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Need a SFF for a media box

K

Kintoun

Gawd
Joined
Mar 17, 2002
Messages
858
Heya guys. I was looking to build a SFF computer to be used as a media rig. Its only purpose will be to play old emulated game, movies on my TV, and maybe some music. So it doesn't have to be anything powerful. The only requirement is that it supports s-video, component, or HDTV.

Originally I was just going to buy a pre-built. Then I realized I couldn't even find anywhere that had cheap pre-builts. All the barebones "systems" were just a case and mobo (since when was barebones just case and mobo?).

First if anyone knows where I can get a fully pre-built SFF for cheap, let me know. If not then I guess I'll have to build it myself. Problem is I know nothing about SFF.

I'd probably prefer a s939. I'll drop some POS chip in there for now and then trickle down from my main rig (3500+) to the SFF rig once I upgrade it soon (Core Duo). Here's my requirements:

Case - something easy to work in, don't care what it looks like
Motherboard - built in video would be nice, but must have s-vid or component or HDTV
Sound - I'd like this to be nice so I can use this as a sound system, would an Audigy 2 fit?
Video - see motherboard, don't care for PCI-E
Power supply - enuff for sound card, DVD drive, are there mATX PSUs?

Realistically I could get away with a 600mhz celly with some old ass TV out vid card. So p[lease remember I'm not trying to build a gaming rig, just something that fits my needs. My gaming rig is my desktop. Thanks in advance!
 
does the case need to have a small footprint or not? As in would it be better to have a mini tower or a "shoebox case"?
 
could go for one of the silverstone cases that look similar to an audio reciever.. most will take a full size atx board to and have a little extra room to work in.. just a thought..
 
Silverstone TJ08 is a fantastic case and runs nice and cool cos of the 120mm fans. I'd perhaps go sempron 2800/3000 with a Foxconn 6100 board, 6200TC for Video Out (should have Composite or S-Video then) and a liberty 400
 
Thanks guys! I have a ATI X850XTPE. Would that card alongside a decent sound card (non-gaming) even fit inside of a mATX case? I wouldn't put that cideo card in now, but if I stick with the trickle down idea then I would want to in the future.
 
as long as you don't get a low profile case, Antec is making a new mATX minitower NSK3300
http://www.antec.com/us/pro_en_newsolution.html as well as a new 'aria' NSK1300.
Both your Video and sound cards, with the previously mentioned DFI mobo, will fit in the antec cases also the original aria, the microfly, the QPack, and the SG01. The DFI RS482 Infinity board has PCIeX16 the 2 slot cooler on the X850XTPE will take up the PCIeX1 slot and leave you 2 PCI slots open for your SB soundcard. leaves you a PCI slot for a TVtuner card, or USB card, or second nic.
 
If you look on newegg at uATX boards, there is an MSI board (S939, GF6150) with onboard DVI and HDTV connections (I believe s-video is also on-board). Asus also makes a board like this.
 
If I was in the market for a small HTPC such as the one you described you want, I would piece together a system that goes a lil' somethin' like this.

Black Q-Pack
Asus M2NPV-VM
AM2 64 3000+
1Gig pqi Turbo RAM
NEC 3550A DVD Burner
and if the onboard sound isn't up to your demands, I'd go with an AuzenTech Xplosion if you're going to hook it up to a real sound system. If not, I would imagine any old Audigy2 would suffice.
Also, if the onboard video isn't up to snuff I'd just go with a cheap Nvidia 7600 somethin or other.

All of this pieced together from Newegg would run $384.46 + shipping and if you add in the Auzen sound card it would be $504.45 + shipping.
 
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