Recomedations for Media PC

[giuseppe]

I've decided to build a Media PC to incorporate into a surround sound Audio Visual system. The PC will be used almost exclusively as a PVR and MP3 player with maybe a little net surfing and flight simulation, so my understanding is that it doesn't have to be super-powerful.

I wanted to get opinons regarding Form Factor, CPU's, MB, and video card. Ideally I'd like to keep the whole project under $800.

I've only built one rig on an ATX form factor. I would't want this in a tower but I think a Desktop case would be OK placed amount the stereo components. However, it seems a lot of people building "Medial PC's" place them in a smaller form factor.

[Staren]

As far as form factor goes, you can do an ATX set-up with very few problems. You have to do some looking around, but there are some great desktop style cases that will take ATX and still look right at home with the rest of your home theater gear.

The case I bought for my DVR project was the Silverstone SST-LC13-B http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811163044 The great thing about this case is that it will take a standard ATX power supply. So many don't, and that can restrict other options.

As far as other parts go, The standard thinking is to look for parts that have a heatsink over a fan. If this is going to be in your living room, the noise of a gaming system will probobly dive you nuts, even if that noise wouldn't be an issue in another aplication like a gaming system.

For the CPU, I'm going to tell the the same thing people told me when starting on a DVR, look at the AMD Venice core procs. They run rather cool, so you can get away with just heatsinks on the other parts like the video card and motherboard. The 3000+ and 3200+ Socket 939 Venice CPUs are a great value, and more then powerful enough.

For the motherboard, what I like, and plan to order is the Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128268 Not the latest and greatest, but solid, and has everything you need.

Hope that helps with a starting point.

[giuseppe]

The case looks like what I need. Good price on the MB. Still checking out the CPU but looks good so far.

Any advice on regarding Video cards and sound cards. I got an ATI AIW video card for my last build. But my thinking on this one is a less expensive card and separate TV tuner cards (2 cards to support dual recording and 1 with FM capture capability).

[Staren]

I'm still looking at video cards, but Gigabyte makes an nVidia 6600GT with just a heatsink that is ideal. The TV tuner I'm going with is the PowerColor Theater 550 Pro. A very nice card, it it uses the PCI-E x1 slot so it keeps your PCI slots free for other things like sound cards or a wireless card if need be.

I'm not an audiophile by any means, so I'm not sure on the sound card. I can use pretty much anything, was just going to go with $50 turtle beach catalina. If you need the higher quality, maybe an audigy ZS for $75.

[glc]

I'd rather use something like a Radeon X550 with a passive heatsink for a media PC. You don't need the gaming power of a 6600GT.

A micro ATX board will be easier to build with in a desktop case, as long as it has enough card slots for what you need to put in.

[Staren]

Originally Posted by glc A micro ATX board will be easier to build with in a desktop case, as long as it has enough card slots for what you need to put in.

That's the problem with microATX. If you are going to do twin TV tuners, you're pretty much out of luck since finding a microATX board with more then two PCI slots is tricky, and unlike gaming, a sound card is almost a must have for these builds.

[craigap]

Do you have a Stereo reciever with your current Audio System? If you do and it has an S/PDIF-in, you can connect it to the S/PDIF-out on the motherboard mentioned above, and get around the sound card issue.

[giuseppe]

Haven't gotten receiver yet. I wanted to look into it buy everyting at once. I look into recievers with S/PDIF-in.

[Staren]

If you want to go with that, then the sound on the motherboard will work fine.

[giuseppe]

I found this article at Extremepc. It is a bit over the top for my needs, but scaled down could work for me.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1893821,00.asp