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What should I include in my media computer?
I am building a media computer with a server to holed all of media and files. It wonât need much space it will be connected to a TV so that I can watch my ripped movies and listen to my music.
Get as much storage space as you can afford - how will it not need much? Have you got a good sound system? L
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i'm using my family server and a old gas tube amp with surround sound speaker system
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Choose a sound card / mainboard capability that will handle the surround if you're going to use it. I'm not sure your ripped DVDs will give you more than 2 channels of output?
L
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in order of importance: -HIGH END graphics card -Storage -Higher End Soundcard These will be extremely important especially, if you intend to play HD quality video, because HD video uncompressed will take up about 12 gigs of space per hour, so it is completely possible that a full HD movie would take up close to 40 or 50 gigs. If you are watching ripped dvds then each disc will take about 7 or 8 gigs.
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my riped DVDs take just over a gig
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ok... then i will guess that hd space wont be as much of an issue. At the size, im guessing that they are not HD video, so a good graphics card is fine. To minimize overhead, i would run the setup with mythbuntu.
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how much like ituns is its lay out
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its a full operating system designed to play media. it actually looks like the layout for apple tv
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dose it have sorting for music, movies, TV?
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yea.... you can see its website HERE
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dose it rip DVDs
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ya i have old stile dvd's
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You won't need a high end graphics card with the latest DX/GL API's, as long as you have 32+MB video memory and it can handle a wide screen resolution, most cheap cards can do this these days.
You can even turn your PC into a PVR, recording your TV input to disk. I also recommend getting a wireless keyboard and mouse for your MMPC, very handy for controlling from a distance. Personally I'd like to get a wii remote and control the MMPC with that!
Use a very lightweight OS for quick boot time, www.kubuntu.org if you like customizing, and http://geexbox.org if you want to be more cutting edge. It's still in development stages, but looks like an excellent system with exceptional potential! There are plenty other options available, just google for HTPC Operating Systems.
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ya for a mouse i'm geting a wiimot
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