Im after a small silent media box, not so bothered about assembling it myself if theres nothing pre-built available, but Id like to come up with a solution that allows me to plug in my own PCI sound card, as I plan on networking it with my main PC which will act as file server, to stream FLAC/OGG/MP3s to my hifi.

Anyone got any experience of this or some suggestions? Oh and when I say silent, I mean silent. Not a fan in sight or sound.  

A Laptop

Dont have a lot of experience personally but I did look into it for a while. Main reason i didnt get any experience was that silent costs a fortune!

Some nice pre-build systems at endpcnoise.com

I got a p3 500 box off ebay, put a modestly sided heatsink on it and ran it passively. Worked nicely, the psu was only little and the psu fan was plenty quiet enough.

Dunno what spec youd want tho.

Eggtastico you missed the point of PCI expansion entirely, but nevermind...

Just enough spec to run Foobar and play music files, the most demanding being FLAC 24bit/192khz files. Nothing ninja really.

Im thinking your idea is the best so far sdp.

Quote from: Clockd 0NeEggtastico you missed the point of PCI expansion entirely, but nevermind...

Just enough spec to run Foobar and play music files, the most demanding being FLAC 24bit/192khz files. Nothing ninja really.

Im thinking your idea is the best so far sdp.

Whys that, when you can get a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS ??
http://www.ebuyer.com/UK/product/127901/rb/0

cause he probably has something from mpower.

Edit: lol mean m-audio

They are sh*te, thats why

Actually Im looking more at E-MU

Having said that Id consider an M-Audio Audiophile external maybe. I dont think the analogue stage is as good though.

if you can find a 2nd hand one on e-bay : http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF25a/35123-342039-342039-342039-637507-12330068.html

doesnt take a PCI card, but they are absolutely silent and i know at least one person who uses one to run his torrents rather than have a full working machine.  

That looks spot on! No fans at all in it then? Apparently there is a PCI expansion module if I wanted to find one. Ill have a scour for one of these...

Quote from: Clockd 0NeThat looks spot on! No fans at all in it then? Apparently there is a PCI expansion module if I wanted to find one. Ill have a scour for one of these...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/T5720-HP-Thin-Client-PC-Brand-New-Sealed_W0QQitemZ230166460875QQihZ013QQcategoryZ179QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Alternatively, you could get a Shuttle?  Some of them come with a passive power supply (like a lappie one).  Nice and compact too?

ps.  I thought you could put PCI cards in laptops?  :shock:

Mini-itx.com

Cheers Nath, Ill have a proper look at that later.

mrt, you cant fit PCI cards to lappys, youre thinking of PCMCIA (the chunky credit card sized cards) A shuttle will still be too noisy, Im really after totally silent.

TBH, A chipped xbox1 would be ideal, though it does have 1 fan.

Running XBMC, it will run any file you throw at it with the benefits of being on your TV and on the network.

No PCI though.