Hot: Perfect case for PC-based Home Theater Component: networked MP3 player, Web-TV, PVR, Games(Fry's & Outpost $249)

[Bezell]

I have a htpc using about 3 years now. I can vouche for the HTPC to having better picture quality than a dvd player. I think it depends on the type of TV and the how you are connecting it. Fortunately, I have a HDTV ready 36" TV. Thus I can hook up the computer directly with a 800x600@60hz SVGA resolution. However, if you connect via S-video or Composite - the bandwidth of these cables won't give my DTV the benefit of the Progressive scanning and SVGA resolution.

But, if you have a regular NTSC TV. Then the maximum connection you will have would be S-Video. Thus the only benefit of the HTPC is the ability to play MPEG-4. If you connect via composite, it would be slightly worse than s-video for 27" and under. But if you have a bigger TV, you are going to notice the differences more.

I also have a PS2 connected to my 36" DTV via component video cables. The HTPC picture quality is much better than my PS2. There is virtually no pixalation with the HTPC and it is as smooth as butter. But the PS2 sutters a bit and there is a loss of fine details.

For audio I have a break out Game Theater XP connected to Klipsch V2.400 4.1 speakers. Sound is decent for the price.

I was thinking of this FIC Sabre but I think the limitations lines in the lack of AGP. Otherwise it would be an OKAY system. I am sure in the near future you will find more of these type of "small A/V like computer system".

Some people even use the HTPC as a line double (scaler) for regular cable TV or satellite. Giving people better picture quality through those mediums. A computer intensive operation of de-interlacing content and putting it back together to output it as Progressive (near computer monitor or HDTV type quality).

Check out this forum to learn more about HTPC and how it can be used to achieve the best entertainment value.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?s=c005a6d525ecbc4d2131b9094bc6f865&forumid=26

My HTPC ($1500) + $1000 36"DTV
Emachine PIII 500, 128MB PC100 SDRAM, 40Gig 7200, ATI Expert 16MB AGP, 8X DVD, 12/10/32 CDRW, Game Theater XP, Klipsch V2.400, Logitech Cordless Optical Keyboard/Mouse, X10 Mouseman Remote, Buslink External USB1.1 40gig, RCA MM361100 DTV, Powered Video 4-port splitter, Samsung 700IFT monitor.

 

[Koinonia]

<< I'll be very interested in getting one of this system together too...
Koinonia -- from the PCTV Pro thread, someone mention this site has a great source to get started or to get it to work altogether. Maybe we should all post/share our information somewhere??? >>



Mawashi -- sounds good. PM me and let me know where.
also, this site looks like it is for windows, im searching to see whether there is a linux-based system.

cheers.

 

[Koinonia]

forgot to mention -- TiVo itself is based on the Linux kernel, it is an embedded linux application. just for those who are curious.

 

[schizoid]

I saw someone mention 5U server spaces? For me, I'm looking for ONLY mp3 playing. I have a DVD player and stuff, so I just want something that can sit below my home theatre stuff and play Mp3s. It'd be nice if it was 19" or whatever stereo components are. It'd need to have ethernet, a hard drive, a TV out (to use winamp on the TV) and a digital out (for the music). A CDrom would be nice, but not necessary. But most importantly, it needs to look like a peice of stereo equipment. I know phillips, I think, makes something like this (or was it turtle beach?) but I think a PC based solution would be better.

So, in short, is anyone, who's as concerned about looks as I am, and doesn't care about Tivo/DVD trying to do this?

 

[Ameesh]

also guys if you hook up one these to your network you can use remote desktop feature of winxp to control it very easily, if you have a wirless lan you can do it via pocketpc. damn you guys now you got me thinking.

 

[vladgur]

I am planning to buy a Samsung TXL-2791($449 at Bestbuy or $379 as AKAI at Samsclub) 27 inch flat-screen TV. It is rated at 800 lines of resolution and can do a 16:9 squeeze.... I wonder if I can run 800x600 through AIW Radeon on it.....

 

[darth maul]

To a post a few up from here, but if you care about looks as much as I do, I am trying to make my home theater components look like THIS then those 4u $89 cases from computer geeks rock. Of course just depends on what you are going for. Not to mention three musts for a true HTPC, 1) radeon (geforce will work in a pinch, but to get fullscreen DVD gamma control and the best color, ATI is the only way to go) 2) sound card that will pass DD and DTS 3) a caputre card for dScaler (so all your other video sources look ok compared to DVD).

I like how my hometheater has evolved over the last 15 years or so, from mono VCR to today, lol.

 

[WhiteMouse]

I like that picture, but will there be any heating problem?

 

[Netopia]

Heating should be no problem at all!

On the other hand, cooling could require a little work!

Joe

 

[darth maul]

No heating is not a problem in those racks, seeing that 9out of10 times there is a open room behind there, so easy to plug stuff in that way. And if there isn't a room back there, a fan duct system can work, think a bathroom fan and duct but "panaflo'd". Those custom plates are $99 or so, and thats for each component! So you ain't talking cheap. Although you do a little at a time....its do able IMHO.

 

[schizoid]

Umm...stupid question: Where's the pooter in the pic? Or are you telling me that there isn't one, but one of those CompGeek 5U's will look just like the rest of that? I don't have anything that in depth (that's a nice setup). Just have my 3801 and my DVD player. I just want something that doesn't look too out of place with those two things....

But I'll look into those cases. Pop a cheap mobo/cpu in there, and a card with digital out, and woo hoo.