PC as Media Extender / HTPC <£250

[admur]

Hi Chaps,

Looking for some advice on best way forward here...

My main rig is for gaming with P5K / E8200 @ 3ghz / BFG 9600GT / Vista Home Premium on a wireless-N network. This is in our office.

I want to stick a box under my telly 32" 720p HD in the front room that can:-

1/ Stream Video & Music from my main rig
2/ Access the internet for email / Web / Online movie rental (iTunes / Amazon in 2009?)
3/ Connect to wireless printer
4/ Connect directly to 720p HD telly (Via VGA or HDMI (no DVI slot)

I would like this all to sit in a HTPC style case prob on a mATX board. (I have 2 x 1gb DDR2 667mhz RAM)

Would need to be a board that has good integrated graphics OR a cheaper board + GFX card - which is better???

Lower power consumption is preferred also, as this will be on most of the time.

I would like it to come in for <£250.

I have been looking and current setup idea is:-

Intel Pentium Dual Core E5200 2.5GHz £64.86
ASUS P5QL-CM iG43 Socket 775 £71.39
Antec Micro Fusion Remote VERIS Media Center Case - With 350W PSU 140998 £77.99
Western Digital WD1600AAJS 160GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 8MB Cache - OEM £30.56

£244.80 - NO OS!!!

Is UBUNTU any good for media centre extender work?

Thanks for any comments, advice, critisism, etc!!!

[PeterStoba]

Ubuntu or other variations of linux can be used for HTPCs, yeah, although it'll be harder to set up with a windows computer over a network I believe.

AMD is better for HTPCs, something like this would be fine for 720p and web browsing -

&#163;60 - AM2 Mobo with HDMI out
&#163;50 - Dual core 2.7GHz AMD Processor
&#163;60 - Blu ray reader
&#163;20 - 80GB samsung spinpoint
&#163;80 - Antec case and psu

I'm sure somebody will give you a better suggestion, if you keep an eye on today only you'll get a good deal

[admur]

AMD is better for HTPCs, something like this would be fine for 720p and web browsing

Thanks Peter, why do you say that the AMD is better? Are the C2D not more efficent / less heat?

Will prob add Blu-Ray later in the year, but happy with DVD player at this stage - would standard DVD player be OK, and let the TV do the upscaling?

Any suggestions on a slot loading DVD player???

Smaller drive is probably good saving too! Thanks!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

This is the best I good do including Vista from Ebuyer with the free Supersaver postage option:

AMD Athlon X2 5050e Socket AM2 45W Energy Efficient Retail Boxed Processor 149212 &#163;49.63

ASUS M3A78-CM 780V Socket AM2+ onboard graphics 8 channel audio mATX Motherboard 150281 &#163;53.02

LiteOn DH-16D2S 16x DVD-ROM Serial ATA Internal - OEM 152517 &#163;8.00

Seagate ST380815AS 80GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 8MB Cache - OEM 129414 &#163;23.86

Antec Minuet 350 Piano Black Slimline MATX Case - With 350W PSU 141001 &#163;59.82

Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic -SP1- Licence and media - 1 PC - OEM - DVD - 32-bit - English 123059 &#163;64.68


Total: &#163;259.01

The 780 series AMD motherboards have very good integrated graphics which includes acceleration for HD video,HD-DVD and Blu-Ray.

[Splash]

Bear in mind that if going with Vista Home Basic does *not* have Media Centre.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Vista Home Premium will cost another 20 quid:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/123052

[Splash]

I'm not saying that you'd *have* to splash the cash on Vista. I'm pretty certain Hexxeh did a guide to building a media centre PC based on Linux a while back...

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

You maybe thinking about MythTV:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythTV

However the OP may want to add a Blu-ray driver later on so I am uncertain if Linux is compatible with Blu-Ray?!

[Maccer101]

I use Ubuntu for my HTPC and didn't bother with MythTV as Movie player and VLC play everything fine and I didn't end up losing the functionality of having a full OS. However as already said networking with Vista may not be the easiest (best to try try before committing to buying Vista though).

If you are going to run linux you don't need very high spec hardware so you can spend money on a nice looking case and save on the components

[Splash]

You maybe thinking about MythTV:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythTV

However the OP may want to add a Blu-ray driver later on so I am uncertain if Linux is compatible with Blu-Ray?!

Not *quite*, but I believe Myth was involved in some way.