The building a PC/laptop guide

[SpringfieldSkins]

Updated the topic to reflect the direction this thread has gone

Well then, I'll make a rather extensive post in a moment or two.

[KAOSkins]

I might consider it if I had a Raspberry Pi, though I can probably think up more fun uses for it than a laptop.

Cool Change spj.

I like those new Zotac itty bitty form factors. They need to work on the power requirements a little to get them down for temperatures and corresponding noise but a pc screwed onto the back of a tv networked to a NAS or a home server is the ideal setup now. No wife factor involved and with a decent remote it's capable of doing a whole lot more than most people realize. Itching to build something ITX. Thought I'd add, waiting for Trinity is a big bonus for this option.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5738/z...form-factor-pc

[Renegade7]

HYFR.

Funny you bring up that Raspberry Pi, Poker, cuz I swear VP of our school's IT Club brought that up to us the last meeting.

He was talking about integrating different electronics to this one central node, like the garage door, fridge, and climate control. I told him if he did that, the second he put it on the net he'd be asking for it. Still cool though, but I'd like to see an improvement on the processor speed before I would involve it in something like home entertainment, even if we're just talking music. Based on the wiki page, the ARM11 is still 32-bit and only 700Mhz. Something as small as Pi will eventually go the away of the atom processor and have a dual core chip instead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi

I'm going to do some homework, otherwise I'm never going to leave this thread. :drool

[PokerPacker]

Cool Change spj.

I like those new Zotac itty bitty form factors. They need to work on the power requirements a little to get them down for temperatures and corresponding noise but a pc screwed onto the back of a tv networked to a NAS or a home server is the ideal setup now. No wife factor involved and with a decent remote it's capable of doing a whole lot more than most people realize. Itching to build something ITX. Thought I'd add, waiting for Trinity is a big bonus for this option.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5738/z...form-factor-pc

yeah, but can the zotac compete with this little guy?


at only $35 or so, I know which one I'd rather glue to the back of a TV.

---------- Post added April-14th-2012 at 02:57 PM ----------

HYFR.

Funny you bring up that Raspberry Pi, Poker, cuz I swear VP of our schools IT Club brought that up to us the last meeting.

He was talking about integrating different electronics to this one central node, like the garage door, fridge, and climate control. I told him if he did that, the second he put it on the net he'd be asking for it. Still cool though, but I'd like to see an improvement on the processor speed before I would involve it in something like home entertainment, even if we're just talking music. Based on the wiki page, the ARM11 is still 32-bit and only 700Mhz. Something as small as Pi will eventually go the away of the atom processor and have a dual core chip instead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi

I'm going to do some homework, otherwise I'm never going to leave this thread. :drool

Keep in mind that it is ARM based, rather than x86, which means its not bogged down by the archaic architecture. The thing is powerful enough for 1080p video, so it's got something going for it.

[KAOSkins]

yeah, but can the zotac compete with this little guy?

at only $35 or so, I know which one I'd rather glue to the back of a TV.

Price wise no comparison and cool factor I'll give to the Pi just cause it is. Paying more does get you more though and the next generation of tv back pc's are going to able to do it all, with connections for everything but the Pi's kitchen sink. For $35, get both? That's too cool. Portal 2 on my 46" without all the cords and heat is what I'm talking about. These steps now are leading us in the right direction that's for sure. I like it.

[tiger187126]

there should be plenty of build guides for an affordable HTPC (home theatre personal computer) build. putting it together isn't difficult at all and some guides you find should give you step by step pictures of everything.

basically it's cheap processor, cheap video card, and monsterous amount of storage with some kind of network adapter (ethernet if you can get a cord from your modem/router or wifi if not).

edit: oh and that rasberry pi is really cool.

[Renegade7]

Keep in mind that it is ARM based, rather than x86, which means its not bogged down by the archaic architecture. The thing is powerful enough for 1080p video, so it's got something going for it.

Tru, and I started lookin into that recently.

Couldn't find anything showing it could handle say a 6 GB mkv file (even from an external HDD, since SD it comes with ain't big enough for that), which is what I would want to use it for. Saw them playing some games, but most of the 1080p demos we're either that or trailers. No doubt, it's going to get stronger, I just hope no one tries to kill it patent-wise before she gets a chance to really take off.

[SpringfieldSkins]

OK, so you want a HTPC. You don't want a desktop.

Building a HTPC is something that I've always wanted to do myself but haven't ever done it. It is different than building a desktop but the general concepts are pretty much the same.


First you need to decide what you want your HTPC to do. What are you going to be using your HTPC for? Are you just going to watch cable and the occasional Bluray? Are you going to record TV? Are you going to go for heavy gaming with this machine? This is the first important decision to be made in building a HTPC.

Now that you know what you want out of your HTPC, there are a few basic decisions to be made before the real build can start. Some would say that the processor is the most important decision, I'd argue that what case you will be using is the most important. There are a few different form factors that can be used in a HTPC, ATX, micro ATX and micro ITX. I'd probably go with ATX because it's the largest and most like a standard desktop. ATX motherboards will likely be easier to work around and allow you for more expansion. It is really about preference though.

A couple of cases:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811112228
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811204037


Next step is to pick the type of processor you want to run. Basically, you can choose either Intel or AMD. I'm not as up to date on the most advanced processors as some others on this board may be but I'll give you some general ideas. Intel will generally give you the best performance. AMB will generally give you the most processing power for the buck. Most importantly, you should select a processor that has a socket that won't be outdated if you ever want to upgrade. The processor determines what motherboard you'll be running, so make sure you don't end up getting a motherboard that will be dead in a year!

A couple of processors:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103727 (AMD)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115072 (Intel)


Now onto the motherboard. You can get a whole lot of options in a motherboard. Obviously, you'll need a motherboard that accepts the processor that you selected. Hell, you could even pick the motherboard before the processor if you really wanted. There are other things to keep in mind in general. How much RAM and what kind of RAM will this motherboard use? In general, you want the most advanced RAM with the highest amount of slots. You need to decide how many PCI Express X16 slots you want. If you're going to be gaming, you'll probably want at least 2. Other options like how many SATA slots you'll need also determine what kind of motherboard you'll be buying.

A couple of motherboards:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813138344 (Intel)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131736 (AMD)


Next step is to decide what kind of video card you want. You don't "need" a video card, most motherboards have on board video. If you're going to be watching your HTPC on a HDTV, it's a best bet to get one. Depending on what kind of use you want of your HTPC, you may want a relatively low end video card. A video card with a passive heat exchange system may be better suited for those just in it for the movies than a massive video card (or cards) with huge fans.

A couple of video cards:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130587 (high end)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814133356 (low end)




...to be continued. The Caps game is starting.

[spjunkies]

My goodness that was one heck of a breakdown!

Thank you so much for that.

[PokerPacker]

Tru, and I started lookin into that recently.

Couldn't find anything showing it could handle say a 6 GB mkv file (even from an external HDD, since SD it comes with ain't big enough for that), which is what I would want to use it for. Saw them playing some games, but most of the 1080p demos we're either that or trailers. No doubt, it's going to get stronger, I just hope no one tries to kill it patent-wise before she gets a chance to really take off.

The whole idea of Raspberry Pi is actually education. These people wanted to make something cheap that schools could buy up and mess with all they wanted. You gotta respect the amount of work that went into this to sell it for so little for the purposes of education.

[dfitzo53]

My goodness that was one heck of a breakdown!

Thank you so much for that.

There's actually even more to consider, but that post was a good starting point.

If you actually want to build your own computer, maybe post exactly what you want it to be able to do and what budget you're working with and we can help you choose parts.

[ixcuincle]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1069084

Good or no

[KAOSkins]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1069084

Good or no

Not bad at all. The case is a little fugly though.

[ixcuincle]

Yeah, the case may be unsightly, but it has 5 fans in it

Everything checks out and I may eventually get that. Never built a computer from scratch though, but all the screw and cables are included, so hopefully I'll be able to figure this out

[dfitzo53]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboD...=Combo.1069084

Good or no

You don't need anything near 750W for that system, so there's no reason to be spending $90 on a PSU.

The PCP&C Silencer MkIII line is great, for example, and the 500W model is $45 after rebate and promo code. They're built by Seasonic (one of the best in the business), modular, and, unlike previous Silencer models, they're actually pretty quiet.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817703035

$150 ($130 after rebate) is also more than you need to be spending on a motherboard unless you need special features.

Is that specific bunch of parts the only way to get the bundle discount?