Unless size is a huge concern I'd stick with a case that takes a standard full size power supply.
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Normally, that is the way I'd go too. but the OP wants "cheap and good" with emphasis on cheap given the stated $400 budget for the project. There wasn't much money left for a nice HTPC case and better PSU. If the OP wants a different case without a PSU and decent full-size PSU purchased separately I can suggest them. but I estimate those will add $80-$100 to the cost.
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I'm using a mini tower that I got for $20 (new). And a decent 400 watt PSU that I got on sale for $40.
And for the OP: I'm using an Athlon II x2 255, and a cheap Biostar micro ATX motherboard with the 880G chipset (onboard Radeon HD 4250 graphics). I think I got the pair for about $60. It has no problems playing HD video (including full Blu-ray rips) from a NAS or from a HDHomerun Prime cablecard tuner. The graphics card is set to output 1080p60. So even a low end CPU works fine as an HTPC now. Though I don't use it for Blu-ray discs so I can't say for sure if it can handle that.Last edited by jagabo; 11th Jun 2013 at 14:00.
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Hi usually_quiet and everybody,
THANK YOU VERY MUCH for listing the details of each device, that's exactly what I was looking for, really appreciated, thanks a lot;
I'll look into thi$ as $oon as po$$ible;
Please keep the discussion going, I (we) appreciate different opinions;
Thanks,
Zetti -
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As a clarification to the quote the above, on paper, my 785G system will play 3D Blu-Ray, but I have only played 2D movies so far because I don't have a 3D display. I should also say that a neither a 785G nor an 880G system can bitstream HD audio via HDMI using on board video.
4K video as a common consumer format is a long way off. I don't know what the minimum hardware requirements for playing 4K video are, so it is hard for me to say if an Athlon II x2 plus 880G would play 4K video using its on-board graphics. If I had to guess, I'd say that such a system would not.
[Edit]Looking around a bit, it looks like smooth 4K video playback requires a discrete video card at present, a NVIDIA GTX 680 or AMD HD 7970 or better.Last edited by usually_quiet; 11th Jun 2013 at 23:23.
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So, in other words 4K is really for commercial use, or for those who have to experience the latest, greatest, and most bleeding edge entertainment in their spacious and well-appointed home theater room, no matter what it costs.
Reading the article in a previous post, it looks like a Intel Haswell system built from the right parts in combination with the right 4K TV can play 4K video to some extent using the on-CPU GPU. I guess that is what the OP is getting at, but I don't see the point right now either. I agree that the extra expense is not worth the additional benefits it provides, because the average HTPC user won't be able to fully appreciate them.Last edited by usually_quiet; 12th Jun 2013 at 15:53.
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4k is a much discussed topic on, for instance, AVS forum.
If there's ever a physical media for consumers, it will likely use HEVC (H,265). If downloaded to servers exclusively, then AVC (H.264) will do. But I think the latter (no physical media) would ensure it never becomes more than niche. If it gets any traction at all in the next few years, it will be movies. Forget about cable TV for the foreseeable future.
Then there's size versus viewing distance. I'm at 8 feet away from a 70" 1080p TV, and that's only enough to supposedly get "full benefit" of 1080p:
At any rate, you'll need a fairly powerful HTPC, both CPU and GPU. I personally wouldn't be concerned at all about 4k right now.
Nobody's mentioned it, but if you really want cheap, you could get a 2 to 4 core refurb from, say, TigerDirect for about $200 bucks that would be perfectly adequate as an HTPC only.Pull! Bang! Darn!
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