When looking to build something, whether it’s a computer or an engine, a desk or a chair, metal, electrical, or wood, I find it very helpful to look at the work of someone else. I don’t do this to copy their work, as I find something that I need, or want, to be different. Instead, I use what I see as a starting point, to change to my needs or tastes.

What I will do here is give the reader a few ideas of mine, to copy if they wish, or to step off from my ideas to something greater.

A while ago, I spoke of the Via PC-1 concept motherboards, and how great a start they would be for a Home Server (using Windows Home Server, for instance), or a media center, or an HTPC. It seems that for some unknown reason, the PC-1 motherboards are not available – with no excuses given, nor any bad reviews that would cause them to be discontinued. In fact, the motherboard was used in the Everex PC that was sold in great numbers by WalMart at Christmas. The board was a micro ATX form factor, and as such, would not fit into the smallest cases, designed for miniITX. That should not have caused problems for most, but still there seems to be no reasons for the disappearance.

the PC-2500 platform

the Everex PC, incorporating the PC-2500 motherboard

the PC-3500 motherboard, no floppy connection, and a PCIe slot substituted for a 2nd PCI slot

All the above seem to be gone from the U.S. market.

So instead, why not try a miniITX board? It fits better with a set of audio and video components because of the size of the cases possible.

Intel has just come out with a board for our consideration. It uses a very low power CPU, based on the Core architecture, and comes soldered into the PCB. It only has provision for 1 DIMM, but since DDR2 memory is available in capacities up to 2GB per stick, the memory capacity is 2GB. Although the video is built in, the possibility is there for using one of the flavors of Vista on the machine, although the better choice would be Windows XP Media Center Edition.

The choice of case is critical. All components must fit, but also, the system must look good from the outside, because it is after all, part of the Home Theater.

the Intel miniITX mainboard, using the Atom processor, a derivative of the Core architecture

the Apex MD-100 miniITX case

The case chosen necessitates the use of a  notebook-style DVD drive, so if you want to have a Blu-ray drive included another choice of case is needed. Apex has 2 other models that look approximately like the MD-100, and are only slightly larger. The Apex case is more expensive than some, but it is well built, like the rest of the line. This manufacturer has cases also sold under the name Supercase, so if you see the same model number, with the Supercase designation, it would be identical.

For this case, I would choose a notebook DVD-RW from Samsung or Toshiba, simply because of the reliability that those brands offer. If you are going with a full sized drive, in another case, I would consider the Samsung drives first, as they are very reliable, and very quiet, showing no problems with firmware glitches.

Although moving toward the highest capacity hard drive would be the move most would make, I would say that anything these days over 500 GB should get you by well. Also, since the video capabilities, and the CPU will not do 1080p Blu-ray very well, it might be a really nice dual duty system for the bedroom, functioning as a general purpose PC, along with a media server – I can see myself computing with a wireless keyboard and mouse, on the foot of the bed, with this being connected to a 32” LCD.

Nice enough as a budget system, a bedroom system, or for those pampered youngsters going off to college, a dorm system.  For those wanting a bit more, a PCI (not PCIe) video card can still be had, and could do fairly well – this could possibly carry off 1080p, if the machine was carefully set up. It would require a PCI riser card, which is available for about $25. Actually to go for the true HTPC, with DVR capabilities, of course a tuner is needed.

For every purpose but gaming, this sub-$800 PC would get the job done in style. (and as I said, you now have some ideas to build on!)

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