Building a Media Center PC

[Cayne]

Hi

I want to do the following and would like to know, if all this is possible, and if yes, what software to use

I bought a Barebone Biostar ideq200v + Athlon XP 2400+ mobile + 512 MB-Ram
I want to use it as all in one audio/video-Player. No TV Recording is needed, but it would be nice if it could handle ts-files from my Dreambox.
It should also play DVDs with menus like PowerDVD would do. Also those CSS ones I have.
First I thought about vdr, but it needs a dvb-card, that i dont have and dont want to buy.

What could i use instead.
And what graphics card wihich isn't too expensive would be good for doing this, perhaps an ati radeon 7000 with tv-out?

[SiliconSoul]

the ati 9600 and higher accelerate post processing on divx.
im not sure if it helps xvid at all. i can not find any info about it on the website.
that is what im looking at getting. with about the same speed processor that you have. im hoping that it will play 1280x720p smoothly.

[Cayne]

i think thats enough, i'm playing 1920x1080i on a 2600+ with a radeon 9600 at 1600x1200 display res...

[Sharro]

Cayne,

I own a Shuttle SB61G2 fitted with Ati Radeon 9700 pro All-In-Wonder as a Media Center PC I'm still not happy with the noise, still it's a damn fast machine (I also encode Xvid).

The inconvenient will always be NOISE!

But, for what you tell me have a look at Shuttle Zen (www.shuttle.com) it's on a ATI Chipset with a 9100 integrated graphic card (with TV Out) for what I hear, it's one of the quietest around... and would probably suit your needs.


All the best,

Sharro

[Soulhunter]

Before I bought a 9800Pro, I had a 9200VIVO with passive (noiseless) cooling... ;)

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/5295/54540.jpg

You could get it for less than 70 €uros !!!

[Cayne]

I think I'll use a radeon 9600, which is fanless and has also enough power to play some games like e.g. counterstrike.
Because of the noise thats why I want to use a mobile cpu, for processing an MPEG2 or XVid movie 1000MHz should be enough so I would use throttling to achieve a more silent system.
The heatsink fan in the biostar barebone should be temp. controled as I think.

But my first question was how can a system like that be used as media center pc with a tiny interface which has all the possibilities to use a remote control without needing a keyboard. And also perhaps what possibilities there are to use an infrared receiver with an existing remote control, perhaps where to get it prebuilt if someone doesn't want to solder pieces together himself...

[SiliconSoul]

this is what im thinking of.

might not even get the processor. I have amd athlon 2400 a compaq case with a dead onboard video card. But i was thinking if i am going to get stuff for it, well ill put the 3000+ in my machine and put my 2500 in the HTPC! :) and then have a extra 2400 laying around for later when i get feel like (get the money to) making another PC.

my plans for a HTPC which might change by the time i get the money! (http://secure.newegg.com/app/WishR.asp?ID=819681)

this is at the bottom of the page and hard to see if you are not looking for it

"going to add this to a case i already have and mod it to accept panaflo 2-120mm one in and one out. A 92mm panaflo on the heatsink. Might get a new 80gb 7200rpm hd as the old one is a 40gb 5400 rpm drive."

[Cayne]

*update*:

Yesterday I got my barebone system, want to do some report on it:

1. Mobile CPU doesn't get recognized by bios, but works. Windows-Tools afterwards are doing the multiplier and vcore settings (crystalcpuid). There's a nice tool bundled which regulates the rpm for the fans and it's really quiet and cooling well. It's even more quiet than my XBox Ver. 1.1.

2. I'm currently looking for a dvdrom and graphics card, i think i'll take an aopen 1648 chameleon, cause it's silver. Do you know if there are tools for it to brake down the speed when only watching DVD? I Know the "cdbremse", but I can't find any info it it's working with that drive.

3. I think I'll buy a Geforce FX5200 for this purpose. On the forum of myhtpc.net someone wrote it has a very good tv-out. Ahh yes and it has passive cooling, so no noise.

4. Later on i'll also replace the noisy maxtor 7200 which i have now. I'll stick to a 160 GB s-ata hd from samsung. The test in the german c't assures that it's a silent one.

5. Now to some questions: Does anyone have experience with IR-Receivers and lcd-displays? Is it possible to buy built ir-receivers? If not, how difficult is it to build a LIRC-interface?