Self-build media system - views?

[1nteger]

In the next few months i want to upgrade my main rig to 64bit. This will leave me with a spare motherboard (A7N8X) and xp2800 cpu. I also have a spare heatsink, a basic Hauppauge TV card, 80Gb HDD, and cables, aluminium keyboard and loads of mice.

I've been thinking of using this spare kit to create a machine dedicated to playing CDs and DVDs, and watching satellite TV on.

I've found this Antec case:
http://www.antec-inc.com/us/pro_details_enclosure.php?ProdID=15728

Monitor and speakers aside, all I need is a stick of RAM and a basic vid card, and a DVD reader/writer, et voila!

Any suggestions on the missing bits?
Any suggestions for alternative cases for this purpose (remember my mobo is standard ATX so micro-cases are out)
And what DVD writer? Pioneer??

Any comments gratefully received.

 

[1nteger]

Well, as no one else has responded, I'll reply to my own thread!

I have now bought all the components for my little media box:

Antec 'Piano' Black and silver 'Minuet' case (front USB, firewire and phones socket etc)
Asus A7N8X-VM micro ATX mobo (Onboard sound and vid)
80Gb WD 8Mb cache HDD
MSI 16x DVD-ROM (Black)
KISS Coolview 17'' widescreen TFT monitor (with onboard TV tuner)
Coolermaster Q alloy keyboard
Packard Bell mini wireless optical mouse


Everything is slick, silver or black and geared to watching Sky Tv, DVD's and listening to music.

So there!

 

[Ian]

This looks really good 1nt

Is it going to be a like a self built TiVo, so you can record stuff to it easily? There is loads of software around for that (Linux and Win) that looks ideal for this sort of stuff (most is free).

I like the sounds of the KISS Coolview 17'' widescreen TFT monitor

 

[kristel]

lovely set up - the case is quite pretty too hehe.

I have this one: http://www.shuttle.com/hq/product/barebone/default.asp?B_id=25 - now just need a black DVD drive because my other one looks stupid in there

 

[r4ross]

Looks like a great system.

As I am a complete newcomer to Media PC self-build, can you advise me if your set-up can be adapted to recording from your Sky box?
How do you connect the set-top box to the PC?
Hopng you have the time to help.

 

[1nteger]

Originally posted by r4ross
Looks like a great system.

As I am a complete newcomer to Media PC self-build, can you advise me if your set-up can be adapted to recording from your Sky box?
How do you connect the set-top box to the PC?
Hopng you have the time to help.

Sky box is easy. But note:

1. The reason I chose the KISS monitor is because it has a built-in TV tuner...simply connected to the Sky box via an analogue aerial cable. BUT it is not a PVR (recorder)...just a tuner...so you can't record TV progs through it.

2. If you want to record TV programs, that's pretty easy too, but you will need a PVR TV card (like Hauppauge top end cards)...The thing is that these are not available retail as 'low profile' cards - i.e. they aren't available for micoATX cases and mobos like the Antec Minuet in my system.
If you want to record TV progs, then you need a case that is big enough to take standard sized PCI cards. The bigger sister of my case is the Antec Sonata...a desktop version that still looks great.

I would recommend the Antec Sonata and a Hauppauge PVR 250 or similar card.

Also, remember that you do not need a 'satellite' TV card as your Sky box is already decoding the satellite signal and converting it to analogue...so any bog standard analogue TV card should pick up the signal when it comes out of the Sky box.

It is the video recording feature that you need to look for in your choice of analogue TV card.


Sorry this is a bit waffly...I've had too much wine! get back to me in this thread if you need any clarification.

By the way...I just added some very nice Creative I-Trigue L3500 2.1 speakers to this media box....very nice! :spin:

 

[1nteger]

Originally posted by kristel
lovely set up - the case is quite pretty too hehe.

I have this one: http://www.shuttle.com/hq/product/barebone/default.asp?B_id=25 - now just need a black DVD drive because my other one looks stupid in there

hey Kristel! I was considering a Shuttle alongside the Antec...what do you think of them? How are they to work on? I have to admit that i much prefer working in my spacious lian li full tower than this little Antec minuet. Your shuttle looks cool tho'.


For a basic but 'slick' black DVD ROM, I chose the MSI 16x...only £22 but nice and unfussy, so it's ideal in a silver case.

 

[qmanq]

I don't think I have heard a multi-memory card reader mentioned yet. As it's a multimedia system, why not add one of them for the sake of a few quid

Good for MP3 players, palms and good for getting pics off ya camera wihtout killin ya batteries.

Q

 

[1nteger]

Originally posted by qmanq
I don't think I have heard a multi-memory card reader mentioned yet. As it's a multimedia system, why not add one of them for the sake of a few quid

Good for MP3 players, palms and good for getting pics off ya camera wihtout killin ya batteries.

Q

Yup, you're right...I have purposefully not used the single 3.5'' bay for a Floppy drive, partly to reduce clutter inside the machine and partly to keep the front looking a little more 'contemporary' (who needs a floppy anyway when I have a bootable OS disk). I have thought of a multi-card reader, but I don't actually use the machine for my digital photos etc...just for hi-fi, TV and DVD.

 

[redundo]

Hey 1nteger

I was looking to do something very similar to the setup you have and a widescreen 17" LCD/TV was part of my shopping list as well, the Dell W1700, though found it hard to justify the price!

Have you had any problems with your Monitor/TV? Are you satisfied with the quality of the LCD over a CRT, etc?

 

[1nteger]

Originally posted by redundo
Hey 1nteger
Have you had any problems with your Monitor/TV? Are you satisfied with the quality of the LCD over a CRT, etc?

I wouldn't say it's the best picture, but The K.I.S.S. 17" Coolview is good...and I get a viewable screen image with the widescreen that's actually bigger than I have seen on many 22" CRT monitors.

It's small footprint makes it exteremely easy to move around to allow me to watch it from anywhere in the room.

Because I don't use it for gaming, I'm not worried about the relatively low response time (25ms). (I have a new Iiyama 17" Prolite with a response time of 16ms for that on my main rig )

TV image quality is ok but not great...certainly not as good as CRT, but I'm not sure how much of that is also down to the quality of the TV card in the monitor itself. If I hadn't chosen a micro-ATX case (for which I couldn't find a low profile TV card) then I would have been able to spend less on the monitor and get something like a Hauppauge PVR card for playing and recording programmes.

I have always questioned the point of LCD over CRT based on image quality and price - CRT's are easily the best value for money and best for games. Only now are LCDs getting low enough response times for shooters like UT and HL etc. That and the small amount of room they take up made me go for the switch. However, I can't help but keep remebering that for the price of any one of my LCDs, i could have bought a really top end CRT 22".

If you have the space, but not the cash, I'd stick with CRT.

If you don't have the space and you have the cash, then LCD are worth it...and getting better all the time.

 

[redundo]

Originally posted by 1nteger
TV image quality is ok but not great...certainly not as good as CRT, but I'm not sure how much of that is also down to the quality of the TV card in the monitor itself.........

If you don't have the space and you have the cash, then LCD are worth it...and getting better all the time.

Thanks for the info. Though a 22" CRT is one honking bit of kit! I have a 16" CRT on my old comp and even that is perching on top of the table like some overfed vulture......

It shall require some thought........ Temptation says "Yes, Yes, Yes!!" while my wallet says "I'll bite your whatsits off if you even think about making me pay for that!!"

 

[athoopal]

i am new to this. how do i build a media box. i got a hard disk and a usb case. what else do i need? i just need to play the media files on my pc on the telly