Build a Home Theater PC

A home theater PC allows you to play and control your entire media collection from a single compact box. It combines all the components of your home theater system so that you don’t have to keep switching discs or remotes. It usually connects to a larger screen where you can play videos, listen to music, look at photos, and manage your media library.

However, at $3,000 to $6,000 for an average box, HTPC systems are way beyond the budget of most Canadian home theater owners. That’s why many people opt to build their own home theater PCs to save money. If you know a bit about PC components and video, you can build your own HTPC in one day or less.

First, you’ll need to know which parts you need and what specs they should be. Note that HTPC components are usually high-capacity computer pieces, including video cards, sound cards, and processors. Some of these can be pretty expensive. It’s not uncommon for an HTPC builder to spend as much on parts as a basic Canadian home theater system.

If you’re not sure how to put it together, you can get HTPC building tips from most Canadian home theater forums and magazines. Most of them have expert users who can give you useful advice. You can also try asking your dealer for a sample user manual, which you can use as a rough guide.