Geek cred check

[JeffreyLebowski]

I started down this road, but realized that for a lot less money I could just get an Xbox 360 to use as my media player and stream from the main computer with all the hard drives.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

i built one and had it running with extenders for a couple of years. I took it apart because it stopped being worth the effort. Its constant work, and WMC doesn't work perfectly. It may have been a mother board issue, and not a software issue, but i could never get it to go to sleep and automatically wake to record and then put itself back to sleep. The end result was the HTPC running 24/7 and that was no good. I hope one day for it to be perfected, but i dont feel like its there yet.

 

[Dirigible]

My HTPC cost less than a PS3, is easy enough my wife can use it, and is small and unobtrusive enough to sit in the cabinet under the TV without spousal objection. A cheap remote controls everything.

It mostly plays Wiggles and Sesame Street videos.

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: GrantMeThePower
i built one and had it running with extenders for a couple of years. I took it apart because it stopped being worth the effort. Its constant work, and WMC doesn't work perfectly. It may have been a mother board issue, and not a software issue, but i could never get it to go to sleep and automatically wake to record and then put itself back to sleep. The end result was the HTPC running 24/7 and that was no good. I hope one day for it to be perfected, but i dont feel like its there yet.

Yeah, mine runs 24/7, but with low power components that doesn't seem to be a problem. Not too much energy wasted, and it stays pretty cool even in a cabinet with the doors closed all the time.

 

[jtvang125]

20 bay rack mount file server currently with 9TB of usable space shared over gigabit lan.

HTPC with 2TB connected to hdtv.

VMC with MediaBrowser frontend.

 

[rsd]

Originally posted by: GrantMeThePower
i built one and had it running with extenders for a couple of years. I took it apart because it stopped being worth the effort. Its constant work, and WMC doesn't work perfectly. It may have been a mother board issue, and not a software issue, but i could never get it to go to sleep and automatically wake to record and then put itself back to sleep. The end result was the HTPC running 24/7 and that was no good. I hope one day for it to be perfected, but i dont feel like its there yet.

I have been able to get S3/wake for recordings/S3 again working fine on two different pc's running MC2005 and VMC. But I agree with you that it is a pain and often a confusing mix of hardware/software issues.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Dirigible
My HTPC cost less than a PS3, is easy enough my wife can use it, and is small and unobtrusive enough to sit in the cabinet under the TV without spousal objection. A cheap remote controls everything.

It mostly plays Wiggles and Sesame Street videos.

You want me to send you more Yo Gabba Gabba?

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Xanis
I've always wanted to build one for myself. I've just never been able to find the spare cash to build one unfortunately.

this. although im working on a system to hook up to my new dlp tv, so i can get netflix streaming stuff at least. all im missing now is a decent vid card. and the cash to buy it.

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Dirigible
My HTPC cost less than a PS3, is easy enough my wife can use it, and is small and unobtrusive enough to sit in the cabinet under the TV without spousal objection. A cheap remote controls everything.

It mostly plays Wiggles and Sesame Street videos.

You want me to send you more Yo Gabba Gabba?

Yes please!

I only have two Yo Gabba Gabba DVDs.

Oh, wait... You were mocking me.

 

[A5]

Originally posted by: jtvang125
20 bay rack mount file server currently with 9TB of usable space shared over gigabit lan.

HTPC with 2TB connected to hdtv.

VMC with MediaBrowser frontend.

:thumbsup:

/thread

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Dirigible

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Dirigible
My HTPC cost less than a PS3, is easy enough my wife can use it, and is small and unobtrusive enough to sit in the cabinet under the TV without spousal objection. A cheap remote controls everything.

It mostly plays Wiggles and Sesame Street videos.

You want me to send you more Yo Gabba Gabba?

Yes please!

I only have two Yo Gabba Gabba DVDs.

Oh, wait... You were mocking me.

Does that really seem like something I'd do? :shiftyeyes;

 

[radioouman]

Yes, I have a HTPC. It sits in my exercise room with a 24" LCD connected to one output from the video card. My 40" Samsung 1080P LCD is connected to the other video output via DVI -> HDMI. Optical audio from the PC to the Dolby DTS receiver in the family room. Analog audio to the cheap stereo in the exercise room.

I run BeyondTV on Windows Vista with two ATI capture cards, both are connected to an antenna mounted on my chimney. No cable/satellite.

The 30" 1080i CRT in my living room is connected to a network media tank (Popcorn Hour) and it can access all of the recordings and the movies that I download that are stored on my HTPC.

Our 26" LCD in the bedroom is connected to a Linksys Media Extender that can access all of the content as well. But this media extender can't play all formats.

The HTPC runs an AMD dual core processor and has 2 terabytes of disk space, including the drive for the OS. This system also has the web interface running so I can connect to it over the internet and schedule shows. It also has some limited "place shifting" ability so it will re-encode the video real time to fit the internet connection of the device that I'm watching it on. It will stream to my Windows Mobile phone.

All of the laptops and other desktops in my house have Beyond TV Link installed so they can watch live TV/schedule or delete shows/watch pre-recorded shows over the network.

My house has gigabit ethernet to all of the bedrooms, exercise room, family room, living room and basement. For the other areas, I have wireless G.

I use a BTC wireless keyboard/joystick in the family room. The exercise room has a wired keyboard and a mouse.

EDIT: My wife uses it in the exercise room, family room and uses the Popcorn Hour and likes it!

 

[Golgatha]

Originally posted by: Dirigible

Originally posted by: GrantMeThePower
i built one and had it running with extenders for a couple of years. I took it apart because it stopped being worth the effort. Its constant work, and WMC doesn't work perfectly. It may have been a mother board issue, and not a software issue, but i could never get it to go to sleep and automatically wake to record and then put itself back to sleep. The end result was the HTPC running 24/7 and that was no good. I hope one day for it to be perfected, but i dont feel like its there yet.

Yeah, mine runs 24/7, but with low power components that doesn't seem to be a problem. Not too much energy wasted, and it stays pretty cool even in a cabinet with the doors closed all the time.

Run Folding@Home on it. That's what I do.

I run Skype with a USB base station on it for our home phones (two handsets), Tversity to serve files to my XBox 360 and PS3 over my GbE network, and all four cores are running Folding@Home Notfred's diskless dual-core clients when they're not busy keeping me and the family entertained. I play all manner of high-def material using VLC and PowerDVD 8. I also use it to watch things like Hulu or in general "streaming media". I use AnyDVD HD to make my high-def jukebox a reality. I consider by optical originals to be the backups for when one of my hard disks dies.


HTPC Specs:

Intel Q9400 with Zalman 9500 CNPS cooler
LG Blu-ray/HD-DVD reader with DVD 16x Writer
Gigabyte P43 based motherboard
HT Omega Striker 7.1 sound card
GeForce 9500 GT with Zalman VF700 cooler
500w PC Power and Cooling Silencer
Antec Solo Mid-Tower
2x1TB and 750GB for storage
500GB OS/Apps drive
6GB of Generic HP Branded RAM
Running Vista Home Premium 64bit

My Logitech DiNovo Mini controls it all from the comfort of my couch. We have a 32in Sharp Aquos 1080p HDTV for viewing. I use a D-Link GamerLounge GbE router, which is uplinked to an 8-port switch upstairs via fiber GbE by using two transceivers to go from copper to fiber and then back to copper for my home network. I can sustain around 85-90MB/sec sustained transfer rates for large files (say transferring a large ISO image).

 

[her209]

I have plans for one. Does that count?

 

[Staples]

Originally posted by: aircooled
I've got one, but I only use it for streaming (Hulu and stuff) and other things I have downloaded or ripped plus I recently added a blu-ray drive to it so it has replaced my DVD player now also. I still have cable and a DVR for most of my viewing.

I used Windows Media Center for years to stream to my Xbox but recently I just upgraded to a TWC DVR. Very reliable for a whole $10 a month. Plus I can record digital channels, still waiting for PCs to be able to do that.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I've had an HTPC for years, used to run Knoppmyth back in the day .... then switched to ubuntu with mythtv .... but I've gotten lazy and just run XP on it now since I switched from Cable over to ATT Uverse ... (my card is an analog card, and don't wanna deal with using it as a DVR any more since the ATT one is fine)

 

[yllus]

I have an Xbox 360 to stream content from the UPNP servers on my D-Link DNS-323 NAS and a Windows XP PC in another room.

Works pretty well (still annoyed at the limitations of the 360's playback as compared to XBMC) and is simple enough for other people to use.

 

[Cobalt]

I have one running Windows 7, works great. Basically my media server and will plays games when Starcraft 2 comes out. I use it for my blu-ray/music server since I can't connect my U-Verse box and I have my 360 for gaming needs. I use a Harmony One to control most of it and a DiNovo Mini when I need a keyboard.

 

[brennok]

I have a temp one running Windows 7 RC. I really need to figure out my next step but I am fried from all my research and slowly running out of time before the new fall season starts.