Ok This is my first try at building a system. I plan on using it to edit / store home movies and other media content video / audio/ photos. I play very few games. I will also run windows media center and use with my xbox 360 as an extender for HDTV and video stored on the sysyem. Or should I consider 2 less expensive systems for all that I am wanting to do? Here is what I have come up with so far -Where am I under spending and where am I over spending, should I worry about OCing or not? Thanks in advance for the help!

XCLIO WTBK ADVANCED Fully Black Finish Steel / Plastic ATX Full Tower Computer Case - Retail

2 Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM

ASUS P5K-E/WIFI-AP LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

PC Power & Cooling S610EPS EPS12V 610W Continuous @ 40°C Power Supply - Retail

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor Model BX80562Q6600 - Retail

CORSAIR XMS2 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

Microsoft Windows Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for System Builders Single Pack DVD -

LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe Black SATA Model LH-20A1L-05 - OEM

HIS Hightech H385QX512NP Radeon HD 3850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire

and what tuner card?

way overspent. All you need is onboard video with HDMI/VGA + optical audio output. AMD is great for that. Just queue up your video jobs so they run at night. Focus more on the media/storage. For example, get 2 DVD's and 2 media drives ... and more HDDs for backup.

^^^ I don't disagree with that: AMD with onboard video. Video editing is mostly 2D. You can blow $1000 on SLI, and you get the same result in video editing. Unless you add 3D text/effects to the clips.

Then again, you may make $100/hour.

Look at hauppauge tuner/capture cards.

Without any apparent need to OC or use multiple vid cards, I don't see the need for a PSU of that quality. A tier 3 PSU from Antec or someone similar would be more than sufficient.

I'd opt for at least an X38 board .... even an X48 / DDR2 board is worth considering.

Video is heavy HD usage. The last two WD HD's in the reliabilitysurveys at storagereview.com had the WD 7200 rpm drives coming in at the 4th and 5th percentiles meaning 94 and 95% of all drives tested were more reliable. If speed is the primary criteria, I'd go with the Samsung F1's.....if it's reliability at a small performance hit, the Seagate 7200.11's.

I'd also opt for an NAS based backup system. On the budget end

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/d [...] dc=1421414
$399 for the NAS and 1 500 GB drive, $114 for the second drive. Also comes in 750 Gb and 1 TB versions.

If storage needs expected to grow....something between these two is a good choice
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822122004
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822122015

I'd opt for the Asus burner with LS as it's been the "Buyer's Choice" award winner over at newegg two months running.

Especially being your 1st build, withn an Asus Mobo, I'd opt for their 3850 / 3870 graphics cards
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121233
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814121217

Makes getting help from TS a lot easier when the MoBo guy can't blame the vid card guy and visa versa tho I don't think you will benefit from Crossfire for video editing.

As for the OS, I'd opt for the Ultimate Version for several reasons:

1. You get both 32 bit and 64 bit in the retail version.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116473 ($289)

2. OEM version is only $179
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6832116215

3. Upgrade version is only $199 and has both 32 bit and 64 bit versions and since MS programmers not too bright, it's easy to do a clean install

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007 [...] cense-dvd/
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007 [...] l-version/

4. You can get a free license for XP with Vista Ultimate or Business
http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2007/09 [...] sta-to-xp/

I disagree with X38 / X48 suggestion. Since OP won't be gaming much (edited), where's the need for xfire?

If the system will be in your living room, consider an HTPC case. They're more difficult to work with, but more visually appealing than a tower case. You aren't putting all that much in it, so you should be able to find one that works w/out too much trouble. Consider e.g. the LC-17 from Silverstone.

The Q6600 looks like a good choice for video editing, and will allow you to do other things (e.g. video editing) while you record TV shows.

If you plan to serve ripped DVDs, you might run into a problem with the X360. AFAIK, it won't support displaying DVD content streamed from Vista MC.

Disk size selection is good. I'm looking at the "GP" WD 750s right now, which are at 18c / GB on Newegg. That's about as cheap as you can get for storage, and the lower power and heat make them better for 24x7 media center use. However, you would suffer a perf. hit from the slower rotation speed for video editing, so AAKS or other brand is better for you. Just keep the drive size large, because it makes it a lot easier to expand if (when) you need to.

For tuner cards, be aware that you won't be able to capture cable-based digital signals (QAM: both DTV and HDTV on cable) unless you go with a solution such as HomerunHD or use a non-MC viewing program. And if you're in or near a city in the US and want HDTV from OTA, you do want to get an OTA HDTV tuner (ATSC) since the OTA analog (NTSC) will soon be no more.

My thinking was a bit of future proofing compared to the P35. No, ya don't need the two PCI-x16 slots but they are there in case you want them.....the X38 did bring PCI Express 2.0, official support for DDR3-1333 and improved memory performance. But also along with the 32 lanes generally comes more robust power and better power regulation for a system which will get long and heavy usage and will have two video cards (capture card and the 3850 he listed)

I got a setup like you are talking about, but with different parts. I have my xbox 360 on the network and pictures and movies work perfect. Ripped DvDs will not stream to the xbox. The way I found around this is to use a program to convert DvDs to .wmv, and now they stream perfect. You loose some quality converting to .wmv but you got to do what you got to do sometimes. I'm sure MS will get Vista and xbox working to gether for streaming HD in the near future though. I have 70 DvDs ripped to my HDD which play fine on Vista Ultimate but I am in the process of converting them to .wmv so I can stream to the xbox 360 in my kids room.

FYI alot of your parts are overkill for what you need.

On a side note if you stream videos to xbox 360 you need to have your computer and oyur xbox on a wired ethernet, because wireless gets a bit choppy sometimes if you live in a area with interference.

This is the converter I use it is free! http://www.dvd-wmv.com/

Thnaks for the info! I really appericate all the help & advice. From what I have read here I guess my power supply & case are over kill -can you suggest replacements? I have changed my decision on the Hard drives to: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3750330AS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive -
and this video card: ASUS EAH3870 TOP/G/HTDI/512M/A Radeon HD 3870 512MB 256-bit GDDR4 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported.

This may be the wrong place to ask this question but can someone tell me what format Home video will need to be in to streem over VMC to an xbox? Are there camcorders that record is this format? I do not want to spend time converting my new home movies/ sporting events. I already have to capture 6 years of MDV tapes to my computer, what is the best/fastest program for this?

Can you please expend on the need for X38 in Video editing [If exsist]
or P35 ? Can You point me to a specific MOBo model ???

I am placing my order today - any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

To use your home videos just use Vistas built in movie maker, and you home viudeos will stream fine. I know .wmv formats stream very well, I'm gonna try some divx and xvid but I havent yet. Plain old ripped DvDs will play fine through VMC on the PC but not on the xbox. Here i a screen shot on my old monitor what VMC looks like when hacked for movies.