Build me a media centre!

[geordie_aaron]

Ok i'm sick of acquiring films then having to leave the laptop on, switching the xbox on and playing through LAN (or connecting laptop via vga to tv) so i'm wanting to build a media centre that is constantly plugged in and ready to go....i have very few NEEDS....

 

1. Glossy black case to match tv/stand/virgin hd+ box

2. 720p+ output

3. ability to hookup wireless keyboard & mouse

 

i've built computers back in the days when geeks used one CPU with a truely massive 3.2ghz and 4gb ram lol the media centre will be used PURELY for films and net surfing when corras ETC aint on ha

 

Budget? so long as it's got the basics im happy.

[Brown]

Been pricing up some ridiculously spec'd media centre on ebay recently, from (seemingly) reputable companies. I'm talkin 12ghz processors, 6gb ram, 2000gb HD, bluray and HD output.. £500ish.

[Stu]

I have one purpose-built I could sell you? It's silver/black though, originally cost £900.

 

http://uk-img1.ciao.com/iuk/images/products/normal/980/product-6594980.jpg

 

Acer Aspire Idea 510

 

Not a bad spec, no bluray drive but will play back 720p content but not 1080p rips. Has HDMI etc on the back.

[eetaylog]

Have a look here. Tons of projects to have a look at.

 

http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/complete...pc-projects-61/

 

After tons of research I built one a few years ago and still use it now for TV (recording/pausing/rewinding etc), Films, Music, Radio, Photos etc. Heres my one:

 

http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/complete...on-panel-55442/

 

My specs have changed a bit since then. Right now im running:

 

• AMD x2 dual core cpu (with a massive Scythe mini ninja heatsink)
  
• 4Gig Corsair DDR2 800MHz ram
  
• Hauppauge T-500 TV card (with remote)
  
• ATI 4670 gfx card (with hdmi, vga and dvi outputs)
  
• 2 x 2Tb WD HDD's
  
• LG Bluray Drive
  

 

As far as software goes, DivX7 and above has codecs for x264 (HD) content. For a gui, use the Mediaportal software on the above website. Its free and has tons of plugins for navigating around and playing your media. It can also be used to run as a media server, so that you can stream all your media (including tv) to client machines over LAN if you set up mediaportal on other machines.

 

People will try to convince you to use other software, dont listen to them, they are false prophets.

 

Any questions, PM me. Stu is another person to talk to as well, i think he's just finishing building one.

[Stu]

I'm on my third HTPC now and currently enjoying Windows 7 MC, even though eetaylog has repeatedly tried to insert me into the anus of mediaportal

 

I must admit, I am using additional software to support Win7MC to make the tv tuners work as I want.

[eetaylog]

I'm on my third HTPC now and currently enjoying Windows 7 MC, even though eetaylog has repeatedly tried to insert me into the anus of mediaportal

 

I must admit, I am using additional software to support Win7MC to make the tv tuners work as I want.

 

You see. false prophets are everywhere.

[PeeWee]

I'm on my third HTPC now and currently enjoying Windows 7 MC, even though eetaylog has repeatedly tried to insert me into the anus of mediaportal

 

I must admit, I am using additional software to support Win7MC to make the tv tuners work as I want.

 

You see. false prophets are everywhere.

 

 

Im using Windows7 MC too, I cant get mediaportal to work properly with my media remote, Win7 MP works out of the box though.

[geordie_aaron]

English people....please. absolute NOOB when it comes to media centres.

[Craig855S]

PS3, with a large internal or external hard drive (Ps3 HD is easy to change and cheap) and the PS3 plays back AVIs, MP4s and M2TS

[eetaylog]

English people....please. absolute NOOB when it comes to media centres.

 

as a beginner you can either:

 

a) Do some serious research into building computers (which processors go with which motherboards, which graphics cards will be right for your needs etc etc) so that youre confident enough to actually get your hands dirty.

b) Buy a ready made one.

c) Pay me enough money and ill do it for you!

[shawdreamer]

English people....please. absolute NOOB when it comes to media centres.

 

as a beginner you can either:

 

a) Do some serious research into building computers (which processors go with which motherboards, which graphics cards will be right for your needs etc etc) so that youre confident enough to actually get your hands dirty.

b) Buy a ready made one.

c) Pay me enough money and ill do it for you!

 

d) use an xbox elite with hardwired ethernet cables (or wireless adapter if you prefer) to your pc/laptop so you can immediatly transfer files from pc to xbox HD or easier still save files directly to a flash drive then plug that straight into your xbox for rapid playing or transfer.

It cant just be me who see's this as the easiest option and gives him what he wants while requiring minimal knowledge?

[PeeWee]

English people....please. absolute NOOB when it comes to media centres.

 

as a beginner you can either:

 

a) Do some serious research into building computers (which processors go with which motherboards, which graphics cards will be right for your needs etc etc) so that youre confident enough to actually get your hands dirty.

b) Buy a ready made one.

c) Pay me enough money and ill do it for you!

 

d) use an xbox elite with hardwired ethernet cables (or wireless adapter if you prefer) to your pc/laptop so you can immediatly transfer files from pc to xbox HD or easier still save files directly to a flash drive then plug that straight into your xbox for rapid playing or transfer.

It cant just be me who see's this as the easiest option and gives him what he wants while requiring minimal knowledge?

 

I have that option too (used it before my media pc), It doesnt even compare the the media PC.

[shawdreamer]

English people....please. absolute NOOB when it comes to media centres.

 

as a beginner you can either:

 

a) Do some serious research into building computers (which processors go with which motherboards, which graphics cards will be right for your needs etc etc) so that youre confident enough to actually get your hands dirty.

b) Buy a ready made one.

c) Pay me enough money and ill do it for you!

 

d) use an xbox elite with hardwired ethernet cables (or wireless adapter if you prefer) to your pc/laptop so you can immediatly transfer files from pc to xbox HD or easier still save files directly to a flash drive then plug that straight into your xbox for rapid playing or transfer.

It cant just be me who see's this as the easiest option and gives him what he wants while requiring minimal knowledge?

 

I have that option too (used it before my media pc), It doesnt even compare the the media PC.

 

 

very true it doesn't, however I wasn't comparing the two.....I was offering up a solution to the requirements Aaron mentioned, all of which a xbox elite can easily cover without the need for a expensive full media system that might leave Aaron (evidently a self confessed minor technophobe) scratching his head unnecessarily.

[geordie_aaron]

tut tut Shaw - didn't read my first post did ya lol i've currently got it setup like that but hate it.

i want to turn on the TV select 'PC source' turn on media centre and watch/surf on the TV :-)

 

i wouldn't say i was a technophobe - just the last time i built a pc it had one CPU running 3.2ghz or sumit lol

[smithyandco]

If it helps at all...

 

I just bought this case: http://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?...tid=cs-gl-3htpc

 

http://www.komputronik.pl/index.php/product_picture/6/OBCSGL3/Aplus_CS_GL3_czarna_bez_zasilacza.png

 

Foreign review (useful for images)

http://www.purepc.pl/obudowy/aplus_csgl3_o...htpc?page=0%2C0

 

Personally I think it's a very well thought out case! and compatible with full height components.

 

Although I didn't pay £60 for it... I got a returned one which a customer had broken so I repaired it (it looks new now)