Hey guys,

I'm looking to build a nice HTPC with a budget around $1000. I'm looking for a PC that can provide full 1080P visually (taking a glance at a few video cards - it seems most video cards with an HDMI out can fulfill this) and also provide HD audio (e.g. Dolby True HD, DTS HD MA, etc.) to my receiver and projector. I also need at least 1TB of hard-drive space for the storage of high definition video files.

How would you guys recommend building a computer of this sort? If possible, I would also like to control it with my harmony remote (I'm thinking a simple USB IR receiver synced to my remote would work).

There are some great silverstone or antec cases for HTPC's with good IR support.

Go with a 780G board it can handle HD and has HDMI out. As DD HD DTS HS MA etc are digital signals the high definition ones will be coming from a source that is pre encoded so you only need a digital spdif/optical/coax passthrough to your receiver where it will then be decoded to your speakers.

Price match the 2.2ghz phenom quad or go with a dual core X2. Grab a nice 780G board with all the features you need. Look at a gelid silent spirit cooler. Gelid case fans. Silverstone also makes a nice passive PSU.

One more note on the case is make sure you install some sort of rubber grommets/spacers between the drive and the mounts. I have found the samsung F1s and the WD drive too be quiet.

for 1000.00 you can do much better then that. a htpc does not require much to fulfill your requirements. personally I scavanged my old computer replaced heatsink with scythe ninja mini in a new silverstone. even a cheap dual core will be fine. i built mine with mostly recycled parts so i could invest in stuff like a bluray drive, video card, harddrives. I only ended up spending around 500.00. with all new stuff it would be no more then 750.00.

Thanks for the reply!

I've noted down your suggestions, but my question is regarding the audio portion now.

Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD can only be passed through via HDMI and not Optical/Coax.

Would I require an audio card in this case? or would the mobo still be able to pass through/process all of this?

Well Looks like Lance was right per say.

You have to jump into a HDMI soundcard to output 7.1

Bluray is such a freaking scam.

Auzentech X-tension, ASUS Xonar 1.3A delxue + etc.

Expensive drive, expensive discs oh but wait now you need an expensive soundcard too

Hahahahaha.

The less expensive solution would be this card that is yet to hit the shelves I think

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/audio/3992-auzen-hdmi-1-3-board-pics-info.html

This message was modified by the poster at 01 07, 2009 07:28 AM

It looks like ripping to MKV and using eac3to allows you to have full 1080p and 8 channel audio.

I must say the entertainment industry is such a sad scene.