Ratdude's HTPC

[ratdude747]

Currently in the works I have my first real HTPC.

It's not fully built but there's enough of it that it's time for the thread.

What I do have:

-Case: Enlight Desktop ATX case (needs painted)
-PSU: The semi-infamous 600W Ultra Xfinity
-Mobo: Intel DP35DP
-CPU: Intel PDC 1.8ghz
-Cooler: Intel PWM Copper core (Delta-made fan)
-RAM- 2gb 667MHZ
-GPU- EVGA Geforce 8800GTS 640MB (reflowed)
-DVD: ASUS (Lite-on) SATA DVD+RW DL
-Tv tuner: Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1550

Temporary:

HDD: 40gb Seagate Barracuda IV

Yet to buy:

Buying Tomorrow on the way to a wedding:

- USB/1394/Audio module

-Card reader

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Unfortunately the 92mm PWM fan I saved for it won't fit... so I will need to find a 80mm fan with a Tach (PWM preferred) for it.

I also need to get a better HDD than what I have to toss in... I'd like to find a pair or trio of matched SATA drives to RAID up my main rig with and move over the 320GB drive currently in that rig.


Pics:

In order to make the PSU fit, I had to once again bust out the dremel:





I had to cut out a little more than one would think... it needed some wiggle room to aid installation.

The cable routing around the CPU:



The two PCI-E cards and the HDD carrier:



I tested it earlier in the week... so far it runs well (booted a live USB stick without issues).

I am not 100% sure what OS it will run... It will be windows of some kind (due to the tuner). I probably will use my copy of Vista Home Premium on it, as it seems to be a better Media OS than XP home (my other option, my only copy of 7 was used on my laptop).

To go with it, I have a recapped 26" 720p LCD and a S-VHS player (needs a drive belt, need to get on that).

As some may recall, I had de-interlacing issues with the tuner; I since did some experimentation using another tuner and I discovered the issue was my S-video to Composite adapter only being rated for converting Sv to comp., not the other way around. However, the S-VHS player seems to adapt the signal properly and will be connected to the tuner directly with an S-Video cable.

More pictures to come as the system comes together and I find something to set the setup on in the basement.

Look good?

[c_hegge]

Looks good, but those stock coolers are horrible options for HTPCs. while they don't get overly loud, there is a constant buzz which constantly changes pitch according to CPU load. It annoyed me anough to convince me to get a CM TX3.

[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by c_hegge

Looks good, but those stock coolers are horrible options for HTPCs. while they don't get overly loud, there is a constant buzz which constantly changes pitch according to CPU load. It annoyed me anough to convince me to get a CM TX3.

The issue is clearance... I have a spare TX3 and a Artic 64 for 775 but both appear to be too tall.

I didn't notice any annoying buzz... then again, with the HVAC system going full blast the basement is a poor place to judge noise.

[ratdude747]

I just tested it... the cooler has no annoying noises. The PSU was louder (it could use a fan swap).

[c_hegge]

Cool (pun intended).

Personally, I've heard an annoying buzz on every s775 and newer stock cooler I've had, regardless of who made the fan (Delta, Nidec, Foxconn or Fujikura). Sometimes it doesn't happen when the fan is running at idle speed, but as soon as the CPU had any load, it would happen.

[ratdude747]

Originally Posted by c_hegge

Cool (pun intended).

Personally, I've heard an annoying buzz on every s775 and newer stock cooler I've had, regardless of who made the fan (Delta, Nidec, Foxconn or Fujikura). Sometimes it doesn't happen when the fan is running at idle speed, but as soon as the CPU had any load, it would happen.

I haven't taken past idle though... I'll see once I have it more together; right now all that is on the HDD is a half-corrupted XP install that was orginally on the HDD when I got it at a thrift store. The one time I was rocking gnome shell and the nvidia driver (mageia x64 live USB I randomly had), I didn't recall any odd or excessive noises.

[shovenose]

In my experience the Intel stock coolers on Socket 775 and newer are very good and quiet.

[Uranium-235]

My HTPC has a gigabyte board and they have this neat little throttling program for the cpu fan

[ratdude747]

Mine is PWM, throttled by the temp.

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The Fry's didn't have the card reader in stock. They also only had the other adapter in silver... I'll paint it when I do the other case parts.

Pics to come when I get home Sunday night.

[ratdude747]

Updates:

1. I installed XP home on it... My Vista disc/COA is AWOL... I misplaced it when I upgraded desks.

2. I did some tests using a Composite source and the S-VHS VCR... The "deinterlacing issues" I had in the past are not present when I am using the S-VHS unit as my converter. I'll upload a few screenshots later.

3. I ran SuperTuxKart on it, using XBCD and one of my modded xBox controllers. The GPU in this thing really rocked... a far cry from the fledgling performance of my 7600GT I used to use with this set of parts. Granted, I went from 1600x1200 (the old setup at the time) to the TV's 1280x768.

It really felt and seemed like a console type game. Since I am using windows, once I upgrade the HDD I may keep my eyes open for some non-free games that I can run on it... In a way it is like a Giant game console.

4. I painted the case parts. Pics to come in my next post.

[ratdude747]

Pictures!

First, a screenshot of the tuner w/o deinterlace errors:

(A digital camera hooked via the composite cable)



Time to watch paint dry:



What I did was:

1. Clean every surface to be painted with generic Windex.

2. Lightly sand the surfaces with some 100 grit sandpaper. In hindsight I should have used 150 or finer but it nevertheless worked. This removes any surface wax and increases the surface area that the paint can stick to.

3. Spray the parts with two lighter coats. I used some Rustolem Painter's touch Black semigloss for this.

For the buttons I had to get creative:



I also removed the two clear pieces for the LEDs, which I super-glued back in after the paint dried.

Also, I had to make sure the button holes were plugged:



The finished product:



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To control it I currently am using a USB keyboard with a Hub, connected to a 16' repeater cable. I eventually would like to find a decent wireless USB set, since my only set is a total POS (it's MS too.. very disappointed)

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I eventually will install a card reader in the bay above the USB/audio/1394 ports... I was going to install a black sony one like i have in my main rig but Fry's was out when I went to buy it. One idea I had was to find a silver 3.5" card reader with a USB port and swap that for the one in my main rig that doesn't quite match (it only had a black and a beige faceplate).

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Other then the card reader, all it needs is better HDD, a 80mm case fan, and a pair of fresh 80mm fans for the PSU (the one foxconn fan in the PSU is way too loud).

Look good?

[c_hegge]

Looking good. Nice paint job!

[gg1978]

Only wireless keyboard /mouse etc with decent range seems to be bluetooth. I run a logitech PS3 keyboard on a bluetooth dongle on mine, works great. The great thing about a PS3 keyboard is that you can get one with a touchpad built in as well.