haller14 
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Registered: 14th May 06
 
User status: Offline 
 
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£200 - £400  Thats my tops 
 
1 - 2gb   Ram 
200+ Hard Drive  
 
Dont mind if spec's are lower..  
 
ive been looking on the net but cant find anything        
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ssj_kakarot 
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Registered: 29th Apr 03
 Location: hartlepool 
User status: Offline 
 
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i got mine off ebay was a right bargain if i do say so my self, xp 64 3800+, 1 gig kingston ram, ati radeon graphics, 5.1 sound ect ect. 
 
only cost me £120, i then added a 300gig sata harddrive £40 from ebay, wireless media centre keyboard £18 quid ebay, and wireless network card. 
 
hooked it up to my lcd and couldnt be happier so yeah my suggestion try ebay should pick up a decent spec for £200. 
 
 
 
pic of it. 
 
[Edited on 03-12-2006 by ssj_kakarot] 
  
 
[Edited on 03-12-2006 by ssj_kakarot]
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haller14 
Member 
 
Registered: 14th May 06
 
User status: Offline 
 
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anychance of gettin me the link to the seller if he has his own shop..
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haller14 
Member 
 
Registered: 14th May 06
 
User status: Offline 
 
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or anyother media centrers 
 
[Edited on 04-12-2006 by haller14]
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ssj_kakarot 
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Registered: 29th Apr 03
 Location: hartlepool 
User status: Offline 
 
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na sorry mate he was selling as a one off, 
 
quite a few on the bay http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?sofocus=bs&sbrftog=1&catref=C12&from=R10&sbrbin=t&satitle=media+centre&sacat=179%26catref%3DC6&a26443=-24&a26444=-24&a12=-24&a25710=-24&a10244=-24&alist=a26443%2Ca26444%2Ca12%2Ca25710%2Ca10244%2Ca3801&pfmode=1&reqtype=1&gcs=1504&pfid=1826&pf_query=media+centre&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D3&sadis=200&fpos=Postcode&sascs=2&ga10244=10425&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=3%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search 
 
 
all buy it now, probs find one cheaper if you bid for it.
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haller14 
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Registered: 14th May 06
 
User status: Offline 
 
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looked on  
 
savastore 
misco 
pc world 
currys 
comet 
dixons  
 
and so on.. but nothing in my price range of £200 - £300 I would like it too have quite a good spec.. at a cheapish price,  Just want it all too look nice with my 30" Bush LCD Tele that i bought yesterday  
 
[Edited on 04-12-2006 by haller14]
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haller14 
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Registered: 14th May 06
 
User status: Offline 
 
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ssj_kakarot 
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Registered: 29th Apr 03
 Location: hartlepool 
User status: Offline 
 
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theres loads on the bay  
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ADVENT-XP-MEDIA-CENTRE-PC-MC3020-SLIMLINE-WARRANTY_W0QQitemZ260060990098QQihZ016QQcategoryZ179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem 
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Complete-Mini-Itx-Multi-Media-PC-Computer-System_W0QQitemZ200055198298QQihZ010QQcategoryZ179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem 
 
theres two systems well within your budget with a decent spec and buy it now, chuck and extra £100 at them and you can have a really good system.
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haller14 
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Registered: 14th May 06
 
User status: Offline 
 
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Right..  
 
if i make it my self then i have to buy the OS right?  
 
Windows Media Centre 2005.. how much is that?  
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Bart 
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Registered: 19th Aug 02
 Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon 
User status: Offline 
 
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quote: Originally posted by haller14 
Right..  
 
if i make it my self then i have to buy the OS right?  
   
 
Says who?   
 
 
 
 
i built mine myself and didnt buy it  
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ssj_kakarot 
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Registered: 29th Apr 03
 Location: hartlepool 
User status: Offline 
 
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yup could always purchase it from the special shop, however, dont bother with media centre i had it installed on mine and went tback to pro. 
 
theres a free front end called gameex that does the same as media centre and a lot more, like integration with mame and numerous emulaters its top.
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haller14 
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Registered: 14th May 06
 
User status: Offline 
 
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But i dont have a windows xp disk at all didnt come with my new computer..    
 
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Rob_Quads 
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
 Location: southampton 
User status: Offline 
 
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If you are around the £400 mark I would say hold off for a while and see how much the PS3 comes out at. 
 
With linux running on it its already looking fairly good at playing the various video formats
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ssj_kakarot 
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Registered: 29th Apr 03
 Location: hartlepool 
User status: Offline 
 
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you could just purchase windows xp from the special shop
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Dom 
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
 
User status: Offline 
 
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there are plenty of HTPC (google htpc software, absolute loads) frontends, especially for linux (mythTV probably the best) and a few goodens for windows (xLobby, Meedio). 
 
Personally i would go with mythTV, it's free, supports a pretty big range of hardware and it's fairly easy to install, especially for complete newbies (tried it myself, never touched linux, managed to get it working within an hour or so). 
 
Otherwise, go down the route of using windows, i've tried both and the windows route is exactly the same just slower. 
 
Also, if you're going to build the HTPC system yourself, then make sure you don't skimp on the hardware...get decent TV cards and plenty of storage etc. 
Worth reading some of the HTPC forums that are about - avsforum, htpcnews.com etc 
 
 
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