Creating a Home Theater PC (HTPC) to handle your home theater streaming services used to be the only way to get your digital content onto your TV or projector screen. Of course, now there are tons of great streaming media devices, but there's still a thriving HTPC community because of the added versatility of having a modular HTPC. If you've got some old hardware lying around, you can make a HTPC for next to nothing, and get a powerful streaming device that can also store digital media, play games, and be upgraded to record over-the-air programming.

Let's talk hardware

You don't need to use a small case, but it helps

If you've already got hardware to use, that's great. A HTPC can be as small or as large as you want, and could even run from SBCs like the Raspberry Pi or ZimaBlade. It really depends on what you want to run on it, and whether you need other features like 4K decoding, media storage space, and DVR functionality. A Raspberry Pi might be the cheapest option, as you only require the board, a case, a compatible microSD card and some cables, and you are well on your way to having a HTPC. The Arm-based processor is able to play Blu-ray content with H.264, and you'll be able to use streaming services after installing the Chrome browser.

If you prefer something with a little more power, you could use a mini PC. They are often not much larger than streaming boxes, but run Windows and often have more useful ports. You could also use a prebuilt PC, but you might be limited in future upgrade options. Whatever hardware you choose, the most important thing is an HDMI port that's capable of 1.4 at a minimum, and preferably HDMI 2.1. That will mean the best output options to connect with your TV or projector.

For the best HTPC experience, either order a custom PC or build your own. That way, you can be sure you have space for add-on cards to enable DVR functionality, more ports for gaming controllers or IR remotes, and the ability to add more storage as your digital library grows. This doesn't have to be a high-end build, anything over an Intel i3 or any AMD APU will do the job fine. If you want to use it to play games on your TV, you'll want a dedicated graphics card, but you can also go for a budget model if you prefer. And you might want a physical Blu-ray drive, which can easily be added via USB so you don't have to find a PC case with 5.25-inch support.

The best software to install

You have options, but some are better than others

When thinking of which software to run on your HTPC, the first choice to make is the operating system. If you are using a PC and not an SBC, we recommend using Windows 11, as you get the most options for software and peripherals to run on it. Once installed, you'll want to load up some software to make things easier. Plex is probably the best-known name in home video streaming, but you have options if you don't want to pay for the premium version of Plex.

While many streaming services have plugins that work with Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, Kodi, or the other media server software packages, sometimes that limits the resolution of playback. Since you're running Windows, it's a simple matter of searching the Microsoft Store for dedicated apps for Netflix, Prime Video, and others, so that you can utilize 4K resolution streams and advanced sound codecs. You'll also want to install the HEVC codec, so you can shrink your media files while keeping the quality about the same. Plus, for any other codecs you might be missing for playback of media files, the K-Lite Codec Pack has you covered.

Finally, some entertainment

Anything you can do on a PC you can do on a HTPC

The other thing that you can do on a HTPC that you can't do on streaming sticks is install anything that runs on Windows. That opens the floodgates for gaming on your TV, anything like game libraries on Steam, Epic Games, Uplay, EA, GOG, Game Pass, and more. Or you could install emulators, and enjoy revisiting the retro games of your childhood. Just add a controller (or two!) and enjoy your games from the comfort of your couch.

Adding an OTA tuner card turns the HTPC into a capable DVR, so you can record live TV broadcasts for future viewing. Ripping your CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays into digital versions preserves them for longer than the lifespan of the physical media, while letting you enjoy them without having to handle the discs. You could even use it for work with a good wireless keyboard and mouse, and take advantage of the huge TV screen as a display.

HTPCs are more versatile than streaming sticks

From media watching to streaming, gaming, and productivity, the humble HTPC can do it all. After all, while it lives next to your TV, it's still a fully-fledged computer and can do any tasks you'd normally do while sitting at a desk. You can go one step further and host AI algorithms on the HTPC, or install a media server so that it streams your digital content to every other device in your home. And those are things that most streaming devices can't do, making the HTPC the best device to put next to your TV.