MCE and microATX/mini-ITX mobos

seamas77 · **8th February 2007, 09:08 PM**

I'm looking at putting together an MCE system based on a small form factor motherboard, possibly using microATX or even down to mini-ITX VIA motherboards.

Has anyone had experience using one of these boards? I know they're pretty underpowered, hence low heat/noise generation, but will they run MCE?

impact · **8th February 2007, 10:03 PM**

A few of us are building MCE machines these days with mATX boards - take your pick, but do not go down the path of something with 6100 Nvidia graphics - go 6150 as the minimum spec for 1080 HD...

Search here for mATX and you will find plenty of discussions on differing experiences...

I'd love to see a mini-ITX MCE - but have always found them too expensive (retail) and underpowered - although that is changing!

seamas77 · **8th February 2007, 10:25 PM**

Thanks for the advice - I'll have a look around. To be honest, a mini-ITX might do me only because I don't actually need a full-blown MCE box with TV capabilities. All I really want is to build something which can connect to all the digital video content I have and play it back at up to 1080i, and preferably handle the music too.

Perhaps the main criteria is finding a decent operating system to run it on! MCE is good of course, but sometimes I find it lacking. For example, I HATE having to organise my music using metadata.....am I the only one who hates it?? :-)