HTPC - what do I need for playing FLAC audio and replacing my TiVo

[Grit]

I'm trying to decide if an HTPC can replace TiVo and let me play FLAC audio, all through my home theater, all via either HDMI or coax/optical for audio.

I want to be able to rip and store my CDs on my Windows Home Server and access it on the home theater, playing back full rez audio (no lossless stuff), with access on the TV to all the appropriate metadata. Playback should include by album, by artist, by playlist, shuffle, genere, etc. I want to be able to access it via infrared remote too, using the TV as the monitor. AND I'd like it to go into a screen saver mode.

If I could just do that alone with Windows Home Sever, I'd be delighted! Unfortunately, I dont think its designed to be a home server AND act as my media center.

So, what hardware/software do I need to pull that stunt off? Just generic stuff for now please. eg, "a computer that has windows media center and a sound card that has optical out."

If I can get THAT to work, is it possible to ADD ripping my DVD collection into that and getting that to play back as well? My wife wants to box up the DVDs and make them go away. So, if that's possible, what do I need to add now?


Now, to nake it what I REALLY want to do - what do I need to get the whole thing to do all of the above AND replace my TiVo HD? I need at least least two, if not three, HD channels recordable/viewable at the same time. And, here's the rub, I have cox cable in san diego, and i believe we REQUIRE cable cards. Is this even possible?

Thanks for any help you can give. I've been pulling out hair trying to find stuff out on this. From what I can tell, the cable card thing may kill that part of it.

 

[DaveSimmons]

> playing back full rez audio (no lossless stuff), ...
You meant "no lossy stuff"

FLAC playback is easy:
- a motherboard or soundcard with optical or coax digital out (both should offer identical quality since it's digital).
- I recommend a dual-core CPU (any speed) since a single-core can hiccup when Windows runs some other process
- I've never tried to control Foobar 2000 with an IR or RF remote but it should be possible. AVSForums or Hydrogen Audio forums probably have people who can help

FLAC ripping is easy too:
- pretty much any DVD drive can rip fast
- dual-core helps here too, Exact Audio Copy or CDEx can use multiple threads to speed ripping & encoding
- space: about 10 GB per 33 CDs

 

[brblx]

hig big problem is his TV setup, audio is simple compared to trying to record/playback multiple sources at once.

is there a seperate cable box in addition to your tivo? i'm not sure how you've going to get multiple sources coming into your PC with only one digital cable box. does your tivo record multiple streams?

 

[elconejito]

You should check out MediaPortal. It's the software I use on my HTPC. Kinda like Windows Media Center... only better. It's open-source, therefore it's free. Theres a pretty big community that uses it. Pretty sure it will play FLAC right off the bat, but if not it you can surely get the codec for it. It will do all that you are looking for as far as play modes.

I've got 2 dual tuners, so 2 NTSC inputs and 2 ATSC inputs. With my configuration I can only get the main HD channels like ABC, Fox, etc via ATSC, and I have 2 SD cable boxes hooked up to the NTSC tuners. In mediaportal there is preliminary support for the Hauppaugge HD-PVR. So it may be possible to have 2 or three of the HD-PVRs connected to you media center and watch/record multiple streams at the same time. The HD-PVR encodes to h.264, so there is little CPU usage in that regard. It's connected to your cablebox via component (not HDMI) and then to the computer by USB. I haven't used it myself so I don't know if there are any unforeseen hiccups due to having multiples of these hooked up.

There is support for the MCE remote, and there is a *fantastic* plugin called the IR Suite that lets you fully customize the remote, and accepts other IR controls as well.

 

[Grit]

Doh! Correct. I WANT lossless sound encoding

That sounds great for getting me started. I'm more concerned about the audio than the video.

As for the Tivo, it runs on cable cards, which seems to be the way of it (Cox communications). It takes two cable cards OR one dual tuner cable card (but not TWO dual tuner cable cards).

And no special sound card? Assuming I have coax/optical digital out, it should all be the same?

Is there ANY way to do this on my WHS box rather than ADD a second computer to this system?

Thanks!

 

[armstrda]

Right now there's no legal supported way to build your own computer that supports cable cards. you have to get a cable labs supported computer. However, you can get the new Happauge HD capture box that will take a component feed from your HD set top box. Or you could try a Hava box that will also take the component feed from your set top box (but doesn't actually rebroadcast in HD to your computer). Or if you just want locals, just do an OTA attenna with an ATSC tuner that will support 2 or 4 feeds.

 

[s44]

You already have the optimal solution for watching TV: why pay much more for a hacky half-solution?

 

[elconejito]

Yeah I don't know of any way to build a system that uses cable cards. I've only seen them available as an OEM.

As to whether or not you can use the WHS you have? If you mean to just re-use the hardware, that's probably doable depending on the specs. If you mean to run some software or application within WHS, I don't know if that's doable.

 

[Grit]

Originally posted by: elconejito
Yeah I don't know of any way to build a system that uses cable cards. I've only seen them available as an OEM.

As to whether or not you can use the WHS you have? If you mean to just re-use the hardware, that's probably doable depending on the specs. If you mean to run some software or application within WHS, I don't know if that's doable.

What I'd like to accomplish is to use my WHS box AS my Windows Media Center. Just plug the WHS into the home theater and use it directly. Otherwise, i'm building a whole computer to use JUST as a media extender.

Let me back up - skipping the video - all i want to do is listen to FLAC audio and view photos and maybe ripped DVDs that are stored on WHS from my entertainment cetner. My whole house is wired, so connectivity is not an issue.

 

[armstrda]

WHS was never meant to be the media pc that displayed the content. you really need some sort of remote client to stream the content to from the WHS system.

 

[Grit]

Originally posted by: armstrda
WHS was never meant to be the media pc that displayed the content. you really need some sort of remote client to stream the content to from the WHS system.

Thats kinda what I expected. So, can someone clue me in as to what I'd need to buy to make this work out?

 

[RedFiveSW]

I am interested in the answers here as well. Budget HTPC build is maybe $400-$600? So what cheaper options exist for a set-top box? An Xbox360? I think it can stream form the WHS. I don't know what kind of outputs it has. Maybe $200 for the cheapest one?

 

[armstrda]

sure an Xbox360 can stream natively from the WHS.

 

[elconejito]

an xbox360 will do it, maybe a PS3 if you have either one of those. Otherwise you will probably have to put together a new system or re-purpose an existing one.

For a brand new setup, you'd probably be looking at
$50 for cpu
$80 for mobo (with integrated audio & video from amd or nvidia)
$25 for ram
$50 for little hard drive
$30 for DVD drive
$50 for PSU
$50 for case
=======
$335 total for parts. And that's just a really rough ballpark.

For the OS you can use linux or the Win7 Release Candidate (is it still available?) for free. Or add Vista for about $100. If you wanted to add tivo like functions then you'd have to add the cost of the tuners.

You wouldn't need a big hard drive, just enough for the OS and temp space to rip your DVDs before you transfer to the WHS.