DIY Media Center PC

I want to eventually build my own Media Center PC. The goal of this project is:

• fill in the blanks

Actually this page is being co-opted to use for the parts list for Stephanie's MythTV box. Besides, once I finalize this and build it, I have all the info I need to build my own!!

(Note: All prices are rounded up for simplicity's sake, i.e. $49.99 becomes $50)

Requirements:

• output to TV Composite output (i.e. old school RCA plug)
• be able to play DVD Videos and burn DVD videos of recorded content
• HD *NOT* necessary
  • but you might end up getting it anyway - pretty much all the tuner cards these days do both HD and SD
• must be able to (at first) sneaker-net the program guide data onto the box - it *won't* be networked
  • this MAY be a problem - I'm not sure that the myth software can handle accepting program data via sneaker-net
  • at the very least you can operate it in "dumb VCR" mode (i.e. set the channel and start/end times yourself)
  • wifi a possible later add on
    • no problems here, I know of several good PCI wifi cards that work in Linux
• control a Comcast cable box using IR Blaster
  • this means the TV tuner must accept input from the Comcast (either SVideo or composite)
• Do you guys want a Remote Control (ie to be able to control myth box using a remote?)

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Motherboard and CPU:

• Intel
  • http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121341 Intel, $60
    • may not be PCI Express - check!
  • http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072 Core 2 Duo E5200 Wolfdale 2.5 GHz $70
• AMD
  • http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157154 ASrock (AMD), $70
    • has both PCI and PCIe slots
    • requires DDR2 1066 memory
  • http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103255 AMD Athlon X2 4850e 2.5GHz $56

RAM:

• Intel
  • blah
• AMD
  • http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227419 OCZ Blade Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)

Video card:

• ATI
  • http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129129 VisionTek Radeon 3850, $60
    • Does this have a Composite out (old RCA plug style)?
• NVIDIA
  • insert link here

Tuner card:

• http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116033 Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 $85
  • This is a PCI card - make sure the mobo has PCI slots

IR blaster:

• insert link here

HD:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152101 Samsung SpinPoint 1TB drive, $90

Optical drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827129040 Pioneer DVR-117DBK $25

Case/PSU:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811144231 Apevia HTPC case, $65