I'm about to order parts for my 1st ever home grown PC and I'd appreciate any insights you can provide. This is intended to be a general purpose PC which ALSO should be suitable for:
- analog & digital video capture
- PVR
The system is NOT intended for gaming.
Using knowledge from this forum and the SPCR site [many thanks!] I've selected components that should result in a quiet system.
Here's what I have in mind:
- Athlon 64 X2 3800+
- Asus A8N-VM CSM [quiet, has almost everything I need]
- CPU cooler: Thermalright SI-120
- CPU cooler fan: Papst 4412 FGL [120mm]
- Memory: KVR400X64C3AK2/2G [kit of 2, total 2Gb] I will have 4 users on this machine and frequently have to switch users so I would like, 2Gb to minimize swapping
- Video capture & TV: not selected yet; I'll do this once the system is up & running
- Case: Antec P150
- Case fan: Nexus Real Silent 92 mm
- RAID 1 array: 2* Samsung SP2004 C 200Gb - RAID 1 for data security
- Less secure storage: WD Caviar SE16 400Gb
- Optical: BenQ DW1640 - very good reviews
I have the following questions:
1. Will this fit in the P150?
2. Will this result in a quiet system; if not why?
3. What would you change - if anything - and why?
Thanks for your insights!
Please validate my 1st build
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
Given
your needs for video capture, I would suggest at least looking at a Raid 5 solution with 3 hd's. Almost as much data security, with much faster sustained writes.
I would also make sure whatever graphics card you get supports hardware based playback -- assuming you are going to be doing editing as well as capture.
I would also make sure whatever graphics card you get supports hardware based playback -- assuming you are going to be doing editing as well as capture.
I've done video capture a few times, and IMO I don't think RAID is really necessary for its speed. A single drive is ok. For secuirty you'd want at least some kind of RAID array, so RAID 1 with two drives should be fine.
To answer your questions:
1. Yup, it will fit. I'd suspend the hard drives too since it'll be easy to do in a P150 and you have less than four drives.
2. Should be quiet except while cd or dvd burning, but you've gotta accept that.
3. Would get a Papst for the rear fan to replace the Tri-Cool but it isn't really necessary. My Papst at 5V sounds a little smoother than the Tri-Cool on low, but from more than 1.5 ft away I can't hear either. Otherwise there's not much I'd change.
Post your ideas on the graphics solution. GPUs and HDDs are usually the hardest things to cool quietly.
To answer your questions:
1. Yup, it will fit. I'd suspend the hard drives too since it'll be easy to do in a P150 and you have less than four drives.
2. Should be quiet except while cd or dvd burning, but you've gotta accept that.
3. Would get a Papst for the rear fan to replace the Tri-Cool but it isn't really necessary. My Papst at 5V sounds a little smoother than the Tri-Cool on low, but from more than 1.5 ft away I can't hear either. Otherwise there's not much I'd change.
Post your ideas on the graphics solution. GPUs and HDDs are usually the hardest things to cool quietly.
Thanks stromgald & sgent.
The rationale for my disk config is to use 2 disks in a RAID 1 array for security and use the 3rd disk as additional unsecure storage. I don't think my videocapture needs warrant a RAID 0 config.
The rationale for my disk config is to use 2 disks in a RAID 1 array for security and use the 3rd disk as additional unsecure storage. I don't think my videocapture needs warrant a RAID 0 config.
Initially I plan to use the on-board graphics as I need to do more research on the various video-capture & TV solutions. The build-in graphics is passively cooled, so not a problem.stromgald wrote:I've done video capture a few times, and IMO I don't think RAID is really necessary for its speed. A single drive is ok. For secuirty you'd want at least some kind of RAID array, so RAID 1 with two drives should be fine.
To answer your questions:
1. Yup, it will fit. I'd suspend the hard drives too since it'll be easy to do in a P150 and you have less than four drives. - will do
2. Should be quiet except while cd or dvd burning, but you've gotta accept that. - no problem
3. Would get a Papst for the rear fan to replace the Tri-Cool but it isn't really necessary. My Papst at 5V sounds a little smoother than the Tri-Cool on low, but from more than 1.5 ft away I can't hear either. Otherwise there's not much I'd change.
Post your ideas on the graphics solution. GPUs and HDDs are usually the hardest things to cool quietly.
-
~El~Jefe~
- Friend of SPCR
- Posts: 2887
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 4:21 pm
- Location: New York City zzzz
- Contact:
eh.
ok.
you can capture video in many cheap ways.
however, it looks like crap in almost all of the ways besides that designed and built by ATI. Not that the haupauge thing is terrible, it just doesnt compare side by side to rage theater 200 chip and the digital tuner thingie of an all-in-wonder card.
now you say to me. DAMN YO WTF I GOTTA SPILL CASH FO DAT??@!@
well i duno. I can say that if you go out and buy a 9800 PRO all-in-wonder its kinda cheap, but its on AGP bus. so for that I recommend my faithful pick:
Asrock's dual sataII uli 1695 chipset mobo. It has full pci-e and agp on it at full speed, and the north and south bridge are brand new builds that dont squash all of the heat and power on one northbridge like nforce4 does (making it hard to keep cool).
that's what I would do. There is a x600 PCI-E card that I havent reviewed yet. I tried not to as it goes slower than a 9800 pro aiw by far, but for your use its a speed demon.
NOt all all in wonder editions are as feature rich as others. the x800 XL for example is missing some key ports on it and a remote! that kinda defeats the purpose for it in the first place. the x800XT which is a little more money has all of the settings the 9800 pro has as well as ports and remote.
with that I give my obvious recommendation of 9800 aiwonder pro.
it just has everything you need. cheap too. ebay it if you would even.
ok.
you can capture video in many cheap ways.
however, it looks like crap in almost all of the ways besides that designed and built by ATI. Not that the haupauge thing is terrible, it just doesnt compare side by side to rage theater 200 chip and the digital tuner thingie of an all-in-wonder card.
now you say to me. DAMN YO WTF I GOTTA SPILL CASH FO DAT??@!@
well i duno. I can say that if you go out and buy a 9800 PRO all-in-wonder its kinda cheap, but its on AGP bus. so for that I recommend my faithful pick:
Asrock's dual sataII uli 1695 chipset mobo. It has full pci-e and agp on it at full speed, and the north and south bridge are brand new builds that dont squash all of the heat and power on one northbridge like nforce4 does (making it hard to keep cool).
that's what I would do. There is a x600 PCI-E card that I havent reviewed yet. I tried not to as it goes slower than a 9800 pro aiw by far, but for your use its a speed demon.
NOt all all in wonder editions are as feature rich as others. the x800 XL for example is missing some key ports on it and a remote! that kinda defeats the purpose for it in the first place. the x800XT which is a little more money has all of the settings the 9800 pro has as well as ports and remote.
with that I give my obvious recommendation of 9800 aiwonder pro.
it just has everything you need. cheap too. ebay it if you would even.