[mythtv-users] the ultimate setup

[Jeff Wormsley]

Yan-Fa Li wrote:

>> Expensive, but I like my A-Tech 3000 case (black with silver 
>> buttons/Powermate).
>>
>> http://www.atechfabrication.com/
>
>
> HOLY SCHNIKE!  $650 for just the case!!!!!!!  This is like the Ferrari 
> Moderna of cases...  Beautiful work though.  I'm guessing you dropped 
> about $1K on your case alone.  Do tell :D
>
If memory serves, I got the case, along with the VFD, Powermate, slot 
load DVD and IRMan to go in it, for something like $900, maybe a bit 
more.  Then add the motherboard, RAM, CPU, Radeon 9600Pro and 250G hard 
drive, and I think the whole thing was under $1,800.  I've since ditched 
the Radeon for an nVidia card (I was originally going to run a Windows 
based system, then I got over that!) and added a firewire card.  I will 
also need to ditch the 2.4Ghz processor in favor of a 3.0 or 3.2Ghz 
model, as the 2.4 isn't quite up to decoding HD.  Oh, and add a AA 
transcoder to that.  I paid over $2,000 for my first 10Mhz XT with 15Meg 
of hard drive, in 1985 dollars, so I don't consider this too much to 
spend.  The case sits in my cabinet with all my other gear, so it had to 
look good, plus being solid aluminum rather than sheet steel means it 
dampens sound wonderfully and dissipates heat very well.  I still need 
to slow my case fans down a tad, as when I'm not watching anything I can 
hear them, but I tend to watch TV at insane volumes, so it isn't that 
much of a bother.