Building a new quiet PC... any suggestions?
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:51 pm
I'm looking to build a new PC. My tower needs to be retired. But what do I get? Here's what I want to do with my box:
- Download digital pictures from firewire drive, store &/or edit them
- Download digital video from MiniDV camera, store & edit
- Record TV. I have a TiVo, but I envision recording TV shows at high quality and archiving them (divx or whatever) to DVD discs. Using my TiVo to archive to VHS really ruins the image.
- Gaming won't be a priority. The last 2 games I really got into were Mafia and Operation Flashpoint. Half-life2 and Doom3 just don't interest me much. I'll probably keep playing SimGolf and Simcity, though.
This box will be part HTPC and part workstation, so it'll have to be good at both. Whatever it is, it's gotta be quiet. I've got a Tornado 1000 case, and I hate each and every one of its 7 fans.
So..
- Processor: Which runs cooler, AMD or Intel? This is important!
- TV card: I've heard great things about the Hauppage 250 card, but should I go HD now?
- case: I want small and quiet, with USB2 and Firewire ports in the front and back. If I go with a SFF case (like Shuttle, etc), will it run quiet and cool enough?
- Video output: If I archive TV shows and later wish to watch them, I think something that has at least SVideo out is required, but if I go HDTV later, then DVI will become important.
- Audio output: Optical Toslink will be required to hook up to my receiver if it's in the living room, but other than that, standard PC speakers will be used.
Thanks for any help!
- Download digital pictures from firewire drive, store &/or edit them
- Download digital video from MiniDV camera, store & edit
- Record TV. I have a TiVo, but I envision recording TV shows at high quality and archiving them (divx or whatever) to DVD discs. Using my TiVo to archive to VHS really ruins the image.
- Gaming won't be a priority. The last 2 games I really got into were Mafia and Operation Flashpoint. Half-life2 and Doom3 just don't interest me much. I'll probably keep playing SimGolf and Simcity, though.
This box will be part HTPC and part workstation, so it'll have to be good at both. Whatever it is, it's gotta be quiet. I've got a Tornado 1000 case, and I hate each and every one of its 7 fans.
So..
- Processor: Which runs cooler, AMD or Intel? This is important!
- TV card: I've heard great things about the Hauppage 250 card, but should I go HD now?
- case: I want small and quiet, with USB2 and Firewire ports in the front and back. If I go with a SFF case (like Shuttle, etc), will it run quiet and cool enough?
- Video output: If I archive TV shows and later wish to watch them, I think something that has at least SVideo out is required, but if I go HDTV later, then DVI will become important.
- Audio output: Optical Toslink will be required to hook up to my receiver if it's in the living room, but other than that, standard PC speakers will be used.
Thanks for any help!