Media Center spec, if yir bored please help. ;)

Trox · 23 Jan 2007 at 22:09

Hi there,

Im planning on building a media center for the living room, based around Windows Vista. Now i just need ideas on what i should get and to keep this build at a good *cheapish price, i have some components that i can use.

CPU - FX53 + retail cooler ( skt 939 )
Mem - 4x512mb OCZ PC3500
Mobo - Abit 3rd eye and Asus A8V
MS bluetooth keyboard and mouse
Wireless network adapter

Now im wanting this in the living room so the case has to be small and good looking, might even think about a barebones setup if posible.

If anyone can point me in the right direction on a spec it would be sweet.

Cheers
Trox

Edit-
I seen a barbones case, Shuttle SN21G5, but it has no S vid out or anything :/

semi-pro waster · 23 Jan 2007 at 22:38

If you want it to be small then you might have a problem with the case since both those motherboards (assuming you aren't trying to run a 3rd Eye with an non-Abit motherboard in the form of the Asus) are ATX which means an ordinary sized case. Also you generally only get 2x Ram slots on most mATX motherboards or barebones PCs.

I think you may also struggle to find a barebones PC that is socket 939 (or any probably) and supports s-video out, I'd just buy a separate graphics card.

What is your budget for this system?

squiffy · 23 Jan 2007 at 22:45

Some MATX do have 4 dimm sockets.
The only MATX board I know with S-Video is the MSI, it comes with S-Video bracket that plugs into the motherboard (Nvidia 6150) I would look into a cheap PCI-E to get S-Video out if you can't find that motherboard or the S-Video PCI header.

If that mothreboard is standard ATX, you will need full size ATX case. Silverstone do a few.

Trox · 24 Jan 2007 at 08:54

Alright guys, i have the abit motherboard to go with the third eye, AV8.

Budget... Hmm tricky to put a price on it as ive not really got an idea of what i need to get this set up, just gonna try keep the price down.

Ill have a look into the silverstone cases cheers.

Redman · 24 Jan 2007 at 13:13

Once you decide on a spec, (or if any one has any further recommendations) please post it. I'm looking to put together something similar for my parents, probably around the £500 mark & your spec would give me inspiration!

cuke2u · 24 Jan 2007 at 15:19

Hi, too be honest I'd down the spec for the CPU, a x2 3800 would do ok, then using two chips not four, as they might cause issues as well. So where's the TV tuner then and video card, what buget do you have for these?

Mine is follows:
Asus A8V Deluxe (one I already had)
OcUK Value 2GB (1gb) PC3200
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3800+
X800XT ( again already had one)
Maxtor 160g SATA(yep another one I had spare)
Pioneer DVR-111DSV 16x16 DVD±RW Dual Layer
Hauppauge WinTV HVR-3000 Freeview TV Tuner
Akasa Ultra Quiet 400W Paxpower Active PFC ATX2.0 PSU
Old Lian-Li Case

All built and currently running Vista...
ChrisC