8 Things I Wish I Knew Before Building My First HTPC

These lessons learned will save your time and money when planning to build your first HTPC.

Comparing the options can be very time consuming.
Which setup would make the most sense?
After building over 25 home theater computers over the past 16 years, I have discovered some common problems that can be easily avoided.
I would like to share some solutions to those problems.

 
Are you still wondering whether it is still worth it to have a Home Theater PC in light of services like Netflix and devices like Android TV boxes?
I would suggest you read this post first.
In this post, you’ll find out:

1. What processor and motherboard you should get
2. Is a solid state drive (SSD) worth the money?
3. How do you know if the system is going to be genuinely quiet?
4. Is it all compatible?
5. Should you store media files into an internal HDD or an external NAS server?
6. Which front-end software you should choose
7. How can you make the live TV picture quality better?
8. How to watch Hulu, Netflix and other content with XBMC

There are many generic “build your first HTPC” articles available on the Internet.
I wanted to create a very practical post that is full of insights to help you avoid the same mistakes that I’ve made.

Choose a low-TDP processor

The biggest challenge for many is making the home theater computer as quiet as possible.
The main source generating heat inside a case is the processor.
You should choose a low-TDP processor, such as Intel Core i3 with a max TDP (Thermal Design Power) of no more than 65 watts.
The low-power CPU runs at reduced voltages and emits less heat, which requires less cooling.
In case you have no idea what to choose, there are four builds that I recommend for a beginner HTPC.
The most popular choices are the latest Intel i3 processors. AMD AM1 Athlon processors are also great choices, although they are nowadays more difficult to find.
I would recommended to go with a “more than adequate” CPU for a HTPC. A more powerful 65W TDP CPU at 10% load will dissipate less heat than a less powerful 45W TDP CPU at 80% load.

Software vs hardware-based video acceleration

It takes a lot of processing power to decode a compressed 1080p HD video.
You can choose to either use software or hardware based decoding.
In software-based decoding the processor does all of the weight lifting, so you need to have a powerful enough CPU.
Intel Core i3 is a great choice to decode 1080p HD video.
Hardware accelerated decoding means the video is decoded by the GPU (graphics processing unit) instead of the CPU.
Hardware decoding allows to use a less powerful CPU with good integrated graphics.
There’s no advantage to hardware acceleration as such, beyond lower CPU usage.
The picture quality is about the same (in the case of integrated GPU often better).

Graphics card is only needed for gaming

I haven’t been completely satisfied with Intel’s previous generation on-board graphics.
The latest Intel chips have much better graphics performance.
If you need more powerful graphics for playing games, I would recommend getting a low powered discrete graphics card.
GeForce GTX 1060 works well for most games.
Any of the AMD APUs (although nowadays harder to find) are great for hardware accelerated processing and graphics.

The motherboard defines the size of the case

A form factor means the physical dimensions of a system.
In practice, the motherboard form factor defines the size of the case you can use.
So, choose the CPU first and then a suitable motherboard for it.
The most popular form factors among media PC users are ATX, micro ATX, and mini ITX.
There isn’t not really a performance difference between different motherboard form factors, except for the size and number of expansion slots.
It’s good to keep in mind that smaller mini ITX form factor cases usually have smaller fans.
They are louder than the larger ones used in micro ATX cases.
A larger case also means that you can have better airflow and room for more hard drives and other peripherals.
I haven’t noticed real differences between the top four motherboard manufacturers for both Intel and AMD chipsets that are ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, and MSI.
Keep in mind that the performance of a motherboard depends mainly on the chipset, not the manufacturer.

SSD will make your HTPC feel snappier

An SSD on a HTPC, is it worth it?
That is a very common question my readers have asked about in the past years.
In my opinion, SSD for operating system is the best single upgrade you can do for your computer.
It helps to improve the speed and responsiveness of the user interface.
SSD will help with the loading of 1080P fanarts, images, and backdrops much faster.
It will also make your system boot very fast and remove the latency while browsing media libraries.
Overall, your HTPC will just feel snappier.
You should use a standard hard drive or better yet Network Attached Storage for media files and recordings.
You won’t see any performance gain using an SSD for playing media files.
My recommendation is Samsung 850 series or Kingston UV400, which are both more than enough for HTPC.
Get at least a 128GB version if you are using Windows and going to install a lot of programs.

Minimize fan noise

The key to building a quiet HTPC is to use low power parts.
They generate less heat and thus require cooling.
Let’s focus on other causes for heat which require more cooling.

Small case

The smaller the case, the more difficult it is to get proper airflow.
It’s good to keep in mind that smaller mini ITX form factor cases usually have smaller fans.
Small fans are louder than the larger ones used in micro ATX and ATX cases.
A larger case also means that you can have better airflow and room for more hard drives and other peripherals.

Power supply

An inefficient PSU generates more heat, so you should get a 80Plus certified PSU.
If possible, get a highly efficient and passive power supply that works without a fan.
This way you will not hear fan noises from the PSU.

CPU cooler

Stock fans are often loud, so get an aftermarket cooler instead.
I’ve been using both Intel’s and AMD’s stock fans, and in principle they are okay to use.
To have a truly silent HTPC you should replace the stock fan with an aftermarket cooler.
Scythe Big Shuriken 2 or Noctua NH-L9 are great choices.

Case fans

I have three fans in my Value HTPC’s case.
I’ve connected only one to the motherboard, because according to my tests that is enough to provide proper airflow with the CPU cooler.
I also replaced the original case fan with Noctua NF-S12A ULN aftermarket case fan.
Alternatively, you can often adjust the speed of case fans from the BIOS settings.

Ensure compatibility

There is no rush to build your HTPC.
Take your time to carefully research components to make sure they are all compatible with each other.
When building your first HTPC, you want to know for sure if these parts are compatible.
Unfortunately, I’ve faced several compatibility issues.

The height and length of the graphics card

Be sure to check the dimensions of the graphics card carefully before purchasing.
For example, I bought a very nice passive cooled graphics card.
It did not fit inside my case because it was slightly higher than regular cards due to its passive cooling solution.
Also, make sure that the power supply you have chosen is powerful enough for the graphics card.

The size of the power supply

I wanted to have a completely silent power supply (PSU), so I purchased Seasonic X400 passive and modular PSU.
What I did not realize was that the case I was using (Silverstone GD06) was not compatible with the Seasonic X400. The PSU was too long.
After removing the HDD bay I was able to fit the PSU inside the case.
So, be sure to check that the size of the PSU is compatible with the case.

The height of the CPU cooler

You should be careful in checking the maximum height your case can support.
In addition, you should also make sure to check the layout of your motherboard.
Different motherboard manufacturers position the CPU slot in different places.
I made this mistake when building a mini-ITX case based home theater PC.
The CPU cooler was too large and did not fit inside the case (because of the power supply cord).
Be sure to check the layout of the motherboard to make sure the aftermarket CPU cooler will fit inside the case.

Store media files on a NAS server

I would strongly recommend storing movies on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) and watching them on your HTPC.
A NAS gives you multiple hard drives for storage and RAID redundancy for keeping your files backed up all the time.
In my experience, additional hard drives inside the case make it much louder.
You should store media files on a separate NAS.
It also makes it easier to share media files between all devices, such as Raspberry Pi as a secondary HTPC, iPad, mobile phone, etc.
You can either buy a commercial NAS, such as Synology Diskstation that I am using, or build your own media server with unRAID software.

Opt for a front-end software that can be customized

There are as many opinions as there are people.
The best front-end software to choose really depends on what you want to achieve with your media center.
Do you want to watch live TV? Play Blu-ray discs? Use stunning looking skins? Watch Hulu and Netflix, etc.?
The best compromise for the majority of users is Kodi Entertainment Center.

Kodi (was XBMC) stands for customization

The main reason why you should install Kodi on your HTPC is customization.
One of Kodi’s main features is its customization and hey, isn’t that really THE reason why you wanted to build a HTPC in the first place.
You want to be able to customize your media experience according to your needs.
You can decide how your user interface looks.
You can decide what menus and shortcuts are visible.
You can decide what online services you use, as there are hundreds of add-ons for Kodi that allow you to use the online services that you really want to use.

OpenELEC for the appliance-like user experience

I have been running HTPC on all main operating systems, Windows XP, Vista/7/8,10, Mac OSX, and Linux.
I think you’ll get the most appliance-like user experience with OpenELEC.
OpenELEC is a Linux based operating system that is free, runs Kodi out of the box and is very easy to install.
It makes your media experience feel like using any other appliance, such as Apple TV or Roku, instead of a computer.
You should go for a Windows OS only if you need a media server or are a gamer.
Don’t waste your time testing different front-end software.
Install OpenELEC operating system and customize Kodi (XBMC) according to your needs if you have not already.

Live TV picture quality issues often relate to deinterlacing

When I upgraded my HTPC with HDHomerun TV tuner and Intel Core i3 processor with integrated graphics, I was disappointed with live TV quality.
The picture looked grainy, especially during movement.
Most often the live TV picture quality issues relate to deinterlacing problems.
The scaling and deinterlacing can be set in the Kodi video settings, as well as post processing.
If you have a decent enough video card and optimal settings, then it all should look pretty good really.
You can enable deinterlacing by bringing up the On-Screen-Display, (press enter on a keyboard, etc.) -> Videos settings, and set “Deinterlace video” to Auto or On. “Deinterlace method” and “Video scaling method” can be set to Auto as well.

AMD’s APUs generally have a more powerful graphics card than Intel iGPUs.
You should be using hardware acceleration with them.
I haven’t had any issues with my AMD AM1 or A6 series processor when watching live TV.
I had some stuttering challenges with earlier generation Intel Core i3s.

Intel iGPU + Kodi + DXVA2 = stuttering

For Intel’s integrated GPUs, such as the Intel Core i3 HD 3000 I was using, you should complete the following three steps to avoid stuttering and tearing.
1. Update Intel’s latest drivers
2. Go to “System > Video > Playback”, and select Software as Render method and disable DXVA2 hardware acceleration
3. Go to “System > System > Video output, and disable “Use fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen”
You don’t need to use hardware acceleration with Intel Core i3/i5/i7, as CPU is powerful enough.

A discrete graphics card will improve picture quality

If you want to get an even better picture quality, you should get a discrete graphics card.
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or GTX 1060 (for 4K Ultra HD capability) are my current recommendations.
I have been using these graphics cards for a long time, and the picture quality is excellent with Kodi.

PlayOn brings Hulu, Netflix and other content into Kodi

I wish I knew about PlayOn Media Server many years ago.
My biggest annoyance was to get premium content channels, such as Hulu and Netflix working with it.
I especially had some difficulties in the Linux operating system.
It seemed to be impossible to get Netflix working.
Fortunately, with PlayOn integrated with Kodi I have been able to watch all my favorite TV shows online.

Windows-based computer is required

The downside is that you will need a separate Windows-based desktop PC or laptop that will run the PlayOn Media Server software.
Then you can add PlayOn as an UpNP share in the Kodi in order to stream movies and TV shows.
You can even add TV shows and movies to your Kodi library using these instructions.
So, what are you waiting for? Download and install PlayOn now.

Summary

So, those are eight takeaway points for you from what I’ve learned from building several HTPCs over the past years.
It is important to remember that building and maintaining a home theater computer is a hobby.
It will require troubleshooting every now and then.
Don’t worry if you make mistakes: that is just part of the learning curve.
The list below summarizes the key takeaway points that you should keep in mind when building your first HTPC or upgrading your existing one.

Now It’s Your Turn

I hope you have found these HTPC tips useful and that you learned something new.
Now, it’s time to put these lessons learned into practice to delight and amaze your family and friends.
The first step?
Click the link below to download the HTPC Builder’s Checklist:

 
If you found these tips useful, take a look at these 4 ideal HTPC builds.