HTPC on the cheap

[coachstevo]

Ok, so here's the task if you choose to contribute:

Spec the lowest cost HTPC that will be used for the following:

"reading" music, dvd, and picture files from a NAS
"Manually" Playing DVDs and CDs - user inserts the disc
"Manually" Playing picture files - user inserts the memory card
Using "showtimes" through BM
Using "weather" through BM

All hooked up to a 7.1 HT and a 50" 1080p DLP

Some other user requirements:
Case must be black and "match" the cable box, receiver- I'm thinking Silverstone LC13
Must be able to be controlled with a universal remote
Need not control the TV

So given this- I'm thinking:
silverstone lc13 case
DVD/CD-ROm
9-in-1 media reader
tiny HDD- 80gb?
mob/cpu: MSI RX480 Neo2-F ATI Socket 939 ATX Motherboard and an AMD Sempron 3000+ 1.80GHz OEM Processor
Video card?
memory: 2gb

Thoughts?

[Mistergq]

My Link machine also functions (when I want it to) as a HTPC machine. I only have 512 MB in ram. Also, I am using a 6200. Here is the link to the card. http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16814170092 I have not hooked it up to my tv as Svideo, right now it is standard RCA cable and it looks much better than other cards I have used in the past.

[cmcquistion]

Here's my info from another thread.

Originally Posted by cmcquistion

I've built a handful of Link machines using the MSI K8NGM2-FID motherboard and the least expensive Socket 939 CPU (Athlon 3000+). This motherboard has built in Nvidia 6150 graphics and really has some good muscle behind it.

My main BTV Link machine is this exact configuration and outputs to my 44" HDTV, watching OTA HDTV, SDTV, DVD's, DivX files, etc.

Here's my typical shopping list:

MSI K8NGM2-FID motherboard
Athlon 3000+ (socket 939)
1 GB dual channel DDR (cheap DDR400) - (probably overkill and 512 MB may be enough)
Antec NSK2400 Case (Silver)
Asus DVD-ROM (Silver)
Samsung notebook hard drive (40 GB, SATA, quieter than typical desktop hard drive)

Since I am a complete freak about having only "quiet PC's", I often spend extra on ultra-quiet power supplies, fans, heatsinks, etc.

Originally Posted by cmcquistion

The MSI motherboard I'm using has DVI, VGA, component, and S-Video outputs. It can basically hook up to anything. I was originally using DVI to the HDMI input, but my Samsung actually looks a little better using VGA. It has more adjustments for the picture placement and size, when using VGA, so that's what I stuck with. I use Powerstrip to fine-tune the picture placement and size. This is necessary with any HDTV hooked up to a PC.

I really can't recommend that motherboard enough. It is less than $80 and has built in video which is more than powerful enough for standard definition and high definition video. Nvidia designed this chipset to be used for HTPC's, right from the start.

[Bigbird999]

Or for a lot less money, one of the up converting networked media players.

BB