Building budget computer for friend

[Drasca]

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

[gekko]

double posted

[gekko]

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

[kandrathe]

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.

[WarLocke]

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...

[Drasca]

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.

[kandrathe]

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).