Where do you guys buy and sell your used PC's?

Marbles · « **on:** 4 Dec 2004, 10:24 pm »

Looking to build a nice HTPC/Audio PC with used parts.

What websites would you guys go to?

Is there anything like an Audiogon for PC's?

Thanks for any help.

JoshK · « **Reply #1 on:** 4 Dec 2004, 10:40 pm »

I'd think ebay might have some stuff, but I really have no clue.

btw, I am planning to build a HTPC, but I am going to build it of new parts. I am thinking of doing a software digital FIR and eq solution with a Lynx TWO.

Hantra · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Dec 2004, 10:41 pm »

Quote from: Marbles

Looking to build a nice HTPC/Audio PC with used parts.

What websites would you guys go to?

Is there anything like an Audiogon for PC's?

Thanks for any help.

Well man, I can't think of a place for used parts, but if you're looking for the best price on new ones, go over to www.pricewatch.com . . .

Otherwise, I go EBay. I bought all the used parts for my audio PC off there.

JoshK · « **Reply #3 on:** 4 Dec 2004, 10:44 pm »

Not to derail the topic but Brandon, how long does it take for you to boot up your audio PC, just like a normal PC? Also have you ever had any bugs or issues with running it?

vpolineni · « **Reply #4 on:** 4 Dec 2004, 10:46 pm »

i've never had any problems booting up my audio pc.. for the most part, it's the same as any pc.... it all depends on the drivers for the soundcard itself... rme and lynx have the best.. rme is known to have better linux drivers, fwiw.

Hantra · « **Reply #5 on:** 4 Dec 2004, 11:04 pm »

Quote from: JoshK

Not to derail the topic but Brandon, how long does it take for you to boot up your audio PC, just like a normal PC? Also have you ever had any bugs or issues with running it?

Well it boots up fine. Probably faster than my regular PC, although it's a 1.4 versus a 2.8. The difference is, there is NOTHING on it except what is needed for audio. I don't surf on it unless I am downloading live shows and things like that, so it doesn't get any gheyware on it.

As far as bugs, none that I can think of. It's pretty smooth. I do backup my music though. Just in case. That stuff takes a while to rip.

I'd really like to move to a smaller machine and go WiFi to a storage machine outside the room. But. . I have invested so much in my case, ERS, Dynamat, etc, it will be impossible to sell without taking a bath.

HarleyMYK · « **Reply #6 on:** 4 Dec 2004, 11:06 pm »

Anandtech.com regularly reviews pricing on MoBo's and chips.
http://www.anandtech.com/guides/priceguide.aspx

I buy a lot of stuff from newegg.com because they have such great service and a lot of reviews and pretty good prices.

But I rarely buy used computer stuff (unlike audio).

cjr888 · « **Reply #7 on:** 4 Dec 2004, 11:59 pm »

For completed systems, memory, boards, and more than anything -- storage, keep your eye on www.fatwallet.com/forums -> hot deals for amazing price cuts.

For more specific items, I'd second pricewatch, froogle, and ebay,etc.. Depends on specific you get with what you're building. If you want a single brand of PS, a single brand of drive enclosure, then keep your eye more to the price searchers.. For the more generic items like drives and memory (again unless you're looking for specific drives known for being quiet as example), keep you eye on fatwallet.

You need to understand your tolerance and patience to save a couple bucks or get things dirt, dirt cheap though if you start browsing fatwallet. Sometimes you have a deal on a product that's a straight deal. A lot of other times the deals require price match between two stores + 17 rebates + $100 if you sell your house within four hours, and complete the purchase during a full moon on your AMEX card.

Marbles · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 01:41 am »

This may seem like a silly question, but do I want a faster processor or a slower one? Slower because of less heat to get rid of.

I have a P3 700, P3 500, or P3 (I think) 1.8 .

Which would you guys chose?

I have read the ASUS mobo's are preffered. Any particular model?

Is XP pro or Linux the best operating software?

At first I would probably just use this for audio.

What hard drives are best these days?

What quiet power supply to buy? How about cases etc..?

Thanks from a newbeeeee.

vpolineni · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 02:05 am »

Quote from: Marbles

This may seem like a silly question, but do I want a faster processor or a slower one? Slower because of less heat to get rid of.

I have a P3 700, P3 500, or P3 (I think) 1.8 .

Which would you guys chose?

I have read the ASUS mobo's are preffered. Any particular model?

Is XP pro or Linux the best operating software?

At first I would probably just use this for audio.

What hard drives are best these days?

What quiet power supply to buy? How about cases etc..?

Thanks from a newbeeeee.

Rob,
for the cases and power supplies, try this place:
http://endpcnoise.com/
newegg.com may have cheaper prices though.
seagate supposedly has very quiet hard drives... so they're probably you're best bet. Unless your comfortable using linux, xp pro is probably your best choice. ASUS mobo's are very reliable... try to find one with onbard raid and ethernet. Honestly, any one of those processors would work. the p3 1.8 would be the most ideal probably.. make sure you have a lot of ram-speaking of that, I'd recommend buying your ram from www.crucial.com
hope this helps.

JoshK · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 02:15 am »

mushkin has good ram too but they aren't as cheap as they use to be.

I think unless you are upsampling on the fly you don't need a lot of processor speed. lots of RAM though like vasu said. For hard core video processing you need all the processor you can get. Hell this PC I am typing on is a 1ghz amd t-bird and I have had no reason to want to up it, for what we use this PC for.

I am thinking that I'll drop a lan line to my basement where I will keep a storage server with all my drives. It is really easy for me to drop the line and I figure it has got to be more reliable, at least on paper.

I just don't know what all I seriously want to do with a HTPC or audio PC. I am also debating whether I want to boot up every time I want to chill. That seems kinda lame.

vpolineni · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 02:37 am »

Josh,
Why not leave the pc on all the tiime? (shutting it down once a week or so)

Hantra · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 02:45 am »

Quote from: vpolineni

Josh,
Why not leave the pc on all the tiime? (shutting it down once a week or so)

Yeah man. . Leave ALL your machines on all the time. Especially the audio machine.

JoshK · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 03:26 am »

does anyone know how much juice they suck being on all the time?

cjr888 · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 03:37 am »

If you're going basic audio only, you really don't need much. I've actually used nothing but a P3/500, a VIA/800 and a VIA/1ghz. Each config with a modified RME card, and split time between going digital out to a custom AudioZone DAC or SN TubeDAC, and running the analog out from the card.

Only time I've ever had any of these really hiccup from a processor standpoint is when toying around with a lot of intensive plug-ins...

It doesn't hurt to have another fast PC in the house though where you do any CD ripping, replayGain scanning, though....

Though you don't need much, it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt to have more...and you can get the faster PCs quiet, and in some respect they may 'seem' quieter, or at least less irritating. For example, the noise of hard drives can be a lot more noticable and irritating that say other fans in the system generating noise, even if the level is technically higher..

Even with a 'standard' PC, unless you're listening at very low levels, or you room as an extremely low noise floor, imo its not going to drive you mad.. Now CD/DVD drive noise -- that will drive me batty.

As for operating systems, I'd say to go what you're comfortable with, as there is support and options in both worlds. If you go linux, just ensure that your card does have support, and if so, like linux itself, you have a whole lot more _custom_ options available to you if you're going to go all out. On the Windows side of the world, you have a whole lot more prepackaged options available to you. If the PC will be little more than a player, I'd probably aim for Windows. If start wanting the box to do a whole lot more....I'd _consider_ linux.

From your post, I'm making the assumption that you're not doing any PC as Source right now at all. To be honest, rather than going all out for the ideal or near ideal right away, grab _something_ in the way of a box, whether an existing PC at home, a cheapo off eBay, or something along those lines -- something that you could spend $100 on and reuse somewhere else in the house afterwards.. Figure out a sound card and whether you're going analog out or going digital out to a DAC and make that decision...

Then you can get familiar with the possibilities, let an entirely new world of configuration and variables give you audio nervousa, consider the 500 different ways to store and categorize your music, the joys of the best manner to move your music to the hard drive, etc.... You'll end up changing how you do things probably 5x over....just like audio, so... At least that's my experience and opinion.

You'll basically have the end result, without a few considerations -- how much storage you'll need, how quiet you want the PC, how you'll interface with it (remote? monitor? airpanel? pda?), and how what, if anything you'll do about redudancy or backups, when your drives crash and you lose both the music and 6 months of effort you put in to move a library to the system... This way you'll get something going now, while you're asking the questions you are asking... These are the questions I still continue to ask over and over again, more to get different perspectives and people's opinions....which vary greatly.

So you get PC audio now, more comfortable with the system options and how far you want to take things, and when you're ready to go 'all out', just pull the sound card, drop it in the new system, and execute the new plan......

Marbles · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 03:58 am »

Well, it looks as though I will use the P4 1.8 pc now to upgrade.

This will be a spare machine as I'm getting a new one for the office because of a flaky HD. Should be available at the end of this week.

I can get a 400w quiet (not silent) power supply for about $100.

That looks like a good first step.

Then I should get a new MB. The ASUS has S/PDIF out (I'm told), so I can use my EA modded P3a DAC. Anybody have any idea which ASUS mobo I should get?

Next step will be to upgrade from Win 98 to XP pro and a new hard drive. The one I have now is flaky.

Guess I'll have to upgrade RAM too.

What is this remote control for PC's you guys are talking about?

I thought I saw something about Windows XP Media package with remote.

What is that?

Thanks again for all your help.

Marbles · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 04:04 am »

I just found this link:

Looks interesting

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/evaluation/features.mspx

JoshK · « **Reply #17 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 04:27 am »

Pretty cool Rob, looks like an easy way to get your feet wet. Like all M$ products though you'll probably want to migrate away from it to something better but it looks like an easy way to start.

Hantra · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 04:30 am »

Quote from: Marbles

I can get a 400w quiet (not silent) power supply for about $100.

Don't get the Thermaltake. They just flat out lied about dB.

I had to mod mine to make it quiet. . .

Marbles · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Dec 2004, 04:38 am »

What do you think of this one?

http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/NX-4090.html?id=isfVfw75