My HTPC Build, Featuring Dolphin! (UPDATE: GUIDE COMPLETE! PDF Forthcoming)

[SN3S]

Hey all, a couple of months ago I posted about building an HTPC for my living room that could also run dolphin - and I did, thanks to some awesome help from you guys. Since the old thread was getting a bit long, I wanted to post a new one where I'll be outlining exactly how I put the build together, for future reference, and to any newcomers to PC building, HTPC, or Dolphin setup. (Also I just wanted to show it off and show off Dolphin, but that's beside the point :p)

I'll try to post a new aspect of the setup each day, then put it all together into a .PDF file at the end. For starters, here's the first video I've made of it. A second video, with commentary, will probably be out soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRjVK05qS1c

And here's how it looks in our TV stand: (yes it's an old TV, but it works :p)



Feel free to ask any questions while I add in the build log. Tomorrow I'll post the parts list as a start

PART 1: HARDWARE (Video Updated)
PART 2: SOFTWARE (Video Updated)
PART 3: CUSTOMIZATION (Complete!)

Videos:

MOVIES

GAMES

[Axxer]

Heck yeah!

I might post something here later on using Xubuntu as the OS instead of Windows. The customization settings (especially the custom DPI settings) are really nice for HTPCs if you don't want to be stuck using only XBMC or similar programs.

[SN3S]

(10-18-2012, 05:47 AM)Axxer Wrote: Heck yeah!

I might post something here later on using Xubuntu as the OS instead of Windows. The customization settings (especially the custom DPI settings) are really nice for HTPCs if you don't want to be stuck using only XBMC or similar programs.

You make a very good point. The one real issue I have with my setup is my TV has to be at a custom resolution a bit under pure 1080p to see the whole screen, and there's still a bit of space lost on the edges. It's not perfect, but when we finally get a new TV it'll mostl likely support 1920*1080p

[Axxer]

Your tv is pretty old, so yeah you should get a new one.

[SN3S]

(10-20-2012, 01:27 AM)Axxer Wrote: Your tv is pretty old, so yeah you should get a new one.

Haha, yeah. It was either new TV or HTPC, and the HTPC was cheaper and easier to justify right now. I'm hoping replace it next year, because the price on TVs of the same size or larger (72") is finally making it worth it.

Also, I can't wait to see how your build works with Xubuntu. I'm a big Windows guy, so seeing how other OSes do things is always nice.

[Axxer]

I have a really nice mouse app for my iPhone (Hippo Remote) that I'm using to control the HTPC from the couch. What's really nice is that pinch to zoom in the app lets me enlarge text (or entire web pages if the text can't be enlarged) so I can more easily read I from far away (my TV is 46" and I sit a solid 10 feet away, so text gets pretty tiny). That really makes it easier, since depending on what chair I'm sitting in I might want the text to be larger or smaller. That is what I really like about it.

[SN3S]

(10-20-2012, 01:38 AM)Axxer Wrote: I have a really nice mouse app for my iPhone (Hippo Remote) that I'm using to control the HTPC from the couch. What's really nice is that pinch to zoom in the app lets me enlarge text (or entire web pages if the text can't be enlarged) so I can more easily read I from far away (my TV is 46" and I sit a solid 10 feet away, so text gets pretty tiny). That really makes it easier, since depending on what chair I'm sitting in I might want the text to be larger or smaller. That is what I really like about it.

That is pretty awesome! XBMC makes getting to and from anything a snap, and I have a small mouse / keyboard or I use my gaming mouse / keyboard when I need to do anything else or play some serious PC games. But I have an old Logitech Harmony remote, that works excellently with XBMC.

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PART 1 - HARDWARE

Disclaimer
Just a head's up - this was not the cheapest HTPC project. Although I had a lot of parts already, the total cost of everything was about double the price of other HTPC builds like this excellent LifeHacker article.

Why the increased cost? Because I wanted to game as well using this. Unlike the lifehacker article, I wanted to show off the graphical prowess of a PC over a console, future proof the system, provide it the capabilities to act as a "hub" and transcoder for other systems like the raspberry Pi, and above all, make it powerful enough to play modern emulators like Dolphin and PCSX2, or powerful enough to run multiple programs (DVD Rips, Internet Streaming, Music) at the same time. This build could even be used as a more than capable PC on its own, but as an HTPC it can take anything you throw at it.

Furthermore, if you use this exact build, this HTPC will be QUIET. Unless I'm ripping a DVD at full disc reading speeds, this build is nearly impossible to hear from your couch.

Before diving into this build log, please consider your needs from an HTPC. Do you want to play PS2 and Wii / Gamecube games in 1080p and at full speed with your HTPC? Do you want to play PC games in 1080p on high / ultra settings at full speed with your HTPC? if so, please continue. If not, then I'd recommend using the LifeHacker article as a build guide. Their machine can play up to N64 / PS1 / Dreamcast emulators well, and most modern PC games on medium settings, and can handle all other media center needs, much better than budget media centers such as the Roku or Boxee box.

VIDEO:

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Photos:

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Part 1: Parts List

This is the list of everything used in the build, excluding software, and of course the TV / Sound Setup used with it. That's because you might want to tweak the software to suit your needs, and the HTPC is semi-mobile, meaning it should be able to work with any sound system and any monitor / tv that supports HDMI, VGA, or DVI inputs.

Links to each part will be edited in.

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Case

LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C33B ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

Reasoning: I already owned this case, leftover from an old build. It fit my space requirements perfectly, and the build quality is quite excellent.

Alternatives:
nMEDIAPC Black Aluminum / Acrylic / Steel HTPC 5000B Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

The nMEDIAPC case is also a great one, and should support the beefy hardware this build requires. Of course, as with all builds, please make sure to check your space / hardware choices and ensure everything is compatible and will work well together. The hardest part of any build is choosing your parts!

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Motherboard

ASUS P8Z77-M LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Reasoning: I needed a board that could support 6Gb/s SATA for reading data, had HDMI and SPDIF Optical out natively supported (in case of integrated graphics use), and would be a solid, reliable motherboard. ASUS hasn't let me down yet.

Alternatives: Any M-ATX board that supports Optical out, really. I use Optical out for surround sound support with my reciever, but if your reciever supports HDMI input that should be enough. Motherboards come in all price ranges and preferences, so as long as it is compatible with your processor socket type and components, and fits in your case, you're good to go.

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Processor / CPU

Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Quad-Core Desktop Processor

Reasoning: The processor, for me, is the hardest component to replace. A solid processor will keep your computer relevant for years to come. I also needed a processor that was easy to overclock, and efficient enough to handle high resolution emulator play. With this build, you can easily overclock this processor to 4.3 / 4.5 GHz, with very little sound levels even at heavy load.

Alternatives:

the i5-2500k is an excellent alternative, although it will require more overclocking and is more power hungry than the i5-3750k, for high resolution emulator play. AMD also has pretty decent processors, but at the higher end I prefer Intel processors, and this build is assuming you're using an Intel processor that fits an LGA 1155 socket.

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Graphics Card / GPU

GIGABYTE GV-N66TWF2-2GD GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB

Reasoning:

Graphical Power. The 660Ti can run nearly anything on high settings, and quite well too. The GIGABYTE 660Ti is quiet, and small compared to MSI / EVGA cards of the same type. With this card, you can run Battlefield 3, Guild Wars 2, Crysis 2, and more at High or Ultra High settings, without a drop in framerate. Dolphin and PCSX2 will run at 1080p rsolution with a bit of AA as well.

Alternatives:

The GTX 550 series is also good, but not as powerful of course. The GPU is one of the biggest costs in this build, and with the larger Lian-Li case SLI is possible so look around to see what card suits your graphical / price range / space / power needs. Remember, most CPUs come with integrated graphics that can handle playing High Def content on their own, so the graphics card should be purchased with gaming in mind.

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Power Supply

PC Power and Cooling Silencer MK III 600W Modular 80PLUS Bronze Power Supply

Reasoning:

The Lian-Li case can support a full PSU, and I chose to use one that is silent, as well as modular just to make the build process a bit easier on myself. 600W supports all the parts used, and has some power to spare for overclocking.

Alternatives:

You could use a non modular PSU, but that means you have to plan your build out a bit more carefully, especially if you're using a case smaller than the Lian-Li listed above. Choose your Power Supply based off of what wattage you need and your price range, of course. Silent Power Supplies are preferrable for HTPC builds due to their decreased noise levels.

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Hard Drive(s)

Corsair Force Series GT CSSD-F240GBGT-BK 2.5" 240GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

and

Seagate Barracuda ST3000DM001 3TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive

Reasoning:

Both of these drives were on sale for about 65% of their normal price when I bought them. They both preform quite well, and go on sale often. The SSD drive is for programs and the OS only, to lower boot times and program load times. The HDD is for media, obviously. With 3TB, you should have quite a lot of space for anything you could want to store.

Alternatives:
Pick an SSD and an HDD that fit your price range and performance needs. You don't have to get an SSD, but the increase in speed is very much worth it. The Lian-Li case can handle multiple HDD drives, so if you do happen to fill 3TB of space, you can always add more drives.

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RAM

G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866

Reasoning: the ARES series is slim, so my heatsink will fit properly with no issues. 8GB is plenty for 2-3 tasks at once or heavy gaming.

Alternatives:
8GB of RAM, preferably DDR3 1866. There are numerous manufacturers of RAM so find one that suits your price / form factor range.

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Blu-Ray drive

LITE-ON Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM

Reasoning: This drive is fast enough to play anything. Used for ripping Blu-Ray and DVD discs to the hard drive as well. Burning was not needed.

Alternatives:

ASUS and SONY make excellent Blu Ray drives as well. If you don't want Blu-Ray Disc Support, feel free to choose a DVD-ROM Drive instead.

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Cooling:
Noctua NH-C12P SE14 140mm SSO CPU Cooler

Thermaltake ISGC Fan 8 AF0043 80mm Case Fan (2)

Prolimatech PRO-BV14 140mm Case Fan

Reasoning:

The Lian-Li case supports 2 80mm Case Fans, and 1 140mm case fan. These, along with the CPU cooler, needed to be quiet under load. No whines, no hum, nothing. Even while overclocking. Noctua is pricey but it is silent and efficient. Idles at about 20-25 celsius, hits about 40 under heavy load, while still quiet.

Alternatives:

For the price, the Thermaltake and Prolimatech fans can't be beat. There are Logisys 140mm fans that are the same price as the Prolimatech, and just as good, so if one is unavailable look for the other. The noctua cooler can be replaced with a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO for a bit less performance and a bit more noise, at a fraction of the cost. It all depends on how loud you want the build to run.

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Misc

Rosewill RNWD-N1502UBE IEEE 802.11b/g/n, USB2.0 Wireless-N Mini External Antenna Adapter (For Wireless Internet Connection)

Asus Mini Bluetooth Dongle (USB-BT211) (For Wii Remote Support)

Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar for Wii (For Wii Remote Support - the price on this has skyrocketed though. Look for alternative wireless sensor bars if possible)

Logitech F310 Gamepad (x4) (For Gaming and Emulators)

Wii MotionPlus Remotes and Nunchuk attachments (x4) (For Wii Emulation)

USB Extension Cables (x4) (For Cord Length Issues)

Powered USB Hub (For Controllers and any other USB devices)

HP IR Remote Reciever (For Remote Support)

Ceton InfiniTV 4 Quad-Tuner Card (For the ability to use Windows Media Center alongside with cable to record and watch live tv)

Logitech Harmony 880 Universal Remote (We've had this for years, and lo and behold it works perfectly with the IR Reciever)

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NOTES

With this, your build should be near identical to mine. Part prices and availability are always subject to change though, so keep that in mind.

Also, while putting the parts together may seem easy compared to all the shopping you had to do getting all the parts together, there are still plenty of opportunities
to mess something up. If you're new to building a PC from scratch, I recommend using a guide to help you, like this one.

Next Up, SOFTWARE!

[lightskintwin]

I appreciate this info and will be using it for my HTPC build. Exactly how many hard drives can fit into that Lian-Li case?

[Axxer]

If you want ridiculous temps like 40c, don't get a 212 EVO. I get about 70C under load in Dolphin.

[NaturalViolence]

Quote:I get about 70C under load in Dolphin.

For an ivy bridge cpu running at 4.4GHz that's very good.