Can I make a HTPC from AMDK6-2? or maybe a DVR (1 Viewer)

[DanielKellmii]

My co-worker will sell me his Compaq 5461, 500Mhz K6-2 w120meg of RAM for $100. It doesn't have a DVD drive, so I will have to add that, but can I use that for a dedicated DVR? Maybe even a HTPC?
Thanks

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

I've got a a 3gig P4, and for some applications (WM9 and some DVR uses) it runs out of horsepower-- so you probably will be taking your chances with a 500mhz.

-vince

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

An mp3 server, but not a DVR machine. I have an AMD 1.4ghz, with 512mb ram and I can't do DVR properly. Movies play fine though.

 

[DanielKellmii]

Hmmmmm, so can I install a DVD player and watch movies on this. That would be nice. $100 for a DVD player and I can replace my old computer.

 

[Ken Chan]

Do you have a capture card with built-in hardware compression, like the Hauppauge 350?

 

[Michael Harris]

I have a 1.4ghz P IV with 512 ram using a Hauppauge 350 as a DVR and I use less then 5% of my CPU cycles. Hardware MPEG encoding does most of the heavy lifting. I am using Snapstream. If you check their minimum requirements you will see that it does not take that much to make a DVR.

 

[Mark Dubbelboer]

my parents have a 5460, same computer with 450mHz of processing and the thing is absolutely going haywire.
the hard drive failed a couple months ago and i'd be surprised if the computer lasts the year. it takes a substantial amount of time to load IE (even on a fresh format/install)
I've never thrown a dvd-rom into it so i can't comment on that end, i'm just warning you that the computer itself might be near it's last legs.

 

[brentl]

I wouldn't pay $100 for that, he's really hoping to get half that much!

Brent

The case may be usable, along with the CD-rom, but other than that it's garbage!

Lust my opinion, could be used as a music server with win98 OK though.

 

[Max Leung]

I wouldn't use that K6 machine for DVD playback either...you're better off spending that $100 on a real DVD player.