QGL'ers, been out of the hardware game for some years. Want 2x64bit boards and chips.

One will run some VMs for testing, so just a cheap 64bit board and CPU with about 8gig ram should do.

And one just to run Vista Media Centre. Im running it at the moment with an old socket 478 + 1 gig ram + an AGP 6800 without any issues. However, id like to run Blu Rays, so I thought id upgrade to 4gig 64 and an 8800.

nice ninja edit to socket 478

Pretty much all CPU's these days are 64-bit. AMD's have been for 3 or more years and all the Core 2 Duo's are.

Might I ask what you need 8GB ram for? You'll likely need a decent motherboard and 4 2gb sticks (with mobo support) for that.

Also, 4GB is sweet but you dont need it to run blu-rays, only a fairly good video card (even mid-range current generation is fine).

last edited by 3dee at 16:33:40 26/Nov/08

he said VMs

moobs - does the 6800 have a component (YPbYr) adapter with it? And if it does, what do you want for it.

RAM is that cheap now days, I'd go for 8GB too, despite having little need for it (yet).

a 32gb RAM Mac Pro with 8x 3.2ghz cores (dual quad core xeon), 4x 1TB hard disks and four ATI 2600HDs running up to 8 Apple Cinema Displays (each full 8-bit panels) would be alright :D Pity it costs around 12K for the ram alone.

^^I have 4 of them in my bedroom.

Don't ATI make a few cards specifically for high def tv/movie viewing?

does the 6800 have a component (YPbYr) adapter with it?

not sure, what is it?

yeah vms. prolly have 2gig to the host os (2008). run 2xsql server, an iis server, and isa server.

quad core Intel CORE 2 Q6600/2.4Ghz/2x4MB/1066FSB/LGA775
or core 2 duo? Intel ATX E8500 CORE 2 DUO/3.16GHz/6MB/1333FSB/LGA775

Both around $300

a 32gb RAM Mac Pro with 8x 3.2ghz cores (dual quad core xeon), 4x 1TB hard disks and four ATI 2600HDs running up to 8 Apple Cinema Displays (each full 8-bit panels) would be alright :D Pity it costs around 12K for the ram alone.

pity it's a mac ;)

not sure, what is it?

It's an adapter that'll plug into the DVI or s-video looking connector on the card that will split into 3 plugs (red/green/blue).

http://compeve.com/images/hdtv_cable.jpg

You'd probably be better off with the 32bit version of Vista for the media machine and you don't need a great CPU for playing Blu-Ray either. Get a 5000+ AMD with a mobo that has onboard video with a HDMI port and you're set.

AMD ftl. Core 2 is much better for the same cost.

Even the E7300 would be fine for Bluray.

And one of the ATI 4850s would run bluray with its eyes closed.

2GB ram would be enough as well.

TicMan, I have a spare component to s-vid adapter you can have for $10 (inc. postage).

PM me if you're keen.

Photo taken with my mobs, sorry for the quality.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/250/compsvidzy8.jpg
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/compsvidzy8.jpg/1/w768.png

You'd probably be better off with the 32bit version of Vista for the media machine and you don't need a great CPU for playing Blu-Ray either. Get a 5000+ AMD with a mobo that has onboard video with a HDMI port and you're set.

why not 64bit vista? onboard graphics good enoof for vista?

And one of the ATI 4850s would run bluray with its eyes closed.

dont like ATI, nvidia drivers are better.


last edited by mooby at 14:14:33 27/Nov/08

ATI 48xx series are VERY fast. I.e. 800 shader units fast for 300 bucks. Couple of my mates have gotten a 4850 or 4870 and can run crysis on very high at respectable resolution/framerates.

nvidia drivers are better

nvidia drivers exactly the reason I went to ati

Go the 8GB of RAM and then ditch your pagefile. With 8GB of RAM you can run a windows XP/Vista system without a pagefile and hence cut down access times and disk thrashing.

why not 64bit vista? onboard graphics good enoof for vista?

You just don't need 64bit for a media machine. You can get onboard video that can do 1920x1080 and have an optional HDMI port. Ati 48xx cards are very nice but they are total over kill unless you are planning to play a lot of games on your media machine. AMD Mobos seem to have the better integrated video options and a 5000+ can be had for under $100. Slap in 2gig of RAM and you've got a HD capable media player.