equipment

[gwh51]

I'm going to build a moderately priced system just for ripping svcd's. Does anyone have any suggestions for MB's, processors, video cards, sound cards, etc.

thanks

[r6d2]

I'm going to build a moderately priced system just for ripping svcd's.

I assume you meant ripping DVDs, right?

All this is just IMHO (and some hardly gained experience :))

MB's, processors: Any good stantard PC would do. Even an entry level system (Celeron 1.x and up). MB brands as you prefer. Look at Tom's latest reviews for models.

RAM: 512 DDR (256 would do, but 512 is significantly better, if you have the extra bucks, they are best spent in good and fast RAM).

HDD: Anyone supporting UDMA (100 minimum). If you can get a 7200 rpm, better that a 5400. You can go for SCSI but I think again money is better spent on RAM (and CPU if you have some leftovers).

Video/Sound card: If ripping to watch on your TV, not really important. Put some money here if you want to do 3D gaming, else you can even use integrated chips.

OS: XP, "most stable MicroSoft monster", and with good software availability.

DVD unit: not particularly important specs. Get a good brand. I'd not go for combos (DVD/CDWR), personally, but they may save you an IDE port.

Hope this helps.

PS: I suggest you use a better thread name, like "Specs for a useful ripping PC system".

[gwh51]

Thanks for the help. :)

[DDogg]

Cheap and hot:

Nforce 2/Ultra 400 MB - 80.00 - 125.00

Kingston value ram 512 2700 run as 166 6-2-2-2 @ 2.70 volts. Catch on sale Best Buy or other chain. If you are luck you can catch it for 39.95 after rebate. The Kingston Hyper X 3500 is good, but only if you can catch it on sale.

XP 1700 "B" (NOT "A"!- Pay extra for good stepping - Under 50 bucks - Check www.Gameve.com) run it at 166 clock X 12.5 gives you a XP 2600+ for cheap. If you get 3500 ram then try 183 X 12. A XP2500 Barton costs under a 90.00 and may be a better deal for you if you are not in to OC'ing.

Maxtor Ata 133 on sale 166 gig 100.00 bucks if you are lucky.

Video - Asus Gforce 2 400 mx from Newegg - under 25.00

CPU Cooler Zalman flower (the one with separate 90 m fan and bracket)- 29.95

RaidMax Scorpio. Gamesve has a deal on this case and the good XP1700 if bought together. 119.95 for case with free shipping and 29.95 for CPU.

All told you can build this system for under 375.00-400.00 and it is not far from a XP 3000 performace wise. It does a real nice job encoding.

[r6d2]

@DDogg,

How much do you charge for S&H? :D

Quite detailed buying guide, thanks a lot.

[Nick]

A few things I would add:

If you go for an nForce2 board put 2x256MB DDR RAM in slots 1 & 3 rather than 1x512MB. nForce2 has dual memory architecture which means better memory bandwidth from 2 256 sticks than a single 512 stick. This should mean an increase in encoding speed.

The other thing is, if you buy DDogg's case, get the processor for $30 and then spend $30 on a fan, why not just buy a cheaper case and spend $90 on a Barton XP2500+ retail box? They (in the UK at least) have a 3 year warranty and adequate fan thrown in! Another worthy saving is to look for a SiS748 Board instead of nForce2. My ASRock K7S8X-E was much cheaper than any nForce2 and almost as good. You lose your dual memory architecture but it's right up there on most benchmarks. Not good for overclocking but I reckon for price, 748 board with XP2500+ Barton Retail box will cost no more that XP1700+B, adequate fan for overclocking and an nForce board. No risk of o/c instability and 3 yr warranty on CPU - so unless you're VERY confident setting up a heavily overclocked machine this has got to be a winner.

Drives - DVD & CDRW go LiteON. Cheap, solid, reliable drives.
However DVD+-RW could be worth a look. NEC1300A and Pioneer DVR106 dual format are plummeting in price. Since Compressed Domain Transcoding can be done relatively quickly on even a modest machine it may be a better investment to go for an integrated platform mainboard (ie VGA, Sound, the lot on board) with an XP1700+ and ditch the CDRW drive. Spend your saving on DVD+-R and go DVD Recordable! May be a better long term investment than a seriously powerful reencoding machine for SVCD.

Just my two pence worth. DDogg, whenever you're ready get your big gun warmed up and shoot me down in flames!

[DDogg]

Actually I think you gave great advice. Note buried in my hasty reply was a mention of the XP2500 as possibly a better alternative.

The dual memory stuff on the Nforce2s is more hype than reality (IMO). In fact, although I have two sticks of 256 Hyper-X, I run them in the standard slots because I get a little more solid fsb. That could just be my MB, as many say you can get a dab more when running in dual mode. I will play more with that soon.

As you both suggested, given the cheaper prices of good DVD recorders, I am not so sure svcds are near kin to dinosaurs anyway.

One thing is for certain. Encoding is about both CPU speed and Memory bandwidth and is one area where going Intel (if you can afford it) may well make a somewhat noticable difference. Twice as much dough for, I am guessing of the top of my head, 10 % better speed. That trade off doesn't appeal to my budget but may well do so to somebody else.

[gwh51]

Thanks a lot guys. Thats just about what I wanted to spend.