Build Critique and Processor Selection

[BiggAW]

I am going to build a Windows 7 MCE box to replace my POS Comcast DVR. I am a single guy, and I live in an apartment, so I don't need to run extenders off of it, although the ability to run a couple in the future would be nice. The goals of the project are to support a 4-tuner Ceton InfiniTV USB and commercial detection/removal. I priced out some builds, starting with an i7-based machine, and I looked at the pricing and decided to scale back to an i5 with 8GB of RAM. However, I saw one of the other threads on here mention a 35W i3, which, due to the lower power, I am considering. However, I have two questions about the i3. First, is it powerful enough to do what I want? I'm thinking the commercial detection/removal is the most CPU intensive part here, but I could also be multi-tasking, i.e. playing back web based HD content while recording stuff off of cable. Secondly, how much of a power savings is there versus a 65W i5? I care a lot more about the idle power than the full-tilt power, and I don't mind the power ramping way up when needed, but a lot of extra idle power is just waste, since the machine will probably average 20+ hours of idle a day.

My main goal is to build a silent machine, and one that is expandable.

Here is my current proposed build:

Core i5-3350P
Asus P8Z77-M
8GB Corsair
OCZ Agility 3 120GB
WD Caviar Green 3TB

Ceton InfiniTV 4USB
Lenovo Enhanced Multimedia Remote
TV remote of some sort???

Antec P-183
Seasonic X-650
Nexus Quiet 120mm

However, I'm thinking that if I go Core i3, could I go down to a smaller case with a DC-DC PSU and an external PSU? Or some other sort of small, quieter PSU? Or I could just keep the form factor the same with lots of room for expansion.

Is there any reason (driver installation?) I need an optical drive? I have a USB one for software and OS installs, other than that, I don't see what I'd do with an optical drive.

[adam1991]

The previous gen white XBox Universal Media Remote--the larger one with the green button--is a great remote. All you need is an IR receiver for MC.

If you don't need an optical drive, you don't need an optical drive. I dunno. Old habits die hard for me; I can't imagine not having one. And in fact, I watched a Netflix disc just tonight.

Your biggest concern is the processor. Well, let me tell you: the i3 is plenty of horsepower for what you want to do. I'm using a Clarkdale i3 (3.2) and have two extenders AND do commercial skip processing; my system never misses a beat. MC duty just isn't all that difficult.

But lest you think this opens the door for a smaller case, don't forget heat management. Some people are OK with forced air and the noise that goes with it, others want silent which means a well designed case for that and that usually means $$$.

I don't know anything about the Ceton USB product; I use the internal card, which also creates heat, which is why I have a larger case and that works out great for also having an optical drive. I do like not having the extra box and power supply hanging around just for the tuner. You could also go with the SiliconDust tuner; because it goes over the network, you can have your external tuner AND locate it somewhere away from the PC for neatness. Only three tuners, though.

i3 is all you need. I can't even see you needing/wanting the i5 long term. i3 offers only two cores, while i5 offers quad cores. Extenders need extra cores, but you're not doing extenders. Everything you're doing, can be done in a dual core i3.

[BiggAW]

The previous gen white XBox Universal Media Remote--the larger one with the green button--is a great remote. All you need is an IR receiver for MC.

If you don't need an optical drive, you don't need an optical drive. I dunno. Old habits die hard for me; I can't imagine not having one. And in fact, I watched a Netflix disc just tonight.

Your biggest concern is the processor. Well, let me tell you: the i3 is plenty of horsepower for what you want to do. I'm using a Clarkdale i3 (3.2) and have two extenders AND do commercial skip processing; my system never misses a beat. MC duty just isn't all that difficult.

But lest you think this opens the door for a smaller case, don't forget heat management. Some people are OK with forced air and the noise that goes with it, others want silent which means a well designed case for that and that usually means $$$.

I don't know anything about the Ceton USB product; I use the internal card, which also creates heat, which is why I have a larger case and that works out great for also having an optical drive. I do like not having the extra box and power supply hanging around just for the tuner. You could also go with the SiliconDust tuner; because it goes over the network, you can have your external tuner AND locate it somewhere away from the PC for neatness. Only three tuners, though.

i3 is all you need. I can't even see you needing/wanting the i5 long term. i3 offers only two cores, while i5 offers quad cores. Extenders need extra cores, but you're not doing extenders. Everything you're doing, can be done in a dual core i3.

Playing video DVDs and Blu-Rays is outside the scope of my HTPC, as I already have a Blu-Ray player for that. I've moved mostly to renting VUDU HDX to replace the few discs I used to use, although there are some specialty videos (mostly railroad stuff) that doesn't come digitally, so I'm stuck with physical media. It would work too if a friend brought a disc over. Beyond video DVDs and Blu-Rays, I just don't see the need for an optical drive. I have an external USB one for my Macbook Pro (replaced the optical drive with an SSD), and I haven't used it in months. They only cost like $30, it's more about keeping the machine clean inside and not adding excess components.

Good to hear, sounds like I'll be going with the lower power i3. I wanted an i7 machine, but it sounds like that might be overkill (my laptop is a quad i7). They're also both LGA 1155, so if I needed more cores later, Ivy Bridge CPUs would be cheap on Ebay by then, and I could go to an i5.

On the heat and noise side, I'm thinking I should stay with the Antec P183, which is relatively slim, and doesn't look like a towering hulk, but it is designed for a much more powerful system than an i3, MicroATX, and no expansion cards, so it should be just fine for me. I could downsize to a MicroATX case that's recommended by SilentPCReview.com, any thoughts on that? I mean, I have the lowest power processor and no expansion cards, although down the road I may want expansion cards if they come out with something in PCIe that's not in USB. I want to go with the Ceton tuner, so that I get the full 4 tuners. The cable is right next to where the PC is going, and I don't have a hard wired network in this apartment, so that's not a concern.

[BiggAW]

I could also save a lot by going with this thing:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6811129035

It got recommended by SPCR, even though it looks like the cheapest, dinkiest little thing.