#1: The beginners guide to HTPC, part II. Author: Ozzik, Posted: 18-1-07 17:22:11 — So what happens if you can afford a bit more than just the basic HTPC?
Well, this is the fun part, as this IMHO is the ultimate HTPC configuration. Here I can actually get a little more specific.
Let's see what we can upgrade.
CPU 2-3GHz.
Good motherboard with dual channel memory and hyper threading technology.
SATA hard drive
512MB/1GB of RAM
On most motherboards today you can find SPDIF output that can be used for connecting to the DD/DTS receiver (if you have one).
Good VGA card with strong TV-out. If you have VGA/DVI inputs on your TV/projector, this would really be great for higher resolution/quality.
TV card should come with a hardware encoder, so that it won't eat your resources.
It would be wise to buy a wireless keyboard/mouse set. Bluetooth's better for distance bigger than 6-7 feet (about 2 meters).
Power supply should be at least 400W, and of course it has to be quiet.
You can also buy some fancy CPU fan or even water cooling.
I would advise a good, strong, good looking case, which already comes with big quiet fans.
So why did I call it the ultimate configuration?
Because:
1. Most people won't buy a PC just for the living room.
2. There's absolutely no need in strong dual core CPU's and crazy video cards when all you're looking for is to control and play your media (of course if you're gamer – then it's another story, but then again, I think you'll know exactly what you need and this guide is definitely not for you).
This brings us to the standard situation: you have a 2-4 year old PC which you want to upgrade, but you need this last push to do it.
Well, this is your push. You won't be able to sell your old PC for more than $200-300 and by investing additional $200-300 you can have a monster HTPC in your living room for all of your friends to envy.
