some findings and info i've gathered for htpc. hope the info helps people out there decide what to buy for their htpc.

i had 3 main questions,

1. a htpc or a dvico tvix 4100?

2. a clone htpc or dell studio hybrid?

3. if DIY which intel chip to buy?


Question 1,
dvico tvix 4100 - rm1400 i think...
htpc - 1k till 3k (for dell's)

since the price for a clone htpc DIY can be cheaper than the tvix 4100 i decide to go for a htpc.
htpc can do much much more! FIY the intel DG45FC motherboard with g45 chipset using x4500hd graphic chip can decode + accelerate all HD content with its own hardware. no need to use the main CPU.

Question 2,
dell studio hybrid, rm2900.
uses intel x3100 graphic chip dan gm945 chipset motherboard which is meant for a notebook.

DIY clone i can buy the intel DG45FC motherboard with build-in latest intel x4500HD media graphic chip.

below the difference between g945 chipset and g45 chipset
http://compare.intel.com/pcc/showchart.asp...0&culture=en-US

read the glaring difference between x3100(dell) and x4500hd(dg45fc mobo) below,
http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/1488.htm

in the end though the dell studio hybrid looks nice.... but it simply uses outdated technology.
i decide to DIY my own HTPC.

Question 3,
which intel cpu to buy... 2 major candidates, intel e7200(rm390) and intel e5200(rm280).
both very simililar cpus.
i want to reduce power, so less fan, less noisy, less hot.

e7200-3mb cache vs e5200-2mb cache. a lot of reports states the difference is minimal due to cache size.
e7200-1066mhz vs e5200-800mhz bus speed, some reports say 800mhz bus causes less strain to the motherboard and save power.
e7200-2.53Ghz vs e5200-2.5GHz - minimal difference since all decoding is done on the graphic chip.
both are 45nm architecture. less hot.

some report say that e7200 is a lower grade die, the high grades ones will be rated as e7300. that is why its best to avoid the e7200.
e5200 is unique since the has 2mb cache...

in the end i bought the e5200.

so to share with everyone the components of my htpc, all bought in All-IT hypermarket level 3 lowyat.

1. intel e5200 cpu - rm280
2. intel DG45FC motherboard - rm445
3. corsair 1Gb x 2 (pair) DDR2 800MHz 5-5-5-18 - rm145
3. asus sata dvdrw drive - rm79
4. MI-100 mini itx case with 300W psu - rm160

total rm1109.

i am using a extra 300Gb sata hdd that i already have. also a usb wifi dongle that i have extra.
currently i am using an old microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse, but i might just buy the cool looking logitech dinovo mini keyboard that cost rm499 now.

it now sit very pretty besides my home theater (connected via digital optical cable from this htpc) and connected to my plasma tv (via hdmi) and oh yeah, don't forget the ugly astro box :-)

This post has been edited by adamismadi: Sep 16 2008, 02:55 PM

i specifically wanted the dg45fc since it is mini itx... since the mini itx case is tiny and does not look too much like a PC.
most people would not think it is big enuf to be a pc! kekekkee....
the MI-100 mini itx case also is so nice since it hides the dvdrw drive behind the flap.

i love it. :-)

---

Added on September 17, 2008, 2:28 pmwoo hoo! yippy!!!
just bought a logitech dinovo mini for my new htpc!!!

RM420 only in lowyat!



This post has been edited by adamismadi: Sep 17 2008, 02:29 PM

some findings and info i've gathered for htpc. hope the info helps people out there decide what to buy for their htpc.

i had 3 main questions,

1. a htpc or a dvico tvix 4100?

2. a clone htpc or dell studio hybrid?

3. if DIY which intel chip to buy?


Question 1,
dvico tvix 4100 - rm1400 i think...
htpc - 1k till 3k (for dell's)

since the price for a clone htpc DIY can be cheaper than the tvix 4100 i decide to go for a htpc.
htpc can do much much more! FIY the intel DG45FC motherboard with g45 chipset using x4500hd graphic chip can decode + accelerate all HD content with its own hardware. no need to use the main CPU.

Question 2,
dell studio hybrid, rm2900.
uses intel x3100 graphic chip dan gm945 chipset motherboard which is meant for a notebook.

DIY clone i can buy the intel DG45FC motherboard with build-in latest intel x4500HD media graphic chip.

below the difference between g945 chipset and g45 chipset
http://compare.intel.com/pcc/showchart.asp...0&culture=en-US

read the glaring difference between x3100(dell) and x4500hd(dg45fc mobo) below,
http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/1488.htm

in the end though the dell studio hybrid looks nice.... but it simply uses outdated technology.
i decide to DIY my own HTPC.

Question 3,
which intel cpu to buy... 2 major candidates, intel e7200(rm390) and intel e5200(rm280).
both very simililar cpus.
i want to reduce power, so less fan, less noisy, less hot.

e7200-3mb cache vs e5200-2mb cache. a lot of reports states the difference is minimal due to cache size.
e7200-1066mhz vs e5200-800mhz bus speed, some reports say 800mhz bus causes less strain to the motherboard and save power.
e7200-2.53Ghz vs e5200-2.5GHz - minimal difference since all decoding is done on the graphic chip.
both are 45nm architecture. less hot.

some report say that e7200 is a lower grade die, the high grades ones will be rated as e7300. that is why its best to avoid the e7200.
e5200 is unique since the has 2mb cache...

in the end i bought the e5200.

so to share with everyone the components of my htpc, all bought in All-IT hypermarket level 3 lowyat.

1. intel e5200 cpu - rm280
2. intel DG45FC motherboard - rm445
3. corsair 1Gb x 2 (pair) DDR2 800MHz 5-5-5-18 - rm145
3. asus sata dvdrw drive - rm79
4. MI-100 mini itx case with 300W psu - rm160

total rm1109.

i am using a extra 300Gb sata hdd that i already have. also a usb wifi dongle that i have extra.
currently i am using an old microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse, but i might just buy the cool looking logitech dinovo mini keyboard that cost rm499 now.

it now sit very pretty besides my home theater (connected via digital optical cable from this htpc) and connected to my plasma tv (via hdmi) and oh yeah, don't forget the ugly astro box :-)

IMHO, for a downloading server nothing beat an atom machine... very very low power. and cheap too!
you can build one for about rm500-1k+ depending on your hdd size! mini-itx form factor very tiny. :-)

This post has been edited by adamismadi: Sep 16 2008, 03:55 PM