PC Tech Thread

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Motherboard size will determine case size. You can go pretty small with micro tax and really small with mini itx.

New case (obviously) and possibly a new motherboard, although it may already have something that can go into a smaller case. May also need a new power supply.

It depends how small you want to go, microATX would be the easiest probably. This kind of size http://www.ebuyer.com/store/Components/cat/Computer-Cases/subcat/Micro-ATX-Cases

EDIT: New page, what they all said.

So, I have a cunning plan...

Give my old, huge tower machine to missus' geek nephew and replace it with a smaller, leaner, meaner, newer desktop box which may or may not be capable of showing my cable tv, DVDs, and running Computrainer, Zwift, Trainerroad, etc.

Like: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048863/build-the-ultimate-windows-8-home-theater-pc-for-under-500.html

As usual I'd prefer a quick, OTP option because ain't nobody got time for that.

Presume I can't stream my TiVo over the air from the other room? Don't want it to be cabled. Don't want to pay for another set-top box.

Needs to have some kind of video out for my TV and 4 USB on the front. Also, if it could support the weight of an old LCD TV that would be good.

Ooh, QuietPC again?
https://www.quietpc.com/st-fc8-alpha?countryid=gb&gclid=CjwKEAiAz4XFBRCW87vj6-28uFMSJAAHeGZbxLXu3uSxxlNw4Lk6Y29RwsxDvzJS44KCe_AqREbKQxoCXrLw_wcB

Or a Mini-PC?
https://www.novatech.co.uk/pc/minipc/

I already have an SSD in the big machine I could use in a new build.

So, I have a cunning plan...

Shit. 6 months of Procrastinating of about to engulf this thread.

Unsubscribe button is just over there, sweetie.

I'm interested in this. I want one box that will deal with iTunes, Amazon Prime, Freeview TV, Eurosport from my subscription, media on drop box.

Let me know what you find please.

I'll shower you with beer.

I'm heading towards the Mini PC as a nice clutter-free option. Bolted onto the back of my TV.

The Intel units seem to demand higher prices but perform really well to justify it.

The units with 2.5" drive bays are a tiny bit more spendy but will allow me to use my old SSD (or an M2 drive). I already have an OS and RAM is pretty cheap.

The cheaper options are all physically bigger so less appealing.

re: your stuff
iTunes - I don't use
Amazon Prime - I don't use
Freeview TV - I don't use
Eurosport from my subscription - I don't use
media on drop box - I rarely use

So, um, not really helpful other than to say the boxes have 4xUSB ports so lots of your shit should work.

WHAT FUCKING TELLY DO YOU WATCH?
eh?

At the moment it's mostly my DVDs or downloaded stuff off a USB - Sufferfest footage, race footage, some films. I can stream Virgin stuff through a web browser I think but I don't often watch normal TV on the turbo.

I'm not paying Virgin to run another cable to my bedroom. In fact I don't want to pay any more for any extra TV service.

Ah. Wait. I DONE DID READ AGAIN.
Your needs are : watching bike bongo sufferfest action for turbo
My needs are: home entertainment for family (i don't have a telly subscription)

Are you looking at the pockit?

I mostly play music on the turbo PC but want it to be able to run Computrainer, Trainerroad, Zwift etc. TV is less important.

Pockit?

Intel NUC as a Home Theatre PC (HTPC):
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7566/intels-haswell-nuc-d54250wyk-ucff-pc-review/5

Have a look at the BRIX too.

Yeah I thought:
https://www.novatech.co.uk/pc/range/novatechpockithdnpi29.html

Free programme for burning CDs? Windows one keeps shitting itself.

IMGBurn
http://imgburn.com/

cheers

Intel equiv is:
http://www.ebuyer.com/767222-nuc-boxnuc7i3bnh-i3-7100u-us-eu-uk-au-boxnuc7i3bnh?mkwid=s_dc&pcrid=51482413019&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=Cj0KEQiA8orFBRCEpODivaOft_EBEiQAy3mlfdqKMZrO44TCBe58LOPNmqznRlqsmeuuXtDznMpFQikaAkqS8P8HAQ

£318 and you'd need to add:
8GB DDR4 2133Mhz RAM ~£40-50?
M.2 240GB SSD ~£100-150?
OS £?

4.68 cm x 11.26 cm x 11.94 cm vs. Intel's:
Width 11.5 cm
Depth 11.1 cm
Height 5.1 cm

Intel
4 x USB 3.0 - Type A (2 front, 2 rear) (one of them is fast-charging) ¦ 2 x USB 2.0 (2 internal) ¦ 1 x HDMI ¦ 1 x headphones/microphone - mini-jack ¦ 1 x LAN (Gigabit Ethernet) - RJ-45 ¦ 1 x Thunderbolt 3/DisplayPort/USB 3.1 Gen2

Pockit
1 x USB 3.1 type C, 1 x USB3.1, 2 x USB 3.0

Wikipedia has a list here
This one seems to do what you want and is free.

So, they'll work out pretty similar on price except I already have a 2.5" SSD which means the slightly bigger dual-drive Intel units make more sense for me. Mine has Win7 on it which isn't supposed to be very good with minipcs but I have Win10 too. Wonder if I should upgrade my current PC to Win10 and then move drive to mini pc? Would that work? You used to be able to get away with it in the old days, but it's a big hardware change.

Smaller/cheaper, but might be worth looking at...

I use it for Kodi, youtube etc....