Updated my system specs. Opinions?

[Grisham21]

1.4 Ghz Athlon 266mhz FSB
Abit KG7- RAID
3 x 256mb ECC Registered PC2100 DDR-RAM (For the prices now, who can say no?)
Plexwriter 24/10/40A
Full Tower Case w/ 300W PSU(Gonna switch it to a 431W Enermax, comment if you know of better though)
16x Pioneer DVD-ROM Drive
IBM Deskstar 60GB 60GXP 7200 RPM
3Com 10/100 NIC
Gainward CARDEXPERT Geforce3
Soundblaster Platinum 5.1 w/ Livedrive
Internal 100MB Zip Drive
3 Case Fans
Swiftech MC462A

Since I got an OEM version of the DVD Drive should I just be able to get WinDVD and have it work properly?
Also considering adding a HD Cooler.

 

[Doctorweir]

IMO you chose the best GF3...
The Enermax is really an option. This rig's eating up lots of power...

 

[bozo1]

If you haven't got the case yet, you might want to look at directron.com. You can pick your case and pick the powersupply you want - that'll save you from wasting money on a powersupply you aren't gonna use. There are some other vendors that let you pick the PS, directron is the only one I can think of offhand.

 

[odog]

1.) go for unbuffered DDR

2.) ditch the ZIP drive... it's useless

3.) get a high quality case, nothings worse then a fatty computer in a crap case(it doesn't matter if its got a nice power supply)

4.) skip the SBLive, and get a santa cruz or that other one(whatever its called) and only get a live drive if your gonna use otherwise it's just case decoration

 

[Duvie]

kICKS-ASS except for the sblive platinum card....Why buy 2 year old technology? Get the hercules game theater xp card...It rocks. I have tried the live and the hercules and there is no comparison on my altec lansing speakers.

 

[Grisham21]

I did order my case from Directron, the Black Full Tower Hydraulic Case, I thought 300W would be enough until I got it and realized how much much juice this rig would pull. The sound card I had no option, I ordered it and then found out about the Game Theatre Xp, too late to cancel though.

 

[Grisham21]

I did order my case from Directron, the Black Full Tower Hydraulic Case, I thought 300W would be enough until I got it and realized how much much juice this rig would pull. The sound card I had no option, I ordered it and then found out about the Game Theatre Xp, too late to cancel though.


Oops, clicked it twice, i'm gettin the ZIP cause my friends and family use it. Do you guys think it's worth the cost of a return to get the actually cheaper Theatre Xp? Does it have 5.1 decoding?

 

[Santan]

SCSI 10000 RPM is a must...

Think RADEON

Pioneer 305s DVD Drive .85 ms access time

RAM out the WAZZOOO!!!

 

[Grisham21]

SCSI is too expensive for my budget. I got the Pioneer because I heard a lot of good things about it.

 

[LuNoTiCK]

Santan I think he has a budget.

 

[LuNoTiCK]

Also I think it would be a good idea to maybe get a lite-on cd burner instead of a plextor. I'm pretty sure it can do everything the same, but for a lot less money. If you dont mind spending it, thats ok I guess. Go for the Enermax power supply and you need Registered ram, ECC is good also, it's not much more, and well it's always good to have, but I dont know if it overclocks as good. Like the others said ditch the SBlive, and go for a GTXP.

 

[Grisham21]

Since it has already been shipped, how much of a difference am I lookin at? Would it validate the hassle of returning the SBLive Platinum?
I also do have ECC Registered RAM from Crucial, it came today as a matter of fact.

 

[Grisham21]

The site I got the card is like 10-15% restocking fee so I want to really know how much better the Game Theatre is than the Soundblaster or even if it is depending on who you talk to. Would I be able to use WinDVD to play dvds or would I need a decoder since the Pioneer is OEM? Should I also consider a HD Cooler since I've heard of issues lately with IBM Drives?