I'm not sure if that is going to be a problem.

Also does it matter if I output from the videocard to TV using DVI to DVI or HDMI to HDMI.... any advice on this would be appreciated! Thanks guys!!

[blacksheep]

hdcp won't be an issue although it depends on what/how you use it, for the hd's have a look on ebuyer (am kicking myself on just missing out on this) as they have some samsung spinpoint ones for £120 (1TB) they're nice n quiet, fast and reliable.

Now depending on what os you want to use will determine on what hardware, as linux has little support for the hd decoding onboard gfx cards atm you're best getting a beefy cpu (quad core) if wanting to do full hd bluray this can be cut down with a decentish gfx card on windows. As for hooking up to tv you can do dvi-hdmi but it doesn't carry sound.

Sure you'll have more Q's after that

[pumpman]

Im just building one just now,Ive been waiting on this board coming into stock and its on its way
motherboard http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...roductID=33573

now the beauty of the above board is the inbuilt graphics are HD and Blueray capable and put little load on the cpu , but if you want to you can whack an ATi card in it for some crossfire fun

With the above board Im using a BE2350 dual core low energy cpu by amd , I did consider a 5000+ but these will be overkill in the htpc

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/(27137)...00-Retail.aspx

hth


edit read this review on the motherboard
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/200...hics_chipset/1

[-TheGame-]

thanks for the replies!

I did read that it doesnt carry sound, which is fine, my plan was to get a 5 or 7.1 set of PC speakers to use.

I have been reading that some videocards do HDMI output so i may just do HDMI to HDMI, my main concern with my setup is if HDCP was going to affect one of my video sources ( the DVD backups)

[blacksheep]

won't make much difference if it has hdmi out from the gfx card as I doubt it'll carry sound anyway

[pumpman]

true, although the 3850 and 3870 by ati do audio out via hdmi

edit
according to a post Ive just read the gigabyte board does do audio through hdmi, Ill confirm it when mine arrives