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Building HTPC Cheap

Started by wolf39us, July 18, 2013, 05:58:43 PM

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wolf39us

So after discussions with the female, we have decided to pickup playing Dance Dance Revolution again (we both used to play some time ago!)

We are what the cable companies like to call "cord cutters".  We have no cable service at all and rely solely on internet content and streaming video.  

Coupled with a WDTV Media Player (kind of like an Apple TV)

http://www.liquidsilver.org/wp-content/ ... player.jpg

 I can pretty much stream what I want.  This is obviously a cheap solution ($100).  I've decided to move onto XBMC w/ an HTPC (Home Theater PC).  It's a little more expensive, but it opens the door to a much more customized feel... as well as ability to play some DDR and other games of my choosing.  I've ordered some parts to build the PC and amazed that I came out at only $255!  

Here is what I purchased:

Case:  APEX MI-008  (Mini ITX)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811154091

Motherboard:  GIGABYTE GA-H61N

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813128526

Processor:  Intel Celeron G1610 Ivy Bridge 2.6GHz

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6819116889

Hard Drive:  Maxtor 320gb

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822144544

Memory:  1x 8gb DDR3

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820233371


I'll update this tread once I receive the parts w/pics :-)

PickelledEggs

That's pretty awesome, wolf.

I was trying to do something similar and was going to run mythbuntu on an old desktop I had so I could stream from some of the bootleg tv sites I have, but, the desktop I was given has either a shot motherboard or HDD and it's not worth fixing.

Good to see it doesn't look too expensive to put something like that together!  :)

PopeyesPappy

You can save another $15 on your processor at Micro Center.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/4089 ... _Processor

Don't be surprised if your HTPC ends up being kind of noisy.
Save a life. Adopt a Greyhound.

AllPurposeAtheist

All that for Dance dance revolution?? Really?  :-k
By the way WDTN is the call letters for a TV station in Dayton, Ohio, my hometown. They really need to know about this debauchery.  [-X
All hail my new signature!

Admit it. You're secretly green with envy.

wolf39us

Quote from: "PopeyesPappy"You can save another $15 on your processor at Micro Center.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/4089 ... _Processor

Don't be surprised if your HTPC ends up being kind of noisy.

The case is fanless, and the PC is low-powered (in comparison to others)

_Xenu_

Xmbc is nice. I use it when I want the media center experience. Personally though, I'm also a fan of digital broadcasting. Cable companies don't like me.  :lol:
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http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/ars/home

PickelledEggs

can you run emulators through xbmc? I never heard of it before today.

wolf39us

Quote from: "PickelledEggs"can you run emulators through xbmc? I never heard of it before today.

XBMC supports a launch plugin that will allow you to create a shortcut "within xbmc" to any executable within your system.

So... in that sense, YES you can run emulators with xbmc :-)

Remember, XBMC is merely a shell that combines all of your media and makes things easier to access via plugins etc

PickelledEggs

Hmmm. I'm confused by the website... Is it a complete OS, or is it for running within an OS?

wolf39us

It's not a complete os, it's a program... Like windows media center

PopeyesPappy

Quote from: "wolf39us"
Quote from: "PopeyesPappy"You can save another $15 on your processor at Micro Center.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/4089 ... _Processor

Don't be surprised if your HTPC ends up being kind of noisy.

The case is fanless, and the PC is low-powered (in comparison to others)
Yea but OEM CPU cooling fans are noisy as hell.
Save a life. Adopt a Greyhound.

Jason78

You're going to fill that hard drive to bursting within a month.

[sub:1pioibn5](Note to self.  Come back in a month and find out)[/sub:1pioibn5]
Winner of WitchSabrinas Best Advice Award 2012


We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato

Johan

Quote from: "Jason78"You're going to fill that hard drive to bursting within a month.

[sub:33tzupob](Note to self.  Come back in a month and find out)[/sub:33tzupob]
Its definitely not the drive I would have spec'd for that application. Like you said, its going to be on the small side if he's going to store media on it. The 5400RPM speed means its also going to be slow. Its listed as out of stock now so I can't see what he paid for it. If it got it for $20 I could understand choosing it. But terabyte drives that spin faster are so cheap now, its difficult to justify spending much more than $20 on older technology IMO.

Then again if he intends to stream everything from network drives and the 'net then he might do just fine with that drive in that application.
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false and by the rulers as useful

wolf39us

I have a 2TB local drive on my main PC and a 3TB NAS hooked up to the router

Jason78

Quote from: "wolf39us"I have a 2TB local drive on my main PC and a 3TB NAS hooked up to the router
That's a lot of porn!
Winner of WitchSabrinas Best Advice Award 2012


We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. -Plato