HD Video, Multimedia, Gaming PC..Need Advice

[ckmerc]

So...is below the sum of what you are recommending?

1 - old computer
2 - New computer (for heavy lifting)
3 - New "basic" computer that would be strictly for TV Media Interface. (w/remote access)
- BLue Ray Drive to Play to TV
- HDMI Out to TV (Audio as a pass through w/ TV out to Home Theater Amp.)
> not sure this audio option would allow for 7.1

if the above is correct...below is one more question

With the router...I am assuming I will be able to access the drives on any of my 3 computers from any of my 3 computers... correct?

 

[delirium330]

So...is below the sum of what you are recommending?

1 - old computer
2 - New computer (for heavy lifting)
3 - New "basic" computer that would be strictly for TV Media Interface. (w/remote access)
- BLue Ray Drive to Play to TV
- HDMI Out to TV (Audio as a pass through w/ TV out to Home Theater Amp.)
> not sure this audio option would allow for 7.1

if the above is correct...below is one more question

With the router...I am assuming I will be able to access the drives on any of my 3 computers from any of my 3 computers... correct?

essentially yes that is the correct setup recommended, someone else can recommend the correct video and/or sound card for that setup to handle 7.1 via HDMI out. im not a server/sharing/networking guy so ill let someone else answer your 2nd question but i dont think that would be a problem

 

[saltynay]

Are you an audiophile or do you just want surround sound?
What connections does your amp have?
What model router is it and would you be using wired or wireless connection?
Then I can start on the easy part which is part choice

 

[ckmerc]

yes...a bit of an audiophile.

would like 5.1 minimum to play out of my PC to my home stereo... I have digital optical-in & coax digital in (Denon 3803) - my TV probably has a digital coax out.

I will get back to you regarding my router model..

SOrry to be repetitive on this...but Thanks again to everyone for the advice. Can i donate to this site somehow to repay all the advice?

 

[delirium330]

yes...a bit of an audiophile.

would like 5.1 minimum to play out of my PC to my home stereo... I have digital optical-in & coax digital in (Denon 3803) - my TV probably has a digital coax out.

I will get back to you regarding my router model..

SOrry to be repetitive on this...but Thanks again to everyone for the advice. Can i donate to this site somehow to repay all the advice?

just give back. same guys helped me build my first project and now i come back to give advice (what little i have)

this is a nice price for what looks like a good card...

HT OMEGA STRIKER 7.1 Channels 24-bit 96KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Retail

 

[saltynay]

We haven't had a donate function for a long time we are just an altruistic bunch . You can email trotter if you want he is the admin Computer Forums - View Profile: Trotter and ask.

I don't think you can give reputation points until you have 50 posts not entirely sure if you can see the scales like this then you can.

The 4650 has 7.1 audio out and its ok but if you want some really good sound I reccomend the Asus xonar dx but it will changing the form factor to the larger m-atx as you would need hd decoding give me acouple of mins for a bit of research.

 

[delirium330]

i didnt see too many sound cards that had dedicated opitcal out... will the Xonar work with his setup? that's a sick card. i have that on my future upgrade list.

 

[ckmerc]

Here is my delima...

How much $$ would I need to set aside from my New PC budget to pay for the Media TV interface computer (mini tower)? My fear is that I will have to allocate more of my total budet to the Minitower and that means less I can spend on my new computer. Below is an option comparison...

~$2700 budget total.

Option 1:
PS3 TV Interface Rout:

PS3 ($400)
New Computer ($2300)

vs.

Option 2:
XBOX 360 TV Interface Rout:

XBOX360 ($200)
New Computer ($2500)

vs.

Option 3:
Mini tower TV Interface Rout:

Mini tower: ~$700 below are guesses
CPU $100-150
Video Card: $150-200
Audio Card: $100
Mother board: $100?
Computer case: $50?
Power supply: $50
Vista: $100
New Computer ($2,000)

 

[saltynay]

Ok cracked it, you need for mini-itx:
mobo: Jetway JNC62K
cpu: Newegg.com - AMD Athlon X2 4850e 2.5GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 45W Dual-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops
ram: Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
hdd: Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST380815AS 80GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives
audio: Newegg.com - ASUS Xonar D1 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Interface Sound Card - Sound Cards
Psu KustomPCs.co.uk - AC Power Adapter 19V , 120W
hsf: Silverstone Low Profile Cooler suitable for AM2
Os: Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - Operating Systems
Wireless: mini-pci would be needed if you can't reach with a lan cable
case I will leave upto you, you have to live with it which leaves out the blu-ray drive as you will need to find one with a bezel that matches the case

I am not in the US so you will need to do some searching yourself for the mobo, hsf and psu. That pc will kick a console at blu-ray playback anyday.

The xonar doesn't have dedicated optical it however has a spdif out which can be converted to optical. i am not sure whether it does it natively or not my asus d2x does I would assume its little brother is the same.

Don't worry about budget that will be plenty for a very good main pc I working on that now watch this space:
mobo: Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Intel Motherboards
cpu: Newegg.com - Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Processors - Desktops
ram: Newegg.com - G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Triple Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory
gpu: Newegg.com - XFX GX285NZDFF GeForce GTX 285 1GB 512-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards either get 2 of these or one of this Newegg.com - XFX GX295NHHFF GeForce GTX 295 1792MB 896 (448 x 2)-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
audio: Newegg.com - ASUS Xonar D2X 7.1 Channels 24-bit 192KHz PCI Express Interface Sound Card - Sound Cards
hdd: Newegg.com - Western Digital Caviar Black WD6401AALS 640GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drives
psu: depends on graphics choice whether you go the 295 or 2x gtx285's the 285's would be faster by quite a long way but more expensive
hsf: thermalright 120 extreme 1366
Case: full tower I like lian li and silverstones offerings you may prefer the gamer look
Os: Newegg.com - Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-bit for System Builders - Operating Systems
optical drive: need to no case for bezel selection

What size monitor do you want?
graphics choice?
I updated the chosen OS for the mini-itx htpc (home theatre personal computer)

 

[ckmerc]

Again thanks...but I believe I will hold off on the Mini tower for now & Go the XBOX rout for my TV interface.

This will allow for a better computer purchase + additional software I need to buy for HD Video editing and wife wants a good flat screen monitor.

So now I have a budget of ~$2100 for a new computer...(just hardware)

again I want a very upgradable pc that will last me a while.

CPU: i7 ?
motherboard: ?
RAM: ?
video card: ?
Power suppply: ?
OS: Vista or XP?
Blue Ray read/write: ?
Terribite external HD?
Internal 300-500 gig HD: ?