Quoting godzilla525

Well, the old computer is finally getting to the point where it's too slow to use even for relatively tame internet stuff, so it's time to put together something new.

First, the old:
Abit KT7, Duron 650 @ 950, 512MB PC133, nVidia GF3 Ti200 64MB VIVO...

...yeah. Apu's Hardware vintage, if any of you remember back that far.

Currently I'm using a heavy duty Core2 Duo P9500/4GB GF 9800M GTX/1GB laptop, but other members of the household don't.

Basically I was looking into building a computer that would be more or less used for internet and office applications (most of the time...), but not necessarily the dumpy 5lb empty box that most business computers are. I was thinking more in terms of using ECC memory and maybe RAID1 or RAID5.

It would occasionally be used for video editing (particularly AVCHD) if I ever figure out how, along with some 24/96 or 24/192 audio capture. Some gaming and Blu-ray too, although I haven't played anything made since about 2006 since trying to keep a computer up to date enough to play newer games is too much of a PITA (and wallet).

It's also going to end up running 24/7, so nothing horrific on power consumption, and no room heaters.

One wrinkle. Right now I use the old computer as a TV (VIVO, audio input from a VCR) and everything is in the analog domain. I'd like to be able to continue doing this mostly because it's a heavily-used function by other members of the household. I haven't gone to a digital A/V receiver yet. I'd have to take all my perfectly working equipment, chuck it in the dumpster, and buy all new stuff...

But I digress...

I'd probably be looking at a new monitor, keyboard, same mouse, same PCI Terratec EWX24/96 if I can still use it, new hard drives, DVD-RW, MAYBE a blu-ray drive. EIA-232 and parallel port (add-on card, obviously), new case, power supply (unless I can keep using my 380W Seasonic S12-II)... the whole mess essentially.

The method I used when I bought the laptop was I went with a company with a good reputation and optioned up, stopping short of when the prices shot to the moon in the drop-down lists. As a price/performance optimization method it worked well. It ended up being a little more than what I wanted to spend, but that's generally how these things usually work. I'd like to keep it under $2k (or better yet, $1.5k)...

I was thinking in terms of motherboards as starting with an Intel WX58BP and i7-9something, although someone I know says there's only one or two companies left that can actually *make* a *good* motherboard and that Intel had fallen off that list... so I have no idea what I'm doing. ...and the TDP of that CPU line (~130W) is high. (4GB+ ECC RAM)

Video... no idea. 1GB+. Composite input would be nice. HDMI/DVI output with appropriate monitor (1080+ lines)

Sound... I'd start out with what the board has to begin with (if any) and see whether or not the line-in/line-out quality sucks. I have a Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1 (USB 2.0) that does not play ball with SpeedStep (or whatever they call it now) or this laptop's ACPI. I can use that if the PCI Terratec is a no-go.

Networking... 1Gb/100Mbps. No Broadcom. Preferably Intel.

Storage... Right now 500GB is PLENTY (320 would be 'enough'). RAID1 or RAID5. I'm sick of losing data. I do back up. More storage I'd add with external volumes. SSDs for anything other than bootup/system is too costly.

Case... well built, quiet and doesn't overheat, no plastic chrome, no beige, no radioactive glow. Preferably a dead ringer for HAL9000 with front USB/firewire without being too expensive.

I plan on running either Vista or Windows 7 Ultimate (OEM...) x64 with a dual-boot option for XP x86 (or Linux if I feel a bit masochistic.)

I miss the old days when I had spare time out the wazoo and actually knew what I was doing. I HATE getting old.