Looking for a super cheap PC

ChibiJosh

ChibiJosh

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The idea is that tonight, I hooked my laptop up to my TV in the living room to watch a video with a friend, and I feel it worked out brilliantly. I figured the video wouldn't really look very good translated to a large screen, but it looked fine. It's kinda of a pain to change my laptop around constantly so I was thinking of getting a cheap PC to just keep there.

So, I'm looking for a cheap PC whose sole purpose of which would be to play music/video, I doubt I'd even go online with it. I'm looking for around $300, maybe?

This one seems like it would do the job (I've heard bad things about the emachines brand though), but I wanted some opinions of people more knowledgeable: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/eMachines+-+Desktop+with+Intel%26%23174%3B+Celeron%26%23174%3B+Processor/9703462.p?id=1218164424661&skuId=9703462

Also, a cheap wireless mouse/keyboard (although, I'm not even sure a keyboard would really be necessary)?
 
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[quote name='letmeinnow']what about one of these
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103228&cm_re=revo-_-83-103-228-_-Product[/QUOTE]
I do like the compactness of it. Kinda sexy.
Although, it only has 1GB RAM which worries me. I'm not sure it'd be able to play video all right with that. The harddrive's a little small too, but that's easily fixable with an external.
[quote name='Sporadic']What about a streaming box like ASUS O!Play with an external hard drive plugged in?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MCZJ3C

All together, it would be around $200 depending on the size of the hard drive you need.[/QUOTE]
I'm not sure I trust that.
 
[quote name='ChibiJosh']
I'm not sure I trust that.[/QUOTE]

Why not? From what I've read, they can play almost anything you throw at it.
 
[quote name='Sporadic']Why not? From what I've read, they can play almost anything you throw at it.[/QUOTE]
Perhaps. I'd just feel safer having something that I can install programs on. Plus, if I wanted to, I could install an SNES emulator or something on the PC too.

Also, I don't like that it has a remote, a mouse would seem much easier.

One of the main things that I'd watch using it is old, unlicensed fansubbed anime. It's uncomfortable to sit in front of my laptop to watch just a few episodes. It'd be more comfortable in the living room. And, a lot of there files are .mkv's with soft subs which even windows media player has trouble displaying the subtitles sometimes.
 
[quote name='ChibiJosh']Perhaps. I'd just feel safer having something that I can install programs on. Plus, if I wanted to, I could install an SNES emulator or something on the PC too.

Also, I don't like that it has a remote, a mouse would seem much easier.

One of the main things that I'd watch using it is old, unlicensed fansubbed anime. It's uncomfortable to sit in front of my laptop to watch just a few episodes. It'd be more comfortable in the living room. And, a lot of there files are .mkv's with soft subs which even windows media player has trouble displaying the subtitles sometimes.[/QUOTE]

Oh, you didn't mention emulators in your original post. I thought the sole purpose of this would be to play music/video?

ASUS O!Play = $79 after MIR
1 TB external hard drive = $82.41 http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Elements-External-WDBAAU0010HBK-NESN/dp/B002QEBMB4

Also O!Play can play .mkvs and supports internal/external subtitles.

Windows Media Player is shit. Go grab VLC Player.
 
[quote name='Sporadic']Oh, you didn't mention emulators in your original post. I thought the sole purpose of this would be to play music/video?

ASUS O!Play = $79 after MIR
1 TB external hard drive = $82.41 http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Elements-External-WDBAAU0010HBK-NESN/dp/B002QEBMB4

Also O!Play can play .mkvs and supports internal/external subtitles.

Windows Media Player is shit. Go grab VLC Player.[/QUOTE]

I didn't think of the emulator bit originally, but a couple of my friends have been throwing around the idea of playing Secret of Mana 2 recently (and we've been trying to figure out the best way to do it), and I thought this would also be good for that.

I do use VLC player for watching my .mkv's, I tend to use WMP for my music though and most other videos
 
I'd go for a Dell Zino HD they start around $250, and are very small so it's great to put under a TV. Or get a used Mac Mini, same thing, just a Mac.
 
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