Low Cost Media Centre PC

[Jon]

I am considering building a media centre PC. Just interested in any ideas or recommendations as to what components I should go for.

Cost is everything...I am looking to do this as cheaply as possible..

[jmcdermott]

I am considering building a media centre PC. Just interested in any ideas or recommendations as to what components I should go for.

Cost is everything...I am looking to do this as cheaply as possible..

Mythtv (or mythbuntu) free linux based media center very good, but recommends a lot of hdd space, i am currently running it on the following hard ware:

AMD 3500+ CPU
1 gig ddr ram
320gig hdd
onboad sound
PCI free view tv card.
300w psu
cheap nvidia GF 6200 gfx card (only needed if require tv out).

just priced all this up in ebuyer and it came to £230 for better equipment.

[cromertech]

How cheap is cheap?

I bought my system for around £400 although I use it for games as well. The trick is to go for passive cooling if poss because fan noise can be a real burden if you put it in a bedroom and it wakes itself at three in the morning to update the guide listing

My specs

Vista Home Premium
Intel E6750 dual core 2.66Ghz
Nvidia 8500GT passive Graphics
Zalman passive processor cooler with a 120mm fan attached which i can turn on for games
WinTV Nova dual DVB TV card
2Gb DDR2 Ram

[FN-GM]

I use a MacMini with an 1TB external drive

[dhicks]

I use a MacMini with an 1TB external drive

I second that - I have one in my lounge. I got it off eBay for £200. I'm thinking of getting either a projector or one of those 26" LCDs to run with it.

--
David Hicks

[FN-GM]

I'm thinking of getting either a projector

Always goes one better

[cooper]

I have a popcorn hour HD media streamer with no hardrive so nice and quiet with a server in another room with 2 tb of video

Welcome To Popcorn Hour

[RabbieBurns]

The netgear eva8000 dropped to just over £100 recently on amazon.co.uk

[SYSMAN_MK]

Another vote here for the Mac Mini. Currently using one with itunes for music. Toying with the idea of a laptop with either itunes or Vista MCE.

Quite like the idea of having built it UPS.

[FN-GM]

The good thing with a Mac Mini is that they are nice and compact and you get a little remote

[SYSMAN_MK]

And they run silent.

[FN-GM]

And they run silent.

Plus front row makes an excellent Media Centre.

[webman]

Fanless Mini-ITX board running Linux - GeeXboX/Freevo/MythTV. Cheap as chips.

[Midget]

I have an XBox with Xbox Media Center, which you can now run on a PC (they even have a live CD) and it's great look into it XBMC Media Center

[Drummer_Boy]

Bought an Elonex Media Centre case, with quiet fans etc from ebuyer (with MoBo so onboard sound and graphics) £100, 2GB RAM, 500GB HDD, DVD ROM, Hauppauge D500T dual tuner, Core2Duo e6400 Proc, Wireless Keytronic keyboard and mouse and Vista Ultimate OEM

Total Price was around the £450 mark.

Don't skimp on the processor, bought the wrong one at first (Dual core instead of core2duo) and the picture stuttered.

Have since upgraded MoBo and DVD to a combined BluRay/HDDVD drive and upgraded the graphics card to a Ge9600 HDMI thingy!!! Probably another £200 in upgrades, but is now all singing and all dancing, and very quiet.

For cost eBay/eBuyer are your friends!