Author Topic: Ian's HTPC (Read 5705 times)

Ian Villaceran · « **on:** Dec 01, 2012 at 07:24 AM »

Hello. Just started building my new HTPC. So miss it glad I got some help and advice from some members here (you know who you are). Thank you!

Just sharing my current setup and possibly future upgrades.

Specs:
AMD A10-5700
MSI FM2 Socket Motherboard
G.Skill 16GB (2 x 8GB) 1866 DDR3
HT Omega Claro Halo XT Sound Card
LG 12x BDROM
Antec 380W EarthWatts PSU
Lian-Li PC-C50B HTPC Case
Kingston 120GB SSD Hard Drive
Hauppage WinTV 2260 Dual Digital Tuner CableCard
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit
TotalMedia Theater 5

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defined · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 01, 2012 at 08:10 AM »

Wow..

sir did you bought a10 5700 locally?thx

Chorus · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 01, 2012 at 08:16 AM »

like !

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 01, 2012 at 08:36 AM »

Quote from: defined on Dec 01, 2012 at 08:10 AM

Wow.. sir did you bought a10 5700 locally?thx

Hey there. I bought this online.

Stagea · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 06, 2012 at 04:20 AM »

Congrats Ian!

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 07:57 AM »

Quote from: Stagea on Dec 06, 2012 at 04:20 AM

Congrats Ian!

Thanks, Brad.. You know actually I find the A10-5700 a little too weak. I know I am still a look way to fully setup this HTPC to my liking but so far with 2-3 blu-rays I find this CPU a little weak even with 16GB RAM..

Stagea · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 08:50 AM »

Quote from: Ian Villaceran on Dec 12, 2012 at 07:57 AM

Thanks, Brad.. You know actually I find the A10-5700 a little too weak. I know I am still a look way to fully setup this HTPC to my liking but so far with 2-3 blu-rays I find this CPU a little weak even with 16GB RAM..

You're welcome. Are you running a lot of post-processing? Try leaving off everything for the meantime except for Vector Adaptive Deinterlacing. See how that sits with you. With this setting, your BDs should be smoothly playable. You can add the enhancements back little by little later on. GPU-Z is your friend.

If you can't forego features that your APU can't handle, you can either overclock the built-in GPU or add a dedicated one. The HD 7770 or HD 7850 would likely have sufficient shader power for most people (unless you really want to go all-out with precision and post-processing).

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 09:01 AM »

Yeah i may add a video card and copper heat sink coz its really loud for my taste

Stagea · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 09:08 AM »

Quote from: Ian Villaceran on Dec 12, 2012 at 09:01 AM

Yeah i may add a video card and copper heat sink coz its really loud for my taste

Is hardware acceleration enabled under TMT, by the way? Get the latest software updates from Arcsoft to ensure proper Trinity support.

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 09:55 AM »

Yeah did that.. updated TMT5, enabled acceleration, updated catalyst.. still has some pauses during heavy actions with blu-ray and sometimes audio sync issues using my CableCard TV Tuner... Also to note, I did not have those issues with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+, 4GB RAM, 128MB HD 4000 before..

Stagea · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 10:25 AM »

Quote from: Ian Villaceran on Dec 12, 2012 at 09:55 AM

Yeah did that.. updated TMT5, enabled acceleration, updated catalyst.. still has some pauses during heavy actions with blu-ray and sometimes audio sync issues using my CableCard TV Tuner... Also to note, I did not have those issues with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+, 4GB RAM, 128MB HD 4000 before..

That's quite unusual. Have you checked your GPU utilization during those scenes when you get pauses?

≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦ · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 11:12 AM »

Is your GPU memory at 2GB max? IF you did not setup at 2GB it will be auto settings and i don't know how many memory will be allocated. Which i have done on my setup i force to 2GB and no lag/issue has been ecncountered on my end. Are you using windows 8?

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 11:15 AM »

Quote from: xrampage on Dec 12, 2012 at 11:12 AM

Is your GPU memory at 2GB max? IF you did not setup at 2GB it will be auto settings and i don't know how many memory will be allocated. Which i have done on my setup i force to 2GB and no lag/issue has been ecncountered on my end. Are you using windows 8?

Thanks. I will try to check this out. I am using Windows 7.

≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦ · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 11:40 AM »

Quote from: Ian Villaceran on Dec 12, 2012 at 11:15 AM

Thanks. I will try to check this out. I am using Windows 7.

Sa asus mobo ko may gpu boost switch so i use it check with your msi also.

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 01:00 PM »

I dont really want to OC but ill check it. If not my options right will get a video card or abandon this build and get oppo instead.

penti · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 01:19 PM »

Hi,

Just curious, where did you get the Lian-Li case and the TV Tuner?

Also, how's the TV Tuner for use here in the Philippines? With Sky now using their Digibox, won't that make it obsolete? Or would it be able to replace the digibox function for decoding? And what are you using it mainly for, coz looking at building my own HTPC, but for media streaming only, so looking at your specs, thinking it's a bit overkill for my use (G.Skill RAM and SSD)..

Thanks!

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 08:59 PM »

Quote from: penti on Dec 12, 2012 at 01:19 PM

Hi,

Just curious, where did you get the Lian-Li case and the TV Tuner?

Also, how's the TV Tuner for use here in the Philippines? With Sky now using their Digibox, won't that make it obsolete? Or would it be able to replace the digibox function for decoding? And what are you using it mainly for, coz looking at building my own HTPC, but for media streaming only, so looking at your specs, thinking it's a bit overkill for my use (G.Skill RAM and SSD)..

Thanks!

Hello. I am based in the US and bought all of my hardware at Newegg. We have a digital box as well but we get charged extra for DVR so getting this CableCard TV Tuner is an inexpensive option if not free.

≧◉◡◉≦xrampage≧◉◡◉≦ · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 09:10 PM »

Quote from: Ian Villaceran on Dec 12, 2012 at 01:00 PM

I dont really want to OC but ill check it. If not my options right will get a video card or abandon this build and get oppo instead.

As per cheking on your msi board there is no GPU boost switch and its a A55 chipset not like mine that is A85 chipset.

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 09:17 PM »

thank you, xrampage.. it may be one of the reasons but anyway I trying this out again this weekend with a friend's video card. If I don't get satisfaction then I will abandon this project and will just a dedicated Oppo player.

penti · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 10:41 PM »

Quote from: Ian Villaceran on Dec 12, 2012 at 08:59 PM

Hello. I am based in the US and bought all of my hardware at Newegg. We have a digital box as well but we get charged extra for DVR so getting this CableCard TV Tuner is an inexpensive option if not free.

Oh, thought as much, those parts are hard to find here in the Philippines. Thanks for answering my question and sorry for hijacking your post.

Stagea · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 10:45 PM »

Quote from: penti on Dec 12, 2012 at 01:19 PM

Hi,

Just curious, where did you get the Lian-Li case and the TV Tuner?

Also, how's the TV Tuner for use here in the Philippines? With Sky now using their Digibox, won't that make it obsolete? Or would it be able to replace the digibox function for decoding? And what are you using it mainly for, coz looking at building my own HTPC, but for media streaming only, so looking at your specs, thinking it's a bit overkill for my use (G.Skill RAM and SSD)..

Thanks!

A CableCARD is something that you request from the cable provider to enable your TV, DVR, etc. (in this case, a CableCARD Tuner) to decode the encrypted signal feed.

I don't think any of the local cable providers (PH) offer this.

♡ lvcdg23™ ✌ · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 10:48 PM »

Quote from: Ian Villaceran on Dec 12, 2012 at 01:00 PM

I dont really want to OC but ill check it. If not my options right will get a video card or abandon this build and get oppo instead.

+1 on the Oppo bro.
For dedicated bluray player, Oppo is KING

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 11:26 PM »

Quote from: penti on Dec 12, 2012 at 10:41 PM

Oh, thought as much, those parts are hard to find here in the Philippines. Thanks for answering my question and sorry for hijacking your post.

That is fine no harm done. You can always order online at Amazon.com they will ship directly to the Philippines.

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 12, 2012 at 11:28 PM »

Quote from: Louie_18 on Dec 12, 2012 at 10:48 PM

+1 on the Oppo bro.
For dedicated bluray player, Oppo is KING

I will give this HTPC another try this weekend.. if then Oppo 103 or 105 if I can get money back from this HTPC..

Stagea · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM »

Quote from: Louie_18 on Dec 12, 2012 at 10:48 PM

+1 on the Oppo bro.
For dedicated bluray player, Oppo is KING

The BDP-105 is certainly among the best standalone BD players, if BD playback performance is what's being measured. This is especially true when using the analogue audio outputs, as this unit offers better clocking and digital to analog conversion than what most AVRs have inside them.

It's non-core features aren't top notch on the other hand, though they are still very good (and they threw in all the features that they can). CD playback performance is behind players like the 751BD (which offer similar levels of picture quality) and DAC functionality via its digital inputs do not compare very well against the better standalone solutions, for example.

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 13, 2012 at 03:10 AM »

Quote from: Stagea on Dec 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM

The BDP-105 is certainly among the best standalone BD players, if BD playback performance is what's being measured. This is especially true when using the analogue audio outputs, as this unit offers better clocking and digital to analog conversion than what most AVRs have inside them.

It's non-core features aren't top notch on the other hand, though they are still very good (and they threw in all the features that they can). CD playback performance is behind players like the 751BD (which offer similar levels of picture quality) and DAC functionality via its digital inputs do not compare very well against the better standalone solutions, for example.

Thanks brad I will look at my options..

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 20, 2012 at 05:49 AM »

Some upgrades arrived today. Hopefully with these, noise and video pauses won't be a pain anymore..

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 20, 2012 at 08:05 AM »

Massive passive heat sink cooler..

New video card. HD7750

Tight but perfect..

initial thought.. super silent.. im happy!!

sientobente · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 20, 2012 at 10:08 AM »

i have a question, is the lg bdrom drive region free? thanks.

Ian Villaceran · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 20, 2012 at 10:12 AM »

All bd drives are region free. Restrictions will come from your playback software but there is a software you can buy to unlock all regions regardless of your playback software.