Help Building Budget PC
Forum Homebuilt Systems : General Homebuilt - Help Building Budget PC
Budget: $750 maximum but less is always welcome.
Build: PC and Keyboard/Mouse Only (IE no display or speakers)
Components I Currently Own: Windows Media Center 2005 SP2, 32" LCD HDTV (1366x768 native) with HDMI Input and Sony 5.1 with Optical and Coaxial Inputs.
Uses: Want to use it for surfing web, listening to music, watching high definition videos (I don't actually mean it needs HD-DVD or BluRay, just a processor capable of playing WMV-HD or general downloaded HD movies), hobbyist graphic and video work, very limited gaming (as most my gaming is done on my 360) and if at all possible I would like it to run Vista well as I intend on upgrading my OS in a couple years.
My laptop is busted and outdated as it can't process high definition videos and I don't really need a laptop now that I've graduated college.
I appreciate any help you all can provide me! Thanks in advance! 
I mean new off eBay. For example, my HDTV is a Panasonic TC-32LX60 which retails for about $1350 before shipping and I got it for $900 w/shipping brand new. Of course, the dude had a terrible description of it so nobody really bid on it but he had a good feedback rating so I gambled and got a major deal. You can get mislabeled Buy It Nows that have just been posted or simply great competition on eBay which yields great prices on brand new items.
Cool. The idea of true multitasking was just really cool sounding but I guess I don't really do too much hardcore multitasking so whatever.
Any comments on my proposed changes?
Also, what's with "Perpendicular Recording Technology" found in this Seagate Barracuda?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148113
| Quote : Questions/Concerns
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Here's a pic of the motherboard that shows all of the I/O panel connectors (under specs it lists 1X coaxial for S/PDIF out)
| Quote : Possible changes:
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Whatever your storage needs are then go with that, I only picked the 320 GB model because right now it is the "sweet spot" in terms of $/GB
| Quote : This probably won't even work as it's a microATX case which I think you have to have a mATX mobo to match... seems like a nice case though for really cheap:
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Right. If you want that case then you'll need to find a mATX motherboard to go with it . . . If you want to save a little bit of money (about $60) you could opt for the NSK4400 instead of the P150
| Quote : If converting from DVI to HDMI is easy then this card seems really good:
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To be honest I don't have much experience with HDMI stuff, so I'm not the best person to ask about which is better.
As far as your other question about getting an Intel chip vs. the Athlon 64: you certainly could do that (along with a motheboard swap), but for your price range that Athlon is going to probably give you the most bang for your buck at $110. The real problem with the Pentium D series is their high thermal output and somewhat lackluster performance compared to the Athlon 64 (in certain applications).
Awesome. My mom hasn't given me a graduation present yet and I think this computer is calling my name... 
EDIT: Is this new CPU socket compatible with the mobo I have listed right now?
Thanks a lot for the help, ya'll. 
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