Need suggestions for building a Media PC

[patrickestarian]

Here are my requirements:

- I want to place it in my TV stand and connect it to the Receiver and TV by HDMI and be able to play movies, music, streaming (netflix, youtube, pandora, etc) but I don't want a gaming machine - I don't play games.

- Highest quality for Audio and Video. Looks like some 1080p advertisements are just an up-convert and not real 1080p. So, I really need to have the best sound and picture quality on my TV. BTW, is there any new protocol that I should consider for the future? I heard 4k is coming up. Is there any device that can handle 4k?

- Remote Keyboard/Touch but not a large (standard) keyboard

- Fast Startup and Shutdown time and resistant to power disconnect

- No Hard Disk (I am thinking to boot it from a memory flash)

- Super quiet

- Less than $400


What I need is a list of components with specific model numbers (motherboard, cpu, etc.).

Appreciate your help...

 

[pfunkmd]

Well less than 400 that wont do if you want the best of everything.

 

[patrickestarian]

Well, I don't want best of everything. I just did a quick newegg cart and with a Mini ATX - combo motherboard, with 1 GB memory, you can build a descent computer. My concern is that I'm afraid of missing a new standard or something. Very hard to keep up to the new protocols and standards and technologies that big companies come up with every day.

 

[pfunkmd]

I will put one together for you real quick and I will get what you need and nothing more.

 

[pfunkmd]

Cpu amd fx 4100 109 dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103996

Motherboard ASRock 970DE3/U3S3 67dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157305

Case 21.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811154109

Power supply 47 dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817159127

Hdmi Video card ASUS EAH5450 45 dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121496

Sound card HT | OMEGA STRIKER 7.1 75 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829271001

windows 7 64 99 dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

ram samsung 4gb 25 dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147095

Dvd rom 17 dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

hard drive 75 dollars http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136770

580 total


This is cheap as I could get it look at everything and add it up. You needed a good sound card and you really need a bigger hard drive. You cannot just go and get all the crap parts if it will be a media pc. Let me see your list. The newer systems need good power you can not just go and get the cheapest you find.

 

[pfunkmd]

I think you need to kick out a little more and get a built pc. 400 jjust will not cut it for a media pc

 

[pfunkmd]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883108702

this one has good parts for the price gaming pc's are always built better are always the best it has 8gb of ram 500 gig hard drive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229310

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Dual-Core-Gaming-PC-Computer-4GB-RAM-HDMI-Windows-7-Pro-A4-3400-FM1-Socket-/180862135183?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item2a1c392b8f#ht_3983wt_659

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AMD-DUAL-CORE-DESKTOP-COMPUTER-PC-HDMI-GAMING-WINDOWS-7-8GB-DDR3-500GB-HD-/230778457391?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item35bb77cd2f#ht_1263wt_1194
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Desktop-Gaming-Computer-PC-AMD-FX-4100-3-8GHz-Quad-Core-X4-GeForce-DVI-HDMI-/251012065389?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item3a717c286d#ht_4922wt_1194
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-AMD-FX-4100-3-8GHz-Quad-Core-Desktop-Gaming-Computer-PC-Radeon-HD-HDMI-DVI-/251011567790?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item3a717490ae#ht_4895wt_1194

 

[patrickestarian]

Thanks a lot pfunkmd!

So, a few things. I can get rid of the dvd player, the hard disk, the sound card, and the windows. I am going to use linux and boot the system from a flash memory. And an HDMI output already gives a raw digital audio output that is the highest possible sound quality since it is raw and there is no noise or loss of quality involved in it.

Now your motherboard and casing are ATX which makes my computer too big. As I mentioned, I need a Mini ATX not an ATX because I want to put it next to my DVR and Receiver in the TV stand shelves.

That means that with your configuration is actually less than $400. However, I have to spend more on the case and some super quiet fans for the cpu and the case.

 

[patrickestarian]

Here is a nice remote keyboard+touchpad that I liked:

http://www.amazon.com/FAVI-Entertainment-Wireless-Keyboard-TouchPad/dp/B003UE52ME/ref=dp_cp_ob_e_title_0

 

[patrickestarian]

Fanless Casetronic C158 Mini-ITX Case - Black:

http://www.logicsupply.com/products/c158b

 

[patrickestarian]

Rosewill RNX-N180UBE Wireless Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 1T2R / 5 dBi External Antenna / Up to 300Mbps Wireless Download Data Rates 64/128-bit WEP (Hex & ASCII), WPA/WPA2, WPA(TKIP with IEEE 802.1x)/WPA2(AES with IEEE 802.1x)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166056