If you already have the hardware for an Ubuntu Home Theater PC, please skip this part and go to Part 2: Software & Setup. I've also included components for the Home Theater if you want speaker, receiver, TV and projector recommendations.
Computer ComponentsProcessor:
We want a computer that is capable enough to play Full HD content (1080p) and doesn't heat up much, because the lower the heat, the quieter the cooling solution and less noise during your Music, Movies and Games. Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors are a good place to start. I would avoid Pentium 4 and Pentium D like the plague because they tend to heat up and the cooling solution will make too much noise. For an Intel CPU I'd recommend a Core 2 Duo e6550 or better. For AMD I'd recommend an X2 4400+ or better. When shopping for a CPU, try to find something with lower wattage. 65 watts and less is great because it doesn't use much electricity and doesn't generate too much heat. Something over 90 watts is more than I'd recommend. At the moment, you'll probably get more bang for your buck with an AMD processor and there won't be a difference in playback quality.
My Ubuntu HTPC uses an Intel Core 2 Duo e6400
Motherboard:
Try to find a motherboard that has digital coaxial or optical out. Most motherboards these days have good enough onboard sound that a separate sound card isn't necessary. If you aren't going to be doing much gaming and want to keep the computer small. Get a micro ATX motherboard. Some motherboards have pretty good onboard graphics for HD video playback, like the ASUS P5QL-EM. Make sure when you pick your motherboard, you find something that is HDCP Compliant. Make sure the motherboard has DVI or HDMI out. (If it doesn't have HDMI out, you can use a DVI to HDMI dongle with no quality loss). Last but not least, make sure the CPU you buy is compatible with the motherboard! Don't buy an Intel 775 socket motherboard and an AMD processor! My Ubuntu HTPC uses an MSI Platinum 975x PowerUp edition motherboard.
Memory:
You'll want 2 gb, and these days RAM is rather inexpensive. I'd recommend 2 gb of DDR2 ram at 667mhz or faster. Get two sticks of the same ram and run them dual channel. I personally use Corsair DDR2667 ValueRam which does the trick.
Graphics:
This will depend a lot on what kind of onboard graphics you have. If your motherboard has DVI or HDMI out, is HDCP compliant and can handle resolutions of 1920x1080, you may not need a graphics card. If however you will be playing a lot demanding games, I'd recommend the Nvidia 8600 GS or better. The reason being is that it's a pretty solid video card for the money and has good Ubuntu drivers. I use the ATI Radeon 2900 Pro, which is a bit too loud for a HTPC, but does a fairly good job at HD movies and games. I'd recommend finding a graphics card with passive cooling- no fan, it just makes the HTPC much quieter, just make sure it doesn't overheat. At the moment, Nvidia solutions are simply the better solution due to better linux drivers.
Case:
I'd recommend a Micro ATX case if possible, but that's a personal preference. If you to be able to use your universal remote with your Home Theater PC, I'd recommend a case with a built in IR sensor. I personally use the Monolithic Antec P180B with a custom made IR receiver for my remote.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/497103/pc_remote_control/Power Supply:
If your case doesn't come with an adequate power supply. Get something that runs quietly and efficiently. I'd recommend any Seasonic power source between 300-650W. (Depending on how powerful you want your machine).
Soundcard:
For an Ubuntu HTPC, get something that you know will work on Ubuntu without any driver problems. You'll want optical out with DTS and Dolby decoding. Whatever you do, don't get a Creative Sound Card for a Linux based HTPC. Avoid them like the plague. I simply use my motherboard to handle sound, doing DTS or Dolby Passthrough so my Receiver can do the decoding. If you find a good deal on a sound card and want to know if it'll work on Ubuntu take a look at the very useful
Ubuntu Hardware Wiki.Optical Drive:
Get a Blu Ray player. They are getting cheap these days. Stick with Pioneer or Lite-On. Samsung is also good. But some optical drives are simply too loud and make a distracting whooshing sound during tense movie scenes. I use a Pioneer BDC-2202 for my Blu Ray drive.
Cooling:
If for whatever reason, you find that your computer is too loud or it's running too hot, take a look at
Silent PC Review. I personally use a Thermalright Ultra 120 on my CPU (which is gigantic, not recommended for Micro ATX cases) and a Nexus 120mm fan for my CPU and for my case.
Home Theater ComponentsReceiver:
This relies on your speakers, but generally you want to match your receiver to your speakers. So if you have speakers that are 60 watts each, you'd want to have a receiver that can output 60 watts per channel. I use a Harmon Kardon 240, but I'd recommend a newer receiver with HDMI input/output. Stay away from cheap receivers. Harmon Kardon 200 series and higher is a mix of good sound and very aesthetically pleasing.
Speakers:
Unless you have a gigantic room stick with a 5.1 surround sound system. I would recommend to avoid Home Theater packages and buy your speakers separate from your receiver. Generally speaking, companies than manufacture TV sets don't produce good speakers. I personally use Athena Micra 6 speakers with an Athena AS-P4000. If you can find these speakers, get them. They are the best bang for your buck speakers I've ever seen. Athena, Klipsh, Energy, Paradigm manufacture very good quality speakers. Make sure to research before you buy. Speakers also have extremely high markup. Typically, 1000 dollar speakers have a cost of 200-300 dollars. It's gigantic markup, so be careful! Don't be afraid to haggle with electronics salesmen, especially if they are on commission. If you want an inexpensive solution, the Logitech z-5500 speakers will do the trick, it's self amplified and have a decoder, and they are all THX certified. They don't have the clarity or range of the Athena speakers, but they are still good for the price.
Remote:
You can use the Receiver remote, but if you want something better, you can go for a Logitech Harmony Remote. They are pretty simple to use. Just make sure it's compatible with your computer case's IR receiver. I use my Harmon Kardon universal remote.
Television/Projector:
If you don't already have a television, I'd recommend picking up an Full HD set. Make sure the TV is "1080p" (1920x1080 resolution). Because there are so many TV's out there, I recommend doing your homework. Get whatever TV is the best deal you can find. Stick with name brands like Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, LG, Pioneer, and Toshiba. I'm particularly fond of the Sharp Aquos Televisions. (64U and better)
Projectors can be a lot nicer for a HTPC but it depends on how often you use it. While an LCD TV will last you well over 50,000 hours, a projector only has the lifespan of about 2000-3000 hours before you have to replace the bulb, which can be upwards of 150 dollars. (More depending on the kind, always find out the price of the bulb replacements before you buy a projector). Don't buy a projector if you plan to watch a lot of TV, it should really only be used in the evening for movies or special events. If you do buy a projector, make sure to keep it in a basement or dark room for the best picture, projected onto a white wall, or a special screen. While it's not an HD projector, I use the Viewsonic PJ503D. It's really quite nice and quite cheap. (Cost me roughly 300 dollars and works great for DVDs, but not so great on text due to a low resolution.)
Cables:
Monster cables are overpriced. Stick with low cost HDMI cables you can buy from online shops. Electronics stores have very high markup on speaker cable and wires, especially HDMI cables. I worked for a Big Box store and we would staff purchase brand name HDMI cables (2m long) for 5-10 dollars, and sold them to customers for over a hundred dollars. So, please avoid buying these cables from retail stores! They will rip you off.
Monoprice is a good place to find inexpensive cables.
If anyone has recommendations, changes, additions, suggestions, they are welcome to email me.
