[Rudmeister]

The Gateway SX2801-05 is available for $500. Is this a good buy or is there a better deal out there. My biggest need is HDMI for video and sound. It will be hidden in a closet so size does not matter. Here are the specs:


Model SX2801-05

Type Home / Home Office

Processor Intel Pentium E6700(3.20GHz)

Processor Main Features 64 bit Dual Core Processor

Cache Per Processor 2MB L2 Cache

Memory 6GB DDR3

Hard Drive 1TB SATA

Optical Drive 1 16X DVD±R/RW SuperMulti Drive

Graphics Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500

Audio High-Definition Audio Support with 5.1-channel Surround Sound Support

Ethernet 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet LAN

Wireless Card 802.11b/g/n Wireless

Power Supply 220W

Keyboard Gateway Multimedia Keyboard

Mouse Optical Mouse

Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Special Features Hybrid TV Tuner

Ports: (1) COAX, (1) S-Video, (1) Stereo Mini-jack Audio, (1) Audio-L, (1) Audio-R

Media Center Remote Control (batteries included) Motherboard

Chipset Intel G43 CPU

CPU Type Pentium

Installed Qty 1

CPU FSB 1066MHz

CPU Speed E6700(3.20GHz)

L2 Cache Per CPU 2MB

CPU Socket Type LGA 775

CPU Main Features 64 bit Dual Core Processor Graphics

GPU/VPU Type Intel GMA X4500

Graphics Interface Integrated video Memory

Memory Capacity 6GB DDR3

Form Factor DIMM 240-pin

Memory Spec 2GB x 2 & 1GB x 2

Memory Slot (Total) 4

Memory Slot (Available) 0

Maximum Memory Supported 8GB Hard Drive

HDD Capacity 1TB

HDD Interface SATA

HDD RPM Green Product - variable RPM Optical Drive

Optical Drive Type DVD Super Multi

Optical Drive Spec 16X DVD±R/RW SuperMulti Drive

Write Max: 16X DVD±R, 6X DVD-RW, 8X DVD+RW, 8X DVD±R DL, 5X DVD-RAM, 48X CD-R, 32X CD-RW

Read Max: 16X DVD-ROM, 40X CD-ROM Audio

Audio Chipset Integrated Communications

LAN Chipset Integrated

LAN Speed 10/100/1000Mbps

WLAN 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN Front Panel Ports

Front USB 5

Card Reader Multi-in-One Digital Media Card Reader

CompactFlash (Type I and II), CF+ Microdrive, MultiMediaCard (MMC), Reduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RSMMC), Secure Digital (SD) Card, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO Back Panel Ports

PS/2 2

Video Ports 1 VGA, 1 HDMI

Rear USB 4

eSATA 1

RJ45 1 port

Rear Audio Ports 5 ports

S/P DIF 1 x Optical S/PDIF Port Expansion

PCI Slots (Available/Total) (1/1) PCI-E x16

(0/1) PCI-E x1

 

[assassin]

No. You can do a LOT better.


Are you open to building your own?

 

[Rudmeister]

Absolutely, I built all my other ones but the last one cost me around $1000. If I build one I already have sata 1tb drives and bd drives.

 

[assassin]

You can build an i3 system for less than $500.


Let me know what you want it to do and I can help pick some parts.

 

[Rudmeister]

I don't knowif you realized that you were responding to a thread I started about a half hour ago. Anyway here is my needs:


I have 800 or so movies on a nas(a mix of dvd bd) and also a ceton 4 tuner cable card in another htpc that allows me to record all my tv shows to the nas so they can be viewed on any htpc connected tv. All my tvs have htpcs.


In this setup everything will be fed via HDMI to a newly purchased Pioneer vsx-1120 and then to the Epson 8350 projector.

This will be strictly for movie and tv watching, no gaming. No wireless needed but definitely need it to be remote accessible. I will be using a Harmony one remote and a bluetooth keybd. It will be in a closet so size and appearance do not matter. My last htpc build had an antec case to give it a av look.

 

[assassin]

There are some great deals today and I am shocked that I could build the following for less than $400. With your hard drive(s) and blu-ray drive you should be able to build an incredible HTPC that should knock the crap out of that Gateway you posted...


Case: Antec 300 Steel
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811129042

Since size isn't at a premium you might as well go with a full sized case to maximize future upgrades and decrease heat and noise.


Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-H55-USB3 LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI USB 3.0
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813128437

Since we are using a ATX case we might as well go with a full ATX board. This one has USB3 should you need it in the future as well as HDMI, of course.


PSU: CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139004

I don't use anything but Corsair PSU. Virtually silent and great reliability. This one has a $20 rebate and Corsair is an excellent company to deal with regarding rebates.


CPU: Intel i3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115222

This is on sale right now. The integrated video is more than enough for all of your 1080p videos. No discrete video card needed.


RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231277

This is on sale as well. I like G.Skill but you can sub your favorite DDR3 RAM here. I would go with 2GBx2 for a total of 4GB.


Total before shipping: $389.91 - $20 rebate = $369.91

 

[assassin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudmeister /forum/post/19546527


I don't knowif you realized that you were responding to a thread I started about a half hour ago.

Yes, I realized it. See my post above this one...


Edit: You will also need Windows 7 or an OS, obviously.

 

[Rudmeister]

Thanks for all your help. You're very Giving on Thanksgiving.

 

[assassin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudmeister /forum/post/19546595

Thanks for all your help. You're very Giving on Thanksgiving.

No problem. Let us know what you decide to get!


BTW - I always stick to Gigabyte and ASUS motherboards. I haven't been let down yet.

 

[Rudmeister]

Assasin

In order to use my Harmony one remote do I just need any usb infrared reciever?

 

[assassin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudmeister /forum/post/19546644


Assasin

In order to use my Harmony one remote do I just need any usb infrared reciever?

Correct, as long as your remote has Windows Media Center codes which I am sure the Harmony One does.


The rosewill WMC remote is popular on here --- most people buy it just for the IR receiver.

 

[assassin]

Here is a thread on this very topic...
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...ht=ir+receiver

 

[assassin]

What did you end up deciding to do?

 

[Rudmeister]

After some research I ordered exactly what you had suggested.


Thanks again

 

[assassin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudmeister /forum/post/19549567


After some research I ordered exactly what you had suggested.


Thanks again

Awesome. I think you are really going to like it. And it is worlds better than the Gateway.

 

[GmanAVS]

Assasin, I am a total dweeb when it comes to soldering and assembling internal components (OK, i can swap a hard drive

)


Is there a Media server package hardware & software, all in one box, that you recommend. Primarily for music and the occasional video (I use HD S3 Tivo Pio 51FD and now an OPPO 93 for TV, BD and video playback).


Many thanks


Gman

 

[assassin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by GmanAVS /forum/post/19549854

Assasin, I am a total dweeb when it comes to soldering and assembling internal components (OK, i can swap a hard drive

)


Is there a Media server package hardware & software, all in one box, that you recommend. Primarily for music and the occasional video (I use HD S3 Tivo Pio 51FD and now an OPPO 93 for TV, BD and video playback).


Many thanks


Gman

I have built about 6 HTPCs for various people and have never soldered anything --- not even for 1 second. Building a PC is as easy as swapping out a hard drive and since you can do that I think that you could just as easily build a HTPC.


I am not familiar with an all in one boxes at all although there are some people on here that seem to like the popcorn hour.


I prefer the HTPC approach.