Motherboard /video for HTPC

[CollinR]

I think this is my mistake in realizing what you are trying to do, the windows way you have multiple machines with their own tuners but a shared source. With SageTV, what I normally play with you have 1 big machine and hardware clients at the displays. If you need all your stuff in one box, the more places to support it the better. I really don't have the greatest knowledge of how the distribution of the MS solution works.

 

[Micah]

Ah, understood. And in that case, yes, I would agree. The board I mentioned would not be the best choice as a main server for that type of setup.

 

[mdonovan]

My only problem with that board is expansion, it only has 2 PCIe x1 and 1 PCI slot. For HTPC use you want the more the merrier when it comes to that area.

ICH10R southbridge is a nice feature.

It would probably be very nice for client box but a server IMHO needs more expansion.

Not to be obtuse, but why would you need more? In my setup, the media server and htpc are two different beasts. I was using a normal ATX setup with separate video card, which worked fine but now that you can get HDMI and decent on board sound, what else is needed that this flavor of motherboard can't do?

I currently have an Asus motherboard with the G45 chipset. I use it for general computing. I used it to rip my DVD's to the hard drive, and as a proof of concept for the media center pc, and when I play ripped DVD's, it will play fine for a while, then the video will start stuttering and the screen starts blacking out, then the whole thing hangs and has to be powered off and back on to use it again. I know certain video types do not trigger this problem (don't recall off hand which ones), but for what I want to do with it the G45 chipset is a no go as it stands now. For general use and playing a couple games, it works great. It's just when I try to play videos the thing goes haywire.

Sorry to hear you're having that kind of trouble, Matt. Don't know what to say other than the Asus I linked to has been rock solid for me when playing ripped DVDs via ZP. I haven't had to do anything with it in nearly a month (including reboot it) since I set it up and I usually watch a few movies a week with it.

Hi Micah -

Maybe you're just luckier than me that yours works. Knowing my luck, maybe I have the only board in the world that has this problem Actually, I did research and found a lot of pages talking about this problem, as well as a video on YouTube where someone set up a G45 based PC and ran video on it until it crashed just like mine does.

By the way, what's ZP?

Matt

 

[GraysonPeddie]

Based on the context: "playing ripped DVDs via ZP," he meant ZoomPlayer.

 

[mdonovan]

Based on the context: "playing ripped DVDs via ZP," he meant ZoomPlayer.

Thanks Grayson. I never heard of that one (although I never really looked at alternative media players).

Matt

 

[Micah]

Dunno if Matt ever made a decision or not but I'm bumping again because there's a new board being talked about here that looks like it could be a winner.

Doesn't look like it's released yet but it appears to be a more theater focused uATX board than your run of the mill motherboard. Be interesting to see one of these in action once it's released.

 

[VerbalVenom]

Micah, I just bought some parts to setup my HTPC, but I honestly need some advise. Am I off to a good start? Parts I purchased so far (i'm going to buy the rest this paycheck)

-GIGABYTE GA-MA790GP-DS4H AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard
-AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.1GHz 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM2 89W Dual-Core Processor
-G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel
-LITE-ON Black 4X Blu-ray DVD-ROM 12X DVD-ROM 32X CD-ROM SATA Internal 4X Blu-ray DVD ROM Model DH-4GIGABYTE GN-WP01GS IEEE 802.11b/g
-PCI Wireless Adapter Up to 54Mbps Data Rates 64/128 bit WEP, WPA, 802.1x, AES - Retail O1S-08

I still need to buy a power supply, and a case. I was going to go with MATX, but I went ATX to keep flexibility so if I want to upgrade to a nice video card in the future, i'd have enough room to do so. I'm leaning towards a Modular PSU, but again that's why i'm posting - for advise. In total the above items cost me $395.06, just shy of $400 which is pretty good. I'll then still need an OS, hdd, case, PSU, and wireless keyboard/mouse. I plan on just watching HD content on this box. Also i'll be wanting to do some home security in the near future (networked cameras), and I wanted to know if I am moving in the right direction compatibility wise. I'm figuring that onboard audio and video is more than adequate, and if there seems to be issues I can always buy a video card. I don't want to buy what I don't need at the moment. Now my other question is, to Vista or not to Vista? If so, 32 or 64 bit? If you wouldn't mind pointing me in the right direction, tha'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Micah]

Yikes, hardware wise, it all looks good to me VV but I don't do any HD so just about anything made in the last 2-3 years works fine for me.

In regards to XP vs. Vista, I'd probably buy Vista if I didn't have an extra copy of XP floating around. I use it on my desktop without issue and I don't think it has near the trouble it did when it was first released. Plus, since you're using all new hardware, you shouldn't run into much in the way of driver issues.

I think my only recommendation would be to pickup a copy of AnyDVD. Otherwise I think you should be fine.

Maybe some other, more qualified folks would care to chime in?

Also VV, feel free to make your own thread. You'll probably get more hits and better information that way.

 

[VerbalVenom]

Yikes, hardware wise, it all looks good to me VV but I don't do any HD so just about anything made in the last 2-3 years works fine for me.

In regards to XP vs. Vista, I'd probably buy Vista if I didn't have an extra copy of XP floating around. I use it on my desktop without issue and I don't think it has near the trouble it did when it was first released. Plus, since you're using all new hardware, you shouldn't run into much in the way of driver issues.

I think my only recommendation would be to pickup a copy of AnyDVD. Otherwise I think you should be fine.

Maybe some other, more qualified folks would care to chime in?

Also VV, feel free to make your own thread. You'll probably get more hits and better information that way.

NP, I just ran across this thread via google search and got excited, but i'll definitely do that. Sorry OP for hijacking! Mods feel free to invis my posts in this topic.

 

[mdonovan]

Dunno if Matt ever made a decision or not but I'm bumping again because there's a new board being talked about here that looks like it could be a winner.

Doesn't look like it's released yet but it appears to be a more theater focused uATX board than your run of the mill motherboard. Be interesting to see one of these in action once it's released.

I wound up going with the Foxconn A7GM-S AM2+/AM2 AMD 780G mATX Motherboard suggested earlier in the thread. I'm 99% finished with the tv/htpc set up, and so far it's working great. There are a couple minor things I'm trying to get working, but it's working fine.

Matt