Spec me please - Media Server/Game machine

toontastic

toontastic

toontastic

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3 Jan 2007
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My current PC is a fair few years old now I don't know the exact spec off the top of my head. I'll check my current spec tomorrow when I get home just in case you can suggest bits and pieces off that. Off the top of my head I'll probably steal the Hard Drive out of it and that might be it.

The main purpose of the machine will be as a media setup. I have plans to have that machine set up with Windows 7 and leave it on most of the time linked to a TV. I will then record TV using the machine. I also plan to have DVDs and Bluy Ray discs ripped onto the machine to view on the TV.

I do however like the odd game on my PC which is why I'd like the option of being able to play games. I'm not the best gamer so I'm not after a full blown gaming machine but a nice graphics card would be good. I currently have a ATI 850 xt I think which does a good job playing Half Life.

So far on my list I have come up with :

Samsung PB22-J 64GB 2.5" SATA II Solid State Hard Drive (will install Windows 7 on this)

Hauppauge WinTV Nova-TD 500 Dual digital DVB-T PCI TV Tuner card

4GB Corsair XMS2*DHX 800MHz DDR2 Dual Channel Memory Kit CAS 5-5-5-18

Pioneer BDR-203BK 8x BluRay-RW/DVD±RW Serial ATA Dual Layer Drive - OEM

Samsung EcoGreen F2 1TB SATA-II 32MB Cache - OEM (HD103SI)

I've managed to source this all for £408.31. I'm wanting to keep costs low but I guess I'm still looking for a motherboard, Processor and PSU. So can I ask how my spec looks so far and what you suggest for these last few items.

I was thinking about the Intel Q6600 Quad Processor and the Coolmaster 500w PSU but not sure and I don't have a clue for the motherboard. Cool and energy efficient would be good :)
 
I'm now wondering whether DDR3 is the way to go so that I can improve it in the future. I guess that moves me towards certain boards ?

Looking at the processor that I've suggested I'm guessing it's very dated as I can't see it on the site. Think Quad Processor is the way to go though for use with blue ray, could be wrong ?

Also realised I might need a new case, mine was a cheap one I bought previous so I'm guessing it won't stay cool with the new kit.
 
If i remember correctly DDR2 can get the voltage upped in bios to achieve the same performance as DDR3 at stock, i have a Q660 in my spare machine and its an amazing little chip, i wont replace that untill it dies! it sits in an xfx 780i mobo with DDR2 ram, casewise, try an Antec 900, they are fairly cheap now with fantastic airflow, but dust filters would be recommended.
Just my point, but i will stand corrected on the ram thing if im wrong :D
 
Thanks for the reply, would there not be any further advantages to getting a newer motherboard with DDR3 capabilities ?

What sort of Graphics card as well as I'm well out in terms of graphics cards. It's obviously needs to play back HD at a decent speed but I guess that's more in the processor power ?
 
Stalker_26 said:
If i remember correctly DDR2 can get the voltage upped in bios to achieve the same performance as DDR3 at stock, i have a Q660 in my spare machine and its an amazing little chip, i wont replace that untill it dies! it sits in an xfx 780i mobo with DDR2 ram, casewise, try an Antec 900, they are fairly cheap now with fantastic airflow, but dust filters would be recommended.
Just my point, but i will stand corrected on the ram thing if im wrong :D
Click to expand...

And isn't the Antec 900 £80, think we have different ideas of cheap LOL
 
Right I'm home now so I can give you the spec of my old machine see if that helps.

Power Supply - Hyper Type R 480W
Motherboard - Asus A8N-E
Processor - AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+
1 GB Ram Corsair ValueSelect not sure DDR or DDR2 not idea what this board took
DVD RW
Western Digital 250gb hard drive SATA II
Radeon X850XT Platinum (PCIE)
Adaptec PCI VideoOh TV Card

The machine is now 4 years old.

Now I have only had one issue with this system and that is recently it has started to shut down randomly. I assumed heat and since I have taken the side of the case off it has never shut down. The case is pretty large, it has 1 fan on the case and the one on the processor and both appear to be running happily so no idea what the issue could be with that.

So what could I save to save myself some cash. What processor could I have in this machine and RAM and I guess graphics card ?
 
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If there was only 2 fans then i guess that airflow (or lack thereof) would cause it to shutdown, hence why it isnt when the case is open, what case is it?
If you can get ur hands on an antec900, i doubt very much you will ever have heat problems again!
Let us know the make of the case or email me a link to it n maybe i could help you improve the airflow, send some photos maybe?
 






If you need any more pictures of anything let me know. it's been working fine for 3 years it's just this year it's started to shut down.
 
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You could try a very cheap method, but can be a little messy!
On the front of your machine near the bottom (where the bottom fan on the 900 is) you can drill extra airflow holes in this part as it is hollow (at least it looks it from the pictures, and providing you make sure u don't drill ur HDD) and behind it you can secure i would guess a 90mm fan, scythe s-flex from OCUK would be my choice, using probably cable ties and spacers to provide a small gap between fan and case.

Or if that is to messy, just drill airflow holes and replace your current fans with a high standard one, OCUK do a 120mm scythe s-flex fan(i have 4 of em n they are great) and they also have http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=701&catid=57&sortby=nameAsc&subid=4&mfrid=142 the bottom one, i have that strapped to my cooling tower for CPU and it is amazing, granted it wont save you millions of pounds, but if you want to save wherever you can that could be a start!
 
Ok but then I'm still stuck with the processor i have which means I'd struggle if it came to ripping and playing blue ray movies yes ?

Thanks for all your help by the way.
 
If you can find a Q6600 then get it straight away, its not top of the range, but it by no means obsolete, its still a cracking litle chip, or f you are going to stay with AMD, my first PC had an AMD 64x2 6400+ on, and that was pretty fast for a dual core, it managed all programmes i ran on it problem free, cant comment on blu-ray as i didnt try it!
 
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