What do you guys think of this?

[HomerSapien]

Im building a sff computer for my parents for the sole purpose of pvr and music and possible storing pictures and files.... Their 2 requirements was that it needs to be as close to silent as i can get it and under $1000. It is connecting to a 36" Sony Vega Tv (not hd capable) and that is on a tv-stand that has glass doors. It will be going inside there. For audio, they have a nice amp with Klipsch reference speakers and a paradigm powered sub.

Shuttle SN41G2V2B (open to suggestions on cases that look like stereo equipment)
Amd Mobile XP 2400+ (35 Watt version of the Barton core,maybe the 2200+ version)
512 MB Ram ddr-3200 (Same price as 2700 and the case supports it)
Seagate 200GB (I am tempted to look into the 5400 RPM but this they want to have some speed while they cut commercials and make dvds)
Pioneer A07 burner (Currently mine, but the Pioneer A08 is going to be a thank you present for this)
Hauppage pvr-500 (when it comes out, rumor has it for ~$200)

X-Micro Lan 54mbps wireless g usb adapter
Zalman ZM-NB32J northbridge chipset cooler
Onboard sound sent to Amp through spdif or stereo out..Amp has a plethora of connectors..

I am not sure on the video card or if the geforce 4 mx would be enough, since it will not play games, it should be fine, i just do not know how good the tv-out is going to be.

I am also not sure of which heatsink to use or which one would fit inside the case, but as with everything else, silence is welcome. I was thinking of a Zalman 7000 alcu, but i doubt it will fit. Maybe the 6500 version.

Currently, the total at newegg is 1012.95(with expected price of the pvr-500) including Win XP media center 2005 and i am going to get them a remote control that is programmable with their current stuff, but i can hold off on that for now since the hauppage "should" come with a remote. They want this done at christmas so i have from now until then to actually buy the pieces and put it together.

Thanks for any help or suggestions

 

[loup garou]

How old are your parents? Are they comfortable with computers? Will they be able to support themselves if something breaks or goes wrong?

I'd just buy them a tivo and a lifetime subscription and save yourself a lot of headaches. The Humax Tivo w/ dvd recorder is only like $400.

BTW, I have a SN41G2, the tv out sucks.

 

[HomerSapien]

50-60 range. They dont watch alot of tv, its just the shows they like come on at the same time and my sister is living with them for now. Mom is pretty computer literate and understands what i am saying when i walk her through something over the phone. (she is my dads office manager and he is a hand surgeon. Tons of computer problems at work that she deals with, mostly with crappy fax modem software, scanning problems and printing). Dad needs someting easy, but he also likes to have the latest and greatest. He just doesnt have the time to tinker with things to figure them out He is able to use Sage Tv that i have on my computer when he visits. I was going to try win xp media center tv control and if it is complicated, i would just install sage tv. They wont be tinkering with the computer itself and they really wont be installing any additional programs outside of the initial install.

I thought about the tivo. There are a few problems with it that i am currently thinking of. Voiding the warranty to add storage space is one and having to have a phone line for the initial install. Having to buy multiple lifetime subscriptions for multiple tivos and even having to buy the media packs (extra $99) to share between tivos. (with sage tv, we could stream it to any computer in the house if needed since our house has wireless and wired internet access). I also want to have multiple tuners, which i havent seen in any tivo model yet. In the long run, a computer is about the same price if it doesnt need to be the latest and greatest. Also, with a computer, they really like the idea of scolling through it for their dvds (autogordian knot is simple enough for anyone) and they like the idea of cutting commercials to save a series to dvd if needed.

Mom doesnt like the principle of paying a subscription for what is basically a tv guide. She has enough fits about what Cox Comm. is doing in their area by constantly removing popular channels and telling people to just upgrade and pay more for digital cable. For instance, Stars, Sci fi, tech channel, some news.


About the tv out....What video card has good tv out? I have a saphire 9600xt (passive cooled) and a hauppage pvr 250 in it that i will be testing the tv out on later....

 

[loup garou]

1) Yes you do have to void the warranty to add space, that is a drawback, as is the need for a phoneline for the initial install.
2) You cannot purchase multiple lifetime subs, just 1 lifetime sub. You can get a discounted $7/mo sub for additional units.
3) The HMO is free now. It hasn't been $99 for over a year.
4) Tivo To Go comes out at the end of this year, allowing for transfer/streaming of shows to computers and dvd burning. Cost is unknown though.
5) You're paying for a lot more than the guide with a Tivo sub (wishlists, season passes, etc) but I can understand how someone could mistake that.
6) You just can't beat tivo for ease of use...and trust me, the new models with DVD burning work GREAT.

That said, I can see your point(s). However, I have parents in the same age range and I would dread to leave them alone with something that, when it crashes, they are without their TV! They get ornery enough when their internet connection goes down for whatever reason.

XPMCE 2k5 is so cool, especially with the Extenders coming out...you can stream everything to any tv in the house wirelessly without having to buy another computer or copy of MCE. I'm probably going to pick up a copy soon and turn an extra system into a MC...I don't think it's quite "there" enough to replace my tivos though.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with what has good video out at the moment...

 

[HomerSapien]

thanks for the replies werk... Ill look into the tv option again. I do think that might be the path of least resistance for my dads technology learning curve. I ll look around for any multiple tuner systems and one more thing, do you know if they will play aac music files and more specifically, purchased music from itunes? That isnt a big deal but my mom loves the itunes store and it would be a nice extra, other wise a airport express might work instead. Each has advantages and disadvantages that make this difficult to decide on.

Hmm..I didnt know that about the extenders. That would be awesome for my place.