Old pc into media center

[MitakaJ9]

I want to turn my old PC into Media Center. I will make a wooden a box and build it without the unnecessary parts in it. But I want you guys to give me some advices about software mostly and some hardware too.What should be the operating system I want the PC to have as less common with an ordinary PC as it can be achieved, I want it to be purely media center. And if it is Windows I don't want all the features I want it stripped clean no desktops just boots into media center or after I launch some media center software I want everything else to be hidden. So what's the best way to organize music, movies pictures. I want to achieve an easy way to play your movie or song or look at pictures. With what program/s should i do this. Also I want to be able to operate with remote control could you recommend me some which should work with the media center software and advice me on how to setup it. What's the best way to make it easy to download new music pics or movies? I am downloading music mainly from youtube with mp3download site, movies from a torrent site from my country and pictures from my HTC Sensation or my family trough their camera.I will connect the media center to my home wi-fi network so I think I have two possibilities download directly to the media center or operate trough my PC so which is better and which is the best way to be achieved? So It will be useful to use the media center as browser too which is the best way to control it, wireless mouse and keyboard? I prefer something more casual if there is an alternative.

So conclusion:

1)What operating system and software should I use to achieve the media center and organize media content?

2)What is the best way to get new content (music, movies etc.) to the media center?

3)What operating devices should I use and are best to use (remote control, wireless mouse, keyboard)?

4)What is the best way to use the media center as browser?

5)If you have any suggestions for what more I can use the media center except Music, Movies, Pictures and browsing they would be appreciated.

Addition: My old PC is not very powerful but for Media Center it is great. But I've wondered so many times is there a way to play games on the TV in the living room. So when I play with friend or my father we play in the bedroom on the PC with gamepads. So can I somehow use the old pc when it is connected to the TV and wi-fi to play games remotely on the good PC. I mean I launch let's say FIFA 12 on my PC and connect the gamepads to the media center in the living room and play it from there on the TV? Or is there any other way to achieve playing on the TV in the living room with gamepads when the Good computer is in the bedroom?

[jaclaz]

If I get it right, what you are wanting to build is - more or less - a "car PC", only you will use it in your dining room instead.

So, this might be the right place to get some ideas:

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/

jaclaz

[<SparTacuS>]

You should check out XBMC

.http://xbmc.org/

Runs great on XP or 7 (a sensibly stripped version is even better).

[puntoMX]

Addition: My old PC is not very powerful but for Media Center it is great. But I've wondered so many times is there a way to play games on the TV in the living room. So when I play with friend or my father we play in the bedroom on the PC with gamepads. So can I somehow use the old pc when it is connected to the TV and wi-fi to play games remotely on the good PC. I mean I launch let's say FIFA 12 on my PC and connect the gamepads to the media center in the living room and play it from there on the TV? Or is there any other way to achieve playing on the TV in the living room with gamepads when the Good computer is in the bedroom?

Forget that or get a new PC. Remote desktop will give you no useful framerate at all and can only be used for games like chess, let alone using the game pads.

What hardware do you have now?