the old hardware question -new computer...

[jasjol]

Hi
I need to buy a new computer for my GBPVR

what is the most important and minimum in present version?

Graphichs card?
RAM?
Processor?

if you have a dell/Fujitsu/HP standard - are you satisfied with low noise or vice versa?

I use MVP mostly - and will be using more than one MVP in future

[Deusxmachina]

The main question is whether you want to play HD or not, and if the computer will be used for anything else. For HD, you need something decent. I'd start by considering whatever Core2Duo is currently cheap, probably an e2140, an 8500GT or ATI 2400/2600 card since they both have hardware video decoding, (don't really NEED it, but you're going to pay around $50+ for a decent video card anyway, so may as well get an HTPC-friendly one), and one gig of whatever kind of ram. These parts not only make a great HTPC but also make a great general purpose computer, except those video cards are junk for games.

A switch to a 7600GT or better video card would still work great for video (except maybe fan noise) and could also play games if you want. That 8500 and 2400/2600 aren't going to be playing too many games at higher resolutions.

You could go a little cheaper with a motherboard with onboard video, but those generally won't be able to overclock the Core2Duo much, (which, granted, isn't required at all for an HTPC), won't have hardware decoding, and I've read of people having more problems with the integrated stuff. Could also go with a cheaper cpu, but remember the HTPC most likely won't be only playing video, it may also be transcoding or whatever else at the same time.

Parts could be swapped out if you can find a great deal on something particular, but that's just some guidelines there. The thing about going with weaker parts is that it's unlikely to save more than $50-$100 max, and the weaker power may come back to bite you. With one of the hardware-decoding video cards, the cpu could theoretically be brought way down, but, again, to save what? $30? While doubling or tripling the transcoding time? That's great if you have the spare parts already in your closet, but often not worth it if buying them new.

If not playing HD, you can get away with a lot less.

[jasjol]

OK

I will probably not play HD since I have analogue cabelTV.

having hardwarecoded videorendering seems good if GBPVR can use it

is 1GB RAM enough?

if you use a lot of MVPs is it RAM or processor that is needed then?

[whurlston]

Are you playing back from the machine or just using as a streaming server for the MVPs?
Will you be doing any transcoding/post-processing?

[stustunz]

Ram
1 gig for xp
2 gig min for vista

[Deusxmachina]

is 1GB RAM enough?

If one's not enough, can always add more later. If only doing HTPC stuff, my XP32 machine usually sits around 500 megs, and not much more when transcoding since that mostly just needs cpu power -- and apparently a good bit of cpu power, too, since my Core2Duo at 1.8ghz is currently doing a non-HD into xvid at only 10-11fps with the latest standard Mencoder build.

[jasjol]

I will probably with this machine also be playing directly from the machine as well as having 1-4 MVP. (Today I only use MVP and kids are using it for gaming too... and present computer will soon break down.

So far I have not done any transcoding/post-processing since only used MVP. But when in future also connecting direct - maybe I will.

about Vista - does it work well for you with GBPVR?

[whurlston]

1GB should be plenty for what you want to do. I recommend using 2 512MB chips instead of 1 1GB and taking advantage of dual channel. Plus it's better to put any extra money into the CPU than the memory because you can add to the memory.

If you haven't picked out a motherboard yet, I recommend the Biostar TForce 7050-M2. Fairly cheap, designed for HTPCs, good HTPC graphics, HDMI, VGA, and also has a HDMI->DVI adapter. I've got one that I'm setting up with a 5600+ dual core.

As for Vista, I have come to absolutely LOATHE Vista. And no, it doesn't work well with GB-PVR for me. The problems aren't with GB-PVR because it doesn't work well with lots of other programs either. Overhead processing/memory requirements are higher than XP and no real benefit for HTPC use. Networking transfers are slower when going to non Vista machines. Programs take longer than they should to respond/start. (30 seconds to exit GB-PVR config for example. My slower WinXP machine did it in less than 10.) I recommend waiting on Vista if you can. It will be good, just not yet.

UAC is a whole other world of disappointment/annoyance.

[Satori]

It is surprising how little CPU is needed if you only do SD. My pc (see sig) can record 2 programs while streaming a third to the MVP and showing a fourth program from the video card. I would say it is maxed out, though.

I do not do any transcoding, however.

[whurlston]

Yeah, a 5600+ dual core would definitely be more than needed for an SD system, but I'm running 4 QAM tuners, 1 OTA, 2 Analog and HD-DVD.