APEX MI-008.  This case is high quality, easy to work with, and is just the right size.  Includes a 250W power supply, although you can remove it if you wish as the motherboard we’ve chosen already includes a power supply.  Cost: $39.99.

ZOTAC IONITX-A-U Atom 330 1.6GHz Dual-Core 441 NVIDIA ION Mini ITX.  This all-in-one motherboard has a 1.6GHz dual-core Atom 330 processor and integrated Nvidia 441 Ion video chip.  Includes built in wifi, and a 90 watt power adapter. Cost: $184.99.

G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800. G.Skill makes solid memory that is highly rated by the PC building community.  This 2GB dual-channel DDR2-800 kit should be plenty of memory.  If you need more, a 4GB kit can be had for about $50 extra. Cost: $49.99.

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKS. This is a fast, quiet, and high capacity drive that should have plenty of room for all the media on your HTPC.  500 GB capacity.  Cost: $54.99.

LITE-ON Black 4X Blu-ray Disc Reader SATA Model iHOS104-08. This Lite-On Blu-ray drive can play Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and CDs.  It’s all you need to handle all of your high definition and standard definition movies.  Cost: $69.99.

I break down each component by “least expensive” and “top of the line”.  If you’re looking to build your HTPC without too many extra frills, go for the “least expensive” options.  If you want something that has the finest components (which has the added benefit of being more future-proof), then go with “top of the line”.  Either choice will get you a solid, works-as-it-should media center PC.

This month, we focus on Intel processors.

Case

Least expensive.

hec Black 7K09.  One of the best budget cases out there.  Space is tight, but you can’t beat the quality and features for this price.

$54.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Power supply: 270 W; Expansion cards: Low profile

Top of the line.

Moneual LAB Black Aluminum MonCaso 312B. This slim and sleek case will fit into just about any media center.  It takes a Micro ATX board but still supports a full ATX power supply. Includes a built-in IR receiver and a remote.  

$249.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Power supply: None (supports ATX); Expansion cards: Low profile

Power Supply

Least expensive.

Since our selected case (hec 7K09) already includes a 270W power supply, a separate PS is not needed.

Top of the line.

SeaSonic X650 Gold 650W. This power supply has plenty of juice, and is modular, so you can remove any cables you don’t need — which helps with airflow and cooling.  It’s also practically silent – the fan only spins when the unit starts to get warm – and is 90% energy efficient.   It’s one of the few power supplies to achieve an 80 PLUS Gold certification, and is simply one of the best power supplies available on the market right now.

$159.99 | Form factor: ATX; 650 Watts; 80 PLUS Gold Certified; Modular

Motherboard

Least expensive.

GIGABYTE GA-H55M-USB3.  Tons of ports including USB 3.0, eSATA, display port … the list goes on.   This board will do everything you need today and in the future.

$109.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Video chip: Intel H55; Video output: VGA / DVI / HDMI / Display Port; Audio: 7.1, Optical / Analog; CPU Socket: LGA 1156; CPU: Core i7 / i5 / i3 / Pentium; Memory: DDR3 1800/1600/1333/1066/800

Top of the line.

ASUS Maximus III GENE.   This board features a built-in X-Fi sound chip, so you won’t need an extra sound card if you just need optical out.  Tons of ports, including 9 USB ports, an eSATA port, Firewire (1394), & 7 SATA ports.

$199.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX; Video: none; Audio: X-Fi Optical / Analog; CPU Socket: LGA 1156; CPU: Core i7 / i5; Memory: DDR3 2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1600/1333/1066

Processor

Least expensive.

Intel Core i3-530 Clarkdale 2.93GHz. The dual-core price / performance leader, and can handle anything you throw at it, including HD / Bluray content.  Includes embedded graphics chip, so you don’t need a separate video card.  Only 73W.

$124.99 | Dual-core; 2.93 GHz; Socket LGA 1156

Top of the line.

Intel Core i5-670 Clarkdale 3.46GHz. Dual-core, and smoking fast, while still running cool at 73W.  What’s not to like?

$299.99 | Dual-core; 3.46 GHz; Socket LGA 1156

Memory

Least expensive.

G.SKILL 2GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ. Fast, cheap, latest DDR3 memory.

$64.99 | 2 GB (2 x 1 GB); DDR3 1600

Top of the line.

G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ. Same as above, just more of it.

$104.99 | 4 GB (2 x 2 GB); DDR3 1600

Hard Drive

Typically our recommendations do not include power or data cables.  Your motherboard kit will usually have enough cables for at least 1 hard drive and 1 optical drive.  If you think you’ll need a few extras, they are cheap and readily available.  Check out Newegg for tons of options.

Least expensive.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB.  Enough space to store all your music, movies, and downloads.

$54.99 | 500 GB; 7200 RPM; 16MB Cache; SATA

Top of the line.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB. Runs cool and has plenty of space for storing everything from music to HD movies.  If you’re going to use your media center as a backup server this is definitely a must.

$89.99 | 1 TB (1000 GB); 7200 RPM; 32MB Cache; SATA

If you intend to use your media center as an extender (i.e. you’ll have a media server that stores all of your music / movies / etc.), then you should consider getting an SSD drive.  SSD (solid-state disk) drives are very fast, very quiet, and very cool.    A good choice is the Corsair P128 CMFSSD-128GBG2D 2.5″ 128GB, which runs about $375.

DVD Drive

Typically our recommendations do not include power or data cables.  Your motherboard kit will usually have enough cables for at least 1 hard drive and 1 optical drive.  If you think you’ll need a few extras, they are cheap and readily available.  Check out Newegg for tons of options.

Least expensive.

LG Black 8X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray Reader & 16X LightScribe DVD±R DVD Burner.   Plays Blu-ray and DVDs.

$89.99 | SATA; Playback: Blu-ray, DVD, CD; Burn: DVD+R/-R, DVD+RW/-RW, DVD-DL, DVD-RAM, CD-R/RW

Top of the line.

Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer SATA Model BDR-205BKS. Plays Blu-ray and DVDs, and burns Blu-ray discs.  Clean black bezel.

$199.99 | SATA; Playback: Blu-ray, DVD, CD; Burn: BD-R, BD-RE, BD-DL, DVD+R/-R, DVD+RW/-RW, DVD-DL, DVD-RAM, CD-R/RW

Video Card

Least expensive.

Since our monthly motherboard recommendation includes solid on-board video and case recommendation includes a fairly low wattage power supply, we suggest not using a separate video card, which will save on cost, power consumption, and heat.  However, should you want something with more power, we recommend the SAPPHIRE 100253HDMI Radeon HD 4650.  This card is low profile, and packs more than enough power to handle any content you throw at it, including HD.  Note that it does have a fan in order to keep the heat down, so it will put out more noise.  If you’d prefer something without a fan (i.e. passively cooled), check out the SAPPHIRE 100252HDMI Radeon HD 4550 512MB.

$69.99 | Chipset: Radeon HD 4650; Memory size: 512MB; Memory interface: 128-bit; Ports: HDMI / DVI; Low profile: yes

Top of the line.

SPARKLE SX98GT512D3L-NM.  This is a solid and fast card that is also relatively quiet.  We could go for something faster — but heat (and therefore loudness) always becomes an issue.  Low-profile, so will fit in our slim case.

$99.99 | Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT; Memory size: 512GB; Memory interface: 256-bit; Ports: HDMI / DVI; Low profile: yes

Sound Card

Least expensive.

Since our motherboard recommendation includes build-in 7.1 audio (with optical output), we suggest not using a separate audio card.

Top of the line.

ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3. This is the only audio card to support HDMI and full DTS-HD / Dolby TrueHD audio when used with a Blu-ray player.  You can also pass your video through this card first, so that you only need one HDMI connection back to your home theater receiver.

$149.99 | HDMI 1.3, Coaxial; Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital Plus

Keyboard / Mouse

Least expensive.

ADESSO WKB-3000UB Black 2.4 GHz RF Wireless Mini Keyboard w/Optical Trackball.  Solid wireless keyboard, with a built-in optical trackball.  Nice layout of mouse buttons (includes shoulder buttons much like an Xbox / PS3 remote) make it easy to use.

$69.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Top of the line.

Gyration GYR4101US Mini Air Music Remote w/ MotionSense & Compact Keyboard.  This unique set includes a compact wireless keyboard and an “air” remote, which is both a universal remote and an air mouse.  The air mouse takes a little getting used to, but it pretty intuitive once you learn how to use it.  The universal remote features can potentially replace your other remotes, although we still recommend the Logitech Harmony for ultimate control of your media center.

$122.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Bluetooth.

We’re including this category for bluetooth fans out there.  This is also useful if you have a PS3, which require bluetooth.

SolidTek KB-3962B-BT Black Bluetooth Wireless Mini Keyboard with Touch-Pad Built-in

$99.99 | Bluetooth

Remote

Least expensive.

Logitech Harmony 550 Advanced Remote Control.  The Harmony 550 is easily the best universal remote in this price range.  It can control up to 12 devices.

$79.99 | IR

Top of the line.

Logitech Harmony One Advanced Remote.  Color touch screen, rechargeable with included stand.  Controls up to 15 devices.  The fan (and our) favorite Harmony.

$209.99 | IR

Video Capture Card (optional)

Unless you want to view and record OTA (over the air) television, you won’t need one of these.  However, we’re including it in the “top of the line” build for this month.

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 Media Center Kit Dual TV Tuner. This kit includes a media center remote and a dual tuner card, capable of grabbing and recording up to two programs at the same time over analog or digital TV.

$129.99 | Dual analog / digital tuner; remote

Summary

That’s it for this month.  Some totals for you -

Least expensive: $649.92

Top of the line: $2000.23

Editor’s note: In order to use the media center features of Windows 7, you’ll need Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate, Professional, or Enterprise.  You can also use Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, which have almost identical media center features.

Media Center Remote.

This is a must if you want to truly enjoy your Media Center as it was intended – from your couch, without a keyboard or mouse.  Some top options:

• Media center remote:  This is the least expensive option, and includes both a Media Center infrared receiver (which is required unless you have a built-in IR receiver in your media centre PC), and a remote.  We like the AVS Gear GP-IR01BK, available from Newegg for around $24.00.
• Harmony remote:  The Harmony is my personal favorite, as it controls much more than your media center — in fact it can control your entire home theatre.  Some good choices are the Logitech Harmony 550 ($80)  or the feature-packed  Logitech Harmony One ($210).  Note that you will need to by an infrared receiver in order to use your Harmony with your PC, such as the one included with the AVS Gear remote mentioned above.
• iPhone remote:  if you have an iPhone or iPod touch, there’s a cool application called NControl that acts as both a Media Center remote and allows you to browse through pictures, videos, and TV shows.   You’ll need to install a Media Center plugin, and then download the free app from iTunes to your iPhone / iPod touch.

Netflix Streaming.

This one is about as easy as it gets.

1. Get the latest updates for Windows 7 media center via the Automatic Update feature in the control panel.
2. Launch Media Center and go to the Movies section.
3. Select Netflix.
4. Click Install.
5. Sign in using your Netflix account.  (If you don’t have a Netflix account, sign up for one now).
6. Start watching your favorite movie or TV show.

Hulu Streaming.

Hulu is probably the best site on the internet for streaming recent episodes of broadcast television.  They now have a desktop application that integrates nicely with the Media Center remote, and makes it easy to watch your favorite shows on your PC or TV.  However, this application doesn’t instantly link up to your Media Center – there are a few steps to make that happen.

1. Download and install the Hulu Desktop application (PC or Mac).
2. Download and install the Hulu Windows 7 Media Center integration app.
3. Launch Media Center, and go to the Extras Library.  You should see a Hulu icon.  Right-click on it or use the “Info” button your remote, and select “Add to Start Menu”.
4. The Hulu icon should now appear in the “Extras” strip in your Media Center.
5. If you want to save shows for later viewing, or manage your Hulu preferences, you should also sign up for a Hulu account (free).

Boxee.

Boxee is a free application for Windows, Mac, and Linux, which allows you to watch and listen to all kinds of content that is normally only available via a web browser.  Boxee can be used in it’s own right as a media center app, and includes a ton of content sources, including Pandora, YouTube, MTV, Flickr, BBC, and a lot more. Boxee is a great option if you don’t have a version of Windows with media center features, or if you are using Linux or Mac.

Boxee supports the Media Center remote, and can also be integrated nicely with Windows Media Center.  Just follow these steps:

1. Sign up for a Boxee account.
2. Download and install Boxee.
3. Download this file, and unzip it into your Boxee directory (usually C:\Program Files\Boxee).  This will create a  folder called “BoxeeMCE”.
4. Browse to the BoxeeMCE folder, right-click on InstallBoxee.cmd, and select “Run as Administrator”.   You should see a “success” message.
5. Launch Media Center, and go to the Extras Library.  You should see a Boxee icon.  Right-click on it or use the “Info” button your remote, and select “Add to Start Menu”.
6. The Boxee icon should now appear in the “Extras” strip in your Media Center.

Editor’s note: Credit goes to Missing Remote for the Boxee media center integration files and instructions.   Also, if your are using 64 bit Windows, you’ll need to install a special 64 bit version.

Bonus: the Boxee remote control for iPhone / iPod touch is pretty darn cool.

Sync your iPod or iPhone with Windows Media Player.

If you’re not a fan of iTunes, or simply prefer to sync music from your iPod or iPhone with Windows Media Player / Media Center, then take a look at MGTEK dopisp.  It’s a plug-in for Windows Media Player that enables true, seamless syncing with your iPod/iPhone.

The only downside: you can’t sync music both from iTunes and Media Player to your iPod/iPhone.   However, if you have iTunes installed on your Media Center and purchase any songs from iTunes, these should automatically show up in Media Player / Windows Media Center since they are downloaded into the “My Music” folder.  From there, you can sync the music to your iPod/iPhone.

Personally, I’m tired of spending almost $1,000 a year for a few hundred channels that I don’t watch, HD service that periodically cuts out, and commercials that waste my time.  Fortunately, there’s a better way: online TV. Since you’re already paying for internet access, this one is a no-brainer.

If 2009 was the year that online TV became accessible, then 2010 is the year we all watch TV online — at least, for those of us who are savvy enough to kick cable to the curb.

What is online TV? In a word: streaming.  Today, you can get most, if not all of your favorite TV shows from online streaming services like Hulu, or directly from TV network websites like ABC.com and CBS.com.   But while these services are great for watching TV on your laptop or desktop computer, getting the content onto your TV is another story.

Enter what I’ll call the 4 pillars of cable-free TV:  hardware, streaming, storage, and interface.  Together, these 4 pillars form our high-definition home theater PC, or HD HTPC.  Let’s break it down:

1. Hardware.

The basic hardware we’ll need is:

• Home theater PC (HTPC) – typically a small and quiet PC that can hook up to your TV.
• HD TV tuner card – an add-in card for your HTPC  that can grab any over-the-air (OTA) digital or analog signal, and record it.
• Network - We’ll need a wired or wireless network so that we can connect our HTPC to the internet.  Personally, I like to place my cable / DSL modem next to my TV, hook it and my HTPC directly into the router, and then connect all my other PCs wireless via high-speed wireless N.  That way, my HTPC gets the fastest and most stable connection.

2. Streaming.

Streaming refers to downloading and watching content at the same time, without storing it on your PC.  To replace the content from cable, you’ll need to get it from the internet, and streaming is the fastest, easiest way.

• TV streaming services include Hulu, Boxee (Boxee also taps into Hulu, YouTube, Vimeo, and many other online video sites).
• For watching movies or non-broadcast TV, use a movie streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Unbox.  Chances are you already have a Netflix subscription, in which case, streaming is free.  Amazon charges a per-movie or per-episode fee.

3. Storage.

Some content you will want to download instead of stream, and others you will store for future use.

• For sufficient storage, you will need a large hard drive in our HTPC, ideally 500GB or more.  Fortunately, hard drives are cheap, with 500 GB models going for as little as $50, and larger 1 TB (1000 MB) models going for $100.
• Over the air TV can be recorded for later playback, much like your cable DVR.
• With enough storage, you can copy and store your DVDs on your media center for easy access to any movie.
• You can also download TV shows via BitTorrent automatically and easily using services like ted.

4. Interface.

The interface is what ties it all together and makes it easy for you to access your content from your couch.  Some things to consider here:

• Operating system – something needs to provide the core interface on which you access all your content, and for this we recommend Windows 7 Media Center.  Media Center is included with Windows 7 Professional, Home Premium, and Ultimate.  You can also use Windows Vista Home Premium orVista Ultimate, both of which have a very similiar Media Center built in.  An added bonus is that if you are using Windows 7 Media Center, you can access your music library from any other Windows 7 PC, from any location on your network.
• Program guides and recorded TV – Windows Media Center has this built in, and program guides are created automatically and updated over the internet.
• TV streaming – for this I recommend Boxee, which has its own media center interface, but can also be integrated with Windows Media Center.  Boxee links to many online TV and video sources, including Hulu.  Recently, Windows Media Center also added some internet TV options, including CBS, MSNBC, and PBS – although Boxee and Hulu both offer much more content at this point.
• Remote - everything mentioned above will work nicely with your media center remote, so chances are you won’t even need to bust out the keyboard and mouse.

Conclusion? While getting rid of your cable is certainly not as simple as plugging in another box, it is pretty straightforward.  If you don’t already have a PC suitable for your home theater, our hardware buyer’s guide can help you build one for less than $1000.  Your HTPC will not only pay for itself after a year, but will also give you many more benefits such as a fully-featured music jukebox, media server, and a lot more.

We break down each component by “least expensive” and “top of the line”.  If you’re looking to build your HTPC without too many extra frills, go for the “least expensive” options.  If you want something that has the finest components (which has the added benefit of being more future-proof), then go with “top of the line”.  Either choice will get you a solid, works-as-it-should media center PC.

This month, we focus on AMD processors.

Case

Most unique.

nMEDIAPC HTPC 8000.  This is a red wood & steel ATX case, which, as you can see, is in its own category.  Yes, it’s pretty big — 14″ high x 19″ tall — but it’s about as unique as they get, and looks a bit like an old-school radio or TV console.  It’s got plenty of room inside, and fits a full-size ATX as well as Micro ATX motherboard.

$89.99 | Form factor: ATX / Micro ATX | Power supply: none

Least expensive.

hec 7K09.  One of the best budget cases out there.  Space is tight, but you can’t beat the quality and features for this price.

$54.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX | Power supply: 270 W | Expansion cards: low profile

Top of the line.

LIAN LI Black Aluminum PC-C33B.  LIAN LI is well-known for making some of the best cases out there, and this is no exception.  The black brushed aluminum steel case will fit in with the even highest end home theater components.  This case supports a standard ATX motherboard and power supply, as well as two 5.25″ external drive bays and four 3.5″ internal bays.  You should have plenty of room to expand with this beauty.

$189.99 | Form factor: ATX, Micro ATX | Power supply: none (supports ATX) | Expansion cards: regular profile

Power Supply

Least expensive.

Since our selected case (hec 7K09) already includes a 270W power supply, a separate PS is not needed.

Top of the line.

CORSAIR CMPSU-620HX 620W. This power supply has plenty of juice, and is modular, so you can remove any cables you don’t need — which helps with airflow and cooling.

$149.99 | Form factor: ATX | 620 Watts | 80 PLUS Certified

Motherboard

Least expensive.

GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H. This board uses the latest in DDR3 memory, includes a powerful ATI Radeon HD 4200 video chip, and in general has everything you need to load up your HTPC.

$89.99 | Form factor: Micro ATX | Video chip: ATI Radeon HD 4200 | Video output: VGA / DVI / HDMI | Audio output: optical / analog | CPU: supports AMD Phenom II / Athlon II | CPU Socket: AM3 | Memory: DDR3 1666 / 1333 / 1066

Top of the line.

MSI NF980-G65 AM3 NVIDIA nForce 980a.  Tons of expansion slots and use of latest memory & CPU makes this pick fairly future proof.  Other touches such as fast boot and an excellent BIOS put it at the top of our list.  Note that this board lacks optical audio out, but you’ll want to get a separate audio card anyway.

$159.99 | Form factor: ATX | Video chip: NVIDIA GeForce 8 series | Video output: VGA / DVI / HDMI | Audio output: analog | CPU: Phenom II / Athlon II / Sempron 100 Series | CPU Socket: AM3 | Memory: DDR 3 800/1066/1333/1600/1800

Processor

Least expensive.

AMD Athlon II X2 240 Regor 2.8GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor.  This is a solid dual-core processor that is light on the wallet.  It’s only 65W so should be well within the limits we need for a cool and quiet PC.

$58.99 | Dual-core | 2.8 GHz | Socket AM3

Top of the line.

AMD Phenom II X4 905e Deneb 2.5GHz Socket AM3 65W Quad-Core Processor.  65W, quad-core, what more could you ask for?

$194.99 | Quad-core | 2.5 GHz | Socket AM3

Memory

Least expensive.

G.SKILL 2GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ. Fast, cheap, latest DDR3 memory.

$64.99 | 2 GB (2 x 1 GB) | DDR3 1600

Top of the line.

G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ. Same as above, just more of it.

$99.99 | 4 GB (2 x 2 GB) | DDR3 1600

Hard Drive

Typically our recommendations do not include power or data cables.  Your motherboard kit will usually have enough cables for at least 1 hard drive and 1 optical drive.  If you think you’ll need a few extras, they are cheap and readily available.  Check out Newegg for tons of options.

Least expensive.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB.  Enough space to store all your music, movies, and downloads.

$54.99 | 500 GB | 7200 RPM | 16MB Cache | SATA

Top of the line.

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB. Runs cool and has plenty of space for storing everything from music to HD movies.  If you’re going to use your media center as a backup server this is definitely a must.

$89.99 | 1 TB (1000 GB) | 7200 RPM | 32MB Cache | SATA

DVD Drive

Typically our recommendations do not include power or data cables.  Your motherboard kit will usually have enough cables for at least 1 hard drive and 1 optical drive.  If you think you’ll need a few extras, they are cheap and readily available.  Check out Newegg for tons of options.

Least expensive.

LITE-ON Black 4X Blu-ray Reader SATA Model iHOS104-06.  Plays Blu-ray and DVDs.

$59.99 | SATA

Top of the line.

Pioneer Black Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD Writer SATA Model BDR-205BKS. Plays Blu-ray and DVDs, and burns Blu-ray discs.  Clean black bezel.

$219.99 | SATA

Video Card

Least expensive.

Since our monthly motherboard recommendation includes solid on-board video and case recommendation includes a fairly low wattage power supply, we suggest not using a separate video card, which will save on cost, power consumption, and heat.  However, should you want something with more power, we recommend the SAPPHIRE 100252HDMI Radeon HD 4550 512MB. This card is low-profile and is passively cooled (read: quiet).

$44.99 | Chipset: Radeon HD 4550 | Memory size: 512MB | Memory interface: 128-bit | Ports: HDMI / DVI / VGA

Top of the line.

GIGABYTE GV-N98TOC-1GI.  This is a solid and fast card that is also relatively quiet.  We could go for something faster — but heat (and therefore loudness) always becomes an issue.

$129.99 | Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT | Memory size: 1GB | Memory interface: 256-bit | Ports: HDMI / DVI / VGA

Sound Card

Least expensive.

Since our motherboard recommendation includes build-in 7.1 audio (with optical output), we suggest not using a separate audio card.

Top of the line.

ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3. This is the only audio card to support HDMI and full DTS-HD / Dolby TrueHD audio when used with a Blu-ray player.  You can also pass your video through this card first, so that you only need one HDMI connection back to your home theater receiver.

$149.99 | HDMI 1.3 | Dolby TrueHD / DTS-HD

Keyboard / Mouse

Least expensive.

ADESSO WKB-3000UB Black 2.4 GHz RF Wireless Mini Keyboard w/Optical Trackball.  Solid wireless keyboard, with a built-in optical trackball.  Nice layout of mouse buttons (includes shoulder buttons much like an Xbox / PS3 remote) make it easy to use.

$69.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Top of the line.

Gyration GYR4101US Mini Air Music Remote w/ MotionSense & Compact Keyboard.  This unique set includes a compact wireless keyboard and an “air” remote, which is both a universal remote and an air mouse.  The air mouse takes a little getting used to, but it pretty intuitive once you learn how to use it.  The universal remote features can potentially replace your other remotes, although we still recommend the Logitech Harmony for ultimate control of your media center.

$122.99 | 2.4 GHz RF

Bluetooth.

We’re including this category for bluetooth fans out there.  This is also useful if you have a PS3, which require bluetooth.

SolidTek KB-3962B-BT Black Bluetooth Wireless Mini Keyboard with Touch-Pad Built-in

$99.99 | Bluetooth

Remote

Least expensive.

Logitech Harmony 550 Advanced Remote Control.  The Harmony 550 is easily the best universal remote in this price range.  It can control up to 12 devices.

$79.99 | IR

Top of the line.

Logitech Harmony One Advanced Remote.  Color touch screen, rechargeable with included stand.  Controls up to 15 devices.  The fan (and our) favorite Harmony.

$209.99 | IR

Video Capture Card (optional)

Unless you want to view and record OTA (over the air) television, you won’t need one of these.  However, we’re including it in the “top of the line” build for this month.

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 Media Center Kit Dual TV Tuner. This kit includes a media center remote and a dual tuner card, capable of grabbing and recording up to two programs at the same time over analog or digital TV.

$149.99 | Dual analog / digital tuner | remote

Summary

That’s it for this month.  Some totals for you -

Least expensive: $533.92

Top of the line: $1,862.88

1. Decide which form factor is right for you.

Media center PCs come in various shapes and sizes.  From mini systems, to systems which rival a full desktop PC, the choices are many.  Deciding which form factor is right for you depends on a number of things:

• The kind of media you will be playing on your media center PC.  For example, if you plan on playing high definition movies (either via Blu-Ray disc or downloads), you’ll need a system with a good video card and a fast processor.   In this case, a fully featured media center PC may be the best choice, and building it from scratch will save you money.
• The space you have to accommodate your media center PC.  If you have plenty of room in your TV console, then any size will probably work — but if you have limited space, a mini system might be a better choice.  Limited space options include Apple TV, and game consoles such as PS3 or XBox 360.
• What other components you have in your home theater.  For example, if you have a Blu-Ray player (such as a standalone player or Playstation 3), then you won’t need a Blu-Ray player in your media center PC.   This can help reduce the size and the cost of the media center PC.

2. Make sure your components work together.

If you’re building a home theater PC from scratch, you’ll need to make sure that all the pieces work together.  In this case, it’s important to start from the basics and work your way out as you build the system.

• Pick your case first.  The home theater PC case is the core of the system and determines what size motherboard you can have, what size power supply you need (if a power supply is not included), and whether or not you can use a full-height video card.  If possible, get a “bare bones” system which will usually include the case, power supply, and motherboard.  This will help ensure that all the pieces are compatible.
• Pick your motherboard next.  The motherboard is the brains of the system, and determines what type of processor (CPU), memory, and peripherals you can use.  If possible, get a motherboard and CPU set, which will be pre-configured to work together.
• Choose a power supply with enough juice.  If you’re building a basic HTPC, then typically anything rated at 300 watts or higher should do.  But if your HTPC will include a powerful video card, or will be used for gaming, then consider something at least 400 watts or more.  You’ll also want to be sure to pick the right form factor (e.g. ATX vs Micro ATX) and one that is relatively silent.

3. Choose the best cables for your system.

The type of cables you use will depend on what your TV and home theater receiver support.

• For video, the best choice is HDMI (note that if your system supports HDMI audio, you won’t need a separate audio cable).  VGA is the next best option if your TV doesn’t support HDMI.  S-Video is the least desirable choice, and should be avoided if possible.
• For audio, the best option is HDMI.  If your system doesn’t support it (and most systems older than 2 years won’t), then choose optical or coaxial audio.  RCA (i.e. left / right audio) is the least desirable, but is fine if you don’t have a surround sound system (e.g. separate center / left / right / rear speakers).

4. Make sure your network is up to the task.

If you intend to share media over your network with other computers in your house,  you’ll need to make sure you have a fast, stable network.  Some key things to determine:

• Wired or wireless?  If possible, use a wired network — this will be much faster and more stable.  If you have a wireless network, try to locate the wireless router near your media center PC so you can plug the PC directly into the router.  Since the media center PC will be the hub of your system, having direct access to your router will help insure that the internet connection is fast and stable, and your other computers will be able to connect without any problems.
• Is your wireless fast enough?  If you haven’t bought a wireless router in the last 3+ years, it might be time for an upgrade.  The best choice today is “wireless N” which is faster than “wireless G” by 2-3x.  You’ll need to upgrade all your computers to have wireless N adapters, but fortunately the cost has come down a lot recently.

5. Are you a Windows or Mac person?  Or maybe you prefer Linux?

Something has to run your media center, and usually this is an operating system such as Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux .  Our recommendation is Windows 7, both for ease of use and flexibility, and because it includes an integrated Media Center application (Windows 7 Premium or Ultimate only).  However, both OS X and Linux have strong followings, and will make good media center systems.

6. The 10-foot experience.

This is a TV media center PC, after all, so the last thing you’ll want to do is sit right in front of your TV, tethered by a mouse and keyboard with a cord.  Invest in a infrared or wireless keyboard, such as the Windows Media Center keyboard, or the Adesso wireless keyboard, both of which have integrated mouse pointers.  You’ll also want a good remote – see the next tip for details.

7. One remote to rule them all.

Your media center PC should be a pleasant experience that doesn’t require juggling 5 different remotes, along with a keyboard and a mouse.  While you will certainly want to get a keyboard for all of your configuration (and occasional web browsing), most tasks can and should be done from your trusty remote.  Two words for you here: Logitech Harmony.  Logitech’s line of universal remotes are hands down the best choice for eliminating the remote clutter, and building a system that anyone (including your significant other and kids) can use without cursing.

You’ll also want to buy a remote receiver (IR receiver) that is compatible with your media center software.  This will be necessary for your remote to work with your media center.

8. Put all those CDs in the attic.

The last thing you want to do is pull out a CD every time you want to play music.  If you’ve long since converted to MP3s, then you’re way ahead of the game — but if you’re like most of us, you’ve got hundreds of those plastic disks taking up space and collecting dust.

If you have many hours on your hands, you could “rip” them all to your media center using various software available. For those without  time or inclination to do it themselves, there’s a better way – CD ripping services like RipDigital.  You simply mail your CDs to one of these services, and for a fee they will copy your CDs to MP3s, which you can then play on your media center.

9. Apps make it better.

Whatever operating system you choose will have some built in applications, but if you want to get the most of out your system, you’ll want to install a few more.  Some of our favorites:

• Boxee - easy access to stream TV and other online sites like YouTube, Pandora, etc.
• Hulu - watch your favorite TV shows online.
• Pandora - a virtual jukebox for listening to music online.   (you can also access this via Boxee)
• Netflix - watch movies on demand.

10. The right codec for the job.

If you download videos, chances are you’ll run into missing “codecs”.  Codecs are simply system files that allow your media center PC to decode certain types of audio and video.  Since file formats vary widely, it’s at lot easier to install a “codec pack” than try to figure out exact which codec file you need to install.  We suggest installing the free ffdshow codec pack, which will handle most file types.

Want to learn more? Visit our website at www.mediacenterpcguide.com.

With a home theater PC, you can enjoy your favorite movies, TV shows, music, and radio without needing a cable box, TV tuner, or radio tuner.   Because a HTPC is usually connected to the internet, you can get access to just about any entertainment choices that you wish.

Some things a HTPC can do are:

• Stream movies through Netflix
• Stream TV through Hulu
• Record and play back TV from cable, satellite, and over the air
• Play regular DVDs
• Store your entire DVD library, so you never have to swap discs
• Play Blu-ray high-definition DVDs
• Play your music
• Store your entire CD library
• Organize your music, including automatically downloads of album covers, and display artist / album / genre info
• Play music from Pandora, Last.fm, and other online music services
• Sync your music from your iPod, Zune, or other MP3 player
• Play radio programs from anywhere in the country or the world.

Typically a HTPC is custom built PC made specifically to connect to your TV and home theater.    They range in size from large boxes that are as big as (or bigger than) a typical home theater receiver, to small mini computers the size of a Mac Mini.

While you certainly don’t need to build your own HTPC – and in fact there are quite a few options for pre-built, all-in-one media centers – building a HTPC is a lot of fun and will provide you with a media center that is both very flexible and customized to you.

If you’re looking to build your own home theater pc, take a look at our monthly hardware recommendations, or read the 10 tips for building your home theater PC.