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AOpen EPC945 - any advice?

  • 12-02-2007 1:08pm
    #1
    dlane99
    Closed Accounts Posts: 219 ✭✭


    Im looking at this case for a pc for my parents living room,
    it wont really be a htpc cos there wont be any sky/tv fed into it.
    They will be watching downloaded content on it though.
    this is the case:
    http://komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=323700&view=detailed

    this is the cpu im planing on puting into it
    http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=330167

    from what i understand from the specs I will be able to use the onboard graphics and sound, so I wont need a graphics or sound card?
    i understand that a dedicated graphics card would be better but im trying to keep the cost down and it wont be used that much for watching movies.

    I dont know anything about motherboard chipsets, is Intel 945G Express ok?

    I cant quite figure out which ram im suposed to put into it,
    im looking at komplett and i think its DDR2 PCXXXX ?
    some of the motherboards on komplett list the speed of ram that the board takes,
    how do i tell what speed I should get for the motherboard on this case?

    the main reason im looking at this case is its height,
    it has to fit in a cabinet space that is only 4.5" high.

    if i wanted to upgrade this case in future to play hd content,
    i could add a blu-ray drive, and would i need to add a good tv tuner or graphics card or both?
    will it be a problem finding hd compatible controllers that are low profile?
    komplett has hardly any low profile graphics cards (that i can see).

    any help would be appreciated.


Comments

  • #2
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    * You don't need a graphics card for viewing XviD content, the integrated graphics will suffice, the built in sound is also fine.
    * The Intel 945 is perfectly fine for that usage.
    * The board takes DDR-2 RAM like this.
    * Adding an internal SD tuner should not be a problem, there are no free HD broadcasts in our area so HD tuners will net you nothing.

    HD content is another ballgame;
    * The CPU should be sufficient
    * GPU is not sufficient you will require one for GPU assisted decoding.

    As the case is low profile that limits your options greatly, often the card is low profile but they do not include the bracket to make it a true low profile card. Here are a few low profile cards that include the bracket even if it's not show in the picture.

    X1300 - DVI no HDCP support

    7300GS - HDMI + HDCP support
    X1600 - HDMI + HDCP support

    In order to playback over DVI or HDMI the display & GPU must support HDCP if it does not then you can only playback over VGA (though there is a way round this but not really practical).

    Also I would be slightly concerned about performance the X1600 and C2 E4300 should just about do it though run the Cyberlink advisor beforehand, but HD is wasted unless you have a large screen in the first place.


  • #3
    dlane99
    Closed Accounts Posts: 219 ✭✭dlane99


    thank you very much 8T8,
    very helpfull as usual!
    HD is wasted unless you have a large screen in the first place.
    The parents just got a 40" sony lcd, W series... ba*&^%ds! :)
    wont be going HD with the htpc yet, but probably will at some stage.


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