Media Center PC - any advice? :)

wolfman

I agree with you that the psu is very important. That's why I always recommend people not to spend that bit extra and buy a well known psu such as Enermax or Tagan. I was just saying that 450W is a bit overkill for the type of system that is needed.

A 380W or 420W psu will obviously run hotter than a 450W psu but not by much. And the noise difference, to the ear, won't be noticeable as you'll more than likely be sat a few metres away when watching.

I also have to disagree regarding smaller cases. I know someone with a Shuttle case (which is about as small as it gets) with a Pentium 4C and a 9800Pro and it runs at a reasonable temperature. It may not be "silent" but tucked away in the corner of a living room it wouldn't be noticeable.

I personally like the Silverstone cases. Have a look at this guys setup:
http://www.pvrguide.no-ip.com/bbs/lofiversion/index.php?t4915.html