# HTPC Build 1 - Cable Management Death Match



## bpgt64 (Aug 13, 2009)

I am starting this thread because I bought this case and it was NIGHTMARE to manage the cabling, but I think I have it pretty well setup.  We just moved so I am trying to find out camera again to take the pictures...

But here's all the parts that went into it.  I am also thinking of getting a new heatsink just so I have something other than the stock POS, but we'll see.



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106326
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102804R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815293003
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823166079
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144231
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131376
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103678
2x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136317
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102006&Tpk=x-fi Xtremegamer


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## BroBQ (Aug 13, 2009)

The only decent parts you have selected are:

The memory, CPU and case. I would lookm into a dual TV tuner card from Hauppauge. I would also suggest a video with an HDMI out. Are you going to be gaming with this? Also, what is your budget?


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## bpgt64 (Aug 13, 2009)

I am not going to be gaming with it at all, it's sole purpose is to record cable TV from a basic comcast connection, act a small media server(storing 2TBs of media), and play Blu-Ray/DVD discs.  All of which that hardware should handle.

The case is a nightmare to cable manage, but I think I got everything under control last night, getting the video card in tonight(which I got heavily discounted which is why I got it).  I basically just needed something that can handle higher resolutions and process Blu-Ray efficiently, which it does.


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## boomstik360 (Aug 13, 2009)

Oh you already bought it all never mind.


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## bpgt64 (Aug 13, 2009)

Well, I did and I didn't.  The only things that were purchased recently were the Mobo/CPU/Case/TV Tuner.  I took the tuner because it was the one Engadget had just reviewed and recommended and had good enough reviews with working with comcast.


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## EnergyFX (Aug 15, 2009)

Do you subscribe to Comcast Digital Cable?


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## bpgt64 (Aug 21, 2009)

Yes, there coming out at the end of the month to do the install.

I was also in luck, the GPU I ordered had problems with it, and I sent it back, and got a 512MB version with native HDMI, and all that good stuff.


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## Mark_Hardware (Aug 21, 2009)

Oh you already got the tuner? bummer, I second the dual tv tuner card. I have a dual tuner card, and have actually considered buying a second one


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## bpgt64 (Aug 22, 2009)

I might be getting my hands on a PCI Cable Card, the kind you can only get from OEM vendors .  Depending on whether a friend of mine decides to drop cable or not.  

Anyone know of a program that does SVM or the Sound Normalization for free?  I really need something like this, I had a X-Fi Xtremegamer doing it, but with the audio going over HDMI, I gave the card back to my Wife because she was complaining about the board noise on the on-board(what the card was originally used to deal with).

I'd post pics, but my Wife just left with the camera for vacation with her family in Ohio, so I won't be able to get some up untill she gets back.


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## EnergyFX (Aug 22, 2009)

If you're building an HTPC you might find this interesting:

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/p/73065/357300.aspx#357300

That's why I asked if you were getting Comcast Digital.  If you get yourself an ATI Digital Cable Tuner and a cable card from Comcast then you should be able to do the OCUR hack to your MB and get full HD digital content from Comcast on your HTPC.


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## bpgt64 (Aug 22, 2009)

Yea that sounds similar to what my friend was trying to tell me, you emulate an OCUR bios and install a cable card directly.  He says it works great, the only problem is my cable TV is going to spike in cost 12 months from now.  And I am more or less looking for a solution that will give me the ability to watch and record TV, with minimal down payment(because the comcast deal is like 30 bucks/month).  I'll probably do the *hack*(shouldn't be called a hack, just a way around there stupid monthly DVR fee's by doing it your self) if I can find something to trade for the card he has.  But he wants like 200 bucks for it...and at that point I loose interest.  The quality is probably amazing, but most of my content is downloaded/hulu.com/Blu-Rays.  I only...slightly care about the TV aspect.  Most of the items I listed above I already owned, exept for the case/TV tuner/Mobo/Cpu.


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## EnergyFX (Aug 22, 2009)

I have an OCUR compliant Dell that I use as my HTPC.  I hated buying a Dell but at the time it was the only to get full Comcast HD on a HTPC. 

To me... an HTPC is useless without HD capability (and I don't mean over-the-air HD)


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## bpgt64 (Aug 23, 2009)

EnergyFX said:


> I have an OCUR compliant Dell that I use as my HTPC.  I hated buying a Dell but at the time it was the only to get full Comcast HD on a HTPC.
> 
> To me... an HTPC is useless without HD capability (and I don't mean over-the-air HD)



I agree, however I am not sure if I wanna stick with Comcast for ever, my monthley rate goes to like 44/month after the contract is up...So we'll see.  Gonna give this a shot and if he decides to get out of the comcast game, I'll probably buy his card.


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## EnergyFX (Aug 23, 2009)

It works for Cable Cards... that doesn't mean exclusively Comcast.  Verizon supplies cable cards as well.  I'm sure there are other cable providers that use cable cards but you would have to do some research on that.


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