Media Center PC Hardware

[hudway]

I have started a project to build a high end prototype for MCE 2005. I find a great lack of specification data in this areana of equipment. I am looking for a ATX motherboard to support the home theater experience. SATA 0/1/0+1/ JOBOD is important. A serperate high end graphics card that can support HDTV is important, such as ATI X800XL. Component output and even input if it exists. Tuner, I am open at this point. The following parts are what I have aquired at this point and need to build on.

As this thread developes, we can address each area in detail.

CASE AHANIX D-VINE MCE601S (1)
FD/CF/MS/MMC/SM |ADDONICS AEFDDU2 (1)
DVD+/-RW 16X SONY DRU720A RTL (1)

[k2]

do you want ota hdtv or passthru from a decoder box? most ati cards since the 8500 can do hdtv output with a dongle, newer cards ship with a new dongle; just look at the support list. you don't need a gaming card to display hdtv. you need a powerful cpu, the faster the better.

onboard raid's a joke. don't even bother with it unless you're using a dedicated hardware raid card.

[hudway]

I would say a pass thru from the decoder box. While we are on the topic, I have seen tuner cards that receive up to 125 channels. Do they make a cable ready tuner card for the PC environment. This question is tabled to all.

[k2]

component input on a pc doesn't exist as far as i know, but i haven't looked into it in about 8months. cable based hdtv tuners don't exist either mainly due to drm. longhorn's supposed to support cards that will work as a cable based decoder, but that's atleast a year away.

this would be your best bet as an hdtv tuner right now, the daughter card is sick. MyHD MDP-120 (http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/mdp120.asp)