Over the past few weeks I’ve had dozens of requests from readers wanting me to put together a parts list for a kick-ass, low-cost Home Theater PC (HTPC). Well, here you go!
Before I go on, first let me explain briefly what a HTPC is and how it differs from a regular PC. Basically, an HTPC (sometimes called a Media PC or Media Center) is a PC that’s specifically designed to playback music and video. Also, since it’s an entertainment system, you want to be able to control the PC remotely, and you want to keep noise down to a minimum.
What I’m going to outline here is an entry-level system that’s going to be able to handle all the basic tasks that you’d expect of an HTPC system. It’s going to be able to handle HD resolution video (1080p and 720p), cope with streaming video, upscale DVD, ad will even be good for playing games, as long as you’re not too greedy when it comes to resolution. It’s also going to have plenty of storage space so you’ve got plenty of room to store your ever-growing library of media.
OK, let’s get going!
Processor
One of the key factors to building a successful HTPC is to pick a processor that’s powerful enough to handle the demands placed on it by the tasks it has to carry out, but not so powerful that you’re having to add powerful fans to have to cool the thing off.
For this built I’ve chosen an AMD Athlon II X2 255 Socket AM3 part. This is a 3.1GHz dual-core CPU, but far more importantly than that, it has a TDP of only 65W. This means less heat is produced when it’s running, which in turn means less cooling, and it also means you can cram more components into a smaller chassis.
Price: $80
Motherboard
Now that we’ve chosen the CPU, it’s now time to choose a motherboard to match it. There are several consideration to take into account.
First, size. Ideally, you want your HTPC to have a smallish footprint, along the lines of a VCR, so it’s best to choose one with a micro-ATX form factor. Also, it’s a good idea for the motherboard to have an on-board graphics processor (GPU) and support for HDMI. Oh, and to match the processor, this needs to be a Socket AM3 board.
With all these requirements in mind, I’ve chosen a Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H board. Highlights of this board include:
- AMD 785G chipset
- ATI Radeon HD 4200 GPU
- HDMI
- SATA support
Price: $90
Next –>
