Project HTPC - The Dell of DOOM!

phatboy · 15 Aug 2006 at 12:36

Hi all

Started my new project last week to build a media centre computer to fit alongside my HI-FI seperates system, the starting base was the remains of my dads old DELL Dimension 2300 (utter bab on a stick) after taking the mobo out and placing it carefully in the nearest skip i picked up a micro ATX socket A board and 1700mhx XP chip along with 400mb of ram and shoe horned it into the dell chassis.

next step was a front plate, luckily im friends with the sheet metal co. near where i work so they have made me up a facia from aluminium with button facias and fixing and HD, power light slots to my spec.....overnight

will get some pics up soon but for now spec is as follows...

Foxconn Micro ATX mobo
40gig Seagate barracuda (main rigs MP3 drive)
400mb of DDR2700
AMD Athlon XP 1800
Winfast TV2000 capture card
Soundblaster PCI128 sound card
Radeon 256mb 9550 @9600PRO with TV out (running svideo to scart on my tele)

Cheers

Ben

phatboy · 15 Aug 2006 at 12:41

BTW the chip is from the Black Beast as the PC chips mobo baked itself for comedy value LOLOL.....suprise!

luminous · 15 Aug 2006 at 12:57

Cool,espesh the custom face.
Never really thought about a media pc but sounds like a good idea seeing as many divx dvd players are flaky about what they play.
How does it all work tho?
Do you use it for playing mp3s/divx etc,no need for monitor?(tv out on gfx?),only mouse needed? or do u just need a remote? cheers

phatboy · 15 Aug 2006 at 13:14

yeah the whole system is going to be working through my television instead of a monitor. got a cambridge audio multi remote that im going to be using with an infrared module to control the system using software like GIRDER (remote software and MEEDIO menu software or others like.

cokecan · 15 Aug 2006 at 16:12

phatboy said:
the PC chips mobo baked itself for comedy value LOLOL.....suprise!

lol that just made me smile

but yeah, would love to see the front facia when ya get some pics up

phatboy · 15 Aug 2006 at 19:47

hey all, got the machine up and going this evening, no facia fitted atm, gotta cut the holes for the buttons and get some backing foam to help keep the vibration down

few piccies of work in progress...

The still plastic covered facia rested on the case front

illuminating blue button that will be for power once fitted, the slug from the hole cut for fitting means that the button will have a alu face and blue surrounding glow.....SChweeet!

More to come soon

Ben