Building my own media centre PC - advice sought!

[ciphergoth]

Now we have a jolly huge TV and a GBP 25 DVD player, I find myself very tempted to build myself a Linux-based Media Centre PC. I'd love some advice on what I'm thinking of buying.

I want:

• Linux-based media centre PC running MythTV.
• Fits on TV stand (thus desktop case)
• Fast enough for software decoding while doing other stuff
• Not too noisy
• Ideally one that doesn't use too much power (environmental impact)
• Cheap
• Slight preference for AMD 64 for coolness value. (given up on this one)

I don't want

• Games machine (will never run Windows so no point)
• Very quiet indeed (no-one in the house seems to mind PC roar)
• Lots of compatibility hassles making it work

I already have

• DVD +-RW rewriter (ATA)
• AGP graphics card with TV out (NVidia MX400 MS-8826)
• Cheap sound card if I can't make the onboard one work with Linux

I'm thinking of buying: (prices include VAT) Updated with cheaper, quieter, slower choices.

56.09	Processor and fan	2.66GHz Intel Celeron 330D, 256K L2, socket 478, 533MHz FSB
97.98	Motherboard, case, PSU	Black ASUS Pundit barebones system
45.88	Memory	Ebuyer 512mb DDR PC3200 400MHz Tesco Value Ram
76.73	Hard drive	200 Gb Seagate Barracuda
62.64	TV card	Hauppage DVB-T PCI Nova 909
6.68	Video cable	Belkin PC-DVD to TV Cable Kit
5.86	Postage and packing
352.76	Total cost

So, what have I forgotten? What am I buying wrong? What won't work with what? What do I need to check about my existing bits of hardware? Where should I be saving money/spending more?

Comments

[conflux.livejournal.com]

The one I brought thekumquat was the Solitek Qbic one at approx £150. It is very well put together, came with it's own processor fan and has more room in the case than most for extra hard drives, or for 2 CD drives as it turned out. I do think it is a little noisy for a multi-media system but it would be liveable with and in our house I suspect the fans are at max all the time.

[babysimon]

Unlike Paul, for me noise is a very big concern. The Qbic does look nice, but I'm pretty sure I want something with an external passively cooled PSU (which I assume this doesn't have).