Minimum System Hardware Required/Suggestions? (1 Viewer)

[shawnwc]

I've been pouring over new hardware to build myself one a PC that I can properly run MediaPortal on.

Problem is - it's real easy to hit the cost level of a Dell where MS Media Center is included.

I have a 1GHz AMD... plenty of drive space. *BUT* - it was a server, so the video card is crap... I also need to pickup a copy of XP. So the way I look at it, I need XP, a video card, and I'm already into this for $38 for the remote (and $29 for the 360 remote that didn't do the trick).

Is it worth building a PC to run MediaPortal on? Or do I just buy a Media Center Dell?

Any thoughts?

 

[Spragleknas]

Well, a buddy of mine used about 900 Euro for a MCE machine (bought OEM XP MCE).

He did - off course - end up using MP.... and so will probably you!

 

[Waltz]

MediaPortal will run on this machine, but it will be a little bit slow on a 1 GHz system. Having enough RAM (at least 512 MB) and a DirectX 9 capable graphics card (a GeForce FX 5200 will do fine) is more important than a fast CPU for most situations, though.

MediaPortal is clearly superior to MCE, you can find whole threads about this on these forums if you want. But you will have to invest quite some time for the configuration of the main program and all the nice plugins, and for fiddling around with different codecs.

So if you have much more money than free time, go for a Dell MCE system, but of course I'd recommend going the MediaPortal route

- Waltz

 

[shawnwc]

The 5200 card is about $32... pocket change at most.

However -- I've only been able to get 384megs recognized on this motherboard (no idea why).. Do you think that would be enough memory?

MediaPortal will run on this machine, but it will be a little bit slow on a 1 GHz system. Having enough RAM (at least 512 MB) and a DirectX 9 capable graphics card (a GeForce FX 5200 will do fine) is more important than a fast CPU for most situations, though.

MediaPortal is clearly superior to MCE, you can find whole threads about this on these forums if you want. But you will have to invest quite some time for the configuration of the main program and all the nice plugins, and for fiddling around with different codecs.

So if you have much more money than free time, go for a Dell MCE system, but of course I'd recommend going the MediaPortal route

- Waltz

 

[Spragleknas]

Probably because you current GFX is "stealing" system memory:

System memory 512 MB
- Memory given to gfx 128 MB
= Sum, system memory 384 MB

 

[shawnwc]

I never thought of that.... Grrr. I snapped many a stick of memory wondering why they didn't work.

Probably because you current GFX is "stealing" system memory:

System memory 512 MB
- Memory given to gfx 128 MB
= Sum, system memory 384 MB