PDA

View Full Version : Dude, Im Getting A DELL!



CanaBalistic
08-15-2006, 10:07 PM
I've got a new dell dimention 1100 coming in the mail and want some advice as to what i can make of it. I was thinking of a htpc or possibly a file server. Its probly no good for gaming as it only has a 533Mhz FSB.

I got the dell as a promotional offer for getting ADSL from the phone company. Its the cheapest computer you can get from dell. I did have to signup for a cell phone from them as they didnt like my pay as you go phone.

However; I was thinking of getting a tv tuner card with remote and possibly an audigy sound card although it has 6ch onboard. I have a RCA home thearter amp that is kind of messed up and has enough room for a full ATX mobo. I think the dell mobo is small ATX so it should give me a bit of extra room for the psu, ect.

Or, i could make a file server or web server out of it.

Im not sure if it would be good enough for a game server but thats another option right now.

nil8
08-15-2006, 10:36 PM
If you can use it as a htpc and you need it for that, then do so.

CanaBalistic
08-15-2006, 10:37 PM
Its never so much as i NEED it. More of a want thing really.

Silenced_Coyote
08-16-2006, 12:00 AM
Dell.... good thing you got a desktop because they are recalling battery notebooks. Wait! I'm on a Dell Inspiron 8500! *Looks on the list* Oh no! LOL, everything is fine though. Dodged a bullet (more like an exploding laptop).;)

Luke122
08-16-2006, 11:51 AM
Dodged an exploding laptop? You and me both! I've got 13 Dell laptops on site here, and so far the 3 I've checked are ok.. (11 of them were from the same batch, so should be fine).

I'll be checking them all though..

Anyways, the 1100 Dimension deal from the ADSL company? That would be Telus wouldnt it? hehe.. I phoned them up and said "I want to cancel, i'm going to Shaw". They begged me to stay, so I said, "send me that computer then". Nope, for "NEW" customers only, not customers who have been with them for a long time. B@$tards.

Shaw Xtreme rules.. 8mbit down, 1mbit up, and only $10 more a month than Telus's 1.5mbit adsl. :)

Build the HTPC, you wont be disappointed. They are great fun to have; in fact I've modded my xbox and it's running XBMC for full media playback from my network shares, and it's just been invaluable so far. Can't play HD video (not enough processor) but that's a pretty small concern, since I dont have an HD tv.

CanaBalistic
08-17-2006, 12:06 AM
Wow! Another Vancouverite? Cool!

Yeah; the dell is through Telus. I originaly wanted to do a HTPC but i kept getting older computers. Then i changed my mind and thought i could make a file server with one of the older machines. That backfired, costing me one 17 inch monitor in the process. Thats when i seen the ad on tv. They must have extended the promo. When i checked thier website, the offer ended on august 1st. I continued to see the ads on tv and checked again. Thats when i desided to go in-store and see if i could get the computer. Yup! I had to sign up for a phone aswell. They dont accept people who have a pay as you go phone. I hardly mind as i wanted to get a new phone on a contract anyway. I save a bunch of money from switching phones and $10 monthly from canceling my Shaw account. I dont use a lot of bandwidth like i used to. My next step is to drop Shaw for my tv and get a satelite.

I've looked around for a PCI video card (im pretty sure it doesnt have PCI-E or AGP). The best i've found was a NVIDIA GeForce 6200 for $25. Does anyone know of any cards that would perform better than this one? I've been thinking it over and i might install an XBox emulator in it and get a controler that resembles a XBox controler. Possibly PS2 or XBox360 if the video card can handle it.

For sound... I'm hoping to get an Audigy Platinum eX. The I/O panel and remote would be invaluable for a HTPC. They sell on ebay for roughly $50-70.

The Dell comes with 512mb of DDR400. Which by the way, only operates at 333Mhz because of the 533FSB on the CPU. DDR400 is such cheap memory now days, I can afford to drop at least 512mb more. I want to push that to another GB (1536mb) depending on the cost of the other parts.

The rest of the stuff will be mods to the case and whatnot.

What do you guys think?

[Edit]

This is the reciver chassi that i'm considering using. This was the loudest amp i've ever owned, up untill i blew the left channel. I have 2 other good sony amp's so i dont feel the urge to have it fixed.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h258/Cana-Balistic/100_19581.jpg

I can hide the sound panel if i mod it to use some of the existing connectors on back of the unit. Although, i dont know where im going to mount the DVD-Rom...

Slug Toy
08-17-2006, 02:16 AM
Wow! Another Vancouverite? Cool!

and THIS coquitlamite too! very cool! well... maybe... i think coquitlam is becoming a more desirable place to be now... vancouver is way too crowded and busy.

well heres my two cents on this deal...

you know... it sounds absolutely retarded that a computer these days wouldnt have either a pci-e or agp slot. if i were you, i wouldnt be buying anything until you actually get the computer to take a look at it.

for an HTPC, i personally would be tempted to plug an x1600 all in wonder (if there is such a thing) and an x-fi in there. tv tuners and that crap i actually dont know too much about, but my brothers good with cables and electronics, so he can mangle something together to solve that problem.

what was i talking about... oh ya, HTPC's. you know you HAVE to have a screen on that thing then. all the home theatre stuff has a screen that says WELCOME when you turn it on and SEE YA when you turn it off. put an lcd screen in there to make it even more awesome.

and you want a quiet HTPC too. how about passive cooling? take a bunch of metal and slap it on all the processors, and then make contact with the top of the case, so you have a warm top surface. then, if you dont already have a cat, go get one because they love laying on amplifiers and any warm electronic devices.

you shouldnt be allowed to have as much fun as im having thinking about this... at this time of night. there should be some sort of law against it.

meticoeus
08-17-2006, 07:11 AM
You could try stealthing a slot load directly underneath the display panel on the amp, but that depends on what you're doing with the front.

CanaBalistic
08-17-2006, 10:08 PM
I am actually in Maple Ridge... Coquitlam is nice though. I used to live in Millardville at the very end Alderson. And once more right beside the save-on-gas on Alderson. Do you know where i used to go to school; That's right, Alderson Elementary. :D

The most logical place to put a dvd player in that amp is dead center but that might cause a space problem. The amp isnt very deep and the mobo might get in the way. One possible solution would be to get a laptop DVD-Rom and put it on the very bottom. I could then prop the motherboard up with extra stand off's. As for an LCD display...

I could get a fan controler or possibly one of thoes small LCD displays. One other thing i was contemplating is a small 3watt radio transmitter with a display. Both my neighbor and I love very loud music and the abbillity to broadcast my tunes to his reciver would be awsome for parties. I do plan on waiting untill i get the computer before i buy anything for it.

The tech sheet on the dell says it has intergrated graphics and 3 pci slots. There is no video card upgrade option on the customize page either. AGP or PCI-e cards are ceap and easy to come by. I just want to have my bases covered. I havent found anything better than the 6200 yet. I would want a better card if there is a better card.

[Edit]
I just found an ATI 9200SE card on ebay. 9200 vs 6200 humm...