PC Based Content Viewer Box...

pippin

Don't get me wrong people I'm a devout mac user who would use nothing but a macintosh for productivity as the mac is by far the most beautiful and intuitive computer the world has ever seen..but these days I've had this new need crop up that I can't afford to base on the mac..what I want is a box for some simplistic entertainment uses..I want to get a good soundcard and some good speakers, an video card with S video out, a DVD/CDRW drive that i can use for listening to MP3s, watching divx/dvd movies, playing emulated arcade games and just sorta dicking around. I have my eye on one of these $200 walmart PCs <a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=3951&amp;lr=A&amp;dept=3944&amp;path=0:3944% 3A3951" target="_blank">http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=3951&amp;lr=A&amp;dept=3944&amp;path=0:3944% 3A3951</a> but I'm not a power user or a linux savy kinda guy and I want to know what I can do to take this dirt cheap barely does its job PC and turn it into a good content viewer box.



What incarnation of linux should I use on it (which is easiest to deal with and has the most/best divx/mp3/emu software available)?



What soundcard/videocard/DVD/CDRW drives should I get to replace the stock components and where could/should i find these for the best prices?



Anyone know of any good controllers for playing emulated games?



Thanks a lot for any input you may have on this little project of mine.

imud

Hey I would check out pricewatch.com first, look at the pc kits or the motherboard combos and buy the case seperate.

pippin

thanks for the suggestion...anyone else??

klinux

If you want to replace the components, you should either build your own e.g. a Shuttle which has cool cube cases, or just buy one from Dell which is almost as cheap as building your own (but with warranty). For example, a P4-2.4Ghz Dell Desktop is avail for $449, see <a href="http://www.techbargains.com/"; target="_blank">http://www.techbargains.com/</a>; .

cubedude

If you are going to build your own PC, you might try one of these:



<a href="http://www.fancycase.com/dignsilver.html"; target="_blank">http://www.fancycase.com/dignsilver.html</a>;

stimuli

If you buy one of those inexpensive Walmart boxes, get one w/ an AMD Athlon processor. Though they are low (for PC, not Macs... ROTFL) in mhz/ghz, they pack a lot of punch per clock, similar to G4s.



Easiest linux, ifthe rumours are true, is Mandrake. I believe Mandrake linux is an option when ordering a PC from Walmart.\\



There are many fine emulators for games on linux, as well as excellent music piracy software, and 99% of software for linux is free anyway.



I use snes9x to play super nintendo games like Assault Suits Valken and Street Fighter, etc.

stimuli

<a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=3951&dept=3944&product_id=1920508&; path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A41937%3A86796%3A106562%3A10 2252" target="_blank">

$498.00

Availability: Usually takes 2 to 7 business days to process before shipping.

256 MB memory

40 GB hard drive

CD-RW drive

Ethernet connection

56 Kbps modem

Mandrake 8.2 Linux OS

Monitor not included</a>



<a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=3951&dept=3944&product_id=1920506&; path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A41937%3A86796%3A106562%3A10 2252" target="_blank">$428.00

Availability: Usually takes 2 to 7 business days to process before shipping.

128 MB memory

40 GB hard drive

CD-ROM drive

Ethernet connection

56 Kbps modem

Mandrake 8.2 Linux OS

Monitor not included</a>



This one's hella cheap, maybe pushing it a bit, but will no doubt work very well in linux:

<a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2003724&cat=86798&type=19&d ept=0&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A41937%3A86796%3A86798 %3A86798" target="_blank">$299.00

Availability: Usually takes 2 to 14 business days to process before shipping.

800 MHz VIA C3 processor

256 MB memory

40 GB hard drive

CD-ROM drive

56 Kbps modem

Integrated 10/100 Ethernet connection

Operating system is not included </a>



[ 10-31-2002: Message edited by: stimuli ]</p>

klinux

I have built a PC with a C3 chip. Beware that this is not meant to a hig performance chip. The speed is comparable to prob a Celeron 600 - fine for Office work and internet but definitely no good for gaming, prob no good for DixV.



On the otherhand, it makes for a quiet PC since C3 outputs very little heat so a heatsink fan is not required.

smithjoel

I think the Wal-Wart special comes with Lindows, wich should be fine. The mistake most people make with Linux distribultions is thinking they are all quite differnet. The only differences are in the install(little user interaction to a lot) and the distribution specific uttillities that come with it(in the case of The RedHat Network unwanted). But at the end of the day you still have the same soft ware, even if the background color is diferent. You can install/upgread any of the free software at any time with any distro, don't worry. I personly started with Mandrake, and I'd it and still do.