Been out of the loop for years, can someone spec me a download box?

nichorob

nichorob

nichorob

Soldato
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Morning chaps,

I have been out of the PC hardware loop for a long time now, the last PC I built had a AMD Barton 2500+ in it!

I am after a download box to sit under my TV. The only requirements are that it is as small as possible, silent, doesn't use much power (will be on 24/7), at least 500GB storage, HDMI out and gigabit ethernet. It will not be used as a media player.

I really have no idea what I am looking for in todays market. The budget is around £250.

Thank you.
 
I wouldn't bother buying parts as new.
Have a browse through the members market for some cheap second hand components. Your only requirement really is that the thing switches on!
 
R088ieS86 said:
I wouldn't bother buying parts as new.
Have a browse through the members market for some cheap second hand components. Your only requirement really is that the thing switches on!
Click to expand...

The thing with that is, I don't want a great big lumbering PC case with a 600w PSU, the small form factor seem to be barebones with most of the components already there.

What about something like a Shuttle XS35GTV2?
 
You'd be better off looking at a secondhand pc on the bay. there are a few shuttles on there.
 
I've had a habit of going back to shuttle SN45g's.
I normally use a technet XP on them so a beasty machine isnt needed.

Last one was a 2500+barton,1Gb ram,9800Pro and a SB Audigy 2ZX(ZS?) so it could be used for streaming and a bit of light gaming also.

Far far below your budget and also hardware your familiar with :)

I recently upgraded this to the following:

Asus P5QPro
C2D5200
4Gb RAM
9600GT OC

A bit more powerfull and can game on newer games if needed.
Mainly used as DL box, HTPC and media streamer.

Pop yer head in MM before eBay tbh tho :)
 
I use a samsung NC10 :). Handles all I throw at it fairly well and looks sexy. I just like the fact that if I lose SSH capability or something odd, I can just pop open the screen and work my magic there and then.

Not sure if it has HDMI as you need though... this model is quite old however.
 
eMachine ER1401 Desktop, available for £130

Lan and wifi (tho probably not Gbit Lan, but is this really required?)
250GB HD, with your budget you could always swap it out.
HDMI as well as VGA, 4x USB2, spdif, audio.

And you can use it as a media player even if you don't want to :D
 
Yeah I was thiknign fo a couple of the little eMachines for when I finally get finished decorating, one in each of the bedrooms. Seems a fairly capable little low power machine.
 
Can somebody just give me the ok on this before I order?

Shuttle XG41 Barebone for Intel SKT775 CPU, HDMI output
Intel Celeron E3400 2.6GHz 800Mhz FSB 1MB Cache Retail Boxed Processor
Crucial 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1066MHz Memory CL7 1.5V Unbuffered None-ECC
WD 500GB 2.5" SATA-II Scorpio Blue Hard Drive - 5400RPM 8MB Cache

Will all run on Windows XP, comes under my £200 budget as well. Look ok? Slight overkill on the memory I know but its the cheapest I could find so why not.
 
Aha that is £10 cheaper well spotted sir :)

So i'm good to go with that little lot am I?

I was really interested in the little e-machines system but further research showed that they tend to overheat (same problem with the Shuttle XS35) so that put me right off considering I want a 24/7 system.
 
Blooming heck guys.

Just get something like a Zotac nano or build a similar spec. Some of the machines your guys are quoting consume 100W.

The Zotac or the HTPCs that I build idle at 20W
 
I have done my research on those Shuttles and the e-machine equivalents and they are prone to overheating. Not good for a 24/7 machine. Maybe worth to take a tenner on the leccy bill but get the job done properly I think.
 
Yeah must admit that Shuttle is a bit dodgy but not bad for the price and can probably be cured with a fan mod

Anyway my box in the sig has been running for the past 6 months 24/7 - It is a bit hot but no cause for alarm. If I were building then I would probably go for an AMD fusion - example like this - please excuse the nasty case but it's just an example


YOUR BASKET
1 x Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 Zacate with HD6310 iGPU - AMD Fusion (ITX) £109.99
1 x In-Win BM648 Mini-ITX Case - Black (120W PSU) £53.99
1 x Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.C 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache - OEM (0F10383) £38.99
1 x Corsair Value 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 1333MHz Low Voltage Dual-Channel Kit £19.18
Total : £235.64 (includes shipping : £11.25).

 
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