Turning a computer into a media center is a great way to put an obsolete computer to good use.
As new technologies are constantly released, many old computers and systems are made obsolete due to new systems in the household. Most obsolete computers, however, can be upgraded into media centers that power music or enable TVs to access the Internet. Simple and affordable hardware upgrades, paired with the correct connecting cables, will enable owners to find new usefulness in their old machines, creating entirely new media centers out of once worthless setups.
Instructions
Prepare the machine
1. Remove any wanted data from the old system onto an external storage device.
2. Reformat the hard drive of the old machine in order to clear up space and start on a clean slate. Reformatting allows users the ability to clear out many old problems the PC had and instantly create a "new" system.
3. Install new hard drives that will support the machine's new functions. Media will take up a large amount of space, and you will want enough space to store video, music and applications.
4. Install the operating system of your choice. The best operating systems for media are the ones that are designed for use with media players and media organization (for example, Windows 7 Media and Windows XP Media Edition).
5. Update the system with any operating system patches and install antivirus software to protect your privacy and your computer.
Upgrade
6. Upgrade your sound card to a model that will allow you to connect your computer to any media peripherals you have, such as surround sound, karaoke machines and musical equipment. Most basic sound cards will allow you to do this, but verify the card's specifications before purchasing.
7. Upgrade the graphics card if your old one will not support the resolution of your TV. You can check your TV's resolution in the owner's manual and verify this with your graphics card's manual.
8. Connect your TV to your computer using video cables that are compatible with both the computer and the TV. Most TV's have VGA and 7-pin connections, but many new computers also have digital and HDMI connections available as well. Most new graphics cards have VGA, 7-pin and digital connections with higher end cards having HDMI connections as well.
9. Link your computer's audio with your TV by running an audio in/out cable between the two of them.
10. Connect your computer to your home network and the Internet. Your computer is now ready to allow you to watch Internet TV, play audio, view movies and store media files all through your media center's audio system and TV.
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