Your opinions/help please.....

[dazza32]

Decided i'd like to build a htpc and would like some feedback from you guys. Will mainly only use it for DVD storage and playback to begin with and in time will move onto backing up my HD collection.



Here's what i plan on using:



Gigabyte GA-MA78GM SH2 mobo

AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200 cpu

Crucial 2GB DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Ballistix Memory

Samsung Spinpoint F1 500gb hdd

LG Blu-ray/HD-DVD combo drive

Arctic Power 500W PSU

Case......TBC



Does the above shopping list seem like decent enough spec??



Cheers



Darren

[martintyler]

If you are going to stick DVDs and especially HD on there then make sure the motherboard has lots of sata ports and the case can take lots of discs

[dazza32]

The mobo should be plenty good enough for the immediate future but guess i am limited as to how many hdd's fit into a htpc case. Ideally needs to be a htpc case so i can sit it on my av stand.

[holtehero]

Go for a Motherboard with E-sata, that way you could could use external drives which offer Sata performance externally

[dazza32]

Short and sweet. What software do i need to playback blu-ray and hd-dvd???

[Geezer]

Cyberlink powerdvd

[dazza32]

Originally Posted by Geezer

Cyberlink powerdvd

Am i right in thinking that powerdvd 8 does not support HD-DVD playback?? Any ideas on where to get an earlier version that does??

[dazza32]

Anyone using nero 8 with the bd/hd-dvd plugin??

[DpMc]

Originally Posted by dazza32

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText">Geezer wrote on Wed, 24 September 2008 22:35</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Cyberlink powerdvd

Am i right in thinking that powerdvd 8 does not support HD-DVD playback?? Any ideas on where to get an earlier version that does??






There is a mod you can do to version 8 that will sort out HD-DVD playback.



Your spec is very close to mine. Not looked at your processor though is it a low power consuption one?



I have just ordered a new case thats more HTPC like. Comes with a PSU and is a very good price.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130945



I should get it tomorrow, ill let you know what its like.

[DpMc]

Originally Posted by dazza32

Short and sweet. What software do i need to playback blu-ray and hd-dvd???

You might get a version of power dvd thrown in with the drive.

I did with my Pioneer drive anyway.