Media PC that looks like a DVD-player

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Basically I would like a box that looks and work like a DVD-player -
including music and remote control.
At the same time it should be possible to make a proper Linux or
Windows PC out of it.
****************
I need a DVD-player with recording possibilities. Then it should also
have a hard-disk,
and then its almost a PC anyway...
And if I could use a drive I've got laying around, and the TV as a
console - it shouldn't cost so much more, initially.

It should have the possibility to become a wireless file/media server,
and the central server of the house where we plug in printers and
cameras and put in old hard-drives.

It wont become a work-station, as we don't have the space and use
laptops,
but it could be interesting to put some server applications on it if
they are to heavy for my old laptop.

It is important that it LOOKS like a DVD-player this is a WAF (Wife
Acceptance Factor) thing.
This is the main problem with the "Media PCs" I've seen so far :-(
Though of course it will have to be bit larger if I want to put stuff
into the box!

Please put me on the right path!

Thanks
Olav

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

> I need a DVD-player with recording possibilities. Then it should also
> have a hard-disk,
> and then its almost a PC anyway...

Pretty much. If you're confortable with Linux you can look into the
MythTV project.

> It is important that it LOOKS like a DVD-player this is a WAF (Wife
> Acceptance Factor) thing.

You can get desktop-style microATX cases, but you won't be filling them
with old hard drives.

> This is the main problem with the "Media PCs" I've seen so far :-(
> Though of course it will have to be bit larger if I want to put stuff
> into the box!

Start shopping for cases at a place like newegg as your first piece, so
you can decide what you want it to look like before you decide what else
you need to buy for it.