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BoomR's HTPC Build - i7 2600K - GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 - 8GB RAM

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BoomR

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Motherboard
Gigabyte Z490 VISION D
CPU
i9-10850K
Graphics
RX 580
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BoomR's HTPC Build - i7 2600K - GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 - 8GB RAM

DSC00095.JPG


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Apple OS X Lion @ Mac Apps Store (10.7.3)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/os-x-lion/id444303913?mt=12

Gigabyte GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 rev 1.3 mATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZBHMN8/

Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) Processor with Intel HD Graphics 3000
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-i7-2600K-Quad-Core-Processor-Cache/dp/B004FA8NOQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1350153438&sr=1-1&keywords=i7+2600k

EDIT:
On-board Graphics via i7-2600K's HD3000 graphics

UPDATE! Asus ATI Radeon HD6450 Silence 1 GB DDR3 VGA/DVI/HDMI Low Profile PCI-Express Video Card
http://www.amazon.com/Asus-Radeon-Silence-Profile-PCI-Express/dp/B004X8EO6Q

PCI-E Express 16 x Riser Cable with Latch
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058UVVX2/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

Crucial 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3-1600MHz Destop Memory Kit
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006WAGGUK/

Corsair 120 GB Force Series 3 SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005UBNN76/

Sony BC-5650H-01 Black 6X SATA Combo Slim Slot Blu-ray
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WLRI32/

Athena Power FLEX ATX 320 Watt Replacement Power Supply AP-MFATX32
http://www.frys.com/product/6367661

Wesena, e5-B (Black) - 100% Aluminum, Ultra low profile HTPC chassis
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052T7JLC/

IOGEAR USB 2.1 Bluetooth Micro Adapter (GBU421)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018O9JIG/

Logitech diNovo Mini
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011FOOI2/


Comments

This build is the latest addition to my home theater setup. OK...OK... this is probably overkill (more horsepower than one needs for a HTPC), but it was a fun build! The Wesena case is an AMAZING piece of craftsmanship. The chassis cover (top) is held in place by magnets. The tolerances are spot-on, and everything fits like a champ!

A few images of the inside:
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Rear view:
DSC00099.JPG

Front panel connections:
DSC00101.JPG

To build this beast, I followed precisely all the instructions here (using the very latest UniBeast and MultiBeast tools):
http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/2011/10/unibeast-install-mac-os-x-lion-using.html

My MultiBeast settings are exactly as shown in the link above. Prior to OSX installation, I followed the instructions for optimal BIOS settings from Lnx2Mac's blog:
http://lnx2mac.blogspot.com/2010/07/optimal-bios-configuration.html

I was having lots of problems at various stages of the OS install. I would get random reboots/power-cycles at different points in the process. Originally, I purchased a Mini-ITX "external" power supply that was only 150W. I came to the conclusion that the reboots were happening at points where more demand was being made on the power supply. I determined that 150W was just not enough power for a mATX motherboard & my components. I ran out to Fry's, exchanged the external PS for the one listed above, and installed that in the chassis. BINGO - the install went FLAWLESSLY.

The main application for this build is running Plex Media Center - streaming my BD rips from my NAS, plus Netflix, Hulu, and general Web surfing from the family room:
DSC00104.JPG


DSC00113.JPG

EDIT:
I gave up on trying to get HDMI working on the HD3000 on-board graphics. No matter what I tried, I could not get to the desktop successfully. After the gray Apple screen with spinning progress indicator, my monitor would simply go into HDMI sleep mode. So I chose to find a "silent" model video card (see above updated parts list). I also needed to pick up a PCIe riser cable so I could successfully connect the card to the PCIe 16x slot. In this HTPC case, the expansion card backplane/holder orients the card horizontally (see image of chassis back).

EDIT:
I also ditched my BluRay player in lieu of the BluRay drive in my HTPC. Found a great Mac BD software app that works just fine. I also switched the position of my HTPC and my TiVO box, as the HTPC was getting a little warm for my tastes sitting on top of my Sony A/V receiver.
 
Thats really impressive, looks as slick as a proper apple product. Exactly the sort of media hub I want to build!
 
Do you think you would be able to fit another hard drive inside the case? I am seriously following your build closely but swapping out the i7 for an i5 and also need a 1tb hard drive as well as the ssd. Also would want a blu ray player that can to rip dvd's onto the hard drive.

Thanks!
 
Very cool build :clap:

How's the noise level of it? Is it really loud with these small fans, or not audible at all?
 
Very nicely done. I, too, have built a "HacHTPC" around my 1st hackintosh, a P55M-UD2 / i5-760 system. I've really enjoy it, and, with the appropriate case, it fits nicely in the AV cabinet/rack/tower with the other AV components.

A HacHTPC, accomplished correctly, can have a very high WAF*, too. :thumbup: :lol:






* Wife Acceptance Factor
 
oigarrison said:
Do you think you would be able to fit another hard drive inside the case? I am seriously following your build closely but swapping out the i7 for an i5 and also need a 1tb hard drive as well as the ssd. Also would want a blu ray player that can to rip dvd's onto the hard drive.

All possible!! BTW, the optical drive that I have **IS** a BluRay player/combo recorder. So you can rip BD to your HD for archival purposes (if you've got the right software, of course) :)

The spot where my SSD drive is actually holds two 3.5" drives in the same space. The case comes with some cool rubber-isolating screws so that the HD vibrations don't transfer to the case & add noise to the system. You would put the SSD drive where mine is, then directly above the SSD is plenty of space for your 1TB drive.

BTW, this thing is WHISPER quiet once it boots up. There's a brief moment during POST that the CPU fan goes full-blast, then comes back down to normal operating speed.

BTW, I have since moved the beast off my A/V receiver & over to the other side. I think my Sony receiver puts off a lot of heat, & I didn't want to risk overheating the system, or having the fans spin up any faster.
 
shibirian said:
How's the noise level of it? Is it really loud with these small fans, or not audible at all?

See my previous post, too. But it's VERY quiet - my TiVO XL Premier makes more noise than my HacHTPC :)

My Z68MA-D2H-B3 rev 1.3 board only has one system fan connection (plus the CPU fan connection, of course). I went to Fry's & got some "Y" adapters (3) in order to link all 4 fans to the on-board system fan connection. That way, the on-board thermal sensors can use their variable speed control to keep the system cool & keep the noise level low.

(you have to work really hard to hear anything coming from the chassis)

Hope this helps!
 
Great build! What kind of cpu cooler are you using? Have you tried any overclocking? I want to build this same system but I'd like to overclock the cpu to 4.5ghz. I just don't know what cpu coolers fit in the case, there's not much information about it.
 
mikey101 said:
Great build! What kind of cpu cooler are you using? Have you tried any overclocking? I want to build this same system but I'd like to overclock the cpu to 4.5ghz. I just don't know what cpu coolers fit in the case, there's not much information about it.

Check out the pics - you'll see I'm using the stock in-box CPU fan. There is enough space for that one to fit, so it saved me some $$$. In time, I may explore some low-profile/low-noise fans.

As for overclocking, this machine is basically just a media player (Plex) and BD player using MacGo's BluRay Player. It's got MORE than enough horsepower as-is to run those apps. I've got my entire BD library converted to MP4's/M4V's and sitting on my NAS, so I stream that content, plus use this for Hulu, Netflix, etc through Plex Media Center.

To be honest, using an i7 2600K is probably a bit of overkill. An i3 or i5 would have worked just as well. But that's just my $0.02 worth :wave:
 
LOL! I have a 2.24GHz Core Duo Mac Mini as one of my HTPCs, and it's more than enough computing power for 1080p media. I've also converted my 1st hackintosh in a HacHTPC (see my signature block for the build description) which is probably too much computer power for a HTPC. So, anything newer is a hobby. :lol: :thumbup:
 
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