Proposed new system

[beels]

I'm new to all this and have been lurking for a few days to get aclimated.

My proposed system is:
Dell Optiplex GX280 (about 4 years old)
Pentium 4 (around 3 GHz, I think)
Will upgrade to 2 or 4 GB RAM
500 GB HD
Video card?
DVD ROM
Integrated Audio (I guess - not sure if you can get this from the video card or not)
Hauppauge 2250
Windows 7

I'm a little stumped on the video card.  I'll go with an ATI GPU since I see so many recommendations for ATI.  But what level?  I see 45xx recommended, but is there any reason to consider the higher level GPU cards, such as 46xx or 48xx?  The price difference is nominal.

I've also got a GE Force 9500GT I could pull from another system and replace with something else.

My initial application is to output to a SDTV (via S-video or component), but if this project goes well, I may quickly upgrade to a much larger HDTV, so I'd like HD capability at the start.

Aside from any general comments or suggestion, my main questions are about the video card and does this P4 system have enough horsepower to do what I want?

One more thing.  This is going into an enclosed cabinet.  Does anyone know what the maximum ambient temp for a system like this would be?  I'll probably remove a side panel and lay it on its side.

Thank you

[Craig]

Have you verified what kind of PCI and PCIe slots the mobo has? Whenever I hear "Dell" I always wonder that. You would have to make sure you have a PCIex16 and a PCIex1 at a minimum for the gfx card and the 2250.

The HD 4000 series have integrated audio chips which makes things nice when using HDMI. There's nothing wrong with getting a higher model. Once you get to the 4800's the Audio chipset is slightly more advanced. The trade is cost, heat and power consumption. The 4550 is pretty much perfect for PVR use.

You could always put of couple of fans in the back of the cabinet or remove the back of the cabinet in that location if possible, but heat is definitely an issue that comes up a lot when people attempt to put them in an enclosed space.

[Miller]

I too 2nd the 4550. It will run cooler and handle what you need just fine. I would also run the Windows 7 system checker to make sure you can actually install Windows 7 on a system that old.

[beels]

Craig & Miller - thanks for the replies.  Love the avatar, Craig.  It's very distracting...in a good way.

My particular GX280 has 1 PCIex16 and 1 PCIex1, so I should be set there.

I just noticed I only have a 305W PS in this, so I'll stick with your 4550 recommendations for both power consumption and heat.  I hope that's enough for these 2 add-on cards.  I need to research that.

What about the GE Force 9500GT card?  Would that be a better or worse choice since I already have that card available?

This is a built-in cabinet over the TV, so no easy way to exhaust.  I'd have to cut a hole either to the garage or the attic - neither are good choices in Texas.  I tried somthing similar once before and the temp stayed below 100F.  I could always leave the cabinet door open, but that has poor WAF.  I'll do some tests.

According to MSFT, this system should run Win7.  The posted requirements are:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
  
• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Thanks for the help!

[Miller]

The 9500 should run SD fine and will work now. I wouldn't rush into buying a new card until you make the switch to HD. Cards will be cheaper and better then.

As for Windows 7, I know your system meats the minimum specs, but that's never a good idea. Also just because it meets specs doesn't mean that there are drivers available to run everything. So I would still check just in case.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=1B544E90-7659-4BD9-9E51-2497C146AF15&displaylang=en

[beels]

To the GX280, I added the 9500GT card temporarily, 4GB RAM, and an updated HD (no TV card yet).  (I got hit by the 3 GB limit on the 32 bit OS; thought it wasn't a factor anymore with Win7, so probably would have been OK with 2 GB.)  I loaded Win 7, and got the following rating.  I should be OK, I think.
Proc 4.5
RAM 5.3
Graphics 4.5
Gaming graphics 4.7
Hard Drive 5.9

Overall 4.5

Need to get my TV card now.

[beels]

I apologize if this Hauppauge 2250 connection question is obvious or already discussed 1000 times, but I have read for days trying to answer this...

With the Hauupauge 2250, can I do this:

• Connect to the single 2250 a Coax input carrying a ATSC over-the-air HD broadcast signal.
• Connect an S-video output from a Time Warner cable box or DirecTV receiver to the S-video connector on the auxilliary plate that comes with the 2250 (and has more jacks on it.)  [I don't have Time Warner yet, but am considering switching.  I assume their box has S-video out.  I know my DirecTV box does.]
• Using Window 7 or other software, selectively record either the OTA HD broadcast or the decoded channel from the Cable or Satellite box? 

This would give me true HD recording for the major networks plus SD recording for the other encrypted channels.  I believe (not sure) that Time Warner in Dallas does use clear QAM for the major networks, but nothing else.  I understand I could not record HD out of the cable box with this set up, but more importantly, I strongly prefer to be able to record as much as possible without the use of an IR blaster for greater reliability.

Will this work?  If not, it seems like I'd need an additonal tuner card to do this.

[Craig]

You have it right. I think the only place you might run into trouble would be the PVR app you use. If you use media center I don't know how it will act with being able to set things up prioritizing the tuner/source that gets used to record a specific channel. For example if show "X" was set as a favorite to record every week. I don't know if media center will always record the HD version from OTA or if it will randomly choose it from the STB or OTA. I've never used it, but this is something I'd be looking into.
I know that SageTV's EPG has HD shows marked as HD and that the app.  will always prefer HD to SD in these instances.
You may be able to set the merit of the tuner in Media Center. I'd look at that as well.

[Miller]

To the GX280, I added the 9500GT card temporarily, 4GB RAM, and an updated HD (no TV card yet).  (I got hit by the 3 GB limit on the 32 bit OS; thought it wasn't a factor anymore with Win7, so probably would have been OK with 2 GB.)  I loaded Win 7, and got the following rating.  I should be OK, I think.
Proc 4.5
RAM 5.3
Graphics 4.5
Gaming graphics 4.7
Hard Drive 5.9

Overall 4.5

Need to get my TV card now.

If you use the 64-bit version of Windows 7 (instead of the 32-bit) then you can use more RAM.

[beels]

Looks like the Hauppauge 2250 now ships with a combo IR receiver/blaster that plugs into the card instead of the USB version.  Recent reviewers on a couple of sites are complaining about this part of the kit and recommending the white box version w/o remote, IR blasters, or IR receiver.  Also, the white box version purportedly replaces the IR port on the card with an audio jack, which means, I guess, that you'd need a USB interface and some kind of software to control the IR blasters.

You can get the MCE remote and USB receiver on a popular auction site for around $20, but IR blasters seem a bit trickier.  The USB-UIRT costs $50, which seems a bit rich.

This points me back to the MCE kit, with the poor reviews, or the USB-UIRT and some other remote, lilke maybe a Harmony.

[Craig]

I've always been a fan of the USB UIRT and Harmony. I've used it from the start about three and a half years or so ago.  As long as I have them I don't have to worry about what kind of Tuner I may want to upgrade down the road. It's been a good investment for me since I've had ATI tuners, Hauppauge tuners, and Avermedia Tuners. 

[beels]

Thanks for all the responses.  An answer leads to more questions...

Now I'm reading about the USB-UIRT.

Thanks!

[Miller]

Looks like the Hauppauge 2250 now ships with a combo IR receiver/blaster that plugs into the card instead of the USB version.  Recent reviewers on a couple of sites are complaining about this part of the kit and recommending the white box version w/o remote, IR blasters, or IR receiver.  Also, the white box version purportedly replaces the IR port on the card with an audio jack, which means, I guess, that you'd need a USB interface and some kind of software to control the IR blasters.

You can get the MCE remote and USB receiver on a popular auction site for around $20, but IR blasters seem a bit trickier.  The USB-UIRT costs $50, which seems a bit rich.

This points me back to the MCE kit, with the poor reviews, or the USB-UIRT and some other remote, lilke maybe a Harmony.

The IR blaster/receivers with the 1/8 jack have worked fine in the past, they just bump against the bottom of the case lsot sometimes and so you have to make sure they are plugged in all the way.

[beels]

I think I'll get the white box 2250 w/o remote kit plus for $40 on xbay I found a Microsoft brand USB receiver, blaster, remote kit.  (I wonder why MSFT stopped making this?)

I'll get rolling with this and upgrade to a better USB-UIRT and remote later if I want.

[turajb]

I found a Microsoft brand USB receiver, blaster, remote kit.  (I wonder why MSFT stopped making this?)

Its likely because everyone else is creating/selling them cheaply.  For example, I purchased the Hauppauge MCE IR remote/blaster kit for use with my PVR. (http://registration.hauppauge.com/webstore/accessories2.asp?product=mce_remote)

Of course, this is just my take on it...