Building your first 3D HTPC or Bluray PC

With the release of the first graphics card to do 3D, we can now build our very first 3D Bluray PC or HTPC.
AMD's new HD 6870 & 6850 graphics cards are 3-D ready, ushering in a new era of 3D video as well as gaming that takes users to an entirely new level. The AMD 3-D experience is truly immersive and seamless, incorporating AMD Eye-Definition (utilizing AMD’s HD3D technology & DirectX 11 for explosive performance and stunning effects), AMD Eyefinity (which supports multi-display gaming) and AMD Eyespeed (improves video image quality and application performance for amazing visuals) technologies. The cards require the use of HDMI 1.4a, so a new 3D monitor or LCD TV is required.

For 3D monitor, we recommend ViewSonic’s FuHzion LCD Designed for watching HD 3D video content as well as for the hard core gamer, the monitor bring revolutionary, pure 120Hz frame rate combines with ultra-fast 3ms video response for immaculate blur-free motion and realistic 3D rendering.

The motherboard we choose is Gigabyte's latest mini-ITX size motherboard, the GA-H55N-USB3 and measuring only 17cm x 17cm. This board support Intel Core i7/i5/i3 series processors and comes with a horde of features that other mini-ITX boaeds cannot match: Intel H55 Express Chipset with Integrated Graphics (so no need for additional graphics card), upto 8G of DDR3-1666 memory, 1x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Slot (in case you want to disable onboard graphics), 4x SATA2 Ports, 1x eSATA2 Port, 8x USB 2.0 Ports (4 rear, 4 by headers); 2x USB 3.0 Port, Realtek ALC892R 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio, Realtek RTL8111E Gigabit Ethernet Controller, 1x DVI Port; 1x VGA Port; 1x HDMI Port; 1x optical S/PDIF-out Port; 1x RJ45 LAN Port; Audio I/O Jacks.

For processor, we choose Intel Core i5 Processor i5-661 3.33GHz 4MB LGA1156, a good balance between price and performance. It has 3.33GHz speed and can be Turbo-Boost up to 3.60GHz. It also has Intel HD graphics. Built for mainstream users who might occasionally require some additional performance, this CPU features Intel's exclusive 45nm architecture, ideal for users interested in surfing the Web, checking email, shopping online, manipulating images, downloading, and watching HD videos—all at the same time.

As for the PC case for our Mini ITX board, there is no better choice than Silverstone SUGO 07, a super-small footprint case (est 30cm x 20cm x 17cm height). Although small, it packs a punch above its weight. This case is cool and quiet.

For the 3D Bluray player software, we recommend PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D. Optimized for the latest hardware acceleration technologies from Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD, PowerDVD ensures smoother movie performance. PowerDVD 10 launches your Blu-ray movies up to four times faster, too. Seeing is believing the kind of life-like imagery that Blu-ray 3D* can deliver, and PowerDVD 10 brings it to life on your PC. Offering the best-quality 3D movie experience possible, PowerDVD is compatible with the full range of 3D hardware on the market, including glasses, graphics cards, and monitors.


The major components of our setup are:

Intel Core i5 Processor i5-661 3.33GHz 4MB LGA1156 CPU BX80616I5661

Gigabyte Socket 1156/Intel H55/USB3/A&V&GbE/Mini-ITX Motherboard GA-H55N-USB3

Silverstone 6x Blu-Ray Burner BD-RE/8x DVD±RW DL SATA Slim Optical Drive TOB01

PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D

Viewsonic 22 IN WS LCD 1680X1050 1000:1 VX2268WM 3D

SilverStone Mini-ITX/Mini-DTX Case with 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Power Supply SG07B (Black)

ASUS AMD Radeon HD 6850 1 GB GDDR5 Video Card EAH6850/2DI2S/1GD5


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The future is Cloud Computing

Thanks to the thousands of miles of fiber-optic cable laid during the late 1990s, the speed of computer networks has finally caught up to the speed of computer processors.

Thanks to the virtual desktop they developed, the PC quickly replaced the mainframe as the center of corporate computing and began showing up in homes across America.

Before long, companies began building intraoffice networks so that their employees could run programs like Microsoft Word and Excel on their PCs, and also access programs, files, and printers from a central server.

This model was far from perfect.

Due to a lack of standards in computing hardware and software, competing products were rarely compatible -- making PC networks far more inefficient than their mainframe predecessors.

In fact, most servers ended up being used as single-purpose machines that ran a single software application or database.

And every time a company needed to add a new application, it was forced to expand its data centers, replace or reprogram old systems, and hire IT technicians to keep everything running.

As a result, global IT spending jumped from under $100 billion a year in the early 1970s to over $1 trillion a year by the turn of the century.

IT-consulting firm IDC reports that every dollar a company spends on a Microsoft product results in an additional $8 of IT expenses.

And one IT expert admits, "Trillions of dollars that companies have invested into information technology have gone to waste."

Yet, companies have had no choice but to run these obscenely expensive and highly inefficient networks.

But that's all about to change...

And that's precisely why the two words "cloud computing" scare the hell out of Bill Gates.

You see, he realizes that thanks to the thousands of miles of fiber-optic cable laid during the late 1990s, the speed of computer networks has finally caught up to the speed of computer processors.

As IT expert Nicholas Carr explains, "What the fiber-optic Internet does for computing is exactly what the alternating-current network did for electricity."

Suddenly, computers that were once incompatible and isolated are now linked in a giant network, or "cloud."

As a result, computing is fast becoming a utility in much the same way that electricity did...

Think back a few years -- any time you wanted to type a letter, create a spreadsheet, edit a photo, or play a game, you had to go to the store, buy the software, and install it on your computer.

But nowadays, if you want to look at pictures on Facebook... find directions on MapQuest... watch a video on YouTube... or sell furniture on Craigslist... all you really need is an Internet connection.

Because although these activities require you to use your PC, none of the content you are accessing or the applications you are running are actually stored on your computer -- instead they're stored at a giant data center somewhere in the "cloud."

The Economist claims, "As computing moves online, the sources of power and money will increasingly be enormous 'computing clouds.'"

David Hamilton of the Financial Post says this technology "has the potential to shower billions in revenues on companies that embrace it."

And Nicholas Carr, former executive editor of the Harvard Business Review, has even written an entire book on the subject, titled The Big Switch. In it, he asserts: "The PC age is giving way to a new era: the utility age."

He goes on to make this prediction: "Rendered obsolete, the traditional PC is replaced by a simple terminal -- a "thin client" that's little more than a monitor hooked up to the Internet."

While that may sound far-fetched, in the corporate market, sales of these "thin clients" have been growing at over 20% per year -- far outpacing that of PCs.

According to market-research firm IDC, the U.S. is now home to more than 7,000 data centers just like the one constructed on the banks of the Columbia River in 2005.

And the number of servers operating within these massive data centers is expected to grow to nearly 16 million by the end of 2010 -- that's three times as many as a decade ago

Read more!

Building your Blu-ray/Gaming PC: Intel-based

When building our Blu-ray PC gig, we decide to use Intel-based board. The cost will be 30% higher than AMD-based gig but another important consideration is GAMING.

The motherboard we choose is Gigabyte's latest mini-ITX size motherboard, the GA-H55N-USB3 and measuring only 17cm x 17cm. This board support Intel Core i7/i5/i3 series processors and comes with a horde of features that other mini-ITX boaeds cannot match: Intel H55 Express Chipset with Integrated Graphics (so no need for additional graphics card), upto 8G of DDR3-1666 memory, 1x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Slot (in case you want to disable onboard graphics), 4x SATA2 Ports, 1x eSATA2 Port, 8x USB 2.0 Ports (4 rear, 4 by headers); 2x USB 3.0 Port, Realtek ALC892R 7.1-Channel High Definition Audio, Realtek RTL8111E Gigabit Ethernet Controller, 1x DVI Port; 1x VGA Port; 1x HDMI Port; 1x optical S/PDIF-out Port; 1x RJ45 LAN Port; Audio I/O Jacks


For processor, we choose Intel Core i5 Processor i5-661 3.33GHz 4MB LGA1156. It has 3.33GHz speed and can be Turbo-Boost up to 3.60GHz. It also has Intel HD graphics. Built for mainstream users who might occasionally require some additional performance, this CPU features Intel's exclusive 45nm architecture, ideal for users interested in surfing the Web, checking email, shopping online, manipulating images, downloading, and watching HD videos—all at the same time.

For the graphics card (optional), we choose ATI’s Sapphire Radeon HD 5770 1 GB DDR5 2DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort PCI-Express Video Card 100283-3L. Now you can experience real innovation in DirectX 11 gaming with ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series graphics processors. Loaded with advanced technology, these GPUs have the power and premium features you need for enhanced Video display and fully immersive gameplay as well. Using ATI Stream technology, accelerate even the most demanding applications and do more than ever with your PC. The first GPUs in this class to offer full support for DirectX 11, these GPUs enable rich, realistic visuals and explosive HD gaming performance so you can dominate the competition. The HDMI adaptor has 7.1 surround sound supports and delivers audio and video output on a single HDMI cable.

As for the PC case for our Mini ITX board, there is no better choice than Silverstone SUGO 07, a super-small footprint case (est 30cm x 20cm x 17cm height). Although small, it packs a punch above its weight. This case is cool and quiet. The unit is going to be stored in a mostly enclosed audio tower, along with my other AV equipment. The audio tower does have a 120mm fan at the top and bottom, so there is air movement so my devices don't build up heat and cook. The stock heatsink and fan are only audible if you have the case off and ear next to the fan. Alternatively, you can installed a 3rd party liquid cooler to get no sound. After it had been on for an hour, it was only as warm as touching someone else's hand. As for the audio, I needed all of my outputs (8 channel audio and uncompressed video) from my HTPC to feed into a Onkyo 7.1 receiver and act as a pass through to my 47" Samsung LCD TV. This Intel-based system was just able to perform the tasks I needed in this scenario. The thing that really surprised me is that when I had my HDMI hooked up from my HTPC to my Onkyo receiver, Windows 7 64bit actually detected the model of receiver it had and defaulted my audio to 8 channels automatically...without any messing around with drivers, settings, or reboots.


The major components are:

Intel Core i5 Processor i5-661 3.33GHz 4MB LGA1156 CPU BX80616I5661

Gigabyte Socket 1156/Intel H55/USB3/A&V&GbE/Mini-ITX Motherboard GA-H55N-USB3

Silverstone 6x Blu-Ray Burner BD-RE/8x DVD±RW DL SATA Slim Optical Drive TOB01



Read more!

Building a cheap Blu-ray PC: AMD-based

We are building a PC to watch movies via DVD & Blu-ray discs since component prices are now low enough to justify doing so. Of course, this PC can do gaming, surf internet & do all stuff that other PCs can do as well.

A complete Blu-ray HTPC system sold by a famous brand currently cost US$1000, comes with 22" LCD monitor. If we build one ourselves (or get a computer shop to assemble for you), the cost is not only lower, but the specs are better as well.

We have done extensive research and we are able to assemble a decently-priced PC (exclude LCD monitor) to play 1080p quality Blu ray movies on a decent budget of US$650 (motherboard, MOBO + 2G memory + 160G harddisk drive, HDD + 450 W power supply + AMD Phenom II X2 555) + Blu Ray ROM drive.
The motherboards (MOBO) we choose is the Gigabyte's 790GX / 780G series, GA-MA785GM-US2H . This MOBO comes with 3D overclocking performance [boost the GPU frequency up to 950MHz] that delivers a rich, High-Definition home theater entertainment experience and delivering unprecedented UMA graphics performance with a 3DMARK06 score of 2000 or higher*. At of the heart of the MOBO lies the ATI Radeon^® HD4200 graphics core, featuring support for DirectX^® 11, Shader Model 4.0 and OpenGL2.0 as well as meeting the official HDMI 1.3 certification. High-Definition multimedia support is carried throughout the Radeon^® HD 3200 outputs, which include not only D-Sub and DVI, but also HDMI to support numerous monitors. This MOBO meet the HDCP specification for output protection management and security specifications of the latest Blu-Ray™ media format. Featuring support for ATI's Avivo™ technology, the GIGABYTE's 790GX / 780G provides ultra smooth playback of the latest Blu-Ray™ HD content, and with support for the innovative ATI UVD™ technology, provides spectacular picture clarity at resolution up to 1080p for incredibly fine image quality. The MOBO is equipped with the built-in High-Definition 7.1 + 2 channel Realtek ALC889A sound chip, whose 106dB signal-to-noise ratio significantly reduces noise during signal transmission and supports Full Rate Audio support for Blu-ray™ HD media. Gigabyte also supports Dolby Home Theater, giving our PC another powerful set of tools to deliver a cinema-style experience in vivid surround sound.

So with good graphics and audio on the MOBO, we save money on having to buy separate graphics card & sound card. Next, to maximise the potential of this MOBO, we put in 4G DDR2 dual channel RAM [1066 MHz]. Then we add in a 450W power supply for power stability. And of course, we use the fast SATA-based drives: HDD & Blu Ray ROM drives.

The main components:

AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2 GHz 2x512 KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor - Retail HDZ555WFBGMBOX

Gigabyte GA-MA785GM-US2H Micro ATX Motherboard

Coolermaster 430W power supply unit
Seagate Barracuda 320GB SATA Hard Drive
Kingston HyperX Memory 2GB 1066MHz DDR2 PC2-8500
Liteon 4X Blu Ray ROM Drive
Coolermaster Mini Tower PC Chasis
Antec Fusion Black 430 Desktop PC Case with 430-Watt PSU

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AMD's new Radeon HD 6870 Graphics Card

AMD today introduced the ATI Radeon HD 6870 graphics card, raising the performance bar for graphics cards.

The AMD Radeon HD 6870 is 3-D ready and one of the first HDMI 1.4a and DisplayPort 1.2 solutions for Stereoscopic 3-D on the market.

The AMD Radeon HD 6870 ushers in a new era of gaming that takes users to an entirely new level. The AMD 3-D experience is truly immersive and seamless. AMD has also teamed up with other Open 3-D ecosystem partners to provide consumers with more choice, more innovation and lower cost.

This high-speed graphics card outdoes the competition with 900MHz, a 4.2 GHz memory clock, dual mini-DisplayPort outputs which allows for capability to play on up to five screens and a shader speed of 960 to ensure that graphics are crisp and life-like.

AMD incorporates Eye-Definition (utilizing AMD’s HD3D technology & DirectX 11 for explosive performance and stunning effects) and Eyefinity (which supports multi-display gaming) and AMD Eyespeed (improves video image quality and application performance for amazing visuals) technologies.

KEY FEATURES
• 3rd Generation TeraScale Graphics Engine
• 40nm Process Technology
• GDDR5 Memory
• AMD Eyefinity Technology
• AMD Advanced Parallel Processing Technology (APP)
• AMD CrossFireX™ Technology
• AMD HD3D Technology
• Accelerated Video Transcoding
• AMD PowerPlay Technology
• Built-in Mini-DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4a Outputs
• Microsoft Windows 7® Support
• Microsoft DirectX 11 Support
• OpenGL 3.2 Support
• Enhanced Internet Browser Applications

Bus Type -- PCI-E 2.1
Performance -- Standard
GPU Clock MHz -- 900 MHz
Stream Processors -- 1120
Memory Interface Bus(bit) -- 256
Memory Type -- DDR5
Memory Size (MB) -- 1024 MB
Memory Clock (MHz) -- 4200 MHz
Microsoft® DirectX® Support -- 11
Open GL Optimization and Support -- 3.2
ATI Radeon CrossFireX™ Technology √
ATI Radeon PowerPlay™ √
Dimensions (Imperial) 10.3 x 4.4 x 1.5
Max Resolution Analog 2048 x 1536
Max Resolution Digital 2560 x 1600
ATI Eyefinity Technology √
DisplayPort 2


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Backing up Blu-ray movies #1

After spending money on that Blu-ray movie discs or DVD discs, it would be a pity if they get damaged or got misplaced. Now you get make backup copies of DVD using the AnyDVD software by Slysoft or backup copies of Blu-ray discs using the AnyDVDHD software. [Note: Copies are meant for personal consumption & not for trading].

AnyDVD works in the background to automatically remove the copy protection of a DVD movie as soon as it's inserted into the drive, allowing you then to backup the movie. You can also remove the RPC region code, thereby making the movie region free. AnyDVD is capable of removing unwanted movie features, including subtitles and prohibition messages such as copyright and FBI warnings. It can decrypt protected audio CDs as well.

Key Features of AnyDVD:

• Removes encryption (CSS) and region code (RPC) from DVDs
• Removes analogue copy protection (Macrovision)
• Removes features such as forced subtitles and warnings
• Compatible with all DVD media
• Works with all DVD-drives, regardless of region code
• Works with all DVD copying, such as CloneDVD, and all DVD player software
• Proven to be stable and fast and does not require an ASPI driver
• Features AnyCDDA: play, copy and rip protected audio CDs

AnyDVD HD comes with same functionality as AnyDVD, but with additional features for full Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD support, including decryption of Blu-ray (BD+ and AACS) and HD DVD (AACS) movies. Allows you to watch movies over a digital display connection, without HDCP-compliant graphics card and without HDCP-compilant display so no need to buy an expensive monitor. Playback your discs on your PC with PowerDVD Ultra, which otherwise do not run titles released by Studio Canal, The Weinstein Company, Kinowelt & Optimum Releasing. AnyDVD HD is the "must have" utility for the serious home theater enthusiast using a media center / home theater PC.

Key Features of AnyDVDHD:

• Same features as regular AnyDVD
• Removes encryption (AACS) from Blu-ray Discs.
• Removes BD+ copy protection from Blu-ray Discs.
• Removes region codes from Blu-ray Discs.

After ripping a Blu-ray movie disc with AnyDVDHD you will have a folder with size about 20G on your hard-disk. To reduce the file size, run TS Remux [this also reduces the entire folder into 1 single file in the M2TS format, playable on Windows Media Player]. This is how to use TS Remux: 1. Select the main movies file [size>15G] in your ripped folder [..\BDMV\STREAM\00005.m2ts]; 2. give an output name; 3. uncheck 'bypass audio..'; 4. output format as 'M2TS'; 5. click on 'remux' Read more!

Backing up Blu-ray movies #2

After ripping a Blu-ray movie disc with AnyDVDHD you will have a folder with size about 20G on your hard-disk. You can reduce the file size to about 15G.

First, run TS Remux [this also reduces the entire folder into 1 single file in the M2TS format]. This is how to use TS Remux:

1. Select the main movie file [the one which is the largest] in your ripped folder [..\BDMV\STREAM\00005.m2ts]

2. give an output name ['name.m2ts'];

3. uncheck 'bypass audio..';

4. uncheck audio streams that you do not need (eg. DTS)

5. output format as 'M2TS';

6. click on 'remux'.

This M2TS file format is playable on Windows Media Player 9.0 but you must add in the K-Lite Codec Pack first. Read more!

Backing up Blu-ray movies #3

After you have a single m2ts file, the size of 15G is still quite big. If you are happy with this, then take no further action. If not, you can reduce the file to less than 1G, using the Matroska (MKV) file format & with the video quality still high.

First, download & run MeGUI.

1. When first run you should be prompted to update. Select Options -Update and apply all updates.

2. We need to start [Avisynth script]. It is easy to do by selecting the option from the [Tools] menus or pressing CTRL-R.

3. [Select your input file] - the .m2ts file from TSRemux. A preview window will open. This will be at the actual resolution - 1920×1080.

4. On the Options TAB, [Check Crop], select [Autocrop], [Check resize - input the Horizontal resolution of 1280], [check suggest resolution then uncheck] it to have the corrected size.

5. Move on to the [filter] Tab, If you are unsure of the file type you should always select [analyse]. This does take a few minutes to complete but is worth it if unsure. When complete [select the Source Type], i use [progressive]. [Set Resize Filter to Lanczos4] and [enable the noise filter] if required. [Select save and provide a file name].

6. Open the [Bitrate] calculator from the [Tools] menu. Your video file details should already be populated so ensure the relevent codec and container types are selected then select your required file size from the File Size dropdown. Set the codec to x264 and the file format to MKV. Click the config button. Input your own calculated bitrate. Click OK.

7. [Audio] For the input file [select your video file again], [give an output name] ensuring it is different from the video output name, [choose your audio profile] - NDAAC-LC-Multichannel-HQ-256kbps or one suitable for your requirements, set the codec to ND AAC - the Nero codec should have been installed when MeGUI was updated. If not down load it from http://www.nero.com/eng/nero-aac-codec.html. Place it in Megui\tools\NeroAACenc. Click [enqueue] in both Audio and Video sections the move to the [queue] tab.

8. You can see the [two video passes and the audio jobs] in the queue. When it is used for the first time you will need to [create a Worker]. You can now start the encoding process by clicking [start]. This will take several hours to complete.

9. When completed, you will have a seperate audio and video stream [ie. 2 files].

10. Run MKVMerge to mux these 2 files together into a single MKV file. [Select your two input files, give an output file and select Start Muxing]. Read more!

How to assemble a PC

If you can put together a furniture from IKEA, you can put together your own PC. It is that easy. That’s not to say that PC-building is for everybody. You do miss out, for instance, on having a single point of contact for technical support. Then again, technical support can be unhelpful. Building your own PC means that you get to call the shots on every component, from the motherboard to the graphics card. You pay only for the parts you want, and you decide what kind of upgrade path to leave for yourself in the future.

1. Remove the side panel of your case by unscrewing the side panels with a screwdriver.

2. Screw in the motherboard stands. Your case purchase should include a bundle of screws packed in the box. Find the narrow screw stands that need to be affixed to the interior case platform. With motherboards based on the ATX spec (the current design standard), 10 stands need to be screwed in. Putting a screw stand in the wrong slot could short out your motherboard!

3. Install the power supply. Take the power supply out of the box and unravel its cables. Our power supply is modular, so we only use the cables that we actually need to power our internal devices. Find the included set of screws in the power supply box. These will be different from the ones included with your case.

4. On to the motherboard. We’re going to be using a third-party CPU cooler for this build, which will keep your CPU perfectly chilled for overclocking. The Zalman 9700NT requires that you install a mounting bracket onto the motherboard. To do this, first align the bottom part of the bracket to the underbelly of your mobo. Its four holes should line up with four screw holes surrounding the CPU. Screw in the top part of the bracket carefully. The corner of the bracket with the extra niche should match the corner on the motherboard where the CPU locking pin rises (bottom left in our photo). Make sure you don’t screw the top bracket in to tightly, or the bottom bracket may lose alignment with the screw holes.

5. One last bit of preparation before putting in the motherboard. Remove the generic motherboard back panel port plate from the rear of the case. It should easily pop out if you push it from the outside. Replace the generic back panel plate with the one included in your motherboard box. Snap it in by pressing its corners against the case from the inside. You should hear a distinct click when each corner is snapped into place.

6. Time to install the motherboard! Carefully place the motherboard into the case cavity, holding it from opposite corners. Angle and slide it in from the front of the case toward the back, so the back panel powers can fit through the back port plate. Once the motherboard is aligned and correctly situated, screw it in with 10 small screws that were packaged with your case. Don’t go overboard when you tighten the screws

7. Read your CPU and motherboard instructions carefully to find out how to remove the socket shield and properly align the processor. In this case, our CPU has a tiny triangle in one corner that must be aligned with the one corner of the socket that’s missing a metal contact. Close the socket shield and lock the CPU into place by clamping down on the CPU socket pin.

8. Apply thermal paste to the processor before mounting the CPU fan. The Zalman 9700NT fan includes a small bottle of thermal paste, along with a tiny brush in the cap for easy application. Don’t goop the paste on. Spread it evenly over the processor, leaving a little bit of space around the edges to spread. Apply a little bit of paste to the bottom of the CPU cooler as well.

9. Carefully place the CPU fan on top of the processor, with the fan facing away from the back of the case (as seen in our photo). This ensures that air flows smoothly from the front of the case through and out the back. Drop the clamping bridge under the center of the cooler, and screw in one side with the screws packaged with the cooler. Screwing in the other side requires a bit of strength, as the clamp will bend to lock the cooler into place. Don’t press too hard or you’ll risk damaging both your CPU and motherboard. We recommend screwing both sides in halfway first, then slowly tightening each side. Plug in the CPU fan adapter to the three-pin port located near the processor socket. Refer to your motherboard manual for the exact location.

10. Remove a few of the PCI slot shield plates from the back of the case. You only need to take out the ones that are blocking the holes you’ll need for your video card. Drop in your video card into the PCI-E slot. If your motherboard has more than one slot, check the manual to locate the “primary” PCI-Express slot, which has the most bandwidth for graphics. Push the card straight down into the slot gently and firmly, and make sure the white retention clip snaps into place. Screw the video card’s bracket into your case. [Optional: Pull a six-pin PCI-E power cables from your power supply and plug them into your video card.]

11. Locate two memory slots on your motherboard. Our build will have two 1GB sticks of DDR memory. You’ll want to insert them in alternating slots (color-coded on our motherboard) to run the memory in dual-channel. Align the RAM so the gap in the row of pins matches the slot on the motherboard. Plug the RAM into the slots until the locking brackets on both sides snap up. Make sure your RAM is completed seated, as improperly-installed RAM is the source for many system malfunctions.

12. Screw the hard drive into the bracket. Slide your optical drive in until it’s flush with the front panel. Just press the button on the side of the interior cage to lock the drive into place. Plug a SATA cable into your motherboard for every drive you have (including hard drives and optical drives). Plug a SATA power cable into your power-supply (these should be included with your PSU). These power cables have a flat SATA power connector on one end.

13. Using your motherboard manual as a reference, plug in the front-panel cables to your motherboard. Most cases have front panel USB, Firewire, and headphone jacks, among other ports. Look to your motherboard documentation to find out where these go.

14. Locate the eight-pin power cable from your power supply, which provides power to the CPU, and plug it into your motherboard. Like the PCI-E connector, this plug is keyed and should only fit in one way, so there’s no risk of putting it in backwards. Finally, you’ll need to power up the motherboard by connecting the 24-pin main power connector.

15. Connect the power cable to your fan that is mounted behind on the case.

16. The finish line is in sight! This final step is to tidy up our cabling by hiding all the excess wires out of the way. With our case, we can pull cables and hide them.

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LCD monitor - which is hi def?

Our intention is to watch high definition movies via Blu-ray or HD DVD so we need a suitable LCD monitor to match [the other alternative is to connect direct to a LCD TV via the HDMI cable]. In order to get 1080p resolution, monitors above 24” are considered as they can display native resolution of 1920 x 1200 [16:10 aspect ratio] or some models like Dell’s S2409W which runs on native resolution of 1920 x 1080 [16:9 aspect ratio]. Note that 16:9 corresponds to the Blu-ray format.

We look for HDMI interface as well and this makes a mouth watering proposition for those who wants to hook up your Xbox 360 or PS3 directly, letting you enjoy High Definition graphics without forking out the dough for a new TV.

Other features to look for include DVI and VGA connectivity, a contrast ratio of at least 1,000:1 and a 5ms response time or better. Manufacturers have started focusing on getting more products in the 24-inch monitors segment, releasing lower cost and higher performance.

Features to look out for:
· Native Resolution : 1920 x 1200
· Active Display Area : 24-inch
· Contrast Ratio : 1000:1
· Response Time : 5ms
· Digital : DVI-D, HDMI

Here are some monitors worth considering:

LG Electronics (W2452V-TF) 24" LCD Class monitor
ViewSonic VX2435wm 24" Wide Multifunction LCD Display
Gateway FHD2401 24" Widescreen HD LCD Monitor
HP W2408H 24-inch Widescreen LCD Monitor
Samsung Touch Of Color 24" T240HD LCD HDTV Monitor
BenQ G2400WD - Flat panel display

Read more!

Is your PC ready for High Definition?

Going Blu-ray or High Definition (HD) means updating some PC components like memory, CPU & chipsets. This easy-to-use Blu-ray advisor software called "BD Advisor" will help advise you which of your current components need to change.

Click here [then search for 'BD Advisor'] to find out if your current PC is Blu-ray or HD ready? Read more!

PCTV HD Card - TV Tuner card

With PCTV HD Card, you can watch standard TV and free High Definition (HD) TV on your PC. Includes remote control and FM radio antenna. This card supports both digital over-the-air (ATSC1) and unencrypted digital cable (ClearQAM2) HDTV. Stereo sound for both digital and analog TV. Also, includes Stereo FM radio reception.

Turns your PC into a Personal video recorder. You can automatically record shows to your hard drive in the destination file format of choice3 (i.e. MPEG-2, DivX®, etc.), or even direct-to-DVD. Or capture videos from your cable/satellite set-top box or camcorder with the included A/V adapter cable.

Fully compatible with Windows® Media Center5 (Windows Vista™ and XP MCE; remote kit sold separately). Read more!