Looking for Desktop to Connect to TV (Template completed within)

72hundred

Hi,

Please find template below for what I'm looking for -


General Questions

1) What is your budget?

500 euro

2) What size desktop would you prefer?

a. Compact (Think Mac Mini)
or
b. Mainstream (Think average Dell)

It will be sitting beside a TV behind a a couch, so I won't be seeing it.

3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in.

Ireland, Republic of.
(Euro's).

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

Dell is quite available in Ireland, but no real preference for the desktop's brand. I've never had anything other than nVidia for graphics, and probably would prefer to stick with them - but that's not an absolute.

5) What tasks will you be performing with the desktop?

Simply it will be connected to the TV and needs to browse the web, support 1080p video smoothly (do all current desktops do this?, dunno!),

6) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?

No.

7) Do you mind buying online without seeing the desktop in person?

No.

8) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista or 7), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

w7


Build Quality and Design

9) Are the desktop's looks and stylishness important to you?

No not really, as long as not completely ugly.

10) When are you buying this desktop and how long do you want this desktop to last?

5 years +
(given the basic requirements I think this is reasonable)

Desktop Components

11) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 2TB?

Given it'll probably be streaming most / all of the media, a standard drive of 500Gb or something would be fine.

12) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a CDRW/DVD-ROM, a DVD Burner, a Blu-Ray-R drive or a Blu-Ray burner?

DVD is all that's required, PS3 is also there and can cover the Blu-Ray requirements.

13) Have you entertained the idea of building your own?

No, don't have the time.





Many thanks for the help (to come!),

72oo


(The above is a cross-post from NBR: http://tinyurl.com/4xbxh52
Wasn't getting any help there so posted here)

ronkmonster

Would you consider a laptop with a hdmi output?

My 2 year old laptop could do what you specified and the hdmi cable can carry sound across too without extra cables.

You can always use the laptop standalone then if the TV is in use

72hundred

ronkmonster wrote: »

Would you consider a laptop with a hdmi output?

My 2 year old laptop could do what you specified and the hdmi cable can carry sound across too without extra cables.

You can always use the laptop standalone then if the TV is in use

Yea that would be one option. The laptop would want to run cool though as it'll be screen down the whole time.

Also I was toying with the idea of getting a video capture card, for the cable coaxial. Which would need a slot on a desktop. Granted I'm sure there's USB editions of those cards.

ronkmonster

72hundred wrote: »

Yea that would be one option. The laptop would want to run cool though as it'll be screen down the whole time.

Also I was toying with the idea of getting a video capture card, for the cable coaxial. Which would need a slot on a desktop. Granted I'm sure there's USB editions of those cards.

Some days I keep my laptop on but screen down and I remotely control it with no issues with heat. The screens turn off when closed over.

Komplett have this
http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/Site/Catalog/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemNo=80003314

or this
http://komplett.ie/Komplett/product/ZKB_02PC/02_NOTEBOO/22_17/productdetails/80003111/Packard_Bell_17_3_LS44_HR_044_i3_2310_4GB_500GB/LX_BW502_001/default.aspx

72hundred

Buying a laptop for a TV seems a little weird... especially when I've found below solution in the mean time:


This - http://www.ebuyer.com/283809-acer-aspire-revo-r3700-net-top-pc-pt-semec-037e

Looks interesting. Only issues are that it came out 2 years ago, and I wonder is there a newer version with better spec's.

Also does anyone have any experience with this machine? Can it play youtube 1080p smoothly, and AVI's/MKV's at 1080p.

Love to hear from someone that has the Acer Aspire Revo!

ronkmonster

72hundred wrote: »

Buying a laptop for a TV seems a little weird... especially when I've found below solution in the mean time:


This - http://www.ebuyer.com/283809-acer-aspire-revo-r3700-net-top-pc-pt-semec-037e

Looks interesting. Only issues are that it came out 2 years ago, and I wonder is there a newer version with better spec's.

Also does anyone have any experience with this machine? Can it play youtube 1080p smoothly, and AVI's/MKV's at 1080p.

Love to hear from someone that has the Acer Aspire Revo!

I've seen people use them as small media players so I think they do full hd.
Edit: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Nvidia-Next-Generation-ION-ION2-in-review.29021.0.html
Seems to struggle a little with full hd youtube

I suggested laptop as they are smaller than PC and all in one screen, keyboard and mouse. Had forgotten about those nettops.

72hundred

ronkmonster wrote: »

I've seen people use them as small media players so I think they do full hd.
Edit: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Nvidia-Next-Generation-ION-ION2-in-review.29021.0.html
Seems to struggle a little with full hd youtube

I suggested laptop as they are smaller than PC and all in one screen, keyboard and mouse. Had forgotten about those nettops.

Turns out ebuyer won't ship to Ireland.

Seems by that article too that the Ion 2 can't handle 1080p smoothly, I don't fancy investing in a "new" (two year old technology), to find out that it can't do that!

What would be the next step in terms of nettop's and GPU's? Has a newer and better version of the Ion 2 come out since?


EDIT: I should clarify the article states that it can't handle youtube hd at 1080p smoothly.

72hundred

BUMP!


So I'm back to trying to get the Acer Aspire Revo R3700 somewhere else other than eBuyer and also still wondering if there isn't a bit better a PC with more GPU power!

Nagin

72hundred wrote: »

BUMP!


So I'm back to trying to get the Acer Aspire Revo R3700 somewhere else other than eBuyer and also still wondering if there isn't a bit better a PC with more GPU power!

Ya im in the same boat as yourself the "Acer Aspire Revo 3700 Desktop PC (Intel Atom D525B Dual Core, 3 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, NVIDIA ION 2 Graphics, Wi-FI) with Wireless Keyboard and Mouse" seems decent and it will deliver from a 3rd party to Ireland off Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0056PDKXI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A1V6Z2X9I7KSQG

I cant seem to find anything better for the price. Ill wait until Black Friday as I want a 2tb hard drive aswell.....Fingers crossed they'll come down in prive