Building a specialized PC Need Opinions

[LSUfan]

I need to build a PC for work. It is only going to be used for one purpous, that is reviewing digital images from a PC that is hooked to a special camera. The images are all 800x600 and you may be working with many of them at once. The reviewing software is speialized so it is hard for me to tell you it's requirements. This reviewing station will be about 20 ft (2-3 walls in between) from the the main camera (PC). The PC i'm building needs be networked wirelesly to the main PC. Now what I'm asking for is what would be a good combination of components to run this review station. It will never be overclocked.

Motherboard? Over clocking not re a factor
CPU/Heatsink/Fan? prefer intel but open-minded
RAM?
HDD? I will backup on this from the main pc 100 gig range
CD Burner.
PSU/Case?
Video Card? Of course no gaming
Wireless Networking? These are the only two PC's the will networked together. The reason for wireless is it may have to be moved ocasionally.
What would be the fastest most reliable connection between the two.
Budget $1500
Thanks

 

[WannaZO6]

for the wireless you could just get wireless nics for both computers and connect in ad-hoc mode. for such a short range that should be a very reliable connection. if you want something basic like that id look at a lower end dell. it will be nicely put together and easily meet your requirements.

 

[LSUfan]

Originally posted by: WannaZO6
for the wireless you could just get wireless nics for both computers and connect in ad-hoc mode. for such a short range that should be a very reliable connection. if you want something basic like that id look at a lower end dell. it will be nicely put together and easily meet your requirements.

Thanks I was hoping to build the pc myself though. (I enjoy doing it) . as for as the ad-hok connection I have never done that. Do you use some type of bluetooth NICs are can you do it with any wireless NIC. I've always used some type of router to network before. Oh yeah this will kind of throw a monkey in that anyway. I would like to use a print server so that I can print from the review station.

 

[ericboo]

ad-hoc is just a mode you can run wireless clients in, instead of having them connect to a router or DHCP server. Find a wireless client that operates in ad-hoc mode and you just set an option. And you should then share your current printer and you shoul be all set.

Your budget seems to allow for some top notch stuff, but I have slacked on the latest motherboard roundups lately.

 

[mcveigh]

no guarnatee wif will work till you try it. you'd be amazed at what can block a signal.

how much bandwidth do you need for those pics?

 

[LSUfan]

Originally posted by: mcveigh
no guarnatee wif will work till you try it. you'd be amazed at what can block a signal. how much bandwidth do you need for those pics?

The more bandwidth the better. the pics are 800x600 about 1/4 meg each. Many of them will be pulled up in a short time. I was thinking about an 802.11a system so that the pics would come up quickly but I've never used that system (only 802.11b ). I did not know if this would be reliable. (Might have to go through 3 walls. short distance though). And I also never tried to hook them up ad-hoc either. Though this seems simple enough if the cards allow it.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

ok for vid card definatly go with a matrox card if this is for digital imaging. other than that, anything over 1.5GHz and 512MB of ram will do.

P.S. I could make a sutable machine for $500-$600

 

[everman]

You could go RAID 1 if this is a critical machine.

 

[LSUfan]

Originally posted by: everman
You could go RAID 1 if this is a critical machine.

not critical as the data is backed on a raid setup in the main PC

 

[LSUfan]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
ok for vid card definatly go with a matrox card if this is for digital imaging. other than that, anything over 1.5GHz and 512MB of ram will do. P.S. I could make a sutable machine for $500-$600

Thanks I understand that the Matrox gives the best display (g450?)

 

[charlie21]

Matrox cards have always had the best 2D image quality, which is exactly what you need.

A 250kB file should only take ~1/4 of a second at 802.11b speeds, assuming you get the full 11 Mbps connection. I remember reading somewhere that .11b copes with walls and interference better than .11a does.