Build my own HTPC or use a PS3?

[zhwu]

I want to get a HTPC for my living room. My wife watches a lot of divx & rmvb files (mostly TV shows from other country) and I am getting tired of her watching them on my main rig at night. (It has bigger LCD and better sound system compare to her laptop)

I was thinking about a building a new HTPC from scratch but then realize a PS3 (with Ubuntu) can be a decent solution as well. All we need it is a way to play these divx & rmvb files using the HD home theater in our living room. ( Features like: recording cable TV, internet browsing, playing PS3 games are not that important to us ) Obviously, PS3 is a cheaper solution (consider it has a blue-ray player build-in) However, I am somewhat concerned about its processor power when rendering dixv files at higher resolution. Also, can it play HDCP protected video files from Ubuntu?

Anyone comments or suggestions? I am leaning towards getting a PS3 right now. However, it seems like most people here would build their own HTPC rather than using a XBOX or PS3, I am just concerned about my choice and afraid there some limitations I am not awared of. We really don't need a gaming console, so I don't want to waste my money on a PS3 if that's not what I need.



Thanks

 

[jkresh]

Linux on the ps3 is decent but remember it is a ppc not x86 so you are limited on what apps work with it (and I don't believe that any of the major drm schemes are linux compatible so if any of the files you have, have drm then that may be an issue) as for playing hdcp protected video, the only hdcp protected video I know of would be hd-dvd and blueray (and you could always boot the ps3 os to deal with blue ray). The pc will give you better compatibility and more options (plus easier expansion), so if you aren't too interested in blue ray or ps3 games then a pc might be a better deal. Also if you intend to download/store lots of video on this machine (especially hd) then a desktop will be cheaper as while the ps3 allows for easy replacement of its drive, it is a notebook drive so its much more expensive per gigabyte then a desktop would be.