Media Centre/network Drive/everything Build.

[JAS-25T]

PM Sent.

[R31Nismoid]

Just for everyone else's reference and critique... this is the end quote

CPU - E7300 - $185

Mobo - EP45 UD3P- $224

Graphics - ATi 4760 1GB - $160

PSU - Corsair HX520 - $160

RAM - 4GB 1066mhz Kingston - $90

HDD - Western Digital 1TB x2 - $155ea, $310tot

LG Blu Ray Player - $120

Vista Home P 32bit - $165

HDTV Card (approx $150, see below)

Case - $200 (see below, using approx for now)

CPU Cooler - $70

Running Total - 1

$1,834

Delivery of parts (PCCaseGear.com dont let you do pickup) - $25. I'll order some stuff for myself at the same time so that will keep delivery low for you there.

$25 might seem high, but i get insurance on all deliveries just incase.

Running Total - 2

$1,889

Labour i put down as $230, that includes me installing Vista, load testing, overclocking (slightly), Codec's & customising some filters/settings and so on for the media players and playing the 720/1080 rips and so on. And delivery/insurance on top of that, whatever it comes too.

I'll be the first to admit this is a pretty high end media box, CPU change and GPU change and it would play some of the latest games without a drama.

Obviously could be done cheaper as is a media box, however I'm just working to the parts on page 1 for the main driver.

I don't get business pricing for the parts either (if that actually exists) so ye... retail for me!

Thoughts everyone?

I'm actually thinking of doing recreational PC building for a bit of cash on the side, so peoples input is appreciated overall good or bad.

[JAS-25T]

I will check it out properly over the next few days and get back to you mate. cheers!

[DivHunter]

Just for everyone else's reference and critique... this is the end quote

CPU - E7300 - $185

Mobo - EP45 UD3P- $224

Graphics - ATi 4760 1GB - $160

PSU - Corsair HX520 - $160

RAM - 4GB 1066mhz Kingston - $90

HDD - Western Digital 1TB x2 - $155ea, $310tot

LG Blu Ray Player - $120

Vista Home P 32bit - $165

HDTV Card (approx $150, see below)

Case - $200 (see below, using approx for now)

CPU Cooler - $70

Running Total - 1

$1,834

Delivery of parts (PCCaseGear.com dont let you do pickup) - $25. I'll order some stuff for myself at the same time so that will keep delivery low for you there.

$25 might seem high, but i get insurance on all deliveries just incase.

Running Total - 2

$1,889

Labour i put down as $230, that includes me installing Vista, load testing, overclocking (slightly), Codec's & customising some filters/settings and so on for the media players and playing the 720/1080 rips and so on. And delivery/insurance on top of that, whatever it comes too.

I'll be the first to admit this is a pretty high end media box, CPU change and GPU change and it would play some of the latest games without a drama.

Obviously could be done cheaper as is a media box, however I'm just working to the parts on page 1 for the main driver.

I don't get business pricing for the parts either (if that actually exists) so ye... retail for me!

Thoughts everyone?

I'm actually thinking of doing recreational PC building for a bit of cash on the side, so peoples input is appreciated overall good or bad.

I really only use PCCG for stuff that MSY doesn't have, so hardly ever. Bastards with no pickup, I was sure they'd open the shop front again, it's not like they don't have it anymore and there were many complaints. Returns are now a dirty dirty whore to complete with them. So this puts their service at 0 much like MSY except I can go and pick stuff up from them.

I hate Gigabyte and their raver vomit colour schemes. You don't really get anything specal from the consumer level brands anyway so it might as well work and look ok. XFX, DFI, Asus they don't accidentally the whole colour scheme. The mobo is slight overkill in terms of functionality but you really do get what you pay for just like PSUs so it's justified.

My only quip is the cooler, why is it needed for a media box? I built a friends' system that has been running for around 12 months with a E8200 at 3.0GHz (ran the same chip at 3.8 with a Silent Knight) on the stock cooler in bungalow with no AC. It runs games and more games with a stock cooled 3870 in there too.

[R31Nismoid]

PCCG you can drop off RMA's dude. I will be next week.

You just cant pickup sales anymore which is a fken headache i agree - and hence im the same, only use them for stuff i cant get elsewhere now, so their own loss really

I used to pickup also as its only 10mins from me if that.

MSY often are outta stock if i need stuff last minute and dont stock "everything" all the time being so popular which is fair enough.

Only reason for a cooler - having seen the temps my E8400 was doing on the stock cooler... i was horrified. Intel cooler ran i think 40-45degree's over ambient @ load (i think it was more actually)... Swap out cooler, dropped 20 or so right off the bat, i got it down a fair bit more with work but yet, just a decent cooler was thanks.

I know even though its 'within' spec from Intel, heat is the enemy of all electronics and if its running 24x7 as a server/media box etc the added head reduction could go a long way over a long time. And for $70 i think its money well spent as i dont wanna give something to someone that isn't how i would run a setup

[TALBO]

What cooler did you choose?

Probably don't need a mobo that expensive for a htpc, other than that looks the goods

[R31Nismoid]

I ain't picked out a cooler yet, PCCG are outta stock of most HTPC coolers till end of march (virtually now stuff should be coming back into stock)

A Scythe Shuriken was on the cards though, nice and quiet, and not too large

Ye i know the mobo is high up there, I noted that in a reply and i did umm/arrrh over it for a while, could save $50-$80 there easily enough and get a ASRock or something as they are cheap and pretty well feature laden but then for the $150 (cpu/mobo savings) out of the 1650 or so, i added in anyhow.

Same with CPU, i could knock back to a E5300 or something similar easily enough, which if knocking back the mobo, id back off CPU too in retrospect

But then in 18-24months Jason could upgrade to a Core2Quad and then get another solid 18months out of it i reckon in terms of processing power. Higher end quads in 18months will be cheap as chips and then the mobo choice will really shine.

At least the feedback is im not far off the mark lol, i was praying i wasn't getting too carried away.

I could always build a much cheaper one, but then reliability comes into question and that's just a headache really for all concerned

[TALBO]

I've always put a little extra (money) into the builds I've done and have seen less problems. It is worth it 99.9% of the time.

I'm a big fan of the Noctua coolers and fans. Quiet, light weight and efficient.

[R31Nismoid]

Ye me too, i have a OCZ Vendetta2 personally, stock fan i couldnt even hear it. I changed of course but for someone only playing mild (in a tower) it would go nicely same as a Noctua

However i'm unsure of HTPC room, so lowest profile, with the best cooling/low noise i could find

[TALBO]

Ye me too, i have a OCZ Vendetta2 personally, stock fan i couldnt even hear it. I changed of course but for someone only playing mild (in a tower) it would go nicely same as a Noctua

However i'm unsure of HTPC room, so lowest profile, with the best cooling/low noise i could find

Sounds like you have it all sorted then.

For applications like HTPC's you can generally get away with very slow fans speeds ( I generally use those potentiometer types that come with fans that I'd normally discard for OC'ed machines) so long as there is ventilation around the case. I know this sounds pretty obvious (but you'd be surprised by some of the things I've seen)..... keeping cool air passing over components and CPU HS then extracted through top or rear. Easy!

[DivHunter]

PCCG you can drop off RMA's dude. I will be next week.

When you have to do it multiple times and wait for post it's annoying.

Edited March 24, 2009 by DivHunter

[R31Nismoid]

Well they post back to you ye... that's annoying... but at least i dont believe its a cost...

Will check that out next week. If im paying for a RMA to come back - then ill never use em again

[JAS-25T]

Hey Ash,

Just to let you know your hard work is not unappreciated, I just have been too busy with more important things than getting this sorted.

Will let you know when I do. Also understand prices may change in the mean time.

Thanks mate!

[R31Nismoid]

No worries

[Beer Baron]

ok, nismoidski. help a brother out with some advice.

looking to build an integrated home music system.

must have:

hard drive

nice remote (s)

hooked up to TV etc in the main lounge room and speakers in there.

out door speakers

kitchen speakers

plus 1 other (maybe 2) room speakers

so basically 4 rooms, HD etc.

I've been looking at a bose system and so far it's in front, but total cost will be near $30,000 by the time it's installed. ideally $20,000 or less would be nice.

I've also been looking at some sonos gear which looks good.

I've been looking at this:

http://www.bose.com.au/site/index.aspx?pat...=3&pgid=184

and adding some of these: http://www.bose.com.au/site/index.aspx?pat...d=6&pgid=18 or these http://www.bose.com.au/site/index.aspx?pat...d=6&pgid=17

and this for another room http://www.bose.com.au/site/index.aspx?pat...=7&pgid=108

and this for anther room http://www.bose.com.au/site/index.aspx?pat...12&pgid=196

need a couple of these to drive the outdoor speakers http://www.bose.com.au/site/index.aspx?pat...d=8&pgid=27

there are a few other bits needed too, but that's the basics.

it also has to be easy to use, and the more it can do the better.

This is the sonos gear http://www.sonos.com/Default.aspx?rdr=true&LangType=1033

Does anyone have experience with the sonos stuff? I quite like the bose home gear.

The other option of course (and why I'm in this thread). is to get a kick ass media PC. have it connected to the HD TV and use the TV for the GUI with a remote of some kind, and then add in some good amps and speakers for the other rooms, but have it commanded by the PC, with a good piece of software and a nice remote, and a BD drive, and maybe a pair of 500gb HDs. Could also then use it to record TV etc with a good tuner or two in the box.

Any idea on good cases and what type of software to run? and what specs I'll need?

[JAS-25T]

If I were you Dick, I would be seeking a specialist to do the job. Not because I don't think that between yourself and Ash, you couldn't do it, but because they would have something to suit your requirements as that is a fairly complex system.

Something that will come with warranty, peace of mind and that you don't have to worry about installing or checking if you done it right.

It sounds like a job left to someone who has the time to get it right from the start, from experience. I know it would probably cost an extra few bob, but I wouldn't personally go down that path, unless I did it as a profession.

[Beer Baron]

yeah agreed. I have been looking at the local bose dealer (david jones in this case) and I know they can spec the system and get a proper installer to do it but the cost is pretty harsh. the sonos gear I have no idea about, but that too came from a professional high fi store here in sydney too. just got to thinking that maybe it could be done better if run by a decent PC with some nice software for the UI and some decent hardware to store music etc.

you have a point though, it has to look nice as well as sound nice, and be reliable, not look cobbled together from bastardised PC bits.

[R31Nismoid]

Rich - i would be talking to a professional dude about the whole house fitment. If your spending 20k then you'd ideally get 3-4 quotes/statements of work and so on and see which best suits.

PC wise - you can get that side working no problem. I believe Funky reccomends a program called Media Monkey (oh the irony) or something and is VERY good in that respect.

I haven't used it so I cant really comment there.

I reckon definitely could be done via PC (with a good sound card as well, on-board wouldn't cut it for a nice decent audio install like that). And then the feed from the Sound Card would feed to the AMP you choose and so on.

Sound cards for that level are around the $270-$330 mark and i would recommend a "Auzentech X-Fi Prelude 7.1" or "ASUS Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe"

But then the professionals might have other ideas and options, all depends.

You could use a case like some of the below.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...roducts_id=6373

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...roducts_id=7960

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_p...roducts_id=6675

Silverstone seem to be one of the better HTPC style case makers, not cheap but then look fken cool. But then your spending a fair bit so you'd wanna checkout all the features and what offers what etc etc.

[JAS-25T]

We have a mob down here who advertise systems kinda like what you are looking at, I could put you on to them, and I'm sure they would be more than happy to come to Sydney for a decent sized job. Let me know if you are keen on contact details or whatever.

[R31Nismoid]

There are heaps of places that do it once you start looking - mate of mine does very similar...

Except he's doing it in Thailand haha