Check over my possible NESputer build

[fetts]

I've wanted to build a NESputer for a while and have been looking up parts to use. I was hoping you'd all look over what i have and see if i need to add/change anything.

- Jetway J7F2 2.0 GHz C7 Mini-ITX Motherboard $187.05

- Universal 80W Silent PSU and Mini DC-DC Converter Kit 79.95

- Western Digital Scorpio 160GB Mobile Hard Drive - 2.5" EIDE, 5400, 8MB, OEM 69.99

- Cables To Go Laptop To IDE Hard Drive Adapter 7.99

- Sony Optiarc Trayload Slimline DVD±RW Drive 54.38

- Slimline CD/DVD to Desktop IDE Adapter & Audio Cable 10.88

- 1GB PC5300 DDR2 667 DIMM 27.55

- Dremel 750-02 Minimite 13,000 RPM 2 Speed 4.8-Volt Cordless Rotary Tool 24.99

Total Cost: $560.79

Any input would be great

[bkenobi]

Not to put you off from your build, but you should make sure you have a plan for what you want to play on that machine. If you want it to play all emulators, then this should be a decent rig. If you are looking for certain systems (maybe a selection of older systems), then you don't need that much power. I think the MiniITX systems are great and have considered a build many times over the last few years, but the price always kills it for me. You can go just slightly larger and save a bundle and get more power.

Oh, as far as what you have there, it looks like good specs. If you are really going to build this and want to know about a budget, make sure you add in the extras. This doesn't include mounting stuff or other extras (superficial stuff). You will probably have $50-$100 in other stuff you didn't expect (unless you have a lot of misc crap laying around...like some of us do ).

[fetts]

Pretty much its gonna be old school games (arari, sega, nes, playstation), MAME, N64, and probably run dvd's and have it as a media pc. Though, as i keep looking around, just gutting a mac mini might be cheaper and more powerful. Though if i did that, i dont get the satisfaction of actually building it.

EDIT: Wow. If i bought a Mac Mini with an education discount, it comes to around $550. It might be worth it just to buy it

EDIT 2: I could also get a dell studio hybrid for 449, upgrade it a bit here and there, and wam bam its done

[chriss]

i didnt look much into emulation on a mac system so far but from what i've heard aome emulators run way better on windows machines (or get updated more frequently). i just know from a friend who installed a psx emulator on a mac and hes not quite happy with that. he uses boot camp mostly for psx games.

so if you get a mac you should think about using boot camp. but many mac people try to keep their systems free of microsoft products...

[fetts]

That what i was thinking; using boot camp on the mac if i did it that way.

[chriss]

550$ doesnt sound too bad! i just checked on the apple homepage and they now put nvidia gfx chips in the mac minis, that means your media/arcade machine would not only look very chic but also has enough power for dreamcast emulation! i wonder if tv out is supported over boot camp though...

[fetts]

according to this it does, but its a little finiky