What is the most important component in home theater?

[xXCrossfireXx]

OK so every type of computer has that one or two things that make it function. Like in a gaming machine for example, the graphics card is by far the most important, or like in video editing, the processor (and sometimes graphics card) is the most important. My question is, what's the most important component in a home theater PC?

 

[USAFRet]

OK so every type of computer has that one or two things that make it function. Like in a gaming machine for example, the graphics card is by far the most important, or like in video editing, the processor (and sometimes graphics card) is the most important. My question is, what's the most important component in a home theater PC?

The display AND the audio.

Makes no sense to have a 60" 4k tv, and the audio pumped out through a couple of 2" laptop size speakers.
Similarly, room shaking audio is wasted with a crappy 32" TV, 20 feet away.

 

[jsmithepa]

HTPC's hardware requirement are non-critical with today's components. An i3 will do fine, built-in GPU fine, it just has to have all the pieces you need.

I say the most critical component for your HTPC is your patience to configure it.

As for the audio hardware, for the Mother of God, buy an honest-to-God AV Receiver rather than trying to cheapo-it with those all-in-1 surround package/soundbar and come crying "why can't I do this, and why can't I do that."

 

[xXCrossfireXx]

HTPC's hardware requirement are non-critical with today's components. An i3 will do fine, built-in GPU fine, it just has to have all the pieces you need.

I say the most critical component for your HTPC is your patience to configure it.

As for the audio hardware, for the Mother of God, buy an honest-to-God AV Receiver rather than trying to cheapo-it with those all-in-1 surround package/soundbar and come crying "why can't I do this, and why can't I do that."

Would even something like a Pentium do fine?

OK so every type of computer has that one or two things that make it function. Like in a gaming machine for example, the graphics card is by far the most important, or like in video editing, the processor (and sometimes graphics card) is the most important. My question is, what's the most important component in a home theater PC?

The display AND the audio.

Makes no sense to have a 60" 4k tv, and the audio pumped out through a couple of 2" laptop size speakers.
Similarly, room shaking audio is wasted with a crappy 32" TV, 20 feet away.

Awesome, so you basically can cheap out on everything except the TV and Speakers right?

And I'm also guessing a good optical drive is important? How's this optical drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136268&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Blu-Ray+Drives-_-N82E16827136268&gclid=CPauqbu648oCFTAz0wodMWkF_w&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[USAFRet]

HTPC's hardware requirement are non-critical with today's components. An i3 will do fine, built-in GPU fine, it just has to have all the pieces you need.

I say the most critical component for your HTPC is your patience to configure it.

As for the audio hardware, for the Mother of God, buy an honest-to-God AV Receiver rather than trying to cheapo-it with those all-in-1 surround package/soundbar and come crying "why can't I do this, and why can't I do that."

Would even something like a Pentium do fine?

OK so every type of computer has that one or two things that make it function. Like in a gaming machine for example, the graphics card is by far the most important, or like in video editing, the processor (and sometimes graphics card) is the most important. My question is, what's the most important component in a home theater PC?

The display AND the audio.

Makes no sense to have a 60" 4k tv, and the audio pumped out through a couple of 2" laptop size speakers.
Similarly, room shaking audio is wasted with a crappy 32" TV, 20 feet away.

Awesome, so you basically can cheap out on everything except the TV and Speakers right?

And I'm also guessing a good optical drive is important?

Optical drive? They're all the same.
'Speakers' also includes a 5.1 (minimum) receiver to drive them.

Are you building a PC to store and output the media? Doesn't have to be anything special.

For my home theater:
55" Visio TV.
Onkyo receiver.
EnergyTake 5.0 speakers, with a PolkAudio 10" subwoofer.
HTPC is a Pentium G840, 4GB RAM, with a lot of drive space (12ishTB). This is also the 'house server'.

This combination shakes the whole house when needed, and is a good display.

You need to choose and match the output devices to your particular room.

 

[USAFRet]

And I'm also guessing a good optical drive is important? How's this optical drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136268&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Blu-Ray+Drives-_-N82E16827136268&gclid=CPauqbu648oCFTAz0wodMWkF_w&gclsrc=aw.ds

Only get a bluray drive if you have or are going to delve into BluRay disks.
I'm not going to spend the money on bluray content, so no reason for a BD drive. For me.

 

[xXCrossfireXx]

And I'm also guessing a good optical drive is important? How's this optical drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136268&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Blu-Ray+Drives-_-N82E16827136268&gclid=CPauqbu648oCFTAz0wodMWkF_w&gclsrc=aw.ds

Only get a bluray drive if you have or are going to delve into BluRay disks.
I'm not going to spend the money on bluray content, so no reason for a BD drive. For me.

Well I may watch Blu-Ray, but I got it at a discount at $34.99, so I figured why not get it. But since they all work the same that's a relief. As for the home theater part, I may use the PC I build as a mini home theater (without good speakers though), which is why I asked.