Jason Campbell's semi-final build that got him into the final of the Master Builder competition.
"This build will smash anything thrown at it. Whether it be complex
rendering in Alias, Maya or Adobe Premiere, to the other extreme of high
resolution gaming. As a media centre, it has plenty of storage and dual
tuners for simultaneous recording of HD programs."
Jason Campbell.The Build
CPU: Intel Dual Xeon X5550 2.66 GHz CPUsI have decided to break with tradition and go with Intel dual Xeons. Xeons are, traditionally, reserved for server environments. They are extremely good at crunching numbers and would rip video editing and encoding to shreds. This modest setup would leave an overclocked i7-980 feeling like a Pentium III. Why go with four cores when you can have eight, with hyperthreading on top of that?
CPU COOLER: StockThe newer range of Xeons tends to run relatively cool. Under normal, low load tasks (eg Home Theatre) the fans should run reasonably quiet. We don't want to interrupt viewers watching the latest Blue-ray movies.
ASUS (SPONSOR) MOTHERBOARD: ASUS Z8NA-D6To me, this one was make-or-break. I have chosen to go with a server motherboard, to host the dual Xeon configuration. It supports triple channel DDR3 RAM. So, memory speed will also be blisteringly fast for computationally expensive tasks and snappy response in gaming. The board is also extremely energy-efficient and will adjust power as required. Having an ATX form factor is a massive advantage too, as a standard power supply and case can be used.
ASUS (SPONSOR) GRAPHICS CARD: Asus HD 5970The HD 5970 chipset is currently the fastest available. This will happily run Crysis Warhead on your High Definition TV at 1920x1200 resolution. I thought hard about a CrossFire system, but I opted to go with a single high-end card to keep overall case temperature down and system noise down. The ASUS HD 5970 runs quietly when under normal operation and will automatically adjust fan speed when the load increases on it, making it ideal for use in a Media Center.
MEMORY: 2x Corsair 6GB DDR3 Triple Channel Kit 1600Mz (CMX6GX3M3C1600C7)This gives a total of 12GB RAM (6GB per CPU) running at triple channel mode. Having 1600Mhz FSB gives plenty of room for those who want to attempt to overclock this rig (if stock standard dual Xeon isn’t fast enough for you). 12GB of RAM allows for plenty of room for the toughest of video editing applications.
AUDIO: ASUS MIO-AUDIO 888 MIO Sound CardThis simply plugs into the dedicated MIO slot on the ASUS mainboard. It provides 7.1 channel sound optical output, giving more than enough channels for gaming and home theatre tasks.
HARD DRIVE 1: GSkill 128Gb falcon SSDHard drives are still the major bottleneck in a system. So, two of these in RAID 0 (used as the main system drive) will ensure lightning-fast load times and application response. Encoding, rendering, and ripping will benefit greatly and when competing online, you’ll be able to collect the best weapons and ammunition while your opponents are still watching the loading screen! Benchmarks have shown that, with this configuration, an average 500 MB/s read speed can be comfortably achieved. Having TRIM support for SSDs (as these do) is also a must, to keep the system running at optimal speed over time.
HARD DRIVE 2: GSkill 128Gb falcon SSDAs above.
HARD DRIVE 3: Western Digital Green 2TB (WD20EADS)This drive's primary use is as a massive storage area for files, music, videos and other media. The ‘Green’ model is a little slower than average but makes up for it with its exceptional power efficiency.
OPTICAL DRIVE: ASUS BC-1205PT Blu-ray Combo driveThe ASUS BC-1205PT is capable of everything you could require. Able to play Blu-ray discs, this optical drive is great for home theatre use. The only thing it can’t do is burn Blu-ray media.
PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro M1000This power supply was chosen for a number of factors. Firstly, due to its high power output, it will keep the system happy when under extreme load. Secondly, it has a virtually silent operation – ideal for media centre functions, when it is time to relax after hardcore gaming sessions. And finally, it is 80+ certified. Basically, the power supply is very efficient, with minimal power loss along the way.
CASE: Antec P183 Advanced Super Mid TowerNot only is this a stylish, modest case, it can handle the extra length of the ASUS HD5970 graphics card (with the removal of the additional drive bays – as per manufacturers' recommendation). This case can also comfortably house the ATX-sized server mainboard. It could also pose as a talking point when used as a home theatre, with friends asking: "what is it?"
MONITOR: ASUS VW266H LCDWho needs a display? Just plug the PC into the family High Definition LCD or Plasma. But, if this is not an option I would recommend the ASUS VW266H LCD. It is a 26-inch LCD that natively runs full 1920x1200 resolution. There is plenty of desktop real estate for running applications such as Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects. It is also great for viewing Blu-ray as it was meant to be seen.
KEYBOARD/MOUSE: Microsoft Media Center Remote KeyboardThis is still a great choice for media center usage and gaming. It is wireless and has a built in mouse. So, any task can be achieved on the comfort of your own lounge.
MOUSE: Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 3.0I have always found Microsoft hardware to be top notch. This mouse has five customisable buttons and a sample rate of 9000 frames per second. Great for any gaming or productivity tasks when the built-in keyboard mouse becomes too restrictive.
OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 7 Home Premium (64 Bit)People are generally most comfortable with the Windows platform. The reason for going with Home Premium is that it has proven to be a very capable operating system for gaming and productivity tasks. Windows Media Center is an added bonus and is great for home theatre use. For the tasks given, Pro and Ultimate seem to be an overkill. The 64-bit edition allows us to use all of the memory installed in the system. Whereas, if 32-bit was installed, any memory above 4 GB would be a waste.
TV TUNER: Hauppauge HVR-2200 Hybrid Dual Tuner CardHauppauge is a well respected brand and this particular card is capable of recording two shows at once at High Definition. How frustrating is it, these days, having extra digital channels and finding that you have two shows on the same time that you want to record? Problem solved!
SPEAKERS: NoneFor best results, this system is designed to connect direct to a Hi-Fi. Either with the analogue or optical outputs.
REMOTE CONTROL: AIM Media Center Remote ControlThis has proven to work extremely well in my last Media Center build. So, I would have to recommend this once again. It is robust, economical, reliable, and looks great.
