Fedora workstation...for the living room?

[M. Fioretti]

Greetings,

I need help to choose the right components to build a box with somewhat
unusual requirements. I am asking this here first because I also want
to be sure that everything will work 100% with Fedora, but pointers to
relevant HW forums (where Linux is well known) are also welcome. On we
go with the requirements:

1) Case must be Antec Aria:
   http://www.antec.com/ec/productDetails.php?ProdID=08130
   (it's the only one I know which *would* fit in the custom desk I
   have to build, lets me choose any motherboard up to microATX, can
   fit more than one HD if needed, has front usb/firewire/SD card
   connector, accepts full-height PCI cards)

2) the whole thing must be always _silent_ and, at least when in idle
   mode, it should dissipate as little power as possible (< 50
   W?). Even when at 100% CPU usage, it shouldn't require a separate
   power plant, please.

3) No laptops thanks. I do not need mobility for this box, I don't
   wan't less performances for the same money, I want to be able to
   replace/upgrade single pieces easily, I don't want to pay stuff
   I'll never use (laptop screen, keyboard...)

4) The box won't be used for gaming. Sometimes for astronomy
   simulators like Celestia (www.shatters.net/celestia/) or Stellarium
   (stellarium.sourceforge.net/) but not gaming.

5) Main use, besides basic SOHO applications (OpenOffice, email, web
   surfing...) will be video editing from camcorder and compiling
   software. A TV capture card could be nice to add, but not needed.

6) Fast and reliable RAM. Lots of it.

7) Sound: see above. Adding/manipulating sound to videos is needed;
   *playing* surround, Hi-Fi music at 1000 watt straight from this box
   is not. I'll just need the minimum support to make video
   conferencing possible.

8) Onboard Ethernet, possibly one serial port for external fax/modem

So, what do you recommend? What is the right combination of BOTH
(reliable!) HW AND Fedora [software + configuration tricks] to make
all this happen?  Which kind of motherboard (pentium M, 32 or 64 bits,
what else?)?

Any feedback is appreciated.

TIA,

	Marco F.

-- 
Marco Fioretti                    mfioretti, at the server mclink.it
Fedora Core 3 for low memory      http://www.rule-project.org/

There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave in a
vacuum.                                        -- Arthur C. Clarke