New pc build help

[tpabulldog]

Hello and first of all to everyone a Big Thank you.
I am going to be as specific and detailed as possible in this writing so it may appear a bit long.
Forgive this but it?s the details and specifics that get the right answers.

I would really appreciate some help in building my next PC
I am experienced and capable at doing the build as well as software loading etc.

I will be using an Intel CPU just because that?s what I prefer
the following is just a guideline as to where I am heading with this build.
Any advice or recommendations and explanations will be greatly appreciated.

I?ve been on NewEgg and other sites doing some preliminary shopping and making a wish list.
Since I very rarely have time to play games this will not be a
?Gaming PC?
I do however want it to be very fast ultra reliable and stable as well as being as upgradeable as possible for the future I usually go 3-4 years between PC buy/builds.
I will be using a ATX Lian Li tower case with a 400 watt PS (Power supply could be upgraded if it becomes necessary)

This computer will be used mainly for the following.
I use broadband cable for internet.

Regular internet surfing
Email
Watching TV
Watching DVD?s
Some Document processing, letters etc using M.S. Word
Burning DVD?s, Cd?s, videos etc.
Nothing that is what I would call Power intensive but I do want it to be as up to date and get as much Bang for the buck as I can since it will most likely be on my desk for 2-3 years without a hardware change

I want to stay under my budget of $1500.00

I am not as knowledgeable as I would like to be when it comes to motherboards.
I know that I want reliability and stability as well as upgradeability to take preference over OCing ability. I doubt I will ever Overclock this pc. This is where I need the most help choosing the right board to go with everything else.
Yes I want fast but I also want it to last.
This is what I have come up with on my own so far.

Motherboard = Intel BOXDG965WHMKR Socket T (LGA 775) Intel G965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard.
This board has onboard Graphics and audio. Which since I don?t play games should be fine for now and there is always the option of disabling these and adding graphics and audio cards in the future as budget and desire for upgrades kicks in.


CPU = Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600

Memory = G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

2 Hard Drives which will be on Sata Raid 0 = Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

LCD Monitor = Hans HW-192DJB Gloss Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor with Height & Pivot Adjustments
After much research I think (could be wrong) this is a great monitor for the $$

DVD Drives = 2 X NEC 16X DVD±R DVD Burners Black IDE/ATAPI Model ND-3550A I like to copy Disk to disk so 2 dbl layer dvd recorders is a must

TV Card = VisionTek VTK-THMCE550P PCI Interface Video Device
TV Card (Yes I use my PC to watch TV so this is important)

These components total just under $1300.00 which is very cost effective (doable) for me right now.
Before I make any orders and finalize this build I would really like to get a few expert and not so expert opinions

Thank you from Tampa, Fl

Ed

 

[DaveSimmons]

RAID 0 doubles your risk of data loss and doesn't offer much of a performance gain.

Are you sure you don't want RAID 1 (mirroring) instead, to protect you against drive failure?

 

[kuqdew]

good job!

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Originally posted by: tpabulldog
Hello and first of all to everyone a Big Thank you.
I am going to be as specific and detailed as possible in this writing so it may appear a bit long.
Forgive this but it?s the details and specifics that get the right answers.

I would really appreciate some help in building my next PC
I am experienced and capable at doing the build as well as software loading etc.

Welcome to the boards! We're glad to help.

I will be using an Intel CPU just because that?s what I prefer

Becoming attached to a certain brand is not a good thing, especially when it's about the CPU. AMD is an excellent company with a better track record the last decade than Intel. Just a few months ago insisting on Intel would be a waste of money pure and simple. Fortunately, in your budget an Intel build is your best bet. But please be aware it has nothing to do with product reliability or customer service. Both AMD and Intel are stellar on that front. Intel is simply the best bang for your buck in this price range.

the following is just a guideline as to where I am heading with this build.
Any advice or recommendations and explanations will be greatly appreciated.

I?ve been on NewEgg and other sites doing some preliminary shopping and making a wish list.
Since I very rarely have time to play games this will not be a
?Gaming PC?
I do however want it to be very fast ultra reliable and stable

This is a difficult thing to gauge. There's no quantitative measurement of "stability" for components. But we will try to find something nice.

as well as being as upgradeable as possible for the future I usually go 3-4 years between PC buy/builds.
I will be using a ATX Lian Li tower case with a 400 watt PS (Power supply could be upgraded if it becomes necessary)

A 400W power supply should be fine, but if it's a generic you'll want to upgrade for reliability reasons. Also, you may need a 24-pin adapter if you're board only supports 20-pin boards. I like the Fortron Source (FSP Group) ATX350-PA if you need a replacement. If you haven't already gotten a case, I'd look at the AMS CF-1089BK, which looks great and costs little.

This computer will be used mainly for the following.
I use broadband cable for internet.

Regular internet surfing
Email
Watching TV
Watching DVD?s
Some Document processing, letters etc using M.S. Word
Burning DVD?s, Cd?s, videos etc.
Nothing that is what I would call Power intensive but I do want it to be as up to date and get as much Bang for the buck as I can since it will most likely be on my desk for 2-3 years without a hardware change

I want to stay under my budget of $1500.00

I am not as knowledgeable as I would like to be when it comes to motherboards.
I know that I want reliability and stability as well as upgradeability to take preference over OCing ability. I doubt I will ever Overclock this pc. This is where I need the most help choosing the right board to go with everything else.
Yes I want fast but I also want it to last.
This is what I have come up with on my own so far.

Motherboard = Intel BOXDG965WHMKR Socket T (LGA 775) Intel G965 Express ATX Intel Motherboard.
This board has onboard Graphics and audio. Which since I don?t play games should be fine for now and there is always the option of disabling these and adding graphics and audio cards in the future as budget and desire for upgrades kicks in.

With a 19" LCD on which you'll be watching lots of video, you'll definitely want a dedicated graphics card. Besides, integrated boards are almost always minimally upgradable.

I suggest the Gigabyte GA-945P-S3. Those who own it seem to like it very much, and it's definitely very, very upgradable. It's also under $100, which is very cool.

CPU = Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 Processor Model BX80557E6600

Good choice.

Memory = G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

Bad choice. Core 2 Duo boards have proven very picky with RAM. I suggest something from a proven manufacturer at no more than 1.8V. I like how the Patriot PSD22G667K kit looks. Generally speaking, you want DDR2-667 (800 is still overpriced and yields minimal performance gains), 1.8V 240-pin DDR2-667 from a major manufacturer *other than OCZ,* which has been having problems recently. Patriot, Ultra, Corsair, Crucial and Kingston are all fairly reliable.

2 Hard Drives which will be on Sata Raid 0 = Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200KS 320GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

You're going to run RAID 0 and you're concerned about reliability? Tsk, tsk. Two drives can definitely be great, but by all means either run them normally or in RAID 1. Also, 320GB drives are still a bit pricey. Western Digital makes nice 250GB drives, model WD2500JS, which you can run in RAID 1 for reliability. Four of them would work nicely for 500GB total space, or just two if you're fine with 250GB. If you're fine with just a normal setup, Seagate makes a nice 400GB drive for $130.

LCD Monitor = Hans HW-192DJB Gloss Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor with Height & Pivot Adjustments
After much research I think (could be wrong) this is a great monitor for the $$

That looks fine, I guess, but the Acer N82E16824009091 is cheaper, has great reviews and comes from a brand with proven, reliable customer service. That's what I'd suggest.

DVD Drives = 2 X NEC 16X DVD±R DVD Burners Black IDE/ATAPI Model ND-3550A I like to copy Disk to disk so 2 dbl layer dvd recorders is a must

You don't need two burners to copy from disc to disc, just two drives. However, since they're so cheap nowadays, it's not a bad idea to get a burner instead of a DVD-ROM. But don't get the same model! See, as advanced as DVD recording technology is, compatibility is still a big issue. It's very common to buy some DVD or CD media and have it be incompatible with your hardware. Instead, buy two different models, preferably from different brands. That way, if you happen to buy media that's incompatible in your primary drive, odds are your backup drive will accept it.

The ND-3550A you have picked out is a great drive, sure as the sky is blue. For your second, I suggest the Lite-on SHM-165H6S retail. It's got lightscribe, DVD-RAM support, and comes with a couple of very useful software titles. Sure, you can get just about any program illegally, but why break the law if you don't have to?

TV Card = VisionTek VTK-THMCE550P PCI Interface Video Device
TV Card (Yes I use my PC to watch TV so this is important)

That looks good, yes. The Asus EN6200TC256/TD/64M is probably a good bet for an output card to go with it.

Also, I'd invest in a floppy drive, too. The NEC FD1231H-302 looks nice against a black case. Also, a firewire card could prove useful. The Zurotech PW-1110T looks fine (basically the cheapest card with 1394b support).

These components total just under $1300.00 which is very cost effective (doable) for me right now.
Before I make any orders and finalize this build I would really like to get a few expert and not so expert opinions

Thank you from Tampa, Fl

Well, if you take my advice and get what I suggested, the total comes to $1,283.70 *after* shipping (there is no tax through NewEgg). If you need a copy of Windows XP, add another $90 or so, although with a tuner card you might want to spend the extra $20 for Media Center. The exact total with everything (including case, PSU and Media Center) is $1,395.33, well under your $1,500 budget.

Hope that all helps. Good luck.