PIII for HTPC?

[barnett25]

I want to hook a computer up to my TV in my bedroom to stream video and audio from my main PC over a wireless connection. I have a couple of PIII (about 500Mhz) boxes, and I would like to use one of them for this. I am looking at getting a vga to composite video cable online for a few bucks, getting a 1/8" audio to rca adapter cable at radio shack, and using a usb 802.11b adapter I already have. Basically what I would like to know is if a PIII is up to the task. And also what software I should use (I understand I will probably have to make a post in the software forum for this though).

 

[PremiumG]

i dont think a VGA to composite video adapter works for all video cards. I think the drivers have to support it.

 

[barnett25]

So this http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ...040113&p_id=2509&seq=1&format=2&style=
wont work with a regular video card?

 

[barnett25]

Would something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ATI-Rage-LT-Pro-8MB...8QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
work instead of the adapter cable?

 

[CZroe]

A Media Center PC seems to take gobs of RAM. A dual-tuner system with a fast dedicated hard drive still seems to like a gig if you are running dual tuners. 512MB will get you by with a single-tuner system and a well-tweaked and slimmed down MCE install, but 512MB SDRAM is a little expensive (You'd need PC100 or PC100/133 because most PIII 500-suporting boards don't work with most PC133 sticks).

Cheapest I've seen is two 256MB sticks for $100 after rebates but you'd need two addresses (Never seen a 512MB kit with rebates).

 

[barnett25]

But that's when your recording TV right? All I want to do is watch videos streamed from my main PC.

 

[CZroe]

That's not a Medai Center PC. That's an HTPC.

 

[zinkpig]

Originally posted by: barnett25
Would something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ATI-Rage-LT-Pro-8MB...8QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
work instead of the adapter cable?

that works with only the matrox cards (g450 g550) .. I know as i have the same thing..it wont work with any other cards. most modern graphics cards have a tv encoder which does the job and hence have a separate plug

 

[zinkpig]

Originally posted by: barnett25
I want to hook a computer up to my TV in my bedroom to stream video and audio from my main PC over a wireless connection. I have a couple of PIII (about 500Mhz) boxes, and I would like to use one of them for this. I am looking at getting a vga to composite video cable online for a few bucks, getting a 1/8" audio to rca adapter cable at radio shack, and using a usb 802.11b adapter I already have. Basically what I would like to know is if a PIII is up to the task. And also what software I should use (I understand I will probably have to make a post in the software forum for this though).

oh and your other question ..depends on the content you are trying to play .. if you are playing mpeg 2.. then you should be fine... if you are playing divx/xvid etc. then maybe not.

 

[barnett25]

So what will it do with divx movies, stutter?

 

[barnett25]

Originally posted by: CZroe
That's not a Medai Center PC. That's an HTPC.

OIC, I knew that didn't seem like the right term, but I couldn't think of what else to call it.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: barnett25
So what will it do with divx movies, stutter?

When DivX first arrived I was running a top-of-the-line PIII Katami 500MHz system and a friend was on a K6-2. Most DivX was unwatchable on his. Mine worked like a champ but I can't recall if everything was DVD-resolution or what. I may have just been watching music videos and the Matrix DivX rip

I also had a RealMagic Hollywood+ DVD decoder with the DivX hack (It still used your CPU for decoding in that case though).

I suspect that an Intel board (Non-Via/SiS) should work like a champ. Just no on-the-fly encoding or intensive MPEG4 (h.264)

 

[duragezic]

I was thinking earlier today, why do people want to build HTPCs for streaming media when its much cheaper and more simple to mod an Xbox? If you have no intention of using it as a PVR, a modded Xbox will suite you very well. Its small (for PC size), doesn't take much power or configuration or headaches like PCs can cause. It streams ANY video format I've ever thrown at it (not sure about more rare ones like 3ivx, but might be able to play that even), as well as music and pictures.

So.. $120ish for the Xbox, $50 or less for the modchip (not that hard to install, but you're gonna need decent soldering skills, find a friend who can), then add in whatever hard drive you want.

You can't beat that. My rommates modded Xbox is sweet, everyone is always streaming stuff, copying things over the network, playing games, etc etc

edit: Essentially the Xbox is a P3. Its something like a Celeron/P3 733mhz, 64mb ram. I've very rarely seen videos play choppy, be it divx, xvid, or mpeg. You just have a streamlined OS and no messing with drivers and software, so it really is the best choice.

 

[barnett25]

Well, I'm looking at spending next to nothing, so that's why I'm looking at my PIIIs. I don't really have the money to buy an XBOX.