BleepingComputer.com: Any PC Builders want to accept a challenge?

i want to build a cheap, low end pc to use for a media center. it will be hooked up to a tv and used for watching movies and tv shows as well as playing some music. it wont be used for gaming or anything else. however, most of my experience lies with gaming PCs, not with cheap low end pcs. so i'm somewhat stumped when it comes to trying to build a super cheap pc to use.

so, if any of you would like to take the challenge and help me out, i would be very happy.

the minimum requirements i need for the pc are:
case: style doesn't matter, but it needs to hold a minimum of 4 hard drives and have two 5" bays. these will get filled when its first set up.
ram: ddr or ddr2. capacity and speed don't matter
hard drive ports: needs to have 6 sata ports. these will get filled up when it's first set up
video card: doesn't matter. but it has to be able to use a vizio hdtv via analog or hdmi.
optical drives: not needed, already have one
hard drives: also not needed, already have them
monitor: none, it's getting hooked up to a vizio hd tv
anything not listed has no requirement and can be anything.

if it could be built for under $200, that would be great
it needs to be as cheap as possible, so newegg is probably out of the question since they don't have anything too old.


the above is just the initial build. later on i will replace a bunch of the stuff. but for now, it will have to do since i can't afford to spend a lot on it at this time.
some will probably ask why i don't just save up the money and build the full planned pc later in the year. i was originally planning on doing that, but i've decided against it because my little brother will be going to the hospital for open heart surgery in a few weeks and my mom will have to stay home with him for all of next month. I would like to have the pc made and working by the end of this month so they will be able to watch the movies on the tv since they wont really be able to go anywhere for a month.

I can start, if nothing else .

<<case: style doesn't matter, but it needs to hold a minimum of 4 hard drives and have two 5" bays. these will get filled when its first set up.>>

My experience is...even cheapo ATX-mid cases come with 4 5" bays and room for 4 IDE/SATA hard drives (plus that space reserved for floppies). I had to go back to 2000 or so to see some that don't.

<<ram: ddr or ddr2. capacity and speed don't matter>>

You want DDR2...based on price and availability.

<<hard drive ports: needs to have 6 sata ports.>>

Not true...a PCI controller card overcomes that and will allow as many SATA connections as you like. But there are boards that do have 6 SATA connections, I guess...I just would not say that's a crucial item to consider.

<<video card: doesn't matter. but it has to be able to use a vizio hdtv via analog or hdmi.>>

Actually, the TV should have had cables, I think. If not, they are readily available.

I don't see any consideration for O/S, PSU, CPU, and heatsink/fans...these are basic considerations, IMO, but they need to be considered.

You may be interested in looking at some of the systems (barebone, O/S, no O/S) offered for sale at http://www.pricewatch.com/barebones_computers/

Louis