Media - TV PC

[Bernardo]

I am planning to assemble the stuff and build a low profile media PC. Has any member done this? What are the pros and cons of this kit replacing my old DVD recorder and what boards, cards, CPU, PSUs etc advice could you offer? I am at the stage of having lists of kit at various internet computer stores and haunting Maplins.



I have built my own PCs since 1995 so I will not mind any techy talk.

[sanndevil]

name='Bernardo' timestamp='1285512140' post='477659']

I am planning to assemble the stuff and build a low profile media PC. Has any member done this? What are the pros and cons of this kit replacing my old DVD recorder and what boards, cards, CPU, PSUs etc advice could you offer? I am at the stage of having lists of kit at various internet computer stores and haunting Maplins.



I have built my own PCs since 1995 so I will not mind any techy talk.

I've built four in my time although none for a couple of years so struggling to name specific manufacturers' parts. I sense that the interest in media builds is on the wane, particularly since you can buy multimedia boxes for £70 quid that do a lot of what a self-build will do for many hundreds. Even CustomPC magazine has stopped recommending media PC components due to lack of interest.



However, there is still some life in it yet. A self-build will give you DVD write facilities, connect to catch-up TV and flexibility to keep up to date with codec releases should you be a Xvid DivX downloader.



I intend (once I get some money together) to go for this chassis however since it is expensive and money is tight, it'll have to wait.



Buy the motherboard from www.scan.co.uk - look for something inexpensive but with built-in 6.1 sound as a minimum and HDMI sockets and video. Should be substantially less than £100.



Get your heatsink / fans etc from www.quietpc.co.uk. Don't give Maplin a penny of your money - they are way too expensive and you will be paying for their convenience.



Hope that helps.

[Bernardo]

Great I was beginning to wonder if anyone picked up on this thread. I looked at the media boxes but my 'best' DVD recorder packed up and I wanted to replace it and have a really good fiddle and a bit of tinkering in the process. It will end up as a tool for wifey to play spider solitaire on the big TV I know. I have bought the case and a few bargains as I see them. The hunt for bits is part of the fun. I agree about Maplins, I use e-buyer a lot. The advice on quietpc.co.uk is much appreciated.

[Harbottle]

Let us know what bits you choose Bernardo, I must confess I've often toyed with buying the bits and putting a system together, but in the end have always ended up handing my cash over to Dell For my next system I think I will (might) take the plunge and build my own, I've added plenty of bits to PC's over the years HD's, graphics, memory etc etc so I could probably manage the task.

[Bernardo]

I have now built the media pc it is great fun, I am in my armchair with the big TV and the PC delivering HDMI brilliant graphics plus my little wi fi keyboard now. Great fun, loads of Christmas stuff to wade through. I clean the ads off the ones I like and 'DIVX' them, load them on to data DVDs solves the storage problem a treat with 7 or 8 programmes per double length DVD. DIVX has come a long way now and will soon rival DVD perhaps as it has HD and multiple sound formats now. Windows 7 comes in to it's own with media file handling. My only gripe is things are getting smaller and my kit is becoming old hat in months, but then, so am I.