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"Media PC"

OK, I AM going to build this PC over the summer, but I'm trying to get an idea for components and budget now.

It's going to be a fairly low spec PC to sit in the lounge and act as a PVR and a media server storing all our music and connected to a TV and speaker system. I'll also run Apache on it as a web server.

It needs to meet a few criteria:

1) Must be silent or as close as possible,
2) Must be discrete and not look like a computer,
3) Must be as cheap as possible,
4) Must be stable and not run too hot as we want it on 24/7.

I've found one case so far, but I'm sure there must be better ones: [URL]http://www.antec.com/uk/productDetails.php?ProdID=08729[/URL]

In theory, I can't see any reason why there need to be any fans in the system at all. I intend to get an Athlon Mobile or Celeron M processor so it has very low heat output - must be able to passively cool this. It will run onboard graphics and sound, and will just run one hard drive, one DVD drive and probably 512MB of RAM. Most of the time, the processor won't be under load - only when recording programs.

Also, I can't decide whether to use Linux or Windows. I have plenty of experience with Windows, and know of software that does what I want and can be controlled by a remote. However, Windows is expensive. Linux is free, and a program MythTV can supposedly do what I want, but I have no experience of using it or Linux in general.

All ideas welcomed.

Chad Niga wrote:
> MiniMac, that's a great idea, perfect for a Media Pc.
> Mac is practically made for media stuff.

seems plenty of people are doing the same thing..

[URL]http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000057028826/[/URL]

[URL]http://carlo.typepad.com/clo/2005/01/the_milliondoll.html[/URL]

[URL]http://centerstageproject.com/[/URL]

General concensus is the HDD will need replacing for something bigger at somepoint, but it's not actually that difficult to do once you get the damn thing apart!

MiniMac, that's a great idea, perfect for a Media Pc.
Mac is practically made for media stuff.

Coin wrote:
> What ap does OSX have to run the MC?

For starters, iLife05 which covers most things (iTunes, iDVD, iPhoto, iMovie HD, Garage Band). Still researching it myself as this is the first time I've tried turning a Mac into such a thing, but have heard that this is quite simple.

What ap does OSX have to run the MC?

Garin wrote:
> Aside from the other suggestions here, maybe a macmini is worth
> considering too.

Spooky, thats exactly what mine will be for (as well as testing) after a few tweaks:

80GB HDD
1GB Ram
Airport extreme Card
Wireless Kbd/Mouse
Super Drive (DVD-R/CDRW combo)

Will have the HDD replaced at somepoint for a 120GB and the RAM upgrade is from Crucial as I refuse to pay £220 to Apple to add it themselves, but other than that, nice little media box on OSX!;)

For passive cooling: www.silenx.com

But don't, I repeat, don't, buy their PSUs. VROOOM! Is not even close..

Or if you're loaded, a Hush PC. They look gorgeous, totally passively cooled etc etc but cost a pretty penny. www.hushtechnologies.net, I think

My media PC is a p3-650 with 256meg of ram, also doubles as a file/web server. :) I've had it running both windows and linux in its time, no real difference for day to day use, but where linux does win is that its easier to configure remotely.

Aside from the other suggestions here, maybe a macmini is worth considering too.

Coin wrote:
> Also, wouldn't it be better (sorry guys) to go Intel on this one?
>
> AMD is by far the better for games, but as I assume you won't be
> using your Media Center for games, go Intel. Faster at DVD reading /
> burning and other aplications in this category (unfortunately - damn
> Intel. Wish AMD were better all the way round, but the sorry truth is
> they ain't.)

Processor choice makes no difference to DVD burning and reading. These are drive limitations, not processor limitations.

Onto the processor... You could passively cool an Athlon Mobile if you have a big highend heatsink and good airflow. In a small case that is going to be difficult. Underclock it *cries* and undervolt it for less heat output. Best chance of passive cooling however would be an Applebred core Duron. They came in 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 GHz flavours and were Thoroughbred B core Athlon XPs with cache disabled. Stock voltage on them is 1.5 V. Also known for overclocking rather well too. Or of course the legendary DLT3C stepping 1700/1800 Athlon XPs.

Also... consider an Athlon 64. The Winchester core ones are really cool and many of them are perfectly stable on less than stock volts.

And yeah, gamesfreak's suggestion of linux and apache and MythTV is a good one. Unlikely to be beaten by XP Media Centre Edition.

[URL] http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/(REMOVE SPACE) ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=170222 [/URL]

Socket A cooler. Others (from the same site), include Coolermaster ACB-V83 Jet-7+ Copper; Coolermaster Extreme II; Coolermaster DP5-6J31C; Coolermaster XDream III; Akasa AK-825 and the Akasa AK-827.

Meh. SR also offer a couple.