CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

HV-MAN · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Brisbane, Australia

Hi

I've finally build a HTPC after years of on looking.

HTPC Hardware

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 5200+AM2 Processor Retail Dual Core AM2
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H AMD780G 5200HT DDR2 VGA PCIE2.0 RAID GbLAN 1394
RAM: DDR2 2048MB(2x1G) PC6400 800Mhz Kingston
Optical Drive: Pioneer BDC-S02BK Blu-Ray Combo Drive SATA Black Retail
Case: Antec Fusion Black HTPC Desktop Case - Black LCD with IR receiver 430W
HDD: Western Digital 1TB SATAII HDD Green Power
HDTV: DNTC Live! Dual Hybrid PCI-E S2 (yet to be purchased) http://www.digitalnow.com.au/product_pages/DNTVDualS2.html

Some pics

My PJ is a Sony 1292
I'm also happy with 5.1 sound

Currently the only software installed is XP sp2, AVG, plus the software that came with the blu-ray drive.
List of program from the front of the disc
- Cyberlink BD/HD advisor
- play movie 1.5

Cyberlink BD solution
- Powerproducer4.0
- powerDirector5.0
- PowerDVD7.3 (2ch)
- Instantburn5.0
- Power2go5.5

For starters my HTPC goals are:
- boot to a HTPC Front end with a high WAF.
- playback of sd DVD with upscaling
- Playback of blu-ray
- playback of other HD formats
- Rip both SD & HD
- music duke box
- HDTV PVR
- external input with upscaling eg Foxtel IQ & Xbox (original) for this I was planing on using the input of the HDTV card
- control it all with my logitech harmony 785

So I'm after help with setting up the software side of things...

What's the most appropriate res to run my 1292?

Now my motherboard GA-MA78GM-S2H has the new AMI780G on board graphics do I need powerstrip or is the bundled SW suitable?

do I need reclock?
do I need dscaler?

really not sure where to start from......

Cheers
Craig A

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5238 Location: Osceola, Indiana

Nice looking case! I'm old fashion I like the full sized ATX boards but thats just me. Powerstrip might be a good thing to have so you can create custom timings and refresh rates I'm not sure if it supports the AMI780G graphics. That looks like a cool little motherboard, I'm not an AMD fan so I will be very curious as to how it works out, I just never had a lot of luck with them but others have, I like to keep an open mind. The dual DVI and VGA output is really nice saves from using clunky DVI to VGA adaptor.

Mike

AFryia · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:41 am Post subject:

AnyDVD is also useful. I'm not sure what the HD version retails for. I here it got expensive.

ecrabb · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 1:48 am Post subject:

AnyDVD is almost $100 US with the Easter discount.

Nice looking HTPC!

SC

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5238 Location: Osceola, Indiana

I have a couple of dumb question.

What the hell is the big ass knob for?
How well does it work?

Mike

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:21 pm Post subject:

Hey I considered that case when I was building mine, but then I decided I already had a case that size and I wanted to go smaller.

Do you have it all up and running?

69shelby · Joined: 05 Jan 2007 Posts: 102

knob is for looks only, makes it look like a stereo

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5238 Location: Osceola, Indiana

HV-MAN · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Brisbane, Australia

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:27 am Post subject:

HV-MAN · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Brisbane, Australia

Now with easter over I can bet back to getting my TH going again.

I currently have a clean install of XPsp2 + the SW that came with the Blu-ray drive on my HTPC.

So is step one install Powerstrip ver 3.7?

I've never used powerstrip before is it straight forward?

What would be the best res for my 1292 any suggestions from fellow 1292 owners?

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:42 am Post subject:

Wow cool integrated graphic's. I love the fact they give you a VGA port, DVI, and HDMI. Then you can do cross fire by adding another video card later. Very cool! Beats the Gforce 6150 onboard that mine came with 2 yeras ago. lol

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:44 am Post subject:

HV-MAN · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Brisbane, Australia

Gee a weeks gone already.....haven't had much time to play with the HTPC, I purchased AnyDVD HD whilst is was on special over easter, and ordered a HDTV dual tuner card. Now i need to look at what other software I need.

For HD playback eg Blu-ray, ripped HD-DVD and other HD files.... TS etc what is the best software?
I currently have the basic version of powerDVD that shipped with the Blu-ray drive.

HV-MAN · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Brisbane, Australia

Well time flys....

Been busy with work and can only play with my HTPC & 1292 after 9:30pm Sad

My HDTV card has arrived and has been installed, after some minor driver problems it working great.

Do any of you use a Front end on your HTPC like mediaportal or meedio etc?

incova · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 789 Location: london

I dont know much about micro atx boards does this one need a special psu or does it just take a regular atx psu?

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:20 am Post subject:

That's a standard PSU. I have a few computer's that are Mini ATX.

Now if we were talking ITX then thing's get smaller.

jmcmahon7 · Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 18

Looks like a nice setup, only thing that worries me (and I admit I'm very anal about this) is the lack of case airflow. Personally, I'd get a good PSU with a 120MM (Ideally adjustable) fan, that way you can create good airflow with minimal noise.

If you are not familiar with it, speedfan is a good piece of software that you can use to automatically control the fans, provided the motherboard supports it.

Mediaportal, is worth a try, especially for the price. Personally I couldnt use a HTPC without some sort of 10ft UI, beit MCE, MythTV or Mediaportal.

incova · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 789 Location: london

i have just got my gigabyte ga ma780gm, my psu has a 2x10 pin connector not the 2x12. I was just a little concerned about where to plug in the 10 pin connector, the manual states,

The main power connector is compatible with power supplies with 2x10 power connectors. When using a 2x12 psu remove the protective plastic cover from the main power connector on the motherboard. do not insert the power supply cable into pins under the protective cover when using a 2x10 psu.

i dont have a protective plastic cover It never came with the mb I assume I should install the 10 psu connector but can someone tell me exactly where, should it be at the top in pins 13 and 1 or from the bottom in pins 21 and 12 on page 23 of the manual, or should it not be installed at all I am assuming you have to install it to post.

Thanks for the time.

i just tried slotting it in and it goes in perfectly but i am still wary of putting it on until someone confirms that I have it in the right position.

incova · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 789 Location: london

The psu works just fine I plugged the connector in and in the manual it shows the points that are used by a 2x12 psu so all is good.