Home entertainment computer?

[20strong]

Well First off hello, I’m in the early stages of my first computer build. My budget for the entire system (including TV’s) is fairly large so I am mostly interested in high quality yet still deal friendly equipment. I am not rich. So here goes, input and recommendations are wanted and very much welcome. Also I will update this first post regularly.

I am trying to assemble a home entertainment system, I mean the works. I want to be able to access and control all TV's and use a Central computer to do it. There is a list of the components attached at the bottom. What I am going for also is as few components in the living room and my sons room as possible.

I Plan on having everything run from the main CPU in the master bedroom. The following link explains it pretty good.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...r/default.mspx

I am also hoping that I can actually run Vista properly.

First off I have decided what I want out of a system so here goes.

3 Rooms (2 TV’s and 1 Monitor)
Blu Ray
2 terabytes 500Gb x 4 (What is Raid?)
HD capable
TV tuner (still haven’t found this part)
7.1 Audio card (living room system has its own 7.1)
Internet access (in all rooms)
Hard Drive access from all Rooms (by way of Linksys media extenders)
Cable access to all rooms (by way of Linksys media extenders)
Wireless 802.11N in all rooms (by way of Linksys media extenders)

OK here is the list of things I have come up with so far. The list grows as my research continues. This is going to be my first build. I have decided on using Linksys routers for the wireless capability, but I am still considering HP's 42 Inch LCD that has wireless built into it. The cooling System I want to be extreme because I am probably going to put a secondary CPU in the case at some point. I also love the water cooled look through the Side view windows.

Input is welcome.

Computer

1. Case, Thermaltech Mozart Tx.

2. Motherboard, EVGA nforce 780i SLI

3. Processor, Intel Q6600 (planning to over clock with Liquid cooling)

4. Internal memory 4 GB, OCZ (2x2048) 800MHz DDR2

5. Dual NVIDIA 8800 GT, this is the only Card that takes the decoding process completely off of the processor.

6. Western Digital Hard Drives, 500 GB, 7200 RPM, 16 mb cache

7. Asus Xonar D2 7.1 PCI Sound Card

8. Blu Ray DVD Drive, Pioneer

9. Apevia 120mm UV Blue Case Fans, attached to radiators (Qty 5)

10. ABS Tagan BZ Series BZ1300 ATX12V (crap these are expensive happy to any suggestions to cut a little cost)

Wireless media Router and Extenders

1. Linksys DMA2100 Wireless Receiver, this receiver has HDMI and RCA outputs.

2. Linksys Wrt600N Router, the router has HDMI and RCA audio inputs.

Remotes to control most functions

1. Logitech Harmony 1000

2. Logitech Harmony 890

Living Room Keyboard

Logitech diNova Mini

Cooling

1. Koolance HDD water cooling blocks

2. Koolance Ram-30-V06 RAM cooling Blocks

3. PrimoChill HE-Core 120mm, Blue, Radiator (Qty 5)

4. PrimoChill LP, Blue, Radiator Shroud (Qty 5)

5. PrimoChill Typhoon 120L, Blue Reservoir (Qty 2)

6. PrimoChill anti Kink UV Green Tubing Wrap

7. D-Tek Fuzion CPU Water Block

8. D-Tek dB-1 12v Pump (Considering 2 pumps)

9. Swiftech Stealth, VGA Water Block

10. Koolance motherboard Water block

11. Koolance North and south block (universal)

[Vsin]

No Hard Drive?

Blu-Ray - Good choice since it won the war.

2 Tetrabytes - no cool why you'd need anywhere close to this. I'd go for 1 Tetrabyte Max and maybe a back up drive. Very expensive here.

HD Capable should come from the Graphic Cards.

TV Tuner would be almost useless if you buy a TV instead [what I'd do].

7.1 Audio - I would shoot for Dolby Digital Plus. Very expensive here.

Internet Access to all rooms is easy but you should shoot for a high download/upload internet connection. This will be the main source of data streaming through your house so it should be high end.

Looks like a very expensive venture.

[20strong]

Thanks still looking at HD's, the reason for so much storage has alot to do with me and my wifes obsesions with making music. I would also like to beable to store everything digitally. The TV tuner is mostly for a Tivo type of function.

I am considering running 4 500gig HD with a Raid 0 set up.

(list edited)

[20strong]

Well I have come up with a few more of the things I need. There is alot of research going into the system.

[e60.deluxe]

this is not going to be easy but its doable. 3 rooms is gonna be a problem, you are probably gonna need an HDMI switch/duplicator which can get expensive.

if you want your computer to be hooked up to 3 TVs directly, it may be a good idea to buy something a cheap video card that purevideo capable like the 8500GT or something and stick in one of the space PCIe slots. actually, your gonna run into copyright issues with BlueRay so using a switcher/duplicator is a better idea...

you may want to look into HDMI over Radio or HDMI over Cat 5 boxes to get your PC to TV.

that sound card wont cut it unless you dont have surround sound. you want a DTS Connect or Dolby Digital Live sound card, maybe both. look at Azuntech.

your biggest hurdle is gonna be the software to make this all go seamlessly with multiple systems but it is doable. see the thing is 99% of software out there assumes you have a keyboard and mouse to do menus with. getting things to navigate via remote without it being to clunky (interface wise) is the issue.

be aware to do this properly and seamlessly with 3 TVs is gonna be expensive. you are spending money in some uneeded places on the core of the PC, so unless this is going to be your normal desktop as well, i would cheap down on some parts like CPU, RAM, motherboard. i assume the 8800GTS is for games so leave that.

[20strong]

It is going to be my Desktop as well. I am in the area of $8,000 for my entertainment budget. Thanks for the input. I am planning on 2 8800GTS cards, I am also looking into some cooling options.

What I hope to do is use the computer to run DVD and Music media, and control Cable feed to the 3 rooms. The remote is plenty for the job I think.

Sound Card edited.

[20strong]

Well I think I ahve just about everything covered. Well except 2 TV's and a Monitor.

[e60.deluxe]

Originally Posted by 20strong

It is going to be my Desktop as well. I am in the area of $8,000 for my entertainment budget. Thanks for the input. I am planning on 2 8800GTS cards, I am also looking into some cooling options.

What I hope to do is use the computer to run DVD and Music media, and control Cable feed to the 3 rooms. The remote is plenty for the job I think.

Sound Card edited.

you cant run more than one monitor off of an SLI configuration, despite the 4 ports. so i think that a switcher is a better bet, unless you want to run a 3rd video card for the extra two monitor ports. actually, if your gonna have a monitor in addition to 3 TVs, a 4x1 switcher is your best bet.

no Creative sound card is going to be enough for this. they dont have the ability to create DTS or Dolby Digital sound. anything thats not already encoded with one of those will come through as stereo.

[20strong]

Originally Posted by e60.deluxe

you cant run more than one monitor off of an SLI configuration, despite the 4 ports. so i think that a switcher is a better bet, unless you want to run a 3rd video card for the extra two monitor ports. actually, if your gonna have a monitor in addition to 3 TVs, a 4x1 switcher is your best bet.

no Creative sound card is going to be enough for this. they dont have the ability to create DTS or Dolby Digital sound. anything thats not already encoded with one of those will come through as stereo.

Ok I will look into the sound cards, this build is going to start mid month next month. I am going to run 2 TV's and 1 monitor. I still have alot to learn between now and then.

I know that I am going to use Linksys routers to run it wireless.

[20strong]

Well I have run into some compatability issues with some of the hardware. I am still rethinking my Mother board but I am pretty certain that I am going to Run a Nividia 780i.

I have looked into the Intel Q9550 (I was origanly going to go with a AMD phenom) and I cant find it for sale yet anywere.

[jrotax101]

Originally Posted by e60.deluxe

you cant run more than one monitor off of an SLI configuration, despite the 4 ports. so i think that a switcher is a better bet, unless you want to run a 3rd video card for the extra two monitor ports. actually, if your gonna have a monitor in addition to 3 TVs, a 4x1 switcher is your best bet.

no Creative sound card is going to be enough for this. they dont have the ability to create DTS or Dolby Digital sound. anything thats not already encoded with one of those will come through as stereo.

He doesn't need to set them up in SLi.
As long as the 2 GPU's run on the same drivers, they should work.
I run 3 monitors this way.
xfx 8800gtx connected to a 26"
xfx 8500gt running 2 19" , 1 either side

I'm pretty sure a 4th could be added, but i have no need for just work. lol

[e60.deluxe]

Originally Posted by jrotax101

He doesn't need to set them up in SLi.
As long as the 2 GPU's run on the same drivers, they should work.
I run 3 monitors this way.
xfx 8800gtx connected to a 26"
xfx 8500gt running 2 19" , 1 either side

I'm pretty sure a 4th could be added, but i have no need for just work. lol

thats what i suggested. 1 8800GTS and 1 8500GT. but he said he was buying 2 8800GTS'. since the second one CANT DO ANYTHING to help with games UNLESSS its in SLI i just assumed why spend $275 for nothing.

[e60.deluxe]

Originally Posted by 20strong

Well I have run into some compatability issues with some of the hardware. I am still rethinking my Mother board but I am pretty certain that I am going to Run a Nividia 780i.

I have looked into the Intel Q9550 (I was origanly going to go with a AMD phenom) and I cant find it for sale yet anywere.

if you want an nVidia 780i you need a Intel CPU.

[jrotax101]

Originally Posted by e60.deluxe

thats what i suggested. 1 8800GTS and 1 8500GT. but he said he was buying 2 8800GTS'. since the second one CANT DO ANYTHING to help with games UNLESSS its in SLI i just assumed why spend $275 for nothing.

gotcha, i obviously just skimmed over that :)

was just trying to help

[Tastycakes]

How are you going to run 3 rooms? The problem i see is watching TV in each room at the same time. Like your basically gonna have to run 3 TV tuner programs at once.

I almost think it would be easier to just run a network w/ 3 comps. That way each room has its own little setup rather than trying to split 3 desktops across 3 rooms. What happens when you move the mouse off the screen and you have to run into the living room to find your mouse cursor? lol

If you are going for the same image in each room i would just suggest getting 2 video cards and just mirror the images.

I would also maybe consider going Xeon.

Also ultramon FTW !!

[20strong]

Originally Posted by jrotax101

He doesn't need to set them up in SLi.
As long as the 2 GPU's run on the same drivers, they should work.
I run 3 monitors this way.
xfx 8800gtx connected to a 26"
xfx 8500gt running 2 19" , 1 either side

I'm pretty sure a 4th could be added, but i have no need for just work. lol

I am running Dual Nvidia 8800GT cards now. They take the HD decoding load completly off of the CPU's hands.

Originally Posted by e60.deluxe

thats what i suggested. 1 8800GTS and 1 8500GT. but he said he was buying 2 8800GTS'. since the second one CANT DO ANYTHING to help with games UNLESSS its in SLI i just assumed why spend $275 for nothing.

I am going to be running them in Dual SLI, but it doesnt have anything to do with the two remote monitors, the Media Extenders take care of it.

Originally Posted by e60.deluxe

if you want an nVidia 780i you need a Intel CPU.

I decided on a Intel Q6600 C2Q, I could not find a Mobo that ran SLI with a AMD2 Plug.

Originally Posted by Tastycakes

How are you going to run 3 rooms? The problem i see is watching TV in each room at the same time. Like your basically gonna have to run 3 TV tuner programs at once.

I almost think it would be easier to just run a network w/ 3 comps. That way each room has its own little setup rather than trying to split 3 desktops across 3 rooms. What happens when you move the mouse off the screen and you have to run into the living room to find your mouse cursor? lol

If you are going for the same image in each room i would just suggest getting 2 video cards and just mirror the images.

I would also maybe consider going Xeon.

Also ultramon FTW !!

The Media extenders basically act as computers on the wireless system. They will request the information that they want from the Router individually. Then the router will request it from the single desk top and send it to the apprpriote extender. For T.V. (cable Satalite) I will have T.V. tuner cards in the PC.

[20strong]

Here is a link that explains extenders a little better.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...r/default.mspx

[Tastycakes]

^^^ Oh ok, didnt know anything existed like that.

[20strong]

Yeah it is awsome huh, the cost is about $250 for each router now. There is a real good video that shows everything you can do.

[20strong]

OP edited for clarity of new objectives and futher information.