Cheap Media Pc

DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">DVD's, downloaded videos, and emulators</div>I'm considering building a cheap, small PC to keep in the living room, hooked up to the TV.

Here's things I'd really like it to do:

- Great DVD Playback. I'll probably get a standalone DVD player anyway as I doubt it will compare...
- Playback of downloaded movies (game trailers, etc)
- Playback of MP3's
- Able to run MAME and other Emus
- Micro ATX form factor is preferred
- A remote control would be great
- Again, I'm on a budget. This thing won't be playing HL2 or DOOM 3, probably just Smash TV and etc.
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Comments

  • FlatlineUTDFlatlineUTD Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7695Members
    Mine's almost done. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> It's not the fastest of machines, but we've got an All-in-Wonder, an Audigy, a big HD, and a sound activated neon under a sweet-**** chrome case.

    It does DVD, stereo, and possibly TiVo (if me or Virgil watched much TV).
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  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    The concept of Home Theatre PC is an old one. There'll be plenty of sites out there that will give you a good idea of what to look for. You can even buy little suave cases that look right at home amongst your other hi-fi gear.

    <a href='http://www.google.com.au/search?q=home+theatre+PC&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&meta=' target='_blank'>Google search for "Home theatre PC"</a>.

    --Scythe--
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    Something I just found...

    <a href='http://myhtpc.net/' target='_blank'>myHTPC</a> <<< OMG Pwnage! I've been wanting something like this. :D
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  • esunaesuna Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
    Hmm, i helped my brother build a small home entertainment PC. This was a while back, it was a Shuttle case + mobo, 256mb ram, DVD drive, 60gb HDD, 1.2ghz processor (or thereabouts) and a GeForce of some description jammed in it. Most of these, however, were salvaged from previous computers. It handled DVD and mp3 playback perfectly and being in the little Shuttle case meant it was tiny and looked nice. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

    All that was paired with a wireless mouse and keyboard so it can be used if needs be without the wires. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
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  • ZigZig ...I am Captain Planet&#33; Join Date: 2002-10-23 Member: 1576Members
    edited August 2003
    honestly, buddy, you're probably gonna wanna start playing N64/PS type stuff on that thing, eventually. and that takes some juice.

    don't give when it comes to the gfx card. don't give an inch, even if you're on a budget.

    edit: for reasons i'm not sure of, emu like that is way more taxing than games optimized for PC.
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    You see I don't even want anything that fast esuna. I'd be perfectly happy w/ the EPIA 450mhz thingy.

    And since I'm about to blow $200 on a nice big 27" tv, i'll be needing an even more economy in mind solution. :P
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  • JefeJefe Join Date: 2003-04-21 Member: 15734Members, Constellation
    I'm pretty sure ATI sells an all in wonder remote that works for your computer. You can program it to do like...things...I dunno, google it.
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    edited August 2003
    yeah its on my "to buy" list although there's a panasonic one too

    Okay guys, here's an update on my situation:

    I've all but settled on the <a href='http://www.viavpsd.com/product/epia_mini_itx_spec.jsp?motherboardId=21' target='_blank'>Via EPIA 800</a> which I can <a href='http://www.mwave.com/mwave/ProdMOTHERBOARDBUNDLES-VPSD.hmx' target='_blank'>grab for $98.00 at mWave</a>.

    I'll be getting a stick of Kingston 256MB PC133 as well.

    For Hard Drives, I was gonna go with the <a href='http://www.mwave.com/mwave/ProdHD-IDE-WD.hmx' target='_blank'>Western Digital 80GB 7200rpm w/ 8mb cache</a> for $78, damn good deal.

    For CD/DVD rom I'm either going to go with a $21 black CD-ROM or (most likely) a $33 black DVD-ROm.

    The real hard thing to decide on here is CASES. I've narrowed it down to NINE (not very narrow). Since this is going in the living room right next to the DVD Player, Gamecube, and PS2, I want it to have more of an "appliance" look than what most PC Cases give. I'll let you guys help me decide! :P
    - <a href='http://www.directron.com/pc80569.html' target='_blank'>Chenbro PC80569</a> - This is only interesting cause I can buy it at a store locally, for $58
    - <a href='http://www.dealsonic.com/macsmipccaw2.html' target='_blank'>Maxtop CSX-001-BK</a> - $40
    - <a href='http://www.directron.com/antecminuet.html' target='_blank'>Antec Minut</a> - $69
    - <a href='http://www.directron.com/a100case.html' target='_blank'>Directon A100</a> - $47
    - <a href='http://www.directron.com/cs10073bbs.html' target='_blank'>Enermax</a> - $52
    - <a href='http://www.directron.com/v2000.html' target='_blank'>Directron V12 FLEX</a> - $42
    - <a href='http://www.directron.com/sf103.html' target='_blank'>Directron SF-103 FlexATX</a> - $59 - Personally, I love this one the most. So sexy looking.
    - <a href='http://www.directron.com/directron/epiam.html' target='_blank'>VIA Silver Serenti2000</a> - $49 - Late entry, this is guranteed to work w/ mobo though.
    [EDIT]
    - <a href='http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage.asp?image=11-130-129-08.jpg/11-130-129-07.jpg/11-130-129-06.jpg/11-130-129-05.jpg/11-130-129-04.jpg/11-130-129-03.jpg/11-130-129-02.jpg' target='_blank'>Aopen DeskTop mATX </a> - $49 - Grep gave me some new ones...
    [/EDIT]
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  • CobyCoby Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8210Members
    If you ask me, or I was you... I would go with the Directron V12 FLEX, which seems to offer the best customization options, looks like a PS2, is cheap, looks great imo. Only one thing bothers me, which is the lack of possible air ventilation... it has only 1 slot for a case fan, which is the one in the power supply, so if you gonna put lots of junk inside, the temperature may go sky-rocketing...

    My 0,02$
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  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    Keep in mind that this is going for an EPIA board, with their own processor. I'm not overclockin an Athlon.

    Oh and Grepdash is a **** who thinks "help narrow down my search" means "link more cases to make choosing harder" :P /me huggles
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  • CobyCoby Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8210Members
    /me bangs head to table
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  • InfinitumInfinitum Anime Encyclopedia Join Date: 2002-08-08 Member: 1111Members, Constellation
    <a href='http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage.asp?image=11-130-129-08.jpg/11-130-129-07.jpg/11-130-129-06.jpg/11-130-129-05.jpg/11-130-129-04.jpg/11-130-129-03.jpg/11-130-129-02.jpg' target='_blank'>This one</a>
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  • FlatlineUTDFlatlineUTD Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7695Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--DOOManiac+Aug 23 2003, 02:28 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DOOManiac @ Aug 23 2003, 02:28 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Since this is going in the living room right next to the DVD Player, Gamecube, and PS2, I want it to have more of an "appliance" look than what most PC Cases give. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    DOOM, you shouldn't even need a DVD player, the HTPC will take care of that for you - you just need a halfway decent videocard with DVD support.

    I suggest the All in Wonder line - the 7500 is pretty cheap now and will handle DVD/TiVo beautifully.
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