Your HTPC needs an optical drive to play DVDs and Blu-Rays.
At the end of the day, a home theater PC is just a PC. Like any computer, it has a motherboard, CPU, drive, audio and video output and is housed in a case. It is also unusual, though, in that it typically ends up in a living area where noisy and ugly boxes do not usually fit.
Case
Most HTPC cases are shaped to look like a home-entertainment component. They typically have metallic finishes and are much smaller than a regular PC case. Many HTPC cases, such as those from Antec and Silverstone, are designed to fit small MicroATX motherboards. Cases made by Shuttle are frequently boxier, almost like a Nintendo Game Cube, and typically include their own proprietary motherboard design. Many cases are also designed for quieter computing with smaller power supplies and larger fans that turn more slowly.
Processor
Most HTPCs do not need an extremely fast processor. To reduce the amount of heat the computer generates and the amount of noisy cooling fans it requires, using a slower processor that runs at a cooler temperature, or even a processor aimed at mobile computing, can be a good match for a HTPC.
Drives
A HTPC should have an optical drive to play Blu-ray or DVD discs. Its hard drive should be a "green" drive which, although a bit slower than regular drives, should also run quieter and cooler than a higher performance drive. If the HTPC is going to be connected to a media server and will not need its own storage, other than for applications, a solid state drive is the best choice because it has no moving parts and is silent and generates little or no heat.
Audio and Video
A HTPC needs to be able to provide audio and video signals which match home theater equipment, as opposed to monitors and computer speakers. To do this, it will need a video card which can output HDTV resolutions of either 720p or 1080p, depending on the format of the home theater's display. The card should also have an HDMI connection. If the computer's audio system cannot output a digital surround sound signal over either a digital coaxial or TOSlink optical connection, the computer will need either a replacement internal sound card, or an external sound card connected over USB to be able to connect to a home theater receiver.
Tags: home theater, will need, audio video, connection computer, drive play, HTPC cases, HTPC needs