Computing

If you don't have a lot of money but want to have a working media computer of your very own, put one together for cheap. By "media computer" we mean a computer that is designed to play back or create multimedia, such as movies, music, photos and even TV and online radio. The great thing is that even machines made a year or two ago are powerful enough to do most of what you'll need. Even recent, lower-cost machines can give you plenty of power for cheap. Plus, you can build your own PC for very little cost and get exactly what you need for the job.

Believe it or not, you can build a media computer from donated parts. Be patient and ask around or check local salvage shops. You need a case, power supply, motherboard and CPU, RAM, DVD/CD drive and a hard drive.

Learn more about the basics of building your own PC.

You may want a TV tuner (optional), and you'll definitely want a good Internet connection. Learn more about installing a CableCARD tuner in your DIY Media Center on Engadget. Plus, an added video card (as opposed to one built-in to the motherboard) makes your machine better for gaming, but is often overkill for playing back basic video. Shopping around really pays off...