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Building budget computer for friend - Drasca - 06-15-2004
Hi, my friend megan is looking to build a new comp and I'd like your advice on the current parts shopping list. If anyone else is in the same situation, please chime in.
She's looking for a comp to record TV, store and archive TV shows by burning CD or DVD (avoiding VCR completely), and a media station to play DVDs, surf web, and other basic computing needs with word & spreadsheet processors, IM chat. Quote: my computer is my tv :)
This list is all the parts going into this computer, other than speakers, keyboard, mouse and CRT monitor and other peripherals. Her budget is 600$ No more, but while I'm here how about some Webcam and digital camera recommendations for me? Brands and types anyone fond of? Getting back on topic. Feel free to recommend a specific product with shopping link.
Case: Looks decent, comes with 350W power supply
Motherboards: My fav of her selection so far
Option 2
Another Mobo option. More Mobo's recommendations appreciated
CPU: Proc: AMD Athlon XP2500 Retail (comes with fan, $80) or AMD Athlon XP 2400+ "Thoroughbred" 266 FSB, 256K Cache Processor - Retail ($72) ... other recommendations appreciated.
Graphics Card: ATI Radeon 9200SE
ATI 9200LE
RAM: Corsair Value Select 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 - OEM ($85.00)
*Note: She's going for budget Gfx cards. 50 bucks budget for it.
Optical Burner option 1 DVD-RW: NEC 8X Black DVD+RW/-RW Drive, Model ND-2500A, OEM Bulk
Optical Drive option 2: Go with one of the CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drives for 30-40$.
Hard drive: Western Digital Special Edition 120GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive, Model WD1200JB, OEM Drive Only ($89.99)
TV Capture: KWORLD PCI TV Tuner, Video Capture Card ($34)
Better TV capture criticism definitely needed.
Hmm. Missing anything? Criticisms? Comments? Anyone else in the same situation? Go ahead and shoot.
EDIT 2: Here's a wishlist link that works from newegg.com
http://secure.newegg.com/app/WishHistoryRe...=VIEW&ID=800053
Building budget computer for friend - gekko - 06-15-2004
double posted
Building budget computer for friend - gekko - 06-15-2004
I won't talk about the building a computer part, since there are many far more experienced members here who will answer the questions much better than I ever could.
On the note of digital cameras, there's a recent semi-related thread: here
Started as a different topic, but some decent recomendations I shan't repeat now. Depending on how much you want to spend, several of the fuji cameras double as web cams, particularly if you get one with a dock. To sum up, I personally am very fond of cannon and fuji cameras. For more specific advice, give me a price range or a list of features you need/want/etc.
gekko
Building budget computer for friend - kandrathe - 06-15-2004
Chipset Serial ATA and RAID performance comparison
So, to get the SIS964 chipset with built in SATA, I like ASRock "K7S8XE+" SiS748 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket A CPU -RETAIL $50, MOBO better. Save $8.
For 15$ more, you can get AMD Athlon XP 2600+ "Barton", 333MHz FSB, 512K Cache Processor - OEM -- No fan, so another $14 for a good CPU fan. Vantec "Copper X" CPU Cooler for Socket A/ 370, Model "CCK-6040H" -RETAIL $14 That is so much more CPU for the money. That $29 will be well worth it.
Change the RAM then to DDR333. Kingston 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-2700 - OEM -- $85
With this MOBO you get the SIS 964 southbridge -- the 964 SIS chipset has SATA built in, so I'd go with a WD Raptor SATA drive in a single drive configuration. Western Digital 120GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive, Model WD1200JD, OEM Drive Only for $100. Again, for $11 you will get a phenomenal ROI in drive performance.
So, I added ~$30 to the price and the machine is so much more.
Your video seems fine for the < $50 price range. I don't know too much about that video capture board or the Mfg. I'm sure you will check out some reviews.
Building budget computer for friend - WarLocke - 06-15-2004
Quote:If anyone else is in the same situation, please chime in.
Reporting for duty, sir! <_<
Don't really have much to add, except "Me, too!" though.
It'll be a couple months before I have the $$$ to purchase/build a new box of my own, though, so I'll probably perform forum necromancy on this thread when the time comes. ;)
Heck, I'm actually considering picking up an X-Box or PS2 to tide me over in the meantime since they're so cheap now...
Building budget computer for friend - Drasca - 06-16-2004
WarLocke,Jun 15 2004, 10:03 AM Wrote:I'll probably perform forum necromancy on this thread when the time comes. ;)Actually the only reason I didn't perform forum necromancy is because I had trouble finding the old "build me computer" threads, so I made this one open to everyone.
Megan's wishlist is updated with 2 mobo options in it:
http://secure.newegg.com/app/WishHistoryRe...=VIEW&ID=801210
She's concerned about the mobo kandrathe recommended because her buddies haven't heard of the brand and hate non-brand name that they're not familiar with. Bah. That's almost luddite. I think she's jittery scared. Eh. Doing more product backround research now to placate those fears. Anyone that looks at that list, well I'll appreciate it if she doesn't hah.
Building budget computer for friend - kandrathe - 06-16-2004
I understand her fear. The problem is that you can't buy a budget BMW. The under $60 MOBO market is not populated with the A+ brands, but you can find some low cost gems.
Some food for thought;
http://www.ultimatehardware.net/k7s8xe/k7s8xe.htm
http://www.ultimatehardware.net/k7s8xe_bio...k7s8xe_bios.htm
Using a "performance bios v1.44P" upgrade(downgrade), it compares favorably to the ASUS A7N8X-X which is what I built my recent machines on, which is still $70 (I think I paid $90).