PC Recommendation?

[mixedup]

Hi all,

If I were to buy a new PC for GB-PVR (but also use it occasionally for gaming too) are there any recommendations re CPU/motherboard? In particular I'm interested in value for money (i.e. not paying the premium for the absolute latest CPU)

I was thinking about dual-core too, i.e. to be able to run GB-PVR and play a game at the same time without affecting the recording. Would this be a valid assumption? Seems like the cost of dual core however takes the PC cost up to A$2000 however.

Thanks

[Baka no Kami]

Dual cores would probably help, but it's not necessary because ideally the bulk of the work encoding video should be done by the TV card which won't have anything else to do. Also, one of the best things you can do is to make sure that GBPVR has it own drives to record to. You're more likely to run into problems if other programs are constantly trying to read data while GBPVR is trying to write it.

[mixedup]

ahh, yes I've only got a cheap "VisionPlus Twinhan Tuner Card" card at the moment, so I think what happens here is the decoding is done via the computer I think.

Still would be interested in recommendations re CPU and motherboard for a new/value-for-money PC.

[mixedup]

any comments on these two specs/quotes from the local store

-----non dual core------------------------------------
Intel Socket 775 Pentium 4 670 3.8G/800/2M Prescott HT EIST EM64T XD
C
ASUS P5N32-SLI Deluxe NFORCE4-SLI, S775,1066 FSB, PCI EX16x2, Glan,
1394
DDR2 1024MB (2X512Mb,1G Kit) PC4300 DDR2 RAM Kingmax/Kingston
Thermaltake Armor Junior VC3430BWS Black Mid Tower Case with 430W
----------------------------------------

---dual core-------
Intel Socket 775 Pentium D 830 3.0GHZ 800MHZ FSB Dual Core CPU ASUS P5N32-SLI Deluxe NFORCE4-SLI, S775,1066 FSB, PCI EX16x2, Glan, 1394 DDR2 1024MB (2X512Mb,1G Kit) PC4300 DDR2 RAM Kingmax/Kingston Gecube Radeon X1800XTD 512MB Dual DVI GDDR3 CrossFire Ready PCI Express VIVO Thermaltake Armor Junior VC3430BWS Black Mid Tower Case with 430W
--------------

[Jep4444]

stay away from the Pentium Ds, poor performers for their price and they run really hot

your best choice is to wait for Intels Core 2 series(should be out this month) but if you're impatient than the Athlon X2s make the Pentium Ds look silly in just about everything

[reboot]

Any Athlon X2 will give you better bang for the buck.
Drop it on an MSI board with the NForce chipset, and it'll come in about 1/3 cheaper than the two you mention above.

[mixedup]

tks - assuming I'll be chasing a value for money rig (i.e. the Intel Core 2 series will be initially expensive no?) sounds like the Athlon X2 is the way to go

[mixedup]

* Do you know anything about the "AM2" series and whether I should go for this?
* What /speed would you recommend re value for money in the Athlon? Seems to just keep going up gradually.
* Seems hard to compare speeds between the Intel and Athlon - how do you do this?


Athlon™ 64 X2(Dual Core)
AMD Athlon™ 64 3800+ Processor Retail (939) Dual Core A$443.00
AMD Athlon™ 64 4200+ Processor Retail (939) Dual Core A$529.00
AMD Athlon™ 64 4400+ Processor Retail (939) Dual Core A$675.00
AMD Athlon™ 64 4600+ Processor Retail (939) Dual Core A$799.00
AMD Athlon™ 64 4800+ Processor Retail (939) Dual Core A$919.00

Athlon™ 64 X2(Dual Core) AM2
AMD Athlon™ 64 3800+AM2 Processor Retail Dual Core AM2 A$445.00
AMD Athlon™ 64 4200+AM2 Processor Retail Dual Core AM2 A$535.00


Intel Socket 775 Pentium D 805 2.66GHZ 533MHZ FSB Dual Core CPU A$185.00
Intel Socket 775 Pentium D 820 2.8GHZ 800MHZ FSB Dual Core CPU A$309.00
Intel Socket 775 Pentium D 830 3.0GHZ 800MHZ FSB Dual Core CPU A$389.00

[Jep4444]

eh wait a few days, Intel is launcing Core 2(a full line btw) in the next few days while AMD plans to cut prices to combat the X2

[capone]

If you really want to save a few bucks, and aren't trying to do hdtv or eye-bleeding game gfx, you could just get a basic eMachine for PVR, and then get a single core 2.8Ghz for play. The parts (memory, tv card, drivers, etc) will be cheap.

That would hold you over to the next gen of PCs that will probably do both of the above more natively than today (both in HW and OS).