DIY Media Centre - advice needed

Loobz

Hi all.

I can get my hands on an old HP Vectra VE Pentium 3 machine.
Spec:
P3 800mhz (probably)
512mb sdram
20gig ide hard drive.
Onboard sound/graphics
Basicially it sucks...

Front and Back of PC.
But I want to breath some life into it. Im planning on using it as a Media Centre, mainly for playing mp3s, divx and DVDs on my TV.

Im going to install:
GeeXBoX or similar (recommendations?)
100/150 gig hd.
5.1 soundcard.
Any old AGP card that has TV Out.
Cd Writer
DVD Writer.

I also plan on cleaning the case out and spray painting it, possibly adding perspex windows and a cold cathode.

Can anyone give me some advice as I have never built or modded a PC purely for media playback? Im not sure what Im gonna do with the floppy drive stuck right on the front of the case. Its easy to remove but then Im left with a hole on the front. I could cover the hole with a bit of perspex maybe, or is there something I could add that would give some functionality?

Think of this as if you could do whatever you wanted with the PC, keeping 'Media Centre' in mind, and let me know what you come up with. Id prefer to spend as little as possible on this. Its so crazy it just might work..... :cool:

Endurance Man

Sounds like fun . To fill that floppy drive why not put 1 of those all in 1 card readers, so u can stick media cards in from your camera ect........ I have 1 filling the floppy bay on my htpc. I actaully have a spare 1 i could give you, but not sure if the old mobo would take it. Ill post a pic of the plug it uses and u can check whether it will work with your mobo .

Nukem

Cool idea. Have a p1 in my attic and tearing parts outta it (its my cannblised PC for parts and fittings) but it fits ATX and its flat so might have a go at the old media centre when i got time and cash. Was looking at that Disk drive too like you and i just thought a bit of epoxy primer or fibreglass polished over with some reinforcing would do. Painting a case is ok. Just search the forum and there are a few examples and links,friend had a phone she did with spray paint and some of those silver sparkles and some nail varnish polish which hardens nicely like a sealer.An idea for yo,look out for a decent sealer thats see thru and hard,could paint it whatever and use the sealer to give a lovely shiny finish. Have so many ideas and so little time and money

Nukem

Loobz

Sounds like a plan Endurance Man! Thats sound mate, thanks for the offer. I forgot to add Pics of the case, just edited now.

Loobz

Nukem wrote:

so might have a go at the old media centre when i got time and cash. Nukem

Id say go for it, it doesnt look like a HUGE task. Painting would be a struggle, also modding the case I suppose.

Edit: And it has a whopping 120 watt PSU, which I presume I'll need to upgrade?

Nukem

Loobz wrote:

Edit: And it has a whopping 120 watt PSU, which I presume I'll need to upgrade?

Ok i just said id have a roomage in computer & parts and found a box of excellent cables. Everything ya want execept a KVM but era sur...anyways the P1 has a 200w PSU??????? Dunno really. Saw a site there a while back and they did a class job with a graphic and sealer.Dunno where the site was but il try explain it.
They put a black and clear plastic graphic over the case and used a a clear sealer(obtainable easily enough in hardware stores,but you need to mix it) it gives a sorta laminet cover over the whole case and the graphic looked class in it (only prob i figure you flex it and it may stretch or crack).

Did you search the forum?

Nukem

g5hn710m4xpdwy

Nice mite attempt one of these once i regain money after the cost of the r/c model I am going to be getting. Yeah i was going to sujjest the all in 1 card reader tho i think you mite have to cut a smallw bit from the the case ans they are rectangular i think!

sionnach

why put in a side window and a cathode lamp when it's a media pc? When you're watching movies on it in the dark the bright blue/green whatever light from it would just distract and annoy the hell out of me. A media pc should be as discreet as possible, no lights and no noise.

g5hn710m4xpdwy

awww... I F-ing hate it when otherpeople are right... :rolleyes:

Loobz

sionnach wrote:

why put in a side window and a cathode lamp when it's a media pc? When you're watching movies on it in the dark the bright blue/green whatever light from it would just distract and annoy the hell out of me. A media pc should be as discreet as possible, no lights and no noise.

Ok ok, I promise I wont put a side window in it.

g5hn710m4xpdwy

HEHE i am reviving this! Loobz did you this? how did it go if you did? my sound system broke down and am now seriously thinking of this :rolleyes: . have you got any reccomendations info etc etc.
thx flunk

Loobz

Tbh I havent been on boards for a while, been on my holidays :cool:

Right, Its a bit complicated so bare with me.

I changed jobs 2 weeks ago and been on my holidays for a week. I was supposed to get the PC for this project at my last workplace but couldnt due to 'technicalities' with them selling it to me. Its set aside so I will pick it up soon.

I do still intend on doing the above so when I do I will let you know Flunked, and all the other well wishers too

Plus I have a new PSP I got on me jollydays that needs seeing to. The distractions I tells ya! The goggles, they do nothing!

Explosive_Cornflake

If your sprays, i highly reccomend holts car paint, dupli colour, matt balck, L112 is the product code. I get for about 4 euro a tin, and i have to say it leaves a great finish. Cheaper also than plastkote or any other stuff in atlantic.
You'll get this in most car shops.
Just remember the main thing with paint is preperation, which should take longer.

g5hn710m4xpdwy

kool. sounds like a a big destacting mix up alright i will be satyiong tuned