I am looking to build a media center computer that is capable of streaming and trans coding video on the fly to my tv/xbox 360. I just bought a new HDTV, but my computer isn't powerful enough to stream or transcode any HD movies. My computer is around 6 years old, but has been upgraded to its limits (1.5gb DDR ram, Intel 1.8 ghz processor...). In no way I am looking for this pc to play games, I would just like it to stream movies, surf the net, and run microsoft word. A local PC advisor said it would be cheaper to buy a pre-built computer, is this correct? I am located in NS Canada and am looking to buy all my parts from newegg.ca. Any builds or suggestions would be appreciated, I have a 500$ price limit so hopefully this can be done.
Prebuilt will be slightly cheaper for identical numbers...but prebuilt systems tend to be built very poorly, and the cheaper ones tend to have terrible quality. Power - $47 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008 Hard Drive - $39 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148397 Video - $64 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131355 BluRay Drive - $66 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106326 Mainboard - $95 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128431 Memory - $105 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145260 Processor - $63 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103687 Case - $30 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147075 Thermal Compound - $10 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007 ------------ That totals to $519, before shipping and rebates...all the parts are high quality, and it comes with a bluray drive in the build (the cheapest newegg.ca prebuilt systems with bluray cost over $1000). For about $40 more, you can get a quadcore processor instead; this would probably help if you are streaming to the TV, while someone is using the PC for other things like surfing the net.
Thanks for the fast reply, I already have ArticSilver 5 so scratch that. I don't think I'll need the blue ray since I wont be watching movies on it. I will most defiantly go for the quad core, and upgrade the hard drive to a terabyte or two 500gb in raid. Would this combo deal with the Wintech ram and same video card be a better buy? Thanks
I know wintec ram has been getting better lately, but I still don't trust them due to previous failures. It would almost certainly be fine, but I would still spend the extra $15 for the corsair ram; just to sleep that much better at night. Like I said, the chances of bad ram are very low, and if you have no previous problems with wintec, then it shouldn't keep you up at night. Redone build: DVD drive - $23 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136167CVF Ram & video - $159 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.446346 Power - $47 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008 Mainboard - $95 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128431 Processor - $103 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103702 Case - $30 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147075 Thermal Compound - you already have this Hard Drive - $76 - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145287 --- $533 (before shipping & rebates)
I know what you mean about the ram, I have gone through several sticks of DDR ram lately. I already have a DL Sata DVD Drive forgot to mention that. Would I be able to tell a difference in speed between the terabyte drive and two 500gb in Raid? I think I may go for this processor just because it is the best value. I am looking for this computer to last 5 years, do you think this computer will be able too? With the build you gave me with shipping,tax and the mail in rebates it comes too 575$, right where I wanted it to be! it Once again thanks for all your help!
Mostly a decent set of components. If you've gone through several sticks of RAM I should tell you about my experiences with Corsair - I've been using them for more than four years, purchased at least 20 sticks of RAM from them, not one has failed in that 4 year timespan. I don't think the Hitachi drive would last 5 years though, for long-term longevity I'd stick with WD or Seagate: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284
Thanks for the advice I will most definitely go with Corsair and WD. Do you suggest going with an AMD Phenom 180$ or AMD Athlon 100$ or AMD Phenom Six-Core 210$? Will this computer last 5 years?
I can't guarantee for certain it'll last five years, but assuming nothing goes wrong with the parts it should. Of course, how much use it will be to you by then, who knows. Obviously in five years time even today's best hardware will look very slow and outdated, just how the industry moves I'm afraid. I don't currently see the benefit of 6-core CPUs at all unless you regularly stress the CPU to its full ability (i.e. video encoding/editing, folding or 3D modelling - high-end games do not count). I would however recommend a quad core CPU. The Athlon II X4 CPUs are fine for your budget, or you could go with a Phenom II X4 945. No need to buy a 955 or 965, they don't get you much extra for the cost unless you're going to overclock the CPU to its limit.
I really don't know where Hitachi's bad rep comes from. I have to admit that I see them as an "economy" brand myself, but I have not witnessed any real problems with the drives, other than 10K server drives that die after about 5 years. That said, I still use Seagate for storage...but I do use a hitachi as the boot drive in my media center. As for the pair of 500GB vs a 1TB question, the 1TB drive will be both faster and more reliable (unless you spend a few hundred dollars on a hardware raid card, then they would be faster, but still less reliable)...and for the cost of two 500GB drives, you can get a 1.5TB with money left over.
Some people prefer two drives for reformat/backup purposes. As for Hitachi drives, i think it stems from the poor performance of the IBM drives they inherited. They're still cheap and loud though, which combined with their past rep is reason enough to avoid then, especially if like the OP you wamt the system to last a full 5 years.
Would I be able to tell the difference between the Amd Athlon and Pyhton for what I'm doing(streaming, internet, downloading, Microsoft word)? Thanks for all your suggestions, the one brand I always find that fails is my samsung 120gb hard drive, but the warranty coverage makes up for it. Whats funny is that yesterday my computer broke down, right as I was about to order the case and such.
For that lot you wouldn't notice them over a cheap celeron dual core, high end CPUs are mainly for rendering/encoding and gaming
If you bought a newer hdtv then you shouldn't waist time streaming i would just hook the PC directly to the tv. Your old pc is more then enough for basic web browsing and word. I built a media center computer and i ripped all my dvds, music and BD to it. I use 3 1tb drives to store everything. It is awesome being able to browse a list and click play on all your movies especially when you have over 200.
My old pc just died the motherboard gave out, and since I want to use it as a primary computer, I do no want it hooked up to my tv. Thanks for everyones advice I will post a list of the final build before I buy it.
