What should I do with my old gear???

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Weaksauce
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Mar 13, 2008
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I have an old computer sitting around that I use once in a great while to simply browse the web on my tv. I would like to get some additional use out of it and thought I could turn it into a full time HTPC. What would I have to get to upgrade this system to play BlueRay & dvd's?

Current specs:
ASUS A8V DELUXE 939 VIA K8T800 Pro ATX AMD Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Winchester 1.8GHz Socket 939 Processor
CORSAIR 1GB DDR 400 RAM
ATI All in wonder 9800 PRO, or I think I have a slightly newer AGP card that still works. Would have to check my spare parts box.

If the gear is too old to do this effectively that's ok I'm just trying to find a use for my old hardware.
 
It's too old for what you want to do.

You could turn it into a server to feed a shiny new HTPC however.
 
Yeah, pretty much if it has AGP it's not worth using as an HTPC. It would make a nice server though.
 
Plug it into a killowatt meter, and see how it handles as a fileserver/NAS. My old P4, while still running great, was just too power hungry, even during idle, and you may be in the same boat.
 
FrostBite said:
Plug it into a killowatt meter, and see how it handles as a fileserver/NAS. My old P4, while still running great, was just too power hungry, even during idle, and you may be in the same boat.
Click to expand...

This.


Part it out. Grab a used mITX atom for server duties.
 
Sounds good - I'll start parting it out, although I'll probably go for an HTPC before a file server. I just don't have enough movies ripped yet to make it worth it.
 
In that case I'd go with separate OS and Media storage drives. That way you can take the media drive out and slap it in a server later on without having to rebuild the OS drive.
 
Yup - I actually bought 2 Samsung 1TB drives from newegg. Should be getting them today. I've been working on ripping my Dvd's and will be starting on my blueray library as soon as I get my new PC built. Which will hopefully be soon :D

Then hopefully I can part my current system into a HTPC.
 
I don't know why everyone is telling you to scrap your old gear because it can't play DVDs and Blu-Rays. You would need a new graphics card with HDMI out and that may be cost prohibitive, but it is certainly possible. You can get an AGP ATI HD4350 or HD4650 for around $80. Assuming you all ready have a case you are comfortable with and a Blu-Ray drive and software you can certainly play Blu-Rays with that hardware. I personally would sell off the parts and buy something different like a Fusion motherboard and a 5xxx or 6xxx series PCI-E graphics card, but that would be more for power and space savings.
 
I think after looking at my options I'd be better off parting out the system and using the cash towards upgrading my main rig which I planned on doing regardless. Then I can use the old components from that for a HTPC.
 
FrostBite said:
Plug it into a killowatt meter, and see how it handles as a fileserver/NAS. My old P4, while still running great, was just too power hungry, even during idle, and you may be in the same boat.
Click to expand...
What were the power consumption numbers?
 
Carlitos714 said:
What were the power consumption numbers?
Click to expand...

I would remember that he mentioned he was trying to use a P4; the only P4 I would bother reusing for anything would be the ancient Northwood based chips. My s939 and my Winchester chips always ran much cooler. That's what I used for my first WHS (before the mobo died) and it made for a nice server.
 
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