Hello all.
I've always wanted a media PC and so on a whim last Thursday bought an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6400 & ECS P4M800Pro-M V2 Motherboard. My the MOBO wouldn't post so I went back to troubleshoot it and they couldn't get it to work either. Since they had the same combo with the E6300 for $169.99, I just returned what I had and got that instead.
I had originally planned to pick up a Sonata II case from ZZF for $89.99 AR with free shipping, pop the combo in there, recycle a 9600XT AIW card that is collecting dust, steal a stick of Kingston PC3200 valueram from my main machine (which has way more than required for a productivity / non-gaming / web surfing computer), and put in two 500 GB Hds that are on my powerful computer holding media.
Only one hitch. The second combo I have didn't come with a HSF. So I go on line to research and everything gets . . . complicated. Everything.
My goals are for the computer to run:
- MediaPortal or BeyondTV or SageTV (or something else I don't know about). I don't know which yet; that will require more research. Random question: will a media center remote do anything in Windows XP installation? i.e. Can I control Media Player clasic with it? Record programs, play back programs easily.I know it will interface with the above programs, but how about outside of those programs?
- ORB ? Stream TV, recorded content, and other media to my Palm Treo 700wx windows mobile 5 device. That stuff is just so cool.
- Be my ?Always on? media server to the other computers in the house. Also be the ?Always on? download computer. Hence the desire to have it be very very quiet as it is in my living room.
- Play media to a standard 32? tv, though perhaps eventually to an HDTV. This is where the Asrock board would come in handy. My PNY 6600GT has full HDTV output.
After some minor research, here is where I am at.
Recycled Ram, Video Card, Hard Drives:
9600XT or 6600GT. 512MB PC3200 valueram. WD 120GB drive for system, 1 or 2 500GB drives for media / TV recording. Steal a DVD drive from another comp for install and pick up another one later.
MOBO:
Sell the ECS P4M800Pro-M on eBay, buy the Asrock 775Dual-VSTA from Newegg.
This would allow me to reuse my old RAM and 9600XT video card while also allowing me to reuse an old 6600GT at a later date along with an ATI Theater 650 if I wanted to go that route in the future.
The big disadvantage here is that it doesn't overclock very well. The computer will run ORB and I hear that ORB is a bit lame when detecting processing power when it comes to the E6300: i.e. it sees it as an inferior chip to a 2.4 Ghz single core Pentium 4 and will only let you stream at 320 X 240 because of it. This made me want to overclock it, but I guess I could also just wait for the software to be fixed. Otherwise the E6300 should be more than adequate for my purposes. Do you think?
Any other boards I should be considering? Any thoughts on this? Is 512 MB RAM fine for what I am using this computer for?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157092
The rest of the post has other system details. You can ignore if you like as the focus here is mainly on the MOBO selection.
CPU Cooler:
Arctic Freezer 7 for $21 shipped from Provantage
or
Thermalright Ultra-120
I know with the limited overclocking of my board there isn't much point in the Thermalright. But, I might upgrade the board in the future with all new components and try and get some extra performance out of it. But then again, is extra performance really necessary with what I am trying to do with this computer? If I get a 1920 X 1080 P HDTV will a stock E6300 cut it for playing back at this resolution or would an overclock be necessary?
Is the Arctic Freezer 7 quiet enough? How about a Scythe Mine?
Case & PSU
Here is where I am at a total loss. I was just going to get the Antec Sonata II for $89.99 with PSU. But now I hear the PSU isn't very good and won't last long. Also, isn't the Antec Solo more or less an improved version of this case?
I considered something like the Antec Fusion, but am leaning against it or something like it for the following reasons:
- I want to use more than 2 internal Hard Drives eventually. OK, fine, I could get by with 2, but this computer is a file server in addition to being my media center. I might need more space
- It is more expensive
- I don't really care about the microATX requirement, but it would be nice to pick up a cheap Fry's combo down the road that might not necessarily be microATX
- I just don't care that much about it looking like a piece of stereo equipment.
So, I suppose I want something LIKE the Sonata II or the SOLO, but is there anything better?
Cheaper is better but I'm not against paying a little extra.
Priorities:
- Around 3 to 4 Internal Hds with quiet mounting and good cooling. I've lose 4 Hds over the years due to the click of death. I want decent cooling here.
- Somewhat nice looking. I mini / Midtower is fine like the Sonata II or Solo.
- Not too expensive
- QUIET. This is VERY VERY important as it will be on pretty much 24/7.
--------------------------
So, what do you think, AT MOBO community? Is the Asrock a good choice? Is there anything else which is competitive for my niche and that overclocks better?
Any other suggestions or comments on what I am trying to accomplish here?
Thanks in advance!
I've always wanted a media PC and so on a whim last Thursday bought an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E6400 & ECS P4M800Pro-M V2 Motherboard. My the MOBO wouldn't post so I went back to troubleshoot it and they couldn't get it to work either. Since they had the same combo with the E6300 for $169.99, I just returned what I had and got that instead.
I had originally planned to pick up a Sonata II case from ZZF for $89.99 AR with free shipping, pop the combo in there, recycle a 9600XT AIW card that is collecting dust, steal a stick of Kingston PC3200 valueram from my main machine (which has way more than required for a productivity / non-gaming / web surfing computer), and put in two 500 GB Hds that are on my powerful computer holding media.
Only one hitch. The second combo I have didn't come with a HSF. So I go on line to research and everything gets . . . complicated. Everything.
My goals are for the computer to run:
- MediaPortal or BeyondTV or SageTV (or something else I don't know about). I don't know which yet; that will require more research. Random question: will a media center remote do anything in Windows XP installation? i.e. Can I control Media Player clasic with it? Record programs, play back programs easily.I know it will interface with the above programs, but how about outside of those programs?
- ORB ? Stream TV, recorded content, and other media to my Palm Treo 700wx windows mobile 5 device. That stuff is just so cool.
- Be my ?Always on? media server to the other computers in the house. Also be the ?Always on? download computer. Hence the desire to have it be very very quiet as it is in my living room.
- Play media to a standard 32? tv, though perhaps eventually to an HDTV. This is where the Asrock board would come in handy. My PNY 6600GT has full HDTV output.
After some minor research, here is where I am at.
Recycled Ram, Video Card, Hard Drives:
9600XT or 6600GT. 512MB PC3200 valueram. WD 120GB drive for system, 1 or 2 500GB drives for media / TV recording. Steal a DVD drive from another comp for install and pick up another one later.
MOBO:
Sell the ECS P4M800Pro-M on eBay, buy the Asrock 775Dual-VSTA from Newegg.
This would allow me to reuse my old RAM and 9600XT video card while also allowing me to reuse an old 6600GT at a later date along with an ATI Theater 650 if I wanted to go that route in the future.
The big disadvantage here is that it doesn't overclock very well. The computer will run ORB and I hear that ORB is a bit lame when detecting processing power when it comes to the E6300: i.e. it sees it as an inferior chip to a 2.4 Ghz single core Pentium 4 and will only let you stream at 320 X 240 because of it. This made me want to overclock it, but I guess I could also just wait for the software to be fixed. Otherwise the E6300 should be more than adequate for my purposes. Do you think?
Any other boards I should be considering? Any thoughts on this? Is 512 MB RAM fine for what I am using this computer for?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157092
The rest of the post has other system details. You can ignore if you like as the focus here is mainly on the MOBO selection.
CPU Cooler:
Arctic Freezer 7 for $21 shipped from Provantage
or
Thermalright Ultra-120
I know with the limited overclocking of my board there isn't much point in the Thermalright. But, I might upgrade the board in the future with all new components and try and get some extra performance out of it. But then again, is extra performance really necessary with what I am trying to do with this computer? If I get a 1920 X 1080 P HDTV will a stock E6300 cut it for playing back at this resolution or would an overclock be necessary?
Is the Arctic Freezer 7 quiet enough? How about a Scythe Mine?
Case & PSU
Here is where I am at a total loss. I was just going to get the Antec Sonata II for $89.99 with PSU. But now I hear the PSU isn't very good and won't last long. Also, isn't the Antec Solo more or less an improved version of this case?
I considered something like the Antec Fusion, but am leaning against it or something like it for the following reasons:
- I want to use more than 2 internal Hard Drives eventually. OK, fine, I could get by with 2, but this computer is a file server in addition to being my media center. I might need more space
- It is more expensive
- I don't really care about the microATX requirement, but it would be nice to pick up a cheap Fry's combo down the road that might not necessarily be microATX
- I just don't care that much about it looking like a piece of stereo equipment.
So, I suppose I want something LIKE the Sonata II or the SOLO, but is there anything better?
Cheaper is better but I'm not against paying a little extra.
Priorities:
- Around 3 to 4 Internal Hds with quiet mounting and good cooling. I've lose 4 Hds over the years due to the click of death. I want decent cooling here.
- Somewhat nice looking. I mini / Midtower is fine like the Sonata II or Solo.
- Not too expensive
- QUIET. This is VERY VERY important as it will be on pretty much 24/7.
--------------------------
So, what do you think, AT MOBO community? Is the Asrock a good choice? Is there anything else which is competitive for my niche and that overclocks better?
Any other suggestions or comments on what I am trying to accomplish here?
Thanks in advance!
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