AmD or Intel - Media PC + other questions.

[1ofaKind]

Hi All,

Need to build a media PC for my folks. Needs to be able to play Blu-Ray/DVD, TV Tuner, Web Browsing, Maybe a bit of Mame but not the latest FPS etc

They have a 1080P LCD tv with HDMI etc.

Only components I have so far is 2gb DDR Ram & LG Blu-Ray/HD-DVD
I also have PowerDVD & AnyDVD.

So I'm looking for OS recomendation (Vista? 32/64 not sure on flavour)

I had original considered maybe AMD 4850e + 780G Motherboard but not sure if I should go with Intel and what the options are (I know they are not anywhere near as low power as AMD).

Need to fit Tv Tuner (probably Black Gold card), Wifi card and maybe if I don't use onboard an add in graphics card.

I don't want to be using spdif for audio output so need to make sure the HDMI out carrys the audio rather than just a DVI convertor.

Case wise I probably going Antec Fusion or maybe Zalman HD (want a traditional cinema kit look rather than Shuttle style).

Would prefer to be able to leave it on 24/7 (if it's not active I guess it sleeps anyway) & the quieter it is the better I guess.

Any recommendations - not on a budget for this so spec away

 

[mdjmcnally]

Memory will need to be DDR2, and you have said is DDR so not sure if you can use the memory you have already.

Get an Asus Xonar 1.3 HDAV and feed the graphics through the HDMI on the soundcard

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...ATX (Socket AM2) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard

Gigabte GA-MA78GM-S2H 780G board

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...&name=ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 True HDMI Sound Card

Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 True HDMI Sound Card

Use an AMD 4x50e processor to make the base for the media and can't go wrong.


Will leave 2 x PCI slots and PCI-Ex16 free for Wireless and TV Tuner Card.

 

[errata]

£176 on a sound card completley unbalances the cost.

Integrated ATI graphics are good andprobably good enough for all but the most demanding content

If more umph is needed ATI 2k, 3k and 4k series have audio over hdmi facility but you need the specific dvi to hdmi adapter OR one of the few boards that have a native HDMI connector

faily easy to get a hd3450 card with hdmi out if full height, harder but still possible if low profile case.

HD3450 has its own audio controller to make sure audio and vidie passthorugh are digtital and HDCP compliant.

 

[Guardsmon]

dont think the onboard would be great if hes planning on doing blu ray.... do you need 5.1 or 7.1 surround? the xonar would be a good idea conbined with a 4850 or something. - that would give you the chance to do a little gaming - though 4670 might be a better bet.

I don't really know much about sound through hdmi though, so can't help too much there.

What I would say though is that a college at work just got a Zalman HD ex display from a competitor for a very good price, its lovely! loads of space, (it is big though - fits a CNPS9500 in there) and soooo cool and quiet. The screen works very well - though in the end he's not using it as he didn't need to keep putting the news across his media centre. - hes was similar to what you need, but he didn't put sound through hdmi.