Mini ITX for HTPC Build...?

[David_N]

Would a mini ITX board be a good base for an HTPC? I'm looking in to getting a new case that will hold a full ATX along with a mini ITX, and I was wondering if the mini ITX would be good for an HTPC. It would be used almost exclusively for watching cable TV and DVDs usually with headphones. I have a receiver and TV tuner card that could/would be used.

The ones I was looking at in particular are the four found on this page
http://www.ncix.com/search/?q=mini+itx&minprice=Min.+Price&maxprice=Max.+Price

Thanks for any help you can provide.
[If Mini ITX would be unsuitable for a HTPC, what could it be used for?]

[nd4spdbh2]

it all depends on how you want to watch dvds and what not. if you just gonna use like windvd then it would probably be fine. but theres no way you could use a enhancing program like FFdshow to upscale the dvd. What kinda tv is the htpc gonna be hooked to?

[David_N]

More than likely a 19-26" computer LCD. I'm in a very small room, so 26" would be more than sufficient for me. There's about 5 feet from the seating to where the monitor would be.

[nd4spdbh2]

More than likely a 19-26" computer LCD. I'm in a very small room, so 26" would be more than sufficient for me. There's about 5 feet from the seating to where the monitor would be.


ok so whats the resolution on say a 26inch widescreen lcd probably around 1920x1080... cus if you want your dvd quality to look stunning your gonna wanna use ffdshow and its going to come no where close to running on a mini itx board. but if you use windvd or something like that im sure it would work fine... ALTHOUGH seems as how it does have onboard video the cpu might be used for video purposes also... IMO its not worth it to use a Mini itx VIA board. to much money for little performance.

[Jon]

I'd have to agree with everyone else. The mini-ITX boards aren't good for much except standard DVD and AVI playback. They just don't have any horsepower for postprocessing.

[ghettocomp]

I have tried it, wont be very good at all. My personal experience will leave the Mini-Itx type boards in the small server or network devices category. I am sure that some are good for this, but I have not seen any. :)

[SeasonalEclipse]

Yeah go for a micro atx system, even a basic sempron, or celeron systen can do more the a VIA CPU can HTPC wise.

[David_N]

Dang, alright thanks for the help. I guess that rules out buying the gigantic Thermaltake Mozart I was looking at because it had a mini-ITX holder heh.