Building Media Computer - Need Advice

[bigbaddog]

Greetings,

I've been building computers for over 12 years now but I am planning on building my first Media Center computer, so I need some advice on what would be best: video card, sound card, processor, etc. Please let me know what worked for you and what didn't. I am working on a limited budget, so latest and greatest hardware is not a necessity. I am planning to put this computer in my living room and hook to a 32" CRT TV, and Kenwood stereo receiver, Bose surround sound system. Also I need advice on what case to use...I would like a media type instead of a tower.

[Ste]

Originally Posted by bigbaddog

Greetings,

I've been building computers for over 12 years now but I am planning on building my first Media Center computer, so I need some advice on what would be best: video card, sound card, processor, etc. Please let me know what worked for you and what didn't. I am working on a limited budget, so latest and greatest hardware is not a necessity. I am planning to put this computer in my living room and hook to a 32" CRT TV, and Kenwood stereo receiver, Bose surround sound system. Also I need advice on what case to use...I would like a media type instead of a tower.

What is your exact budget?
What sites can you order from?
What parts do you need? E.g maybe you already have keyboard, mouse and moniter?

Are you interested in mATX cases or cube/box type cases? Very portable designs?

[EricB]

you need lot of hdd space. I go 500 gig at the least (135-150). I use an nvidia 7800 (80) card. a good sound is neccessary, but don't get a great one (m-audio, presonus or any sound editing one). they have issues with media center

[Oreo]

It'd probably would be a good idea to get a Fast Harddrive and Big, a good soundcard. And probably a fast Processor, but im not sure wether you need one or not.

Someting like a X1300/X1600 GPU would probably be ok for a media PC.

[Tabasco Sauce]

I personally love beefy sound cards, may i recommend a Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro

[bigbaddog]

Originally Posted by Ste

What is your exact budget?
What sites can you order from?

What parts do you need? E.g maybe you already have keyboard, mouse and moniter?

Are you interested in mATX cases or cube/box type cases? Very portable designs?

No exact amount <600.00

I get most of my stuff from Newegg

I've got lots of parts: P4 processors, Mobos, cases (all towers), video cards (no tv cards though) lots of hard drives <80gig, memory, etc. Thinking about wireless keyboard/mouse and /or wireless remote. Also have wireless network....can I stream video from a server on a wireless network?

Don't need a portable setup...was wanting a media type case to match my audio components....but as of now I only have tower cases. If anyone has parts that they would like to trade I'm game.