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Where to buy a Media PC

  • 20-08-2005 12:06am
    #1
    Stoner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭


    Looking for the best place to buy a ready made decent enough media pc. I was pricing up all the bits and bobs. I wondered if there are decent ready made systems available out there. would be looking for a nice box, with around 200GB HD min, gig Lan, a tuner to do analogue and NTL digital ??? combo tuner?? remote control,
    anyone know anywhere?

    for example , what about this
    http://www.cyberselect.co.uk/product/783


Comments

  • #2
    FrankGrimes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,032 ✭✭✭FrankGrimes


    lookswise that one looks fine to me. I read somewhere that there is now a Windows Media Center plugin that enables use of the LCD screen on the front.

    Just so you know, I'm fairly sure that you will want an analogue TV Tuner (such as Hauppage PVR 150 or the 500 which is a dual tuner) even though you have NTL digital. The reason for this is the ouput of the NTL digital box is actually analogue and this is what goes to the PC.

    I've just ordered a Windows Media Center machine. I admit I know little about the competitor products but this was so highly recommended to me by trusted friends, and when I saw it I had to have it....you can even set it up to schedule recordings remotely over the web! So you're gonna be late home from work and will miss the start of the match? Easy - just log onto to your site, enter password, schedule recording and hit play when you get home...even before the match is over!

    You can get good advice on any Media PC here: http://www.avforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=192 and can get good Windows Media Center info here: http://www.thegreenbutton.com

    One other point - would you consider a self-build? For a similar price you'd get a lot more bang for your buck? I'm a novice at it but did a lot of searching on the web and am now looking forward to the parts arriving and getting stuck into it. This site was very helpful: http://www.buildyourown.org.uk/


  • #3
    Stoner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    thanks for the input frank.
    I've checked out the sites, I would deffo consider a self build, I've noted from the other threads that a possible Irish EPG for recording two weeks ahead in in the running , this suits me as I was cought out by the archos Yahoo EGP before, so its good to hear that an irish one is about. I'd like an analoge digital hybrid tv tuner , I assume that that will allow me to record from NTL digital and analogue outputs. also just checked out a price for a DVI card from my plasma its 195 euro ex vat, its a bit steep , but i'm tempted as an output from a DVI graphics card to a 42" monitor might be very nice. I'll have to ask around to see if it will be though, i was told to go that way when picking a projector (that i never got) so maybe its still the same.


  • #4
    Stoner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    On a self build i was looking at this case

    http://www.mcubed-tech.com/eng/hfx.htm

    its more or less a heatsink with a PC inside, i think it looks well too and with little or no fans it should be very quiet, plus it has alot of space to add bits and pieces.
    I guess I'd need to pick a quiet CD RW as they seem to be the the second loudest item that you build in


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