Connecting Your Media Center Computer

What is a media center computer? It can be set to run your digital, television, or theater entertainments. Build your own home theater: use a specific home theater pc case and specialized software to build a home theater pc.

Ok, time to hook up your media center computer. We'll go over both the internal and external connections here. Let's jump right in.

Note: If you need to know where the different connections on the motherboard are, check out a motherboard diagram. This motherboard is not the same as the one I recommended, but the layout will be similar.

We'll start from the front of the case with the VFD connections. First find the 4 or 8 pin USB connector coming from the front of the case. This plugs into the USB jack on the motherboard. (See label "O" on the diagram)
Next, find the two wire leads colored black and red. These will be single pin connection types. Refer to your motherboard manual and connect these pins to the "power switch" or "power button" motherboard pins. (See label "M" on the diagram)
Next, find the connections labeled "Power SW" that is connected to the front of the case. This will connect to the dual pin header that comes from the VFD/IR.
Finally, find the 4 pin power connector coming from the VFD/IR module, and connect it to a 4 pin power lead from the power supply.

Note: Your media center computer may have other connections not covered here. Refer to your home theater pc case manual to find out where these need to be connected.

Motherboard, Drives and Video

For each of the hard drives and optical drives you have installed, connect a 4 pin power connector from the power supply.
Next, run a SATA cable from each of the hard drives and optical drives to the SATA connections on the motherboard. (See label "L" on the diagram)
Find the main power connection coming from the power supply. This will be a 24 pin connector. Plug this into the motherboard. (See label "N" on the diagram)
Find the 4 pin square power connector coming from the power supply and connect this to the motherboard. (See label "E" on the diagram)
If you installed a video card and it needs a power connection, run either a 4, 6 or 8 pin power connection from your power supply. Refer to your video card manual for which type it needs.
If your CPU heatsink has an attached fan, connect the 4 pin power connector to the CPU Fan connection on the motherboard. (See label "F" on the diagram)
Connect any case fan power connectors to your power supply.

External Connections

There are multiple ways to hook up your media center computer to build your home theater system. The most basic method is to connect the S/PDIF output from the motherboard back panel to your receiver's coax digital input. Then connect your DVI video out on either the motherboard or the video card to your TV or projector.

When you build a home theater pc, you'll find there are many different ways to hook your HTPC to your system. Depending on which hardware you bought, it would take an entire website dedicated to connections alone to cover all the variations. So here is a website that goes into a ton of detail on the different possible connections.

Additional Reading:

Everything connected? Next we'll install the operating system.

Media Center PC, Part 1

Media Center, Part 2

Build a Home Theater PC

Home Theater PC

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