HTPC should be viewed as a do-it-yourself hobby for those who want to the extra power and functionality to consume their media content exactly how they want it. I wanted to create a very practical post that is full of insights to help you avoid the same mistakes that I’ve made.īut first, let’s answer an important question: What is a HTPC used for?Īccording to, a home theater personal computer, HTPC for short, is a bespoke (adapted for a specific purpose) computer that is the central hub of your entertainment to store and play your media content (TV recording, movies, home videos, music, photos, games, virtual reality and more) and home automation to provide convenience and comfort (commercial skipping, curtains, air conditioner, lights and more). There are many generic “build your first HTPC” articles available on the Internet. How to watch Hulu, Netflix and other content with XBMC.How can you make the live TV picture quality better?.Which front-end software you should choose.Should you store media files into an internal HDD or an external NAS server?.How do you know if the system is going to be genuinely quiet?.Is a solid state drive (SSD) worth the money?.What processor and motherboard you should get.Click to learn more about this free course. Whether you’re a first time HTPC builder or a subject matter expert you need to know both best practices and mistakes to avoid.

Free course: The HTPC Blueprint course is designed to help you to avoid wasting your time and your money on tedious research.

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