Build a shuttle media centre PC - minimum specs

Hi, I want to build a Shuttle media centre PC but keep the costs as low as possible. This would be primarily for use as a PVR, use with Shareaza etc. to store music and DVDS etc and to link to TV and my 5.1 surround sound system.

If possible, I want to stick with AMD socket 939 as I have this in my main box, and would get a big MF of an HDD and an top spec sound card. My question is what do i need to get for a graphics card and processor etc. Also need WAN

I have an old PCI 128 MB geforce with tv out, but no TV in, processor etc. Also have a PCI tv in adaptor but am concerned that the shuttle has only one PCI slot and I think I'll need this for theWAN. Thanks, SG.

 

I belive that the shuttle set up has one agp and one pci,probably would have to get agp card with tv tuner built in for a good media center pc, i was going to build one and that was the route i was going to take,as far as your cpu you could probably just use a reg ahtlon 2800 or sempron and save the 939 socket a board would be cheaper

 

Get yourself a high spec agp card for your tv, or you could stick with pci and get a usb wireless adaptor.
I wouldn't recommend the athlon xp or sempron range for media, but would stick with socket 939 as you suggested.
If possible, you could get a new motherboard with pci-express and get an even better video card?

 

I wouldn't have thought the graphics card would be that important, as I would be watching through the TV which just doesn't have that high resolution anyway. So why bother? I think PCI express sounds like the option though: I was thinking along the lines of this which I can pick up for CHF83 or about 60 USD:

ASUS Extreme AX300SE-X, Radeon X300 SE, 128MB DDR, PCI-Express, Retail TV-Out, DVI, 325MHz GPU, 400MHz Memory (200MHz DDR)

 

You would still need a fairly decent graphics card to get purer picture and faster response, watching tv through my 9200SE isn't the same as a 9600 pro, compared it a few weeks ago and the picture was clearer.
Although you did mention your tv can only reach a certain resolution, you can get some software for getting better picture for tv, the name escapes my mind argh!!!