Upgrade recommendation/advice wanted

[eljay]

I am looking for advice on an upgrade path/refresh for my two PC systems.

System #1 (Media Center PC)
HP Pavilion Media Center m9150f
Specs: http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/ca/en...-81583228.html
OS: Windows 7 Pro 32-bit

System #2 (Office PC)
Custom built by me long time ago
Specs:
Case: Antec Sonata II quiet mid tower (380W PS)
Mobo: Asus K8V (AMD S754-socket, AGP)
Processor: Athlon 64 3000+ (2GHz)
RAM: 1GB (2x512MB)
Graphics: ATI All-In-Wonder X800 XL (256MB AGP)
Audio: Turtle Beach Santa Cruz 5.1 card
HDD1: 120GB SATA
HDD2: 300GB SATA
Monitor: Gateway 20" LCD
Keyboard/mouse: Logitech Cordless Desktop MX3000
--------------------
System #1 is being used as a media center in my living room connected to my 42" LCD TV and Monsson MH-505 5.1 speaker system. It is really the main PC in the apartment used primarily for browsing, Skype, downloading, playing 1080p content etc. It is awkward to use for photo editing or office work because it's hard to do that from the couch.

System #2 is being used for office type work: scanning, printing, documents, and painfully slow photo editing.

Recently, I have more desire to do some photo editing, which the System #2 cannot do well with its specs. So, I am looking for the cheapest way to accomplish this.

Objectives:
1. Have one good (not latest and greatest) photo editing system that could run Adobe Lightroom/PS
2. Spend no more than $100 cash on top of selling any hardware that I have.
3. Get rid of one (or both) PC towers
4. Keep some ability to play driving games if desired (WRC 2 rally game looks interesting)
5. Although I am not afraid of opening the case, I prefer to buy pre-built since I don't have as much time to research components, plus I'm looking to buy used.

Ideally, I would like to have a nettop or SFF HTPC in the living room that would perform just as well as the Media Center I have now for the tasks I mentioned above. Even more ideal would be getting rid of the "office" system and replace it with a used All-in-One PC.

So, the best solution I could come up with so far is this:
- Use System #1 paired with the Gateway LCD for my photo editing (I know Q6600 with 3GB ram is not super nor is the LCD. But it should be ok, right?)
- Sell the old system (what do you think I can get for it?) and use the money plus $100 cash to buy a used nettop/htpc for the living room (The graphics card in #1 is slower than in #2, but if I decide to play some games, I hope I can upgrade that 8500GT to something decent for say $50?)

Also, I was looking at some used All-in-One PCs (like Acer Aspire Z5700) lately to replace the System #2 and have a clean desktop area with some dual-core firepower, but the onboard graphics would leave no hope of playing any games. I'm still not sure that this is an issue for me given that I haven't played any PC games in 3-4 years.

OK, I'll stop here and listen to some advice/suggestions.

Thank you.

 

[Slugbait]

System #1 would be perfectly fine for photo editing.

I doubt you would get much at all selling off system #2. It wouldn't be too bad as an HTPC, but I assume it's running vanilla XP, so the experience won't be nearly as good. If you could find a copy of MCE 2005 somewhere, that would make it better. Otherwise, with a budget of $100, I don't see any options.

 

[Ken g6]

- Use System #1 paired with the Gateway LCD for my photo editing

I think that's a good half-plan.

- Sell the old system (what do you think I can get for it?) and use the money plus $100 cash to buy a used nettop/htpc for the living room

No price checks! (Forum rule.) But I doubt you can get enough for a small HTPC.

System #2 plus a small, cheap graphics card (like this) might meet your HTPC needs.

 

[Ken g6]

It wouldn't be too bad as an HTPC, but I assume it's running vanilla XP, so the experience won't be nearly as good.

http://xbmc.org/?

 

[Slugbait]

http://xbmc.org/?

Certainly an option. Just needs quite a bit of time to be spent configuring, etc...it's quite a bit different than Win7 MCE.

 

[eljay]

Thank you for the replies.
Sorry about the price check question. I still hope to get $100 from that build, although it may be optimistic if I want to keep the LCD. OK, enough about that.

Yes, I don't think that's enough since I like Win7 OS and that alone will be $100. Is it possible to build a dual-core HTPC using older components for $200? I guess I'll have to look for a used brand PC in a slim tower that comes with OS. That may work, but I doubt I'd find one with Media Center features (remote, wireless keyboard/mouse etc.)

Oh, and System #2 is AGP platform, so that PCI-e card won't work.

 

[mfenn]

At a $200 budget for a whole PC, you're pretty much going to have to get used parts as and when you can. Check out the FS/FT here.

 

[eljay]

Would this system be a good replacement for my #2 as HTPC?
http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/produ...775d8395f5en02

 

[mfenn]

You're in Canada? That just makes $200 even harder! :awe:

As for the PC, Good? No. Serviceable? Maybe. It's an original Phenom-based Athlon. I'm not sure that it would handle high bitrate 1080P very well, especially not with its 2008-era IGP.

 

[eljay]

OK, sounds like I will need to spend more money to get what I want.

I was looking through barebones and nettops and getting barebones doesn't make much sense since adding OS alone is $100, so I started looking for one that comes pre-loaded.

Would I notice slowness while multitasking (multiple tabs open, skype with video on, and some media playing at once) on a nettop driiving 1080p TV? Would something like this fit the bill?

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16883220072
It's on special for today only for $319. I will not be buying it today, but may consider looking for a deal on it later.

It's certainly faster in CPU and graphics department than my System #2 and comes with Win 7 Home.

Are there any adapters to convert SPDIF out to regular 3.5mm plugs (front, rear, mid+sub) for 5.1 speaker set?

 

[mfenn]

An E-350 is a pretty nice HTPC CPU, but it isn't super fast when you start loading up on the number of tasks. What you described would be pretty hard on it. About the same amount of money will get you a refurb Pentium 5800, which will handle the above tasks much easier. About $100 more will get you a Core i3 that will eat your scenario for breakfast.

 

[eljay]

Thank you again! Would the integrated Intel GMA 4500 handle 1080p?
I guess I could swap in the 8500GT from system #1 to it and get something better for the other PC, but that's pushing the budget.

Sounds like I will wait for some Black Friday deals on refurbished door crashers.

 

[mfenn]

I don't know if the GMA 4500 will handle 1080P decode acceleration, but it doesn't matter in this case since the E5800 is powerful enough to do the decode entirely in software if it needs to.