# custom pc



## trebor127

Hello
I am after an ''all in one'' pc. I have been looking at the Sony RT series and this it is a fantastic machine. Just wondering if there are any other all in one pcs that have optical sound output, HDMI in, and a 1080p HD screen?? Screen must be at least 22". Any ideas if there is such thing or anyone who would be able to build one from scratch?? I know the Hewellet Packard doesn't have hdmi input although it has a HD screen 

Rob :car:


----------



## azkikr987

Build one yourself...Its far easier than you'd think and far more rewarding. Price up all your components and You'll find you get better spec, and its tailored to what you want...and then it makes it easier to upgrade as you can change components every so often instead of buying a whole new machine!


----------



## trebor127

azkikr987 said:


> Build one yourself...Its far easier than you'd think and far more rewarding. Price up all your components and You'll find you get better spec, and its tailored to what you want...and then it makes it easier to upgrade as you can change components every so often instead of buying a whole new machine!


I was after an all in one machine (with built in screen) like http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/521264/SONY-VGC-RT2SY/tab/specification :thumb:


----------



## Jordan

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/imac


----------



## leviathan_uk

jason2800 said:


> http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/imac


agreed even as a pc user if i had that kind of money it would be mac all the way plus you could get the top of the range imac and a copy of windows 7 for less than that sony


----------



## trebor127

leviathan_uk said:


> agreed even as a pc user if i had that kind of money it would be mac all the way plus you could get the top of the range imac and a copy of windows 7 for less than that sony


But does the mac have HDMI input and a tv tuner??


----------



## trebor127

anybody :wave:


----------



## Chris_R

No, it has neither of those things that you want, HDMI input is a no goer entirely. TV tuner would have to be by a USB stick of some sort.
I am not entirely sure why people always go "oh get a Mac", its an answer, just not the right one to your specification but people still suggest it none the less.

Question - why do you want the HDMI input? Is it to plug in a games system or similar device?
Looking at the Sony it appears to be more of a TV with a computer inside it (hence the addition of the HDMI input - which I imagine is going to switch it to a monitor/tv when in use that way rather than being an input to the PC inside it is a direct input to the TV part) than being a computer with a monitor bolted on if you catch my drift?

In this case a decent PC base unit with a very good monitor with multiple HDMI inputs is going to be the only contender to match the Sony. Not that I am saying the Sony is good by any means - it looks like it is massively overpriced for the spec you get on that Comet link you put up. Laughably so to my eyes. 
Think about it, you could get a massively powerful PC base unit AND a super high resolution 30" monitor (hows 2560x1600 grab ya on a Dell Ultrasharp?) with a infinitely better graphics, more memory, more disk space, upgrade potential, blu-ray etc
I mean we are talking money for a Core I7 (with overclock up to what 4Ghz?!), 6GB DDR3 ram, Geforce GTX295 - something like £1200 of base unit and the monitor at another 1k (or less, up to you how much you want to spend on it) 

You are paying through the nose for that Sony badge, no doubt about it in my mind, it is not a "fantastic machine" its overpriced and underspec'd to my eyes.


----------



## trebor127

Chris_R said:


> No, it has neither of those things that you want, HDMI input is a no goer entirely. TV tuner would have to be by a USB stick of some sort.
> I am not entirely sure why people always go "oh get a Mac", its an answer, just not the right one to your specification but people still suggest it none the less.
> 
> Question - why do you want the HDMI input? Is it to plug in a games system or similar device?
> Looking at the Sony it appears to be more of a TV with a computer inside it (hence the addition of the HDMI input - which I imagine is going to switch it to a monitor/tv when in use that way rather than being an input to the PC inside it is a direct input to the TV part) than being a computer with a monitor bolted on if you catch my drift?
> 
> In this case a decent PC base unit with a very good monitor with multiple HDMI inputs is going to be the only contender to match the Sony. Not that I am saying the Sony is good by any means - it looks like it is massively overpriced for the spec you get on that Comet link you put up. Laughably so to my eyes.
> Think about it, you could get a massively powerful PC base unit AND a super high resolution 30" monitor (hows 2560x1600 grab ya on a Dell Ultrasharp?) with a infinitely better graphics, more memory, more disk space, upgrade potential, blu-ray etc
> I mean we are talking money for a Core I7 (with overclock up to what 4Ghz?!), 6GB DDR3 ram, Geforce GTX295 - something like £1200 of base unit and the monitor at another 1k (or less, up to you how much you want to spend on it)
> 
> You are paying through the nose for that Sony badge, no doubt about it in my mind, it is not a "fantastic machine" its overpriced and underspec'd to my eyes.


I know that I could get a powerful base unit and a very good TV. BUT, I am very limited for space and as it's going into my bedroom, I want everything to be neat, I hate wires - the sony only has a power cable and aerial. Cost doesn't really matter, I would only be using it for films (blu ray player on the sony) and music and to play my Xbox 360 on, hence why I want HDMI connection :thumb:


----------



## m0bov

Take a look at building yourself a Shuttle!


----------



## [email protected]

trebor127 said:


> I was after an all in one machine (with built in screen) like http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/521264/SONY-VGC-RT2SY/tab/specification :thumb:


That's a serious crap spec for that kind of money even though its all built in. Take a look on OverClockers.co.uk forum


----------



## Copey

[email protected] said:


> That's a serious crap spec for that kind of money even though its all built in. Take a look on OverClockers.co.uk forum


I was going to say for the price its awful spec, i would look for an alternative or get a proper PC that will be cheaper.


----------



## jamest

Get an Apple or get a small shuttle and a seperate TV and live with the cables.

That Sony is an awful lot of money for the spec.


----------



## Ninja59

i didnt see the link until now and then thought wtf....tbh...all the answers of what people think are above....


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> Get an Apple or get a small shuttle and a seperate TV and live with the cables.
> 
> That Sony is an awful lot of money for the spec.


Whats a shuttle? I only posted the sony computer as that was the only 'all in one' machine I could find of a decent speck. I know it's not right up there with a lot of ery good computers but I really do hate wires and I just wanted something that looks alright and neat, but seen as that can't be d0ne, I have changed my mind to go with a small computer hooked up to a decent monitor. I will just have to hide the computer away somewhere so I don't see the extra couple of cables...does anybody know anywhere that does good computer builds?? And does anybody know what the smallest base unit I could have which would fit a decent spec? I have about £1200 to spend on the base unit and about £800-£1000 on a 24" screen....Any ideas??


----------



## jamest

A shuttle is a small PC case manufacturer.










That is a rought guide to how big they are compared to your standard case.

The case itself, is just a case and motherboard and PSU, then you can put your own CPU, RAM, Hard drive, CD/DVD drive and graphics card if the onboard isn't good enough for you.


----------



## trebor127

Copey said:


> I was going to say for the price its awful spec, i would look for an alternative or get a proper PC that will be cheaper.


That was my original question....I was asking if anybody knew of any or anybody that would be able to build something like it....:thumb:


----------



## jamest

trebor127 said:


> That was my original question....I was asking if anybody knew of any or anybody that would be able to build something like it....:thumb:


Apple. But due to the small amount of room and specific hardware that is created to fit in the small form there is an added cost.


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> Apple. But due to the small amount of room and specific hardware that is created to fit in the small form there is an added cost.


I wanted a HDMI connection though, because I want my xbox to go into it aswell...Think I will give a few computer places a call and see what they come up with...What sort of price should I expect to pay for a top spec small pc??


----------



## Copey

trebor127 said:


> I wanted a HDMI connection though, because I want my xbox to go into it aswell...Think I will give a few computer places a call and see what they come up with...What sort of price should I expect to pay for a top spec small pc??


Id try a pre built system from overclockers.co.uk, they have some great ones on there.plus the guys know what there doing, scan.co.uk might have some good ones aswell.

Building one yourself is the best option as you can have exactly what youi want/need, but im guessing that isnt usually an option so a good prebuilt system will do you well, dont buy a brand name as there usually crap.


----------



## [email protected]

trebor127 said:


> That was my original question....I was asking if anybody knew of any or anybody that would be able to build something like it....:thumb:


ME being building my own since 1994.


----------



## trebor127

[email protected] said:


> ME being building my own since 1994.


what can you offer me then mate :thumb: base unit has to be small, powerful, quiet, fast, wireless, able to link up to my surround sound using optical cable.....lots of memory and storage...basically the best that can be built for about a grand


----------



## Guest

it is not rocket science to shove a few components into foolproof keyed slots on a motherboard, either directly or via cable


----------



## Ninja59

trust me like G220 said its pi*s easy as only certain things will fit in certain places just make sure everything is compatible with each other...desktops and media centres far easier than ruddy laptops i tell you...lol...


----------



## trebor127

Ninja59 said:


> trust me like G220 said its pi*s easy as only certain things will fit in certain places just make sure everything is compatible with each other...desktops and media centres far easier than ruddy laptops i tell you...lol...


Thats the thing, I don't have a clue what would be compatable with what lol...I'm only any good using a computer (and still thats not all that good), but not building one.....


----------



## Ninja59

theres plenty of guides and also, check that information is like for like for
example: - 

AMD chip AMD Board...its quite simple tbh most of them go by model numbers so its like select that then that personally i choose Motherboard first as it decides the number of items that are to be used and what specs....
Motherboard
CPU
RAM 
GPU
HD
and everything else last....
excluding the case selection ofc...


----------



## trebor127

Ninja59 said:


> theres plenty of guides and also, check that information is like for like for
> example: -
> 
> AMD chip AMD Board...its quite simple tbh most of them go by model numbers so its like select that then that personally i choose Motherboard first as it decides the number of items that are to be used and what specs....
> Motherboard
> CPU
> RAM
> GPU
> HD
> and everything else last....
> excluding the case selection ofc...


How would I know what would fit in the specific case though? I found a pc last night that was 6" * 6". So I wouldn't be able to fit alot in there would I??  This is it http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/index.php?page=form&&select=mc1 However, I was wanting a bigger spec than what is offered with it....


----------



## Chris_R

trebor127 said:


> How would I know what would fit in the specific case though? I found a pc last night that was 6" * 6". So I wouldn't be able to fit alot in there would I??  This is it http://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/index.php?page=form&&select=mc1 However, I was wanting a bigger spec than what is offered with it....


Therein the problem with smaller cases - restricted graphics options - especially these days where a single card can take up two or more full height slots on the back panel and hence why the Sony you posted originally has what would normally be found inside a laptop of some description.


----------



## [email protected]

G220 said:


> it is not rocket science to shove a few components into foolproof keyed slots on a motherboard, either directly or via cable


but I got two left hands or is it two rights :doublesho 

The Sony was 2k plus change what happened to the budget?


----------



## [email protected]

:uts system builder's hat on::

Budget:

You need everything?

Keyboard
Mouse
Monitor
OS (WinXP, Vista, Win7)
Use of machine: Media PC, Game machine?
What connections must it have?


----------



## Stu-pot

what about a mac mini they have a foot print about the size of a cd case and of course run the splendid OS X.

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/mac_mini?mco=Nzk2MDgyNA


----------



## trebor127

[email protected] said:


> :uts system builder's hat on::
> 
> Budget:
> 
> You need everything?
> 
> Keyboard
> Mouse
> Monitor
> OS (WinXP, Vista, Win7)
> Use of machine: Media PC, Game machine?
> What connections must it have?


Well I am going to get a samsung or panasonic television (I think ), I have got a top gaming laser mouse already, It will be mainly a media pc but I still want it to be fast, it must have optical output for connection to my surround sound(if that is possible as I have heard that it isn't but unsure whether to believe it or not), OS - either XP or vista , think I like XP though to be honest, and i've already got the keyboard :thumb: Any ideas...would I be able to get the intel core i7 chip in a mini pc??


----------



## trebor127

Stu-pot said:


> what about a mac mini they have a foot print about the size of a cd case and of course run the splendid OS X.
> 
> http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/mac_mini?mco=Nzk2MDgyNA


I do like the mac mini, but I wanted a little more power and something built to my own spec


----------



## [email protected]

Budget: ??

Nope to i7

A good idea would be something like this

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 LGA775 'Yorkfield' 2.83GHz 12MB-cache 
Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi Mini-ITX 
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-Bit
Silverstone Sugo SG05B Mini-ITX Case
Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB SATA-II 32MB Cache
Corsair XMS2 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5 
Samsung SN-S082H/BEBN 8x DVD±RW IDE Slimline Drive (Black) - OEM 
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Low Profile CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775)
Akasa Slimline Optical SATA Cable (AK-CB050)

www.silverstonetek.com


----------



## trebor127

[email protected] said:


> Budget: ??
> 
> Nope to i7
> 
> A good idea would be something like this
> 
> Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 LGA775 'Yorkfield' 2.83GHz 12MB-cache
> Zotac GeForce 9300-ITX WiFi Mini-ITX
> Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 64-Bit
> Silverstone Sugo SG05B Mini-ITX Case
> Western Digital Caviar Green 1.5TB SATA-II 32MB Cache
> Corsair XMS2 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5
> Samsung SN-S082H/BEBN 8x DVD±RW IDE Slimline Drive (Black) - OEM
> Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Low Profile CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775)
> Akasa Slimline Optical SATA Cable (AK-CB050)
> 
> www.silverstonetek.com


Budget of about £1000 - £1250. Also would this have optical output as I would be connecting to my yamaha 5.1 amp... :thumb:


----------



## jamest

Shuttle XPC SG33G5M
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550
Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB
LG CH08LS10 8x Blu-Ray Reader
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Corsair XMS2 4GB

For £910 at Overclockers, could probably get most parts cheaper on ebuyer or scan.

Has optical out too.


----------



## [email protected]

Fiber SPDIF port is optical out? If so nice spec jamest you got to figure for someone (may not be me) to build it for him as well, oh and delivery.


----------



## [email protected]

trebor127 said:


> Budget of about £1000 - £1250. Also would this have optical output as I would be connecting to my yamaha 5.1 amp... :thumb:


Ok I have been reading does it have to be mini pc size if you opt for the next size up the micro atx you can get better value for money and a better spec still with relatively small box.

Personally speaking I think the shuttle is a little long in the tooth now, no onboard wifi and doesn't support double width 9" graphics cards although the specs say it does, the sillverstone does and has lots of holes for heat to get away which means you can run a lower rpm fan which should mean less noise. Also only supports 800mhz fsb the other combo runs 1333mhz


----------



## jamest

Agree. A better option would be a micro ATX.

Intel Core i7 920 2.6GHz
Corsair Dominator 6GB (3x2GB)
Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB
Motherboard (Asus Rampage II Gene possibly)
Antec Mini-P180 Micro ATX Case 
LG CH08LS10 8x Blu-Ray Reader
Corsair VX 550W
Palit GeForce GTX 275 896MB
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

For just over £1,100.

The problem with the motherboard is it doesn't do DTS or Dolby Digital Live, so unless you speakers support passthrough you wouldn't benefit from it. If not you are stuck with 2.0 unless you get a sound card like the Auzentech:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-003-HT&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat= or http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-000-AZ&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=


----------



## [email protected]

jamest said:


> Agree. A better option would be a micro ATX.
> 
> Intel Core i7 920 2.6GHz
> Corsair Dominator 6GB (3x2GB)
> Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB
> Motherboard (Asus Rampage II Gene possibly)
> Antec Mini-P180 Micro ATX Case
> LG CH08LS10 8x Blu-Ray Reader
> Corsair VX 550W
> Palit GeForce GTX 275 896MB
> Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
> 
> For just over £1,100.
> 
> The problem with the motherboard is it doesn't do DTS or Dolby Digital Live, so unless you speakers support passthrough you wouldn't benefit from it. If not you are stuck with 2.0 unless you get a sound card like the Auzentech:
> 
> http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-003-HT&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat= or http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-000-AZ&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat=


very nice


----------



## trebor127

[email protected] said:


> Ok I have been reading does it have to be mini pc size if you opt for the next size up the micro atx you can get better value for money and a better spec still with relatively small box.
> 
> Personally speaking I think the shuttle is a little long in the tooth now, no onboard wifi and doesn't support double width 9" graphics cards although the specs say it does, the sillverstone does and has lots of holes for heat to get away which means you can run a lower rpm fan which should mean less noise. Also only supports 800mhz fsb the other combo runs 1333mhz


Thinking about it, I could probably have a shuffle about in my room and find a little more space for the micro atx...I'm sorry to keep asking questions but I just don't want to go into a shop and get ripped off with something I don't need..:thumb:


----------



## trebor127

[email protected] said:


> Fiber SPDIF port is optical out? If so nice spec jamest you got to figure for someone (may not be me) to build it for him as well, oh and delivery.


Oh by the way, this is my amp that it would need to be connected up to....http://www.yamaha-uk.com/av_amps_receivers/index.cfm?product_id=206&specification=1&Subcategory_ID=10 I haven't heard of spdif, is this just a fancy name for optical?


----------



## jamest

trebor127 said:


> Oh by the way, this is my amp that it would need to be connected up to....http://www.yamaha-uk.com/av_amps_receivers/index.cfm?product_id=206&specification=1&Subcategory_ID=10 I haven't heard of spdif, is this just a fancy name for optical?


S/PDIF is the real name for a digital output.

Looks like the following:


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> S/PDIF is the real name for a digital output.
> 
> Looks like the following:


Thats super, thanks mate. I think I'll be ok getting my amp hooked up. pheww... I e-mailed a bloke from a pc store and he said that it would not be possible  thats the only reason for my asking


----------



## jamest

trebor127 said:


> Thats super, thanks mate. I think I'll be ok getting my amp hooked up. pheww... I e-mailed a bloke from a pc store and he said that it would not be possible  thats the only reason for my asking


You can IF your amp supports S/PDIF passthrough. My Sony amp does and it means I can pass DTS sound through from the PC to the amp with nothing done to the audio by the computer so I get full 5.1 DTS sound rather than 2.0.


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> You can IF your amp supports S/PDIF passthrough. My Sony amp does and it means I can pass DTS sound through from the PC to the amp with nothing done to the audio by the computer so I get full 5.1 DTS sound rather than 2.0.


This is my amp http://www.yamaha-uk.com/av_amps_receivers/?product_id=206 I'm unsure what S/PDIF passthrough is I know it has optical input at the rear...


----------



## jamest

trebor127 said:


> This is my amp http://www.yamaha-uk.com/av_amps_receivers/?product_id=206 I'm unsure what S/PDIF passthrough is I know it has optical input at the rear...


I think it will be OK as it supports DTS although I can't guarantee it. From the manual it seemed to imply that you could select DTS encoded input which to me sounds like another way of saying it supports pass-through but not 100%.


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> I think it will be OK as it supports DTS although I can't guarantee it. From the manual it seemed to imply that you could select DTS encoded input which to me sounds like another way of saying it supports pass-through but not 100%.


I'll have to get down to the shop where I bought it and ask them...:thumb:thanks for that mate.


----------



## trebor127

unless anybody on here knows the answer????


----------



## trebor127

ok finally come up with a spec :speechles


Silverstone SG03-B Black MicroATX aluminium case
Asus AT3N7A-I motherboard
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550, S775,Yorkfield Core, 2.83GHz, 1333MHz, 12MBcache
512MB Gainward GTS 250 Green graphics card
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Soundcard 
LG GGW-H20L Super Multi Blu-Ray Writer & HD-ROM reader
two 1.5 terrabyte hardrives (1 to backup the other)
T.V. card to record digital television

Unsure on what power supply & what memory to get . Any comments or is there any problems with the equipment that anybody can see? 

Rob


----------



## Bigge

I will admit i have merely skimmed through this thread, but i cant see anywhere in it where you state you want a spare processor for another machine, or just to say you have one. But Im pretty sure the Asus AT3N7A-I is an atom board. With an atom, on board. Meaning this is a motherboard already equiped with cpu. So your Quad would be useless.


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> I will admit i have merely skimmed through this thread, but i cant see anywhere in it where you state you want a spare processor for another machine, or just to say you have one. But Im pretty sure the Asus AT3N7A-I is an atom board. With an atom, on board. Meaning this is a motherboard already equiped with cpu. So your Quad would be useless.


Oh maybe I posted the incorrect board...any suggestions what board would be ok?


----------



## Bigge

I am personaly a fan of Gigabye mobos, currently have 3 stable systems in the house running from them. But if your going small, and your microatx posts earlier suggest you want to go that way, then go with the best at that task. Shuttle. Very well made, come with the motherboard already in, all you need to do is choose a cpu, ram, drive and gpu combo and your away and running.

Shuttle

Top of the range and supporting latest cpus which would still be within your budget. Possibly  , and the price goes down from there.


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> I am personaly a fan of Gigabye mobos, currently have 3 stable systems in the house running from them. But if your going small, and your microatx posts earlier suggest you want to go that way, then go with the best at that task. Shuttle. Very well made, come with the motherboard already in, all you need to do is choose a cpu, ram, drive and gpu combo and your away and running.
> 
> Shuttle
> 
> Top of the range and supporting latest cpus which would still be within your budget. Possibly  , and the price goes down from there.


I have heard that the shuttle are a bit crappy  I am just confused as to knowing what will go with what though...


----------



## Bigge

OOooof i just spent £1109.49 of your hard earned on ebuyer for you  Nice little system but its hard to say if it would tick all your boxes. 

Its very easy if you know what your looking for, you simply need to choose a shuttle, check what cpu it uses, then choose according to your price range. I went for the top of the range shuttle as an example and took the lowest priced retail boxed i7 cpu. Then you simply need to fill in ram, hard drive and disk drive choices as you wish. I chose 4 gig of corsair ddr3 followed by 2 1tb samsung spinpoints and the lg blue ray writer you mentioned earlier. Then added a 22 inch lg gloss black screen and your in business. £1109.49
I didnt add a graphics card as the budget had long since ran out and you havnet been specific on what you would require gpu wise. But you get the idea. To knock a good couple of hundred quid off this set up you simply drop down a level or 2 on the shuttle, the cpu is adjusted to fit the shuttle accordingly and your back on the road. You would probably also have to change ram to ddr2, depending obviously on the shuttle choice.
Ill have a play and figure out the cheaper version 

great this spending other people cash lark


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> OOooof i just spent £1109.49 of your hard earned on ebuyer for you  Nice little system but its hard to say if it would tick all your boxes.
> 
> Its very easy if you know what your looking for, you simply need to choose a shuttle, check what cpu it uses, then choose according to your price range. I went for the top of the range shuttle as an example and took the lowest priced retail boxed i7 cpu. Then you simply need to fill in ram, hard drive and disk drive choices as you wish. I chose 4 gig of corsair ddr3 followed by 2 1tb samsung spinpoints and the lg blue ray writer you mentioned earlier. Then added a 22 inch lg gloss black screen and your in business. £1109.49
> I didnt add a graphics card as the budget had long since ran out and you havnet been specific on what you would require gpu wise. But you get the idea. To knock a good couple of hundred quid off this set up you simply drop down a level or 2 on the shuttle, the cpu is adjusted to fit the shuttle accordingly and your back on the road. You would probably also have to change ram to ddr2, depending obviously on the shuttle choice.
> Ill have a play and figure out the cheaper version
> 
> great this spending other people cash lark


Well maybe I can stretch a little more and the budget is without a monitor...I'd say about £1500 with a monitor :thumb: I shall let u spend a bit more of my hard earned cash...seen as I am working right this minute for it haha


----------



## Bigge

Well i just figured a lower spec set up and got it to £987 with graphics. But thats stepping down to a q6600 cpu. Not by any stretch a bad cpu but the latest i7 are supposed to be the dogs. But if your gonna step up the budget, just add £115 to the first one for a good graphics set up and your away. If your stepping up by that much theres nothing to stop you throwing upgraded sound ( this can be an issue with media pcs) but the first one i showed does have 7 point surround, and spdif. You would also be able to chuck in a tv tuner, think they are about 30 quid. Gotta say, its an awful lotta cash to throw at a pc.


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> Well i just figured a lower spec set up and got it to £987 with graphics. But thats stepping down to a q6600 cpu. Not by any stretch a bad cpu but the latest i7 are supposed to be the dogs. But if your gonna step up the budget, just add £115 to the first one for a good graphics set up and your away. If your stepping up by that much theres nothing to stop you throwing upgraded sound ( this can be an issue with media pcs) but the first one i showed does have 7 point surround, and spdif. You would also be able to chuck in a tv tuner, think they are about 30 quid. Gotta say, its an awful lotta cash to throw at a pc.


Well considering I nearly purchased the sony on the 1st page at £2200, it is relatively cheap haha! What would a decent graphics card for that? Also what audio card would you say? the ones that I previously suggested or different?

Rob :thumb:


----------



## Bigge

Both the items you mention are up to the job. (250gts and sbl) but as with most things pc, price is so variable as they literaly have one for every job. Especialy in the graphics department. I personaly use Nvidia, and for what your doing, something in the £60-90 range would do a job. But for a little more you can have a more comfortable performance rate with a few little extras too.

Graphics card

This was the one i put in the system i set up for you last night.


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> Both the items you mention are up to the job. (250gts and sbl) but as with most things pc, price is so variable as they literaly have one for every job. Especialy in the graphics department. I personaly use Nvidia, and for what your doing, something in the £60-90 range would do a job. But for a little more you can have a more comfortable performance rate with a few little extras too.
> 
> Graphics card
> 
> This was the one i put in the system i set up for you last night.


Thanks for the reply :thumb: So you don't know of any issues with the shuttle? i.e. heat? Also would a 2nd H/Drive fit?


----------



## Bigge

Heat is always an issue in small form factors, but the shuttle i showed has a new and improved way of dealing with that so i would be confident it would be ok. 

and yes, it says 2 x 3.5" (hard drives) and 1 x 5.25" (dvd drive) so you will be fine with 2 mate.


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> Heat is always an issue in small form factors, but the shuttle i showed has a new and improved way of dealing with that so i would be confident it would be ok.
> 
> and yes, it says 2 x 3.5" (hard drives) and 1 x 5.25" (dvd drive) so you will be fine with 2 mate.


Ok cheers mate, i'll pop over to scan through the week, just a bit tired at the moment as I'm doing nights


----------



## Bigge

Dunno if you need them, but heres the codes for everything I put in the build but using scans site instead.


LN22021
LN24527
LN26788
LN27163
LN27657
LN28156
LN28746
LN28727

Place these in the "link no" section of your basket (top right)

Price difference between scan and ebuyer is negligible at the moment. I havent put a tv tuner in, as i know bugger all about these as I watch all my tv online, football ufc and so on are all available if you know where to look  But if scan is near you im sure they can help you out. 
Good luck


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> Dunno if you need them, but heres the codes for everything I put in the build but using scans site instead.
> 
> LN22021
> LN24527
> LN26788
> LN27163
> LN27657
> LN28156
> LN28746
> LN28727
> 
> Place these in the "link no" section of your basket (top right)
> 
> Price difference between scan and ebuyer is negligible at the moment. I havent put a tv tuner in, as i know bugger all about these as I watch all my tv online, football ufc and so on are all available if you know where to look  But if scan is near you im sure they can help you out.
> Good luck


hankyou very much :thumb: Scan is only about 5 or 6 miles away from my house  And regards to the tv, I just want it so I can record


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> Dunno if you need them, but heres the codes for everything I put in the build but using scans site instead.
> 
> LN22021
> LN24527
> LN26788
> LN27163
> LN27657
> LN28156
> LN28746
> LN28727
> 
> Place these in the "link no" section of your basket (top right)
> 
> Price difference between scan and ebuyer is negligible at the moment. I havent put a tv tuner in, as i know bugger all about these as I watch all my tv online, football ufc and so on are all available if you know where to look  But if scan is near you im sure they can help you out.
> Good luck


Oh by the way, I needed a graphics card with HDMI output, would any card fit or does it have to be a special size??

Thanks Rob


----------



## jamest

trebor127 said:


> Oh by the way, I needed a graphics card with HDMI output, would any card fit or does it have to be a special size??
> 
> Thanks Rob


Small the card the better as you will have more room. But most of the cheaper cards are shorter whereas the top of the range (£250+) are generally a fair bit longer and will struggle to fit in a shuttle. For one around the same performance as Bigge suggested, something like LN25800 would be a good replacement, or if it is just video you are looking at getting over it then you can use a DVI-to-HDMI converter.


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> Small the card the better as you will have more room. But most of the cheaper cards are shorter whereas the top of the range (£250+) are generally a fair bit longer and will struggle to fit in a shuttle. For one around the same performance as Bigge suggested, something like LN25800 would be a good replacement, or if it is just video you are looking at getting over it then you can use a DVI-to-HDMI converter.


Ive just thought, I could just get a T.V. monitor that has both the DVI and a HDMI connection :thumb: So everybody thinks that is a good spec pc?? Something like this for the monitor... http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143850


----------



## Bigge

jamest said:


> For one around the same performance as Bigge suggested, something like LN25800 would be a good replacement,


 Nice card and will certainly do the job. 

Like the monitor/tv too nice bit of kit.


----------



## trebor127

Ok after looking, I have now found this case http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Silverstone-SUGO-SG03-B-Black-Micro-ATX-Aluminium-Tower-Case-w-o-PSU I think that it will enable me to have more flexibility as I also want a t.v tuner to be built in. Although I like the shuttle computer, I don't think it will offer me the full expandability. However, now I have the dilema do I get http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Gigabyte-GA-P55M-UD2-Intel-P55-Motherboard-LGA1156 & with the i7 860 chip or http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Asus-ROG-Rampage-II-GEGE-uATX-x58-Mobo. with the i7 920 chip. I have heard that the 860 chip performs slightly better than the 920 but I doubt i'd notice anything so in my eyes I think it is best to get the better motherboard as everything is conncected into it...correct me if I am wrong though please  Do people think that about 550watt modular psu would be sufficient to power everything? The asus motherboard says you can have 24gb of memory and the gigabyte 16gb  Why would I need this much memory? Or is it just over the top? Sorry if it seems i'm messing people around but I just want something i'll be very happy with :thumb:


----------



## jamest

To be honest you are unlikely to notice a big difference (if any) between the 860 and the 920. Get whichever one is cheaper.

As for the memory limits, it is down to the chipset and BIOS etc that the motherboard manufacturer use. You are only likely to use 6GB so I wouldn't worry about it.

550W should be more than enough if it is a GOOD PSU. A crap 1000W is worse than the a good 450W. It is down to the amperage on the 12V rails not the total wattage. I would recommend a Corsair PSU. They are rebranded Seasonic ones and are slightly cheaper.


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> To be honest you are unlikely to notice a big difference (if any) between the 860 and the 920. Get whichever one is cheaper.
> 
> As for the memory limits, it is down to the chipset and BIOS etc that the motherboard manufacturer use. You are only likely to use 6GB so I wouldn't worry about it.
> 
> 550W should be more than enough if it is a GOOD PSU. A crap 1000W is worse than the a good 450W. It is down to the amperage on the 12V rails not the total wattage. I would recommend a Corsair PSU. They are rebranded Seasonic ones and are slightly cheaper.


So 6gb will be ample then? Would this power supply be ok then...http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/500W-Seasonic-M12II-500-power-supply-80plus-ATX-modular-cable?


----------



## jamest

Unless you feel you need a modular PSU you can save some money and get this one http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/550w-Corsair-VX-Series-PSU-ATX-PS-2-5-year-Warranty-see-specs


----------



## trebor127

what is the advantage of a modular compared to standard? I was just told they are better lol


----------



## Bigge

Most psu come with shedloads of cables already attached, Modular can be taken away, and added as desired = more room for good air flow and less clutter


----------



## trebor127

Bigge said:


> Most psu come with shedloads of cables already attached, Modular can be taken away, and added as desired = more room for good air flow and less clutter


Thankyou...off to scan in the next couple of weeks to make a purchase


----------



## trebor127

or the cheapest place lol


----------



## trebor127

Does anybody know good computer shop in the Bolton/Manchester area that could supply these parts apart from Scan?


----------



## jamest

Scan are in Bolton and they are generally the cheapest as they sell at internet prices rather than your average store which will add on its own charges for shop rent etc.


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> Scan are in Bolton and they are generally the cheapest as they sell at internet prices rather than your average store which will add on its own charges for shop rent etc.


I thought they would be the cheapest aswel, but just thought i'd ask...e-mailed them yesterday asking if they could do a bit of discount seen as I would be spending about £1500 with them and the said no :tumbleweed: I dont like buying things without anything thrown in haha...or am I just a tight git?! I think i'll have to go in and have a haggle


----------



## jamest

Problem with Scan is they are big and don't have a personal front face to the company like you would get with the shop round the corner but the shop round the corner can't compete with the prices.

The only other place you may be able to get parts cheaper is ebuyer, but their selection can be limited.


----------



## trebor127

jamest said:


> Problem with Scan is they are big and don't have a personal front face to the company like you would get with the shop round the corner but the shop round the corner can't compete with the prices.
> 
> The only other place you may be able to get parts cheaper is ebuyer, but their selection can be limited.


Hmm, i'll go down and have a chat with scan through the week hopefully & maybe they will be able to do something for me


----------



## trebor127

has anybody used www.computerplanet.co.uk or http://www.advancetec.co.uk/ ?? advancetec seem to be quite cheap...


----------



## M.M

ive got a custom gaming pc which cost about £500 to build
bearing in mind the case was about £120
somthing similar to my pc would be an ailenware pc and there over the 1k mark
so its cheaper to build from scratch 
also you put in what you want 
mine's currently got two graphics cards and lots of fans with lights haha


----------



## westie

M.M said:


> ive got a custom gaming pc which cost about £500 to build
> bearing in mind the case was about £120
> somthing similar to my pc would be an ailenware pc and there over the 1k mark
> so its cheaper to build from scratch
> also you put in what you want
> mine's currently got two graphics cards and lots of fans with lights haha


Sounds a bargain to me at £500, were did you source all the parts for that cost?
Considering a decent CPU motherboard heat sink and ram are £350 alone?


----------



## trebor127

I was just going to say £500 is a bargain lol....just speced what I want up and it comes to £1350 :O


----------



## M.M

the name of the place slips my mind it's in glasgow city centre 
my mate done all the work ill get the place of him 
two secs and ill get some pics uploaded


----------



## M.M

sorry about the poor pics my phones camera is being sh1t


----------



## trebor127

what actual spec is it mate?? looks good. Im after a smaller case than that though...


----------



## M.M

im not 100% sure what the spec is 
ill find out 
just need to ask my mate as he's the one who built it 
as for a cases have you tried here?
http://www.xcase.co.uk


----------



## trebor127

i'll have a look now. thanks mate


----------



## M.M

i must admit i like this case
http://www.xcase.co.uk/product-p/x-case viper-br.htm


----------



## jamest

For £500 the spec isn't going to be great especially if you are looking at playing games.

Antec and Lian Li make some of the best cases, but not to everyones tastes.


----------



## trebor127

Im getting the silverstone SG03 case if I can fit all my goodies in there


----------



## trebor127

Sorry to bring this thread back....I have finally come across a way of getting my HDMI cable through....HDMI - Mini HDMI and then adapter to make it full size HDMI again?? Would that work??

Rob


----------

