After getting a couple of the HP Media Center PCs that I wrote about earlier, I decided maybe it was time to get similar performance out of my HTPC I use for OTA recording and as a video and music server. I used the same ATX case the old AMD motherboard was in, so that cost is not included. Here is the parts list:
The only thing I may change is the cpu fan. That cheap fan is pretty loud when it gets wound up. It will be fine because of where it will go - completely away from the TV, but if I was going to house it in the same area, the cpu fan would have to be changed, probably to a unit that would be around $50.
Part of what I was going for was to end up with a unit that would be able to play Blu-ray and HD DVD discs with a stable video - not jerky. So far this requirement has been met. For sure a PS3 would have been a cheaper way to get a Blu-ray player at $400.00, but that would not have given me the same storage, the ability to burn standard DVDs or play HD DVD movies. I know HD DVD times are numbered, but until the movies are remastered and released on Blu-ray there is still the need to be able to play HD DVD discs.
I also had other drives in the box for additional storage that I didn’t include in the parts list as well as the MIT MyHd OTA ATSC tuner card.