Raspberry Pi beginner where to start

[giser3546]

I am a software developer and cartographer professionally I work with python mostly and have spent a considerable about of free time with Linux, and just about any other odd os I can get my hands on. I have been researching the Raspberry Pi for a while now with the ultimate hope of building a media player for netflix, hulu, as well as the gigs of locally stored media files. I have looked at a few starter kits but they all seem to include things I'm not sure I really need. I am a woodworker so a case is something I can easily do, I have several micro USB power supplies, and several forms of SD flash memory (from various cell phones), so am unsure if what I should buy, and what things I have already I can use. I'm aware not all sd cards and power supplies are created equal but are there guidelines on what will work, and what will have to be new?

[FTrevorGowen]

For "bits n' bobs" you already have http://elinux.org/RPi_VerifiedPeripherals is a good place to check whether any have been used/tried already. W.r.t. to your micro-USB power supplies the general guidance is to (try and) use one labelled (claiming to) provide 5V at 1A but, beware, not all can supply 5V and 1A at the same time**. W.r.t. SDHC cards 4Gb or greater, class 4 or faster should be fine**** .
Trev.
** FWIW, my tests of a number of PSU's for the U.K. start here:
http://www.cpmspectrepi.webspace.virgin ... plies.html
**** FWIW, these are the SDHC and microSDHC cards I've used:
http://www.cpmspectrepi.webspace.virgin ... cards.html

[Tarcas]

W.r.t. SDHC cards 4Gb or greater, class 4 or faster should be fine

FYI, the newest NOOBS requires a minimum of 8 GB. (really about 5, but rounded up, that means the card needs to be 8.) If you're installing just one OS without NOOBS, 4 should be fine, and 2 MAY be acceptable.

Giser,
The Pi was designed to work with things you may already have around: HDMI or composite TV, SD card, and USB power adapter (Trevor was right about not all PSUs being able to supply a stable voltage. Most everyone here recommends 1A because by the time the Pi draws 500-700mA, much less than that has a tendency to drop voltage too low to be stable.) Case is optional but recommended, of course you can alternately just screw it to a board if you're ok with that.

If you have something that might work, try it. If it fails, all you've lost is some time.