How much to build a HTPC?

[Mike]

I'm curious, how many times have you seen the motherboard or controller go? From the presentation it seems you have seen it often. Over the last 7 years or so, using configurations (scale for the time) like those above (although usually a little higher end Asus motherboard) I have not seen one fail in at least 15 systems like that. Many running 24x7.

I have seen lower end machines have issues (notably dell's) involving the motherboard and such however.

While definitely not a sample such as those in corporate environments (but we are talking about different hardware there), I just haven't seen the failure rate. And in the above case, you can have a spare motherboard for $100.

For another $200 you can of course buy the other card, and get better performance, which I don't dispute at all, but I think it comes into a preference question as to how it will be setup (and the costs associated with that). Some people are looking to control cost. In that case, and noting the issues with larger upgrades if the motherboard went, I would be inclined to just replace the motherboard.

Given this consideration, do you disagree? For a higher end, and performance driven installation, there are different parameters.

Skybolt > Can you share the motherboard/controller you were using when you lost data in a RAID 5 configuration?

On bandwidth, if you can be wired, go gigabit...

 

[johnnynine]

A have had 2 motherboards die on me and have seen others. The both had raid controllers on board. In the end I just stopped using raid all together, but I would definatley use a separate controller.

 

[SkyBolt]

Skybolt > Can you share the motherboard/controller you were using when you lost data in a RAID 5 configuration?

On bandwidth, if you can be wired, go gigabit...

I also have seen asus MB fail with there raid cotrollers, if you research there site yuo will see many bios update concerning this. ASUS is still one of my favorite MB's for general/server use. gigabyte dual bios series is my absolute favorite for mult media, they have RAID and SATA. Mirrored SATA is the best in my book. I use and have been using the cheap run of the mill Intel 8200 series chipset for RAID. The controller has nerver caused me trouble. It has always been the HD. THe drives which always fail are WD. Period. They have the best replacemen policy but there drives are terible. I will only use Seagate Barracuda's or MAXTOR Pro series. Excelnt track record. BUt mirrors are the only true drive protection IMO.

 

[Digger]

has anyone used one of the Sony 400 Disc DVD Changers. Seems like a cheaper alternative but will only play one movie at a time. Also a lot easier to set up.

Sony DVP-CX995V 400-disc DVD/CD/SACD changer

 

[DavidL]

Digger, I might suggest the Sony CX777Es as a better alternative as it is 2 way RS232 controllable which helps in many ways towards good automation and hassle free.

Personally I think a blended strategy is best...high used movies on drives, low use ones on CX777Es. And a software package that deals with both fluently.
You also need to pipe the content to your display. You can send the component in from the changer to a HTPC PC card. You can also use the PC to automate switching of a matrix switcher to select your source.

 

[Digger]

DavidL,

Thanks.... actually that is the one I had beenthinking about but I didnt realize it when I copied and pasted earlier.

With your sugestion then it would be easy to copy from the changer to the HTPC if I wanted to also.

I think I might start with a changer and add a HTPC later since we are swimming in DVD"S that I need to organize and it will be a lower cost easier setup to start with.

 

[upstatemike]

I see more and more boxed sets of TV shows and such are coming out on 2-sided discs. Is there an alternative to the CX777ES that will play both sides of a disc?

 

[Mike]

Digger, I might suggest the Sony CX777Es as a better alternative as it is 2 way RS232 controllable which helps in many ways towards good automation and hassle free.

Personally I think a blended strategy is best...high used movies on drives, low use ones on CX777Es. And a software package that deals with both fluently.
You also need to pipe the content to your display. You can send the component in from the changer to a HTPC PC card. You can also use the PC to automate switching of a matrix switcher to select your source.

You mentioned component into a card on the PC, can you give me a name of one that you have seen? I'd love to use something like that.

I think the blended strategy is great. I don't have a changer yet, but I use hard drives as a sort of speed rack and it works great.

 

[DavidL]

ATI all in wonder w/ HD adapter (component in) is one graphics card w/ component in. there are others.

 

[Mike]

Are you talking about this:

http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvadapter/index.html

This is for component out (out from the video card). If there is indeed a component in capability, I will set aside my nVidia preference to check this out. That would solve a lot of problems.

I am defining component in as the ability to take a component feed and input it to the PC, which it seems is what you are saying. If you can give me a model number or link it would be great as I have only been able to find component out from the video card.

 

[DavidL]

http://shop.ati.com/product.asp?sku=2538007

 

[Mike]

Ahh, that looks like composite in, not component in (which would be three cables for video).

Component lets you get HD video, which would be a real win (assuming you could record it).

 

[electron]

I have a 9600 Pro with the HDTV dvi->component adapter. While it works, it has 1 major problem in MCE. It won't let you play back DVD's if you are running 1080i and the DVD came with macrovision crap. The only way around that is to strip the DRM stuff either real time or reburn your discs.

 

[DavidL]

Here is one we are testing:
http://www.pluggedin.tv/s.nl/it.A/id.10/.f?sc=2&category=2
works great for DVD, just not HD (480)

 

[Mike]

This is great, thank you!

I wonder if one of those would work as a tv input for Sage/MCE/etc. It would let you record HD-like quality, let alone the optimizations it performs.

How have you found it so far from your tests?