Media Centre PCs

I'm looking at building a multimedia pc for my lounge, and to be honest I don't really know where to begin.

Probably like many of you I've got old PCs and bits and bobs falling out of my ears so I'm thinking of using one of those as a backbone.

Question: Windows or Linux?

I'm thinking that if I get a few 120mm slow fans I can probaby do without a CPU fan (if I get one of those massive heat sink jobbies), an a low enough spec graphics card doesn't have a fan on it either.

Question: Graphics card wise would anything with a DVI out do?

I'm not wanting this to play back High def content or anything, just want it to play back mp3s, and some downloaded tv stuff.

Um... Any advice welcome!

Have you considered something like this to base it on? There are other, slimmer ones on the CCL site but the one I was looking at has a bespoke PSU so if that goes, you need a new case. Can't just swap it out for a standard PSU.

My Radeon 9600 would be fine for something like this - no fan, and dirt cheap now.

You can probably get away with something like an 800MHz CPU and 256MB RAM if you want to run XP.

Don't forget you'll need a TV capture card if you want to record as well as playback.

On a system like that you can probably have a basic CPU heatsink/fan and not bother with chassis fans to keep the noise down.

you can get passively cooled geforce 7800GS cards that are pretty good and only use about 13 - 17 watts.

They have a good selection of HTPC (home theater PC cases) to look at here:

http://www.xoxide.com/hometheater.html

Here's a good place to check out silent PC related stuff.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/

if you are not turning it into a tivo type thing and are playing stuff downloaded from net have you thought of one of those external usb drives that have most video out options?
brother had one but it died on him but did the job well enough (most codecs etc)

Get an original XBox for $70, install the free and legal XBMC on it and have a great Media Center PC on the cheap. They come with excellent TV out already, so you won't have to deal with the whole, TV out on this video card looks like crap, issue.

Buy a (used) Mac Mini: Pretty, small, quiet (even the Intel Minis are almost noiseless), has a remote and FrontRow.

I've got a lovely dvd player (phillips make) that has a hard drive built in.
It even has a USB port and can play films/tv, mp3's and photos straight from the usb drive/stick
Cost about £150 from Sainsburys

I'm liking the look of these external HDDs, save building a whole computer and all that nonsense!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/RaidSonic-GmbH-IB-MP302S-B-ICY-BOX/dp/B000XZ67X6/ref=pd_sbs_ce_title_1

Any recomendations? Ideally one with an HDMI output that upscales would be cool.

It depends also on what you want to do besides Media Center.
There are lot's of models to choose from. I did choose the following case for myself (without the remote control).



Reason I choose this one is because it's black like my Samsung 32" tv, keyboard, mouse speakers and controller and because it is big enough to build in a fast graphics card.

In my case it's not only a media center, but also my main computer to play and program on.

The computer which I build myself costed me 670 Euro's in total without the software. Specifications can be found below. I only have a Sata DVD writer build in and plan to build in a Blueray in the second slot lateron.

As software I use Windows Vista which has Media Center build in. I was lucky I got a full version from MS after visiting one of their conventions with the introduction of some of their stuff.

[edit : lol GFK, you mentioned the exact same case as I have myself. Only a different brand name on it]