So you are wanting to build a cheap basic HTPC build to set beside your entertainment system/television for your basic entertainment needs. This means that you can create a PC that will play full 1080p video but is missing all the fancy whistles such as a separate sound-card, tv-tuner, tv-recording, video encoding, video recording etc. This is not to say you cannot add them later, but for now let’s focus on what’s cheapest.
What will you use this PC for: the sole purpose of playing full resolution video on your 1080p television/monitor (or whatever resolution television/monitor you have). You can download HD content from online sources such as the I-Tunes store, stream from Netflix or any of the many other sites with television and video content. You can play Blu-ray movies that you either rent or buy, and also if you are into mostly streaming and renting HD content online, or using purchased/rented Blu-ray disks, then you do not have to fork out for too much Hard-Drive space either. This is the a very basic version of an HTPC.
So let’s take a look at a cheap build example (both are very similar – with exception of RAM and Blu-ray Drives):
Build 1: $330 @ Amazon
1. Processor: Included with ASRock motherboard – 1.6Ghz Intel Dual-Core Atom Processor
2. Power Supply Unit (P.S.U): Included with APEX Computer case – 250W
3. Computer Case:Apex MI-100 4BAY Desktop Blk/Silver 250W ATX12V Mitx
4. A MotherBoard: ASRock Atom Dual-Core 330/DVI&HDMI/A&V&GbE/Mini-ITX Motherboard A330ION
5. RAM: Crucial CT2KIT12864BA1067 2GB 240-PIN PC3-8500 DIMM DDR3 Memory KIT (1GBx2)
6. Hard Drive: Western Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB Bulk/OEM Hard Drive 3.5 Inch, 16 MB Cache, 7200 RPM SATA II WD5000AAKS
7. Blu-ray / DVD – Drive: LITE-ON 4x Blu-ray Disc SATA Internal Optical Drive iHOS104
8. Video Graphics Card: Free integrated graphics on ASRock motherboard:
- – Integrated NVIDIA® GeForce 9 Series
- – DX10 VGA, Pixel Shader 4.0
- – Max. shared memory 512MB
- – Three VGA Output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI
- – Supports HDMI Technology with max. resolution up to 1920×1200 (1080P)
- – Supports Dual-link DVI with max. resolution up to 2560×1600 @ 75Hz
- – Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920×1440 @ 75Hz
- – Supports HDCP function
- – Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback
Build 2: $320 @ NewEgg
1. Processor: Included with ASRock motherboard – 1.6Ghz Intel Dual-Core Atom Processor
2. Power Supply Unit (P.S.U): Included with APEX Computer case – 250W
3. Computer Case:
APEX MI-100BK Black Computer Case
4. A MotherBoard:
ASRock A330ION Intel Atom 330 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo
6. Hard Drive:
Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB 3.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
7. Blu-ray / DVD – Drive:
LITE-ON Black 4X Blu-ray Reader SATA Model iHOS104-06
8. Video Graphics Card: Free integrated graphics on ASRock motherboard:
- – Integrated NVIDIA® GeForce 9 Series
- – DX10 VGA, Pixel Shader 4.0
- – Max. shared memory 512MB
- – Three VGA Output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI
- – Supports HDMI Technology with max. resolution up to 1920×1200 (1080P)
- – Supports Dual-link DVI with max. resolution up to 2560×1600 @ 75Hz
- – Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 1920×1440 @ 75Hz
- – Supports HDCP function
- – Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) / HD-DVD playback