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02-12-2008, 4:36 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 377
Thanks: Gave 47, Got 35
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Upgrade my PC into makeshift Media PC?
Hi guys,
on a bit of a tight budget, but want to make some changes to my PC to turn it into a makeshift Media PC.
Below are the specs of the pc (about 4 years old!).
CPU - Intel Pentium 4 550J (3.4 GHz)
Motherboard - MS 7046
Memory - 2GB DDR2 RAM
Hard Drive - 250GB WD2500JD Western Digital 7200RPM SATA
CD Drives - Artec DHM-G48 16X DVD-ROM
- Pioneer DVR-108DB DVDRW
Video Card - nVidia GeForce 6600 (256 MB)
Sound Card - Realtek High Definition Audio (Azalia)
I upgraded the memory in January of this year from 512MB to the 2GB.
What would I need to make this into a makeshift Media PC. Mainly want to rip DVD's to the hard drive and replace the DVD-ROM with a blu ray player.
Any help would be appreciated.
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02-12-2008, 4:47 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Conspicuous Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,409
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Re: Upgrade my PC into makeshift Media PC?
Run the Cyberlink BD Advisor and it will tell you CyberLink Blu-ray Disc Support but first off the grapics card will most likely have to go as I am sure it will not support HDCP on its DVI output.
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02-12-2008, 4:51 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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Prominent Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,701
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Re: Upgrade my PC into makeshift Media PC?
I am not sure if the CPU will be enough for Hidef playback.
However if it was you will need a GPU that has onboard HD acceleration.
The Nvidia 6xxx series does not have this, the earliest was the 7xxx series.
So a new graphics card will be needed.
__________________
My Setup
Panasonic 32LXD70, Denon AVR-2307, Toshiba EP30, Oppo 981HD, PS3, Wii, SkyHD, Xbox360, Iobox 100HD, 3.0 Setup of Monitor Audio BR2 Fronts (Biamped), BLCR Center.
PSN ID: anth99099
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02-12-2008, 5:05 PM
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#4 (permalink)
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 377
Thanks: Gave 47, Got 35
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Re: Upgrade my PC into makeshift Media PC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1uk
I am not sure if the CPU will be enough for Hidef playback.
However if it was you will need a GPU that has onboard HD acceleration.
The Nvidia 6xxx series does not have this, the earliest was the 7xxx series.
So a new graphics card will be needed.
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What graphics card would you recommend?
I have played a couple of demo clips that I got from Apple/Microsoft websites, so I *THINK* the CPU may be ok. These would not have had HDCP protection though.
Would also be looking at a bigger Hard Drive
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02-12-2008, 5:12 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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Prominent Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,701
Thanks: Gave 670, Got 662
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Re: Upgrade my PC into makeshift Media PC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by darren_eaf
What graphics card would you recommend
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Does your motherboard have the older AGP, or new PCI express Graphics slot.
If its the former that limits things a little, if the latter then you are laughing.
__________________
My Setup
Panasonic 32LXD70, Denon AVR-2307, Toshiba EP30, Oppo 981HD, PS3, Wii, SkyHD, Xbox360, Iobox 100HD, 3.0 Setup of Monitor Audio BR2 Fronts (Biamped), BLCR Center.
PSN ID: anth99099
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02-12-2008, 5:22 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 377
Thanks: Gave 47, Got 35
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Re: Upgrade my PC into makeshift Media PC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1uk
Does your motherboard have the older AGP, or new PCI express Graphics slot.
If its the former that limits things a little, if the latter then you are laughing.
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It's PCI-E. 
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02-12-2008, 5:25 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Prominent Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,701
Thanks: Gave 670, Got 662
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Re: Upgrade my PC into makeshift Media PC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by darren_eaf
It's PCI-E. |
If so then one of ATI's 4xxx series cards would be a superb choice.
If you just want HTPC, the ATI 4350 or ATI 4550 would be great.
Moderate gaming too would be ATI 4670.
__________________
My Setup
Panasonic 32LXD70, Denon AVR-2307, Toshiba EP30, Oppo 981HD, PS3, Wii, SkyHD, Xbox360, Iobox 100HD, 3.0 Setup of Monitor Audio BR2 Fronts (Biamped), BLCR Center.
PSN ID: anth99099
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