Brian built a new computer, so I did too.
#1
BANNED
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
![Cool](/gm/images/icons/icon6.gif)
Well since I deployed to Iraq and now have been stationed in Korea, I have amassed quite a bit of digital media to keep myself entertained when I staying in my dorm room.
You know, since AFN is fairly horrible at showing things that I like, I'm better off streaming it or downloading. The latter being my choice since it'* free and in HD!
The only problem is though, watching stuff like this is horrible on a 22 inch LCD computer monitor from about 8-10 feet away. I needed to find a great way to be able to use my huge (for a dorm room) 46 inch LCD TV. So I plugged my laptop in via HDMI. This was all well and good, but now I had lost the mobility of my laptop.
So, I started doing research on HTPC'* and all of their awesomeness. Enter, my new "baby"
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/htpc.jpg)
Just the specs. For the price I'd call this system "mid-range".
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/DSC_0030.jpg)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/DSC_0031.jpg)
I love this case. Looks just like a piece of home A/V equipment until you look right at it. The **** that looks like it would be for volume, is really the power button. All the normal "computer stuff" is hidden behind the flip down panel. I actually don't use the card reader at all, just the USB ports.
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/DSC_0032-1.jpg)
Inside the case. You can see my PSU, CPU/Fan, RAM, and rear fans. The tray on the right side holds the Blu-Ray drive and the three 1TB HDD. This thing is super quiet. You can't hear it at all!
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/Desktop-2.png)
Just a screen shot of the desktop. Very, very simple as this computers ONLY function is for playing media.
Now, for the HTPC "front end" screens. I run XBMC, and I'm still in the process of tweaking it to make it perfect, but this is what I've got right now.
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot000.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot001.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot002.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot004.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot003.png)
Alright, there she is. So, you technical gurus, what do you think?
You know, since AFN is fairly horrible at showing things that I like, I'm better off streaming it or downloading. The latter being my choice since it'* free and in HD!
The only problem is though, watching stuff like this is horrible on a 22 inch LCD computer monitor from about 8-10 feet away. I needed to find a great way to be able to use my huge (for a dorm room) 46 inch LCD TV. So I plugged my laptop in via HDMI. This was all well and good, but now I had lost the mobility of my laptop.
So, I started doing research on HTPC'* and all of their awesomeness. Enter, my new "baby"
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/htpc.jpg)
Just the specs. For the price I'd call this system "mid-range".
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/DSC_0030.jpg)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/DSC_0031.jpg)
I love this case. Looks just like a piece of home A/V equipment until you look right at it. The **** that looks like it would be for volume, is really the power button. All the normal "computer stuff" is hidden behind the flip down panel. I actually don't use the card reader at all, just the USB ports.
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/DSC_0032-1.jpg)
Inside the case. You can see my PSU, CPU/Fan, RAM, and rear fans. The tray on the right side holds the Blu-Ray drive and the three 1TB HDD. This thing is super quiet. You can't hear it at all!
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/Desktop-2.png)
Just a screen shot of the desktop. Very, very simple as this computers ONLY function is for playing media.
Now, for the HTPC "front end" screens. I run XBMC, and I'm still in the process of tweaking it to make it perfect, but this is what I've got right now.
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot000.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot001.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot002.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot004.png)
![](http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o11/NickeyMouse_02/screenshot003.png)
Alright, there she is. So, you technical gurus, what do you think?
#3
Artist
True Car Nut
![Default](https://www.gmforum.com/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Good choice on parts. i3 is more than enough for an HTPC. All of the core parts ya got are definitely great quality. Could always through in a remote control device too ![Very Happy](https://www.gmforum.com/gm/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I love the HTPC size factor. The huge tower was great for dropping other people'* jaws, but weighing in at ~80lbs just made it a PITA to move my old tower around.
![Very Happy](https://www.gmforum.com/gm/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I love the HTPC size factor. The huge tower was great for dropping other people'* jaws, but weighing in at ~80lbs just made it a PITA to move my old tower around.
#4
Senior Member
True Car Nut
![Default](https://www.gmforum.com/images/icons/icon1.gif)
its very cool, i got wireless keyboard and mouse for my htpc, nice to get away from it. i load mine up with pics too and run the screen saver that runs through the my pictures folder. that usually sparks some conversation
#5
BANNED
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
![Default](https://www.gmforum.com/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Yeah, while I'm over here in Korea I'm just using a wireless keyboard/mouse on it. When I get back to the states I'll be buyin an IR receiver and a MCE remote of some sort. Most likely a Logitech Harmony of some sort.
My screen save is the same, except it cycles the "fan art" images for every TV show and movie that I have.
Ohhhhh Venom, the 3 TB I have is only in the HTPC itself. My desktop has another 6 TB in it that is networked to my HTPC. 9 TB total of storage.![Very Happy](https://www.gmforum.com/gm/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
My screen save is the same, except it cycles the "fan art" images for every TV show and movie that I have.
Ohhhhh Venom, the 3 TB I have is only in the HTPC itself. My desktop has another 6 TB in it that is networked to my HTPC. 9 TB total of storage.
![Very Happy](https://www.gmforum.com/gm/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy](https://www.gmforum.com/gm/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)