Server died, looking for specs for a sub-$250 machine

[MonocularJack]

I knew it would happen in time but the machine I was using as a recording server, an old Dell XPR450 with an upgraded 1.4 Celeron and 256meg of RAM finally gave up the ghost. I haven't pulled every component yet to see what died but I figure I need a new machine anyway.

I was going to just buy the cheapest Dell, around $299, to replace it but I thought I'd see if I could build something cheaper myself.

My requirements are:

- ~2.0, Intel or AMD

- small case but doesn't need to look schmancy since it just sits in the corner in my office recording from the cable feed

- mobo that can handle my ATA133 hard drive and old CD drive

- 512 of RAM

- USB 2.0 obviously

- minimal video just to install software and the like, all output is routed through a client PC elsewhere.

- [edit] oh, and probably 10/100 ethernet

I'll be dropping my existing Hauppage TV-350, NEC 24x CD-ROM and 180GB Seagate into it. I'm guessing my shopping list is:

1 mobo
1 processor
1 case
memory

All for under $250. This do-able? Any recommendations on configs that play nicely with XP SP2, Sage and even MCE?

Thanks.

[Kanati]

Take a look on pricewatch... I see a motherboard/cpu/memory combo on there for 157 bux having a 2800+ Sempron, Abit motherboard having onboard video, lan, audio, usb2, etc, and 256 meg of ram... To add to that another 256 meg of ram for 45 dollars from the same place... And a 50 dollar el-cheapo aluminum minitower case... You clock in right at 250 dollars. Good enough?

http://www.compu-terra.com/store/product770.html

That's the place I looked at first. You might find cheaper. Take a look at their barebones setups. Those include everything you need but the video in some cases and are a bit cheaper yet.

[MonocularJack]

Thanks, I'll give it a look. Last machine I put together was 10 years ago so I'm fine with the actual grunt labor but my HW knowledge needs a desperate upgrade. It would be nice to find a package known to work together instead of me being a bumbling idiot and buying 164-pin memory for a mobo the needs 184-pin memory or what not.

The joys of shopping!

[heffe2001]

If you care to spend a bit more, you can check out the Dell Outrageous deals (it's in the small business section, but anybody can buy from Small business). They have a 2.8ghz P4, 256mb ram, 40g (regular eide work in those systems), with a 17" flat panel for 399.00 after rebates.

I know it's a bit more than you wanted to spend, but you'd get a 17" monitor to use on another system if you wanted.

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/prod...=04&l=en&s=bsd

[lovingHDTV]

$150 for a 17" flat panel, and XP is a pretty good price.