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Convert PC to Media Centre

  • 07-12-2006 12:35pm
    #1
    after_shock3000
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 207 ✭✭


    I'm gettin a HDTV over the next few weeks and want to set up a PC that i'm not using as a media centre.

    The current spec is:
    Gigabyte GA-7NNXP motherboard.
    Athlon XP 2500+ running at 3200+
    ATI Radeon 9600 Pro (DVI and VGA out)
    512MB Dual Channel PC3200 RAM
    120GB,20GB,12GB Hard drives on an IDE RAID.
    Pioneer DVR 111-D
    Win XP Pro

    Is all this compatible with Windows Media Centre?
    What would I need to set this up as a good system?
    I want to use it as a PVR, so what is the best TV card to gor for?
    Maybe some extra RAM?

    Also the PC is a wee bit loud as I'm using air cooling to overclock with, can anyone recommend a good quiet fan and heatsink to match (I'll drop it back to 2500+ if need be)?

    Thansk in advance.


Comments

  • #2
    subway
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,131 ✭✭✭subway


    thats more than fine for mce.
    what type of tv signal are you using it with?

    theres a dedicated forum here - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=643


  • #3
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    Moving to HTPC forum.

    Yeah that is okay for MCE.

    Tuners must be MCE compliant so something like this will do the job.

    Get a Zalman CPU cooler and set it to the slowest speed.

    RAM is cheap and extra 512MB to bring it up to 1GB would be a nice little improvement.


  • #4
    after_shock3000
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 207 ✭✭after_shock3000


    Thanks for the replies.

    My input will be from a standard sky digibox (not HD), the only outputs are Scart and RF.

    8T8, that card that you linked to looks like it would do the job perfect, but are there any tv cards out there that will take an RGB scart input, or would a scart to s-video adapter be the only option?

    Also I've read about the Phantom PVR that detects the autoview signal from a skybox and starts recording. Are these any good and are there any alternatives?


  • #5
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    No tuners with scart RGB support I'm afraid.

    The best you can do get one of those scart RGB to s-video converters like the one from Maplins.

    Never used one of those Phantom PVR thingies so couldn't say.

    If the best image quality is what your after apparently FireDTV now works with Sky in MCE this will give you a direct DVB-S signal into MCE.


  • #6
    SouperComputer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭SouperComputer


    Is all this compatible with Windows Media Centre?

    Yes
    What would I need to set this up as a good system?

    Bin the RAID, get a more modern, higher capacity seagate drive. Quieter, faster and cooler :)
    Either go for the firedDTV card or Svideo via a hauppage PVR150 or 500, both options are good enough.
    You will probably want this little fella too.
    Maybe some extra RAM?

    512 is okay, 768 is perfect if you have a spare 256 laying about

    Also the PC is a wee bit loud as I'm using air cooling to overclock with, can anyone recommend a good quiet fan and heatsink to match (I'll drop it back to 2500+ if need be)?

    Get your mits on a Thermalright XP120. You may also consider an arctic silencer for for 9600. If it has the stock fan on it, its most likely going to die soon anyway :) Bear in mind however that once you silence those two, you may want to silence the northbridge fan and PSU as well.


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