The Perfect Linux HTPC Motherboard

Too many times people overlook the importance of motherboard selection when building their HTPC. This quick 3 step guide will make sure you won’t miss anything too crucial.

1. Form Factor - You have to decide on what form factor motherboard to purchase. This is usually determined by the case you purchase. Some things to know: uATX is smaller than ATX. BTX is simply a rearranged ATX motherboard which allows for better cooling (requires a BTX case).
2. Match Your CPU Socket Type - Make sure the CPU you picked out and the motherboard have the same Socket type or they just won’t work.
3. Pereferials - This is what you pay for with better motherboards. Consider the number of PCI-e and PCI slots because they determine how many capture cards you can have in your system. Also look into: SATA RAID options for large disk arrays, S/PDIF Audio for surround sound output, and IEEE 1394 (firewire) for interfacing with HD cable boxes.

Follow these steps and you should be able to pick out a decent motherboard.

If you have any advice on picking out a good HTPC motherboard, please feel free to comment.