Slashdot Mirror
How to Build The Perfect Home Theater PC
Ian Bell writes: "We have just updated our HTPC guide to include some new parts for building the perfect home theater PC. We scoured the net and talked with various manufacturers to find these hard to find parts and components. This includes a new component width black anodized aluminum case complete with reciever sytle legs, a fold down front door and front USB/FireWire ports. Add to this an ATi AIW Radeon 8500 DV, DVD-RW/CDR-RW drive and Dolby Digital sound and you have the perfect HTPC. Check out our guide for complete system specs pictures and links to where you can find these hard to find parts. This system replaces your DVD player complete with HDTV and progressive scan support, Tivo or Replay TV and TV guide." Update: 05/26 23:44 GMT by T : Helstein writes with another All-In-Wonder based approach, his 1U Multimedia Station.
Really trying not to flame here, but if you're running Linux. The Radeon 8500 does *not* qualify as a "Real HTPC" *yet*. ATi needs to get off their bums and do a bit more for the 8500 Linux driver situation before I would consider this a "Real HTPC" solution.
IMHO, a Windows based PC is *not* a real HTPC, and with the current state of Radeon 8500 drivers under Linux, it disqualifies this. Also, to be quite honest, there are very few extremly well polished *fully legal* DVD players for Linux. (Software)
Again this is just my opinion...
Just get a beamer that you can attach to your PC and zark the rest man...
"The majority is always sane, Louis." -- Nessus
http://slashdot.jp
No mention of noise, or rather the lack of it, in the article? Pretty important IMHO, unless you're just gonna watch Top Gun over and over again. Those jet eng^D^D^D^D^D^D^D fans make me crazy!
Yay...mysql errors.. Note to webmasters, don't submit site to /. unless you know your box can handle ir
The joy of SQL websites...
/.'ed already.
"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence." - Charles de Gaulle
Or am I supposed to watch movies on a shitty 19"-21" monitor?! Wohoo!
I just tried the link, it it gives me zillions of PHP errors...I think this is one of the fastest examples of the "Slashdot Effect" on record!
ttyl
Farrell
CAN-CON 2019 - Ottawa's only book oriented Science Fiction Convention! October 18-20, Sheraton Hotel, Ottawa, Canada h
wish it were up. i'd be real curious to see this.
stored on computers from birth to the grave
...why do you need a CDRW for a TV system? I mean, if you're going to watch DVDs you don't need to do any writing, and if you're going to use it as a PVR then a CDRW will (a) hold negligible amounts and (b) be way too slow to stream to.
Eh. Probably some favourable DVD characteristics of the drive then.
...but this is what I got when I tried to look at the site (and I'm a Fortran jockey, so this database stuff just bewilders me):
/usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/includes/sql_layer.php on line 29
/usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/includes/sql_layer.php on line 29
/usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/includes/sql_layer.php on line 29
/usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/includes/sql_layer.php:29) in /usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/mainfile.php on line 39
/usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/includes/sql_layer.php on line 231
/usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/includes/sql_layer.php on line 231
/usr/local/psa/home/vhosts/designtechnica.com/h ttpdocs/includes/sql_layer.php on line 231
:)
Warning: Too many connections in
Warning: MySQL Connection Failed: Too many connections in
Warning: MySQL: A link to the server could not be established in
Warning: Cannot add header information - headers already sent by (output started at
Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
Warning: Supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in
It crashed Netscape, but IE held up. Still, you might want to stop watching your cool home video system and get back to programming again!
SDMI: Finally! Music that won't rip or burn! Brought to you by the fine folks at RIAA.
NOt even close, some sites didn't even exist when the editors got around to posting the stories.
Here's the article copy-n-pasted...
/Memory Stick /Secure Digital reader connectors (optional). Other required parts would be the processor, hard drive and memory. I would also recommend a black DVD-RW/CD-RW drive from either Toshiba or Pioneer.
---
Ever wondered if you could integrate your computer into your home theater system? Well it might be easier than you think. Come join us as we attempt to build an HTPC. From choosing the parts to building the actual system and reviewing it through a series of articles. Stage one of the HTPC (home theater PC) project explores the advantages of building a HTPC, which parts we would pick at a first glance and why.
I have often toyed with the idea of putting a computer into my family room and hooking it up to my home theater, but due to the lack of parts and an acceptable chassis design, I have repeatedly chosen to pass up this opportunity.
Computer cases are large, bulky and usually lacking in colors, while my home theater equipment is all black in color and match a rack-style size format. Computer DVD playback has been marginal at best often sporting an s-video output. With HDTV on the market and most new televisions sporting HDTV capability, why use a computers DVD playback with S-video resolution when you can buy a progressive scan stand alone DVD player which would support the televisions capabilities?
What we're talking about here is integrating a special PC computer into your current home theater, in effect, a Home Theater PC (HTPC). Similar to a stand alone DVD player, this computer will use your current receiver's decoder as well as other components of your home theater like your television and speakers. This is not a system review, just a project we are working on here in the labs. Build at your own risk especially as we've not yet completed our own. Look for a full review on our HTPC soon. We will let you know just how well everything works, whether it's worth the price and whether or not the technology is here or too ahead of its time.
atc600gx1 While I was looking at Trendetronics web site I noticed that they had a computer case that looked very similar in style to that of a home receiver. It is made out of black anodized aluminum, had round legs on it with a strip of gold, a fold down front panel that could hide any drives and front USB and FireWire ports. MAde by Cooler Master, this was the perfect HTPC case. Priced at $249, you still needed to purchase the computer components. The Cooler Master case requires a Micro ATX motherboard which could be tough to find with a full sized AGP graphics port. There are various Micro ATX motherboard on the market at the time of this article the motherboards that stood out to me where the ABIT BG7m Intel 845G chip set P4 478 Micro ATX motherboard, ASUS P4B533-VM Motherboard for Intel P4 478 with optional SPDIF and 5.1 channel AC3 sound and Smart Card
This was the base system of our HTPC system and there was some hardware upgrades that still had to be done. In order for this computer to play DVD movies in progressive scan format using HDTV signals, a video card with these abilities had to be found.
The first company that came to mind was ATI Technologies, famous for their All-In-Wonder (AIW) series. The newest incarnation, the AIW Radeon 8500DV recently came to market. This new video card is simply amazing in its feature set and performance. It has 64mb of video memory and uses the new Radeon chip for excellent graphics, and is a great foundation from which to base a full-featured multimedia video card.
All-in-wonder
While NVIDIA sells chips to be used in "Personal Cinema" product lines, they are not as full-featured as the offering from ATI. The AIW Radeon has hardware DVD decoding, Dolby 5.1 output using your receivers decoder, an RF remote control, Component video out put for HDTV support, two IEEE 1394 Fire wire ports, TV tuner, Hardware IDCT Acceleration for DVD its feature-set is complete down to the RF remote. If you want to download movies via camcorder, use the fire wire port. If you want to record your favorite TV show each week, use the built in Digital Video recorder software. Want to watch progressive scan DVD movies in HDTV format? No problem. You can even monitor your home using the security software and by hooking up extra cameras to this system. So after installing the ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon card, I stillLogitech Freedom needed to install a FireWire/USB 2.0 Combo card. Iogear makes a FireWire/USB 2.0 combo card with two FireWire and USB ports in the front and one internal port for each format on the back of the card allowing you to run a cable to the front USB/FireWire ports on our HTPC case. Depending on which MicroATX motherboard you go with, you could also run an internal USB cable to one of the front USB port on our HTPC case.
To finish off this HTPC I need to find a good Wireless keyboard and optical mouse. I quickly headed over to Logitech and found my answer, the cordless freedom optical. This keyboard was larger than what I was looking for, but had all the controls on the keyboard I needed so I would have to compromise. One touch buttons that controlled e-mail, media player, internet browser, volume. The mouse was both wireless and optical so I did not have to worry about having to clean out the mouse ball and using it on a mouse pad. The great thing about the Logitech Freedom keyboard and mouse is the fact that it uses an RF technology. So even at a good 10 feet away, the keybaord and mouse still work. Remember that the ATI All-In-Wonder has a remote control as well, so I am not restricted to a keyboard and mouse for controlling the movie playback.
There are many other benefits of having a computer integrated into the home theater. Music and MP3 storage and playback through your home theater, surfing the internet with your family on the family room television set, streaming videos and media content for everyone to see on the television, streaming internet audio through your home theater is pure Digital sound.
So let's break down the features and benefits of this system:
- Industry-leading DVD playback with AC-3 Digital Audio output to enable Dolby® 5.1 surround sound
- DVD recording with the included DVD-RW/CD-RW drive
- HDTV support
- Dolby® digital stereo audio output (S/PDIF)
- Two external IEEE 1394/iLink(TM)/FireWire® ports, one internal
- Hydravision(TM) software enables you to display information on a TV and monitor at the same time
- RF remote Control
- Stereo TV tuner with 125 channels
- TV-ON-DEMAND
o Pause live TV or record live broadcasts and watch them later
o Get instant replays of favorite programs
o Click through the transparent live TV window to access your desktop - no more moving the TV window to get to your work!
- Use the integrated Gemstar GUIDE Plus+(TM) Interactive Program Guide1 to view and search TV listings by category, actor/performer, or date. Schedule and record programs at the click of a mouse - all the benefits of a Personal Video Recorder without the monthly fees
- Amazing TV features including:
o TV Magazine* - images and text from TV programs allowing you to read and archive TV programs
o Hot Words* - real-time notification when selected words are detected in programming
o Zoom & pan - zoom in on the action on-screen and choose your own close-ups
o Intelligent Teletext on your PC**
- Digital and analog video capture & editing
- MP3 storage and playback through home computer
- Wireless Keyboard and Mouse with one touch controls
- Streaming internet music through your home theater
- Surf the web using your television, for the whole family to enjoy
- Play state of the art videogames using the 64mb Radeon video processor
So in conclusion, if you are interested in integrating your computer into the home theater, you will have many options to choose from. The hardware and software are there and there are a number of case colors, sizes and designs to choose from. We simply chose what we felt was a sleek system for those that care about design. While I would price the system we built at just under two-thousand dollars (about $1900) the advantages are enormous. You would have one unit to replace your stand alone DVD player, VCR, DVR, and home computer. The advantages to this include future expansion. Want a newer video card? Simply replace the one in there. Want a larger hard drive, augment or replace the current one.
In my opinion, the HTPC will soon be the new trend in computing. Upgradeablility adds enormous benefits over pre-built systems and with a plethora of parts to choose from on the market, why wouldn't you build a top of the line HTPC system?
If you are interested in purchasing a system like this, I have included links to the manufacturers and their products for further information.
ATI Technologies
Trendetronics
Logitech
By Ian Bell
Staff Writer, Designtechnica.com
January 15, 2002
Described here.
Slashdotted within minutes. The Google cache only has the old version of the article too.
:)
I just wanted to see if they picked my software for MP3 playing (or whether it was a Linux only article).
forget DesignTechnica -- look, if you *really* want to know what the hardcore insiders are doing, you go to AVS Forum's HTPC forum.
The other "insider" resource to check is Home Theater Forum.
DesignTechnica or other "PC Enthusiasts" sites can't even scratch the surface of what a true HTPC needs to have, and the varied solutions, etc. that go along with it. Not flaming, just telling the truth.
The average slashdotter is homeless and LIVES in a movie theater. It's been that way ever since episode 1. Build it and we will come.
I am the nightmare of nightmares.
It makes sense that ESR wouldn't be on the VA board of directors anymore. ESR is a big Open Source advocate, and VA is no longer an Open Source company. They're not even a Linux company anymore. They're basically ... well, suffice it to say that I think the next time they change their company name it'll be called "VA Bankruptcy."
... your company was a great pioneer in the Linux market but you've mismanaged yourselves into irrelevancy.
VA is a company that has lost its way. I expect it to fizzle and die within a year or so. They no longer have any interesting products or services (do you really think anyone is going to pay for SourceForge? I didn't think so).
Sad to see ya go, Larry
but...hit the google cache
Is there a way to tell how many hits or what ever it takes to /. a web site. Since they are, for the most, coming from Slashdot there should be some way to tell.
Is there a record of this somewhere. It seems to me it would be a very interesting read for a lot of people. Things like which ISP, software, etc.
If I can't get to the site, why bother to read the comments?
<?php
/* do site stuff here */
if($db = @mysql_connect(...)){
}
else{
print("Our site is fuct at the moment. Come back in a day or two. Thanks slashdot!");
}
?>
A jet engine? Here's something close. A quick high performance mod you should consider to your cooling fan is the 30,000rpm enhancement. What you need is a typical power supply cooling fan and a 30,000rpm dremel tool. You know where this is going...
Take the power supply fan and remove the c-clip holding the shaft. This clamp is hidden behind the manufacturer's sticker and can be removed with a pick. Pull the fan from the motor and note that the shaft fits right into the dremel tool. Good for +100mph blasts. The pull is very strong, so it might be a good idea to mount the beast securely.
If *that* wasn't enough, the jet speed mod is to increase the fan speed far above 30,000rpm's. Simply weaken the field current to the dremel's motor. This increases the motor's magnetic slip; even though available torque is reduced, its speed can be increased to the point of self destruction. Since its air cooled, why worry about the motor overheating?
I forgot to mention, its a good idea to remove the heavy magenet from the fan. If the assembly breaks due to forces generated, there may be significant property damage and bodily injury.
Over at http://davedina.apestaart.org we're trying to make a linux based HTPC.
It's been a slow month for davedina development because we had to work on some other stuff, but some new volunteers would be a good incentive to get us back going.
I know ATI has the most comprehensive video-handling VGA cards, but I'd strongly recommend you dump it in favor of a GeForce-based card with video in/out. ATI's drivers have always been funky and I've never been satisfied with them.
This advice is for a Windows-based system; I don't have any experience with *nix drivers for the ATI cards.
I've just bought a new house (previously we rented), and I'd like to the use the TV-out on my GeForce (MX 'cos I also wanted DualHead), SoundBlaster Audigy 5.1 Surround Sound (just above middle of the line), and Hauppauge WinTV Go (the bottom of that line) to provide music and video downstairs. The PC is (PCs are) in the back upstairs room; I have everything except the cables and downstairs speakers.
Now, I'm not an audiophile, just a nerd; I was just a tiny little bit shocked when I saw that audiophiles are willing to pay (presumably) EUR 400 per metre of cabling (those are the prices asked second hand in NL! Gold links, silver wire sure, but still!).
My question: the multimedia components I have are not too expensive and replaceable if they aren't good enough. What to go for as far as cables and speakers are concerned is harder, the sites for audiophiles recommend somewhat too expensive stuff.... Suggestions please!
I've yet to see a PC come anywhere close to doing what a TV, a DVD player and an assload of speakers can do.
What's the point? Putting movies on the hard disk?
Erm, I could see perhaps the advantage of them not being scratched.. Other than that, what?
The Radeon 8500 is seriously broken for playing DVDs on a very high quality display. The gamma correction is screwed up, preventing proper display of many scenes. Furthermore, the AIW is a somewhat inferior capture card.
If you really want to know what cooks, check out the Granddaddy of A/V Forums and look in their Home Theater Computers Forum. There are two threads in particular of interest:
HTPC FAQ
Best in Class HTPC Component Listing
FWIW, ATI has given a prerelease driver to one of the AVS Forum's most prominent members for testing and he claims the gamma correction problem is fixed in that driver. Who knows when the drivier will be released and if it will be even remotely stable...many of their most recent drivers are pure, unadulterated fecal matter.
We have a linux box next to our Tv that does the job quite effectively.
I agree, it wasn't easy, but we can:
- watch DVD's, TV, DivX's, foto's
- listen to music
- record from TV
-
Our project is far from finished but once it is, it'll make a kick ass HTPC out of any linux-box.
ATM Windows is easier but we went with Linux because in the long run it's easier to set up, maintain, change and distribute. It's also FAR more easy to customize and you're not so dependent on one company (Microsoft for windows and mediaplayer)
ATI's linux support used to suck massively though lately I think they have been better. Besides, I still recommend that people get seperate tv tuner cards as they can live a good bit longer then one computer, and video cards are, for the gamer at least, about the most commonly upgraded piece of equipment. Also you can leverage the fact that WinXP killed a lot of TV tuner cards that work fine, but don't have WinXP drivers, in many cases these will work just as well if not better under linux.
I'd do something interesting, but my server can't handle a slashdotting.
They mention HDTV in the article, but only in the context of HDTV output of a lo-res source. The DVD's are 480p at best. So, you can scale them up to 720p or 1080i, but it's not full HD.
Slap an HDTV PCI card in there, and get true 1080i (1920x1080) HDTV. They also HD PVR functions, and some even do DVD decoding & scaling in hardware.
Check out the MyHD Card, the HiPix, or the AccessDTV cards for options.
Unfortunately, none of these (that I know of) support Linux. The MyHD is the newest, and the HiPix has an open source effort to enhance their Windows software.
If you live in an area that has digital TV broadcasts (most major cities do), HDTV is the way to go.. there is a LOT of HD Programming available.
The basic problem with this and a similar one that I built using a Shuttle SV-25 case is the loudness of the fans. Especially because the cases are aluminum, any vibration is amplified causing a low hum.
The question is, in addition to adding sound-dampening rubber and/or foam to the inside of the case, what are some really nice and quiet (silent) fans? The heatsink fan is relatively quiet, and since it's just a Celery 1.1ghz, it doesn't need much of one... but the case fan is a bit louder and should be sacked.
-Ececheira
You can find a linux based PVR here. The only disadvantage is that one needs a DVB-Sat card.
Or two if you want to do timeshifting.
Really, I'm not out to destroy Microsoft. That will just be a completely unintentional side effect. -- Linus Torvalds
Speaking of separate cards... How many "good" non-integrated cards are there?
/w GeForce, I wound up getting a common Hauppauge WinTV. Let me tell you, image-quality-wise, it's a piece of crap. I still use it (it's "good enough" for now), but the picture quality is not as good as my older cards. Among other isses, fast motion makes the image look horizonally "liney", which is kinda annoying.
I started back in '94 with a Creative Labs Video Blaster. Nice card. No tuner, but that's what the spare VCR is for. Then, when I upgraded my computer to the point that the VB was no longer compatable with it, I got myself an ATI-TV card. (my main video card was ATI, so they interfaced together). I think the image was a tad blurrier, but otherwise not too shabby.
Then, when I upgraded from that P2 box to a more modern Athlon
(and yes, all 3 cards work in Linux, though it took quite a while before the ATI-TV got it's support written)
Hi guys. I've been wondering something for a bit. Would someone tell me why people dumb huge wads of cash on these big plasma screen displays when they could spend a coupld of grand on a decent digital XGA projector and project the picture onto a screen/wall at 9 feet by 6 or something like that?
Just curious... That's what I'd do if I had any money.
Well if you really wanted to read the article, you could always check out the google cache, but dont bother, the article sucked. Basically it says what video card they liked.... thats it.
Im not here now... Im out KILLING pepperoni
Linux Users
By the 31st July for PAYE services you will be able to use:
Linux (Red hat) latest version v7.1 (Both Gnome and KDE) with the following browsers:
Mozilla v0.9.1
Netscape v4.75
Opera v5
Browser Settings
To use the Government Gateway, you must also have the following options enabled in your browser:
Your browser must be set to accept cookies
Java must be enabled
Javascript must be enabled
http://www.gateway.gov.uk/html/bad_browser.asp
I finally got tired of the constant hum of the case and cpu fans so I bought a couple of extension cables. I then placed the case in my bedroom closet. Next I punched a hole through the back of the closet into the living room and proceeded to hook up audio and video to my surround sound system. I'm getting an AIW tomorrow since it comes with an RF remote so I can control the system from the other room. As for my workstation, my desk is close to the closet and some extensions simply connect my mouse, KB and Monitor. Shut the closet door and voila! quiet setup.
You should return it or complain, most people I know with Hauppages have decent enough video (though it can take a bit more singal strength then a normal tv)
Hmmm try maybe dscaler to do some deinterlacing(on max options it can look impresive).
I'd do something interesting, but my server can't handle a slashdotting.
I've thought about using headphones for this reason (deep bass cheap, ignore other noises), too, though I've never actually built a home theatre worthy of the name. (When projectors are cheaper, maybe ...)
;) These generally have volume controls right on the headsets, too, so each person can determine the right listening volume.
o g/ headphones/headphoneamps.html -- this page has a decent looking fostex with 5 outlets for (some unnamed figure less than $279). Look used too, in anywhere that sells recording equipment to musicians. Stash it behind the couch, and let people plug in :)
Two solutions as far as "limiting the audience" though:
1) Wireless. Buy either one transmitter and multiple headsets (if they come that way for the model you choose) or multi sets of both, stick the extra transmitters in the closet as a hedge against murphy's law. They're anything but free, but they're getting reasonable nowadays, and if it's mostly you and a couple of friends, would not cost that much. When the neighborhood comes over to watch LotR on your home theater you can worry about more external sound
2) If the wires aren't going to be too much of a problem, you can use a (wired) headphone distribution amp. Good ones (studio grade) can be pricey, but like most things in the world of musical electronics, the *high* end is not where you even want to look unless you really know you want to be there, and there are often perfectly decent ones sold for less.
(http://www.taiaudio.com/right/sales/salescatal
Headphones have some big drawbacks, too, but for some circumstances, look really smart.
And if you're handier than me, there are a lot of DIY projects for building your own distribution amp on the web.
timothy
jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5
Mac and wireless... the only way to go...
iTunes and iPod and your home theater...check it out.
I guess everyone has a different opinion on what place a computer has in a home theater. To me a HTPC is most useful as a computer thats integrated into a home theater, not as a replacement for other home theater components like a tv tuner or DVD player. A moderately priced stand alone DVD player will outperform video cards in terms of picture quality. PVRs are relatively cheap and quite functional as is.
So what am I driving at? For those lucky enough to have a high def capable TV there is a better solution if you want to integrate a computer. Don't try to replace reasonably priced components that will far out perform a computer (like a DVD player or PVR) instead get a vga -> component transcoder. Transcoders will work with any video card and/or operating system provided you can modify the scan and refresh rates. The best part is that you can run your computer at high definition resolutions! UT at 1080i anyone?
All is not lost if you don't have a high definition capable tv though. If your TV has component inputs and your video card is capable of outputing an interlaced signal with the proper scan and refresh rates you can use a transcoder instead of using a card with TV-out for higher image quality.
There are several transcoders available ranging from $100-300. Copper box sells transcoders from Audio Authority, Key Digital and RCA. Avsforum has lots of discussion in its HTPC forum regarding customer resolutions and scan rates.
-- Button up, your ignorance is showing
Sorry for being slightly offtopic -- does anyone know of a Linux app that will allow me to visually monitor audio levels under Linux? The sort of thing you usually see on equalizers that indicate when the audio level is too high or in danger of being cut-off.
I would have thought this sort of basic tool to be quite essential for any kind of audio recording or processing under Linux, yet it has been surprisingly hard to find one.
Thanks.
For those looking for a cheap home theater PC upgrade, the Creative Audigy sound card provides Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and an integrated IEEE 1394 Firewire port. I was surprised how easy it was to capture video from my Sony Camcorder through the 1394 port and burn it to a Video CD. PriceWatch has several companies listing it for under $60.
http://www.kubuntu.org/
Can you say LCD Projector? It isn't much of a "theater" if the screen is measured in inches. I true theater screen has to be measured in feet. Otherwise, what's the point?
-- Thou hast strayed far from the path of the Avatar.
I thought Macs were supposed to be multi-media powerhouses, but it turns out there are little or no messages concerning Macs as an alternative to PC's in this.
Just another example that if you really need to "think different" (such as have a microcomputer-driven home theatre), Apple's difficult to work with machines are out of the question.
Time spent putting it together and tweaking the hardware: 20 or so hours.
Am I happy/satisfied? Fuck yeah.
I bought a decent tv (mitsubishi 65in widscreen) and then build a HTPC to play DVDs and scale them to HiDef resolutions.
I'll upgrade to a projector when I move into a house again.
-- derby
-- derby
I am wanting to setup a PVR system for myself and have been looking into different MPEG hardware decoder/tv tuner cards. Apart from the ATI AIW and WinTV PVR, I haven't found too much. My biggest concern though is if either of these will encode audio? What good is a PVR if your video is MPEG encoded but your audio is eating up your HD uncompressed? Anyone have any ideas about the best hardware to use?
Is there a way to run iTunes on a PC? Then you can dispense with the Macintosh and get a PC and save hundreds of dollars while having better (faster) hardware with much more flexibility.
It might not be as "simple", but we need to remember that Apple machines are "simpler" than PC's in computers the way in the world of tools, a rock is "simpler" than a nicely stocked toolbox.
Lots of sites today serve their content from SQL databases. This allows for page looks to be changed easily, articles to be reformatted as needed, and lots of cool stuff like that.
The downside of this is that each instance of a page view needs a connection to the database. SQL databases have a limit on this to keep resource usage down. I think it's a limit of about 30 for mySQL? So if that many people are viewing a page simultaneously, it'll barf, and not display the page.
The other thing is how many http servers to spawn. Apache's conf file has a limit that can be set. I think the default is about 100? Once that many simultaneous requests are received, the site stops responding.. of course, if this number is more than the number of connections allowed to the DB, once the DB connection limit is hit, the site effectively becomes useless.
They want picture quality, not size.
The best XGA projector is now where near the quality of the best Plasma TV.
Plus you can watch Plasma TV in much brighter light then a projector.
I own a XGA sharp lcd projector that is around 900 lumes. As cool at it is, if you want quality and not picture size plasma is where it's at.
You also need to look at maintaince cost. About every 2 years I'll have to change the light bulb in the projector and it cost around $500. Think about that maintance cost.
Allthough, I wouldn't buy a plasma screen now because they fade to much to quickly.
It's all about quantity vs. quality with a projector.
It's all about quality vs. quantity with a plasma.
Like many PC owners, you blindly leap before you look.
:)
As already mentioned in this thread, take a look here for one Mac option...and notice that it is wireless, and once more ahead of the old fashioned PC offerings. Don't hate me
One thing that I was interested in after reading the description was the case they are using... Since the article is /.'ed, I did a little searching around and found more information on the case itself:
I believe they are referring to the Cooler Master ATC-600 Series. That site doesn't mention anything about it being available in black though.
There is a review and pictures of it at http://www.hexus.net/review.php?review=281
I have both the ATI AIW 8500DV with its included RF Remote, and the MouseRemote, to control my PC in the next room. The MouseRemote I have almost no trouble with; the ATI remote frequently makes me want to hurl it across the room in frustration (I haven't yet). Let me list a few pros & cons:
X10 MouseRemote
- Pressure-sensitive directional pad (the ATI remote is 8-way fixed speed), which makes it much easier to click on small buttons. This feature alone makes it worth buying.
- Left & right mouse buttons placed on the back side of the remote, which makes them quite a bit easier to use.
- All buttons fully programmable via MaX10 software that can send macros, hotkeys, window messages, launch apps and a lot more (the ATI has a few "programmable" buttons that let you select a function from a fixed list - no arbitrary hotkeys, no app launching, no macros). This is the other deal-maker feature.
- More buttons for controlling a range of devices, programs etc.
- Doubles as a universal pre-programmed IR remote (ATI is RF only).
- Doubles as an X10 controller.
ATI RF Remote
- Comes free with the ATI 8500DV (US$49 separately).
- Already set up for controlling the ATI apps.
I bought the MouseRemote first, back when it was only US$25, which was a no-brainer. I got the 8500DV later (for its other features), but quickly discovered the MouseRemote was considerably more useful.
Why would anyone engrave "Elbereth"?
Now imagine if Gateway or Philips or Apple or Toshiba just pre-built an HTPC system, with workarounds for the most annoying compromises that enthusiasts now have to make. These compromises include: Inappropriate cases, noisy fans, terrible RF interferance from badly shielded D/A converters stuck inside the case... and worst of all, terrible, incoherent controls.
It seems dead obvious to me that since there are RF remote controls and also RF optical mice, there should be an RF remote control/mouse. You know, laser on the bottom, buttons on the top, plus two big "click" buttons at the front and a mouse wheel. Doesn't it just seem like an obvious step? So why isn't it out yet?
Next, there needs to be a universal media player which plays by default in "full screen" mode and has the same controls for TV play, PVR playback and the playback of other video media (either on the hard drive or elsewhere on the LAN). Every feature of the media player would be controlled by the remote. For example, the "Pause" button would pause whatever was playing, be it a DVD, live TV or a video file. Next, there would need to be a flexible file browser which is actually usable at the very low resolutions available on a TV. Its default setting would be to show only playable media files (and it would be able to scan the entire network, not just the living room HD).
There. That's it. Everything else is already available. Granted, to design the remote might cost a bit, but all the technology in it is already very mature. It's basically a mouse/remote frankenstein--not terribly fanciful. Making an appropriate case would not be hard. Finding a manufacturer for the right graphics card would not be hard. Shielding the audio D/A converter to meet audiophile standards would not be hard (at worst, you'd have a break-out box). Writing a pretty interface for a file browser would not be terribly labor intensive, especially if you basically just skinned Konqueror. God damn. I wish I owned a hardware company. I'd make them rich!
Somebody, please hurry and do this before the CPTCBATOA or whatever bill passes, rendering this sort of thing illegal.
I've been wondering something for a bit. Would someone tell me why people dumb huge wads of cash on these big plasma screen displays when they could spend a coupld of grand on a decent digital XGA projector and project the picture onto a screen/wall at 9 feet by 6 or something like that?
Because, on a sunny afternoon, you won't be able to see the projected image. You'll have to either get European style metal blinds you can lower to block out all sunlight (afternoon if you have west facing windows, morning if east facing, both if south facing), or only watch TV at night.
Having said that, I agree that plasma panels have abysmal resolution. That is why I opted for a 24" LCD monitor (Samsung SyncMaster 240T) instead. It cost half as much as the plasma alternatives, gives me 1920x1200 resolution, and works as an awe inspiring monitor when I'm sitting at the computer, and an excellent (if not gigantic) TV when I'm lounging in the couch across the room.
The plasma's, or even better, giant LCDs, will interest me only once they are capable of 1080i or 1080p and can be driven digitally by my computer as my Samsung is now. Unfortunately there is a very good chance the media cartels will cripple high resolution, big flatscreen technology so that general purpose computers cannot drive these screens (hdcp copy protection schemes, etc. embedded into the dvi interface, for example), which, if it is ever actually implimented, will likely condemn consumer HDTV products to the same fate as consumer DAT recorders.
The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
...for demonstrating once again how insecure PC users are and how they envy the Macintosh. Your desire to start a flame fest shows just how much you want a Mac of your own.
Stay w/it. One day you'll know what we Mac owners learned long ago.
And as for power...I guess you know that none of the commercial content that is viewed on a home PC is -created- on a PC. Mostly Mac's...can you say food chain? PC's are bottom feeders when it comes to real video power.
However, it's not available yet. Promised for "2002". I'm still waiting...
Why would anyone engrave "Elbereth"?
See the subject line.
Soccer Goal Plans
I am currently in the process of making a dorm theater system using my PC. While I think that a PC would be useful in an HT system, it is much more pratical in a dorm where it is useful as both a time and space saver. It saves space by replacing the TV, DVD player, VCR, and audio reciever (provided you have sufient equipment. 4.1 sound cards and DVD drives are not hard to find, and ATI AIW series is pretty good). Also, I tend to have MANY movies custom ripped and such on my hard drive. Since my TV is smaller than my monitor (15 inch TFT) I use that. My roomie and I both agree that Daria, QaF, and movies look better on it than my TV (C64 monitor +VCR).
Just my thoughts on the best place for a HTPC.
There is nothing wrong with being gay. It's getting caught where the trouble lies.
I hate discs. Be it CD or DVD I really do not like handling them. What -I- have been dreaming of is a system that will let me rip my DVDs onto a HD and play them back onto my TV, all without having to get up and swap discs in and out of a drive. There's really no good reason for me to have this.. as my DVD collection really isn't that big but the pure "geek factor" just makes it oh-so-appealing to me. The thing I've always loved about having a nice big mp3 (well, now it's all ogg) collection on a single computer is that I could pick whatever I felt like w/out having to track down any media and swap it in and out when I'm at home.
:) Sweet....
;-) format or anything. I want raw DVD quality, no compression. I'm not concerned at all with playing pirated material -- just stuff that I have the disc for.
Now... has anybody done this? I admit I've done -zero- research into how I would accomplish it, and have only been day-dreaming/brainstorming at this point. Is it really feasible to just copy the UDF filesystem stuff off a DVD onto a generic filesystem (ext2, ext3, ReiserFS, XFS, whatever) and play it back via something like 'ogle' for Linux? I can imagine coming home, firing up the TV and using my DVD remote to navigate my own custom menu to pick from the various DVDs that I have stored away on a server sitting in the next room over. Now, if I ever end up -totally- loaded I'd have an EMC Symmetrix in the basement with every movie I ever wanted on demand.
And no, I don't want some compressed DivX
> IMHO, a Windows based PC is *not* a real HTPC
Uh, why not? Because of your OS dogmatism? Sorry, but not liking an OS for philosophical reasons is one thing, and perfectly understandable. But saying it can't be made into an HTPC when it clearly and demonstrably can is ludicrous.
I don't have a dedicated HTPC, but I use my PC for all purposes, including as an HTPC. It uses an All-in-Wonder series card under WindowsXP, and is rock-solid stable. I use it not just for playback of DVD, VCD, DivX, Quicktime, and older video files in a variety of codecs not even explicitly supported by Crossover on Linux, but also for TiVo-like MPEG and MPEG-2 video capture and Guide+ functionality. It flawlessly plays back all these formats on my TV. The fact that it does so using WindowsXP does not disqualify it from performing--well, from performing the dfunctions of a "real" HTPC and many more.
The fact that it runs under WindowsXP is something I consider to be an advantage because it handles old and obscure video formats and codecs which Linux is unlikely to, and new video formats which are likely to have Windows and Mac support long before they have Linux support. That is unfortunate, but it is just the way things are and likely will be for several years to come.
Another great advantage of using WinXP as the basis of a HTPC is that complete, functional, no-command-line-needed playback and recording software is available from a variety of vendors. This is important because, when I finally get around to building a second PC dedicated to HTPC/TiVo functionality, I won't have a keyboard connected to it like I do my present jack-of-all-trades box. A true HTPC should work seamlessly like any other multimedia component, and should therefore be fully controllable by remote. This precludes using many Linux packages, many of which are unusable without keyboard access. In contrast, many companies offer polished Windows software which is easily controlled by remote.
This is especially true of the software that comes with the ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon 8500 series cards--which also come with the best PC remote control ever, which is integrated well with their software. Seriously, nothing exists for Linux which is in the same league as this software and hardware combo. That is unfortunate, but it is a fact. Indeed, nothing else in the Windows world comes close either. But don't take my word for it; see for yourself here:
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1609 fine. But I'm a pragmatist who just wants to se his damn movies without any fuss, and I do.
Chasing Amy
(We all chase Amy...)
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws"-Tacitus
Er, should be using Postgres... ;-)
Crap.
If you want to know *anything* about HTPC then check out the dedicated forum at www.avsforum.com
For the record, I have this exact system set up at home right now and have so for about a year and a half. Actually, my setup is much more complicated, as I have integrated it with my security system, web cams, X-10 automation, etc.
I tried to use an ATI AIO (based on the 128 Rage chip) for the DVD and television components and gave up on it within a week. The TV tuner and DVD decoder colour interpretation was absolutely horrible. I ended up giving up on the TV tuner and installed a Sigma Designs Hollywood+ for the DVD decoder (excellent piece of hardware).
If ATI hasn't improved this pitiful performance for the new AIO board (and I'll believe they have when I see it), I wouldn't recommend this system to anyone.
As someone (geek) who is fascinated with a/v hifi, I think I should chime in since I've had a good home theater for awhile now. best bang for the buck. Actually I just got some new speakers, yay! Anhoo, the gear:
NEC LT150 DLP projector - this baby is sweet. Cost me $2300, does 1024x768 progressive of course, vga input. Currently doing 110" diagonal on a 16:9 screen.
Da-lite no-gain screen: hanging from the ceiling, 110" diag. 16:9 ratio. Simple. effective. $250.
15' fat shielded vga cable: $26
HTPC: 512mb RAM, pioneer 104s slot load 10x DVD, PIII-500mhz, powerDVD 3 or 4, win98, vortex2 soundcard, moded GeForce2 AGP card. This baby is cheap (maybe $500 today?) Can pass DD5.1, DTS, etc through the optical out on the soundcard. Screw hardware DVD decoding, it looks like crap. powerDVD3 looks beautiful. I removed/shorted the 9 RF capacitors and inductors on the geforce2 that limit the video bandwidth, this reduced any pixel shimering and crawlies (look at your video card near the vga connector). Result: quality.
Felted the room black: $60. Ok, this is a batchelor pad, so no one cared that I did this. Good for audio acustics, and reduces stray lighting from the screen or anything else in the room.
Notice the PC is used ONLY to output the video in VGA form and audio in digital form (AC3, DTS). no other processing or expensive soundcard is necessary on the PC.
Technics DD/DTS/PCM Decoder: 3 digital inputs to switch between PC, CD player, and any other input (PS2, digital cable, etc). Great job, better than any soundcard's DAC. Used: $170, retail $350
Carver AV 505 5-channel amp: built ford tough in the US of A, does 80 watts pure minimum into 5 channels, 130 watts max (or so the specs said). For tweater and midrange only, this goes a long way. Used: $350, retailed $1000
Paradigm Atoms: great speakers for the price. $190/pair. Were the fronts, now the rears.
paradigm CC-170 - center channel, $200 (I think).
B&W 601 S3: awesome speakers, these are the new fronts. They don't match the center, but oh well, they sound amazing. $450/pair.
Velodyne CHT120 - 150 RMS, 400 watts max power in a 12" sub. $550 retail.
speaker stands: 5x$50 each, double spiked. Assorted cables, etc.
Anyhoo, this got me a sweet assed-setup, and it's pretty good quality. The only way to get better video qulity is go with a 3-chip DLP.
like another poster said, avsforum.com is the place to go. Sound on the projector is minimized when ceiling mounted (esp. when the room is covered in black felt).
Details, thoughts:
This will get you the best audio/video (IMHO) for the price. The PC was built from scraps practically, so the main cost was GOOD speakers, amp and projector. Spend the most money going from the output and fewest dollars in the input. IE, best speakers, good amp, decent DAC, any digital soundcard, $20 DVD.
When using interconnect cables carying analog, buy good quality, when using digital cables, use anything that conducts electrons.
There is a difference between quality and volume.
Don't get a home-theater-in-a-box. They're cheap for a reason.
Buy components that you can swap out for better stuff w/o compromising the rest of the setup. Think modualr programing.
Get the AVIA or similar calibration disc to setup A/V levels. There's nothing worse than a good setup that's out of whack.
Buy your amps, dacs, and other hardware used, but buy new speakers. you never know how hard they've been driven.
That's all I can think of. Looks great. Sounds great.
Most folk'll never lose a toe, and then again some folk'll...
other than to completely piss off your significant other... a $250.00 DVD player with progressive scan will do more and better than any pc+DVD drive+soundcard. Come on people... it's pretty damned stupid to throw more than a thousand dollars and multiply the complexity by 10 to just play a movie.
Cripes... I was just at Best buy today... they have the top of the line sony DVD player with progresive scan, every possible video out you could want, every possible audio out you could want (INCLUDING DISCREET 5.1 analog audio) AND play SACD's for less than $300.00.
sorry... but anyone that would want to use a pc instead of a DVD player for their home theatre is either a complete moron or just likes to do things so his friends will make comments...
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Three paragraphs disappeared from my post, between "1609" and "fine." I know they were there before I hit Submit...
1 5
Anyway, those missing paragraphs were about the fact that in my pesonal experience ATI's tweaked Cinemaster DVD decoding software is the best quality out there. It produces a more detailed image with more detailed color than any of the other DVD decoders I've used, and that includes my hardware REALmagic Hollywood+ DVD decoder board. The REALmagic H+, PowerDVD, and WinDVD all produce inferior image quality and color depth. It's doubtful that any Linux DVD software produces a picture as good as that produced by ATI's DVD player, since it is so far superior to even anything else available on Windows and on Windows there are many choices. The only rivals to ATI's DVD software are likely other packages which also use the Cinemaster decoding engine.
And even though ATI's player is region-limited, there are numerous software hacks for it which make it region-free. I have many Region 2 discs, like the copy of *DellaMorte DellAmore* I just watched earlier today. (Mmmmm, Anna Falchi naked in full PAL DVD resolution...) ATI's DVD software isn't the slickest, but it's the best-quality, and uses the ATI cards' excellent iDCT assist to great effect.
At any rate, you can be a dogmatist and refuse to use the best HTPC/PVR hardware and software on principle. That's fine. But I'm a pragmatist who just wants to see his damn movies without any fuss, and I do. To see what's so great about the A-i-W cards for HTPC and PVR enthusiasts, read a few pages of this:
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1609&p=
Chasing Amy
(We all chase Amy...)
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws"-Tacitus
OK, once you have the entertainment PC decked out and running, you'll notice that the cooling fans are practically drowning out your conversations. It's also probably not matching the decor in the house. What type of housing do people use to match the furniture? Since I have a TiVO and Audiotron, I don't use my Lycoris Linux system for audio or video playback or even general login, but as a Misterhouse home automation PC and fileserver for the Audiotron. I have a black GXA2048 Altra rack, some black Optimus speakers, and a Sony 51" RPTV; a case sitting in the middle of the floor won't cut it. I want to have this thing hidden in something so the noise is really muffled - preferably black to match it all - but don't want the K7-700 melting down from being locked away. Does anyone have any links to anything that would fit the bill?
"Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart, he dreams himself your master."
RADEON(TM) 8500 MAC EDITION
... In addition, there is component output support for HDTVs (High Definition Television) at 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i.
ATI's VIDEO IMMERSION(TM) II technology
Besides consolidation of actual hardware, one desire is to provide a unified interaction environment for all the functions of an entertainment system. While this does present more 'single point of failure' it like any other tweaker oriented system will provide benefits to those that put forth the effort (and have a bit of luck). Another factor for many is cost. While you point out the 300 dollar solution correctly, the point of consolidation comes into play where a pc system can use the drive for data as well. There are other reasons but I doubt you are intersted in them. Your superfluous remarks about the moronic nature of some people seems to set the tone for your general attitude. If you want to offer your opinion fine. If you want to offer your advice, even better. However if you act like a goat fucking asshole then all you have really achieved is showing the world you are a goat fucking asshole.
It seems to me the PS/2 with Linux might be able to serve as an poor man's HTPC - it already plays DVDs and you would be able to boot into linux to surf/play mp3s/watch divx/etc - all for $400 (199 for PS/2, 199 for linux kit).
Thanks everyone for visiting the http://www.designtechnica.com site. For the edification of everyone here, the site was /.ed because of Mysql calls that ran the box out of physical memory. The site was load balanced and has handled slashdot several times over but it is apparent that we will have to add more memory to the box and possibly streamline some pages. The issue was the designtechnica site has grown to where it is already handling tons of hits daily. Ordinarily, we wouldn't really expect the sort response from this type of article on Sunday evening (EST), and we really thank everyone for the free load testing. All that being said, thanks again for your input we greatly appreciate the participation and should note that our hosting company is incredible. --bcwebd
I have a Philips DVX 8000 home theater PC which has been awesome. It looks like a piece of home theater equipment from the knobs to the flourescent display and the various buttons on the front. It supports multiple inputs and outputs, has 5.1 audio processing, and a very good line-doubler for all video sources. It is also a DVD player, has a fully programmable remote and keyboard, and runs Windows 95 (ugh). Fortunately almost everything still works when Windows has crashed.
It is powered by a lowly 233MHZ MMX Pentium CPU. Of course, all of the MPEG decoding for DVD and audio processing is handled by dedicated hardware so the CPU isn't involved for most operations and in fact for the most part it sits idle.
As for the PC part, I would be happier if it DIDN'T have the PC part. Trying to use it as a PC on a 32" monitor isn't all that great, since the monitor is only capable of 800x600.
I have yet to see another unit with similar capabilities. What I like about the line doubling support is that for DVD it is all done in the digital domain, without any analog between the MPEG decoder to the RGB output. The line doubling also looks great with video from other sources, without the usual line doubling artifacts caused by bob-and-weave line doubling.
As for the graphics card in the unit? It uses a Trident graphics chip which is fed video by a Genesis line doubler chip. A good video card is not necessarily a good graphics card since the two do very different operations.
This post is encrypted twice with ROT-13. Documenting or attempting to crack this encryption is illegal.
At least they picked the right motherboard... specifically the ASUS P4B533 series which is the best on the planet right now for a DDR mobo. Rock solid stable and an overclocker's dream all at the same time. I've got machines using the ASUS P4TE and P4B266 and now wish I'd waited a couple more months and held out for the P4B533 and P4T533. Oh well, at least I've gotten a few good months of service out of my machines before they became obsolete :-)
Why would I want a Mac? For the price of a Mac, I could have two PC's that are faster, have more memory, and run a bazillion times more applications. Not to mention that PC's actually are easier to use.
Stay w/it. One day you'll know what we Mac owners learned long ago
Apple has been saying this since the days of the Apple ][ costing 3 times as much as Commodores and Ataris that ran circles around it. Get over it: the emperor has no clothes. All you have is crippled quirky machines in great looking cases. Apple is the Hyundai of the computer world (bad hardware in a good box) but at a Cadillac price.
I used to use a Mac. Terrible experience, after using a PC. I could find hardly any useful software for it. And then one day the hard drive decided to get rid of all information/programs/data. Since there were no utilities to figure this out (unlike the PC), and no power of the command line, I gave up on the hunk of crap.
I guess you know that none of the commercial content that is viewed on a home PC is -created- on a PC. Mostly Mac's...can you say food chain?
I know a little bit more about the programming world than you do. No, almost all PC software is developed on PC's. Do you think that there would be the current problem of "almost no software for the Mac" if it was written on a Mac to begin with?
because they are so damn expensive. Instead, I got a very cheep lcd projection panal of ebay (like these) and a cheap used overhead projector and now, with a white wall or on a cheep screen, I can get high denfination (1024x768) ~8' by 8' TV. It was the smartest AV thing I ever did.
I did find that article after I made the post. My bad. I did read it (contained some silly claims, but anyway). But look at all of the rest of the posts. Everyone's doing it with Linux on the PC for the most part.
I'd agree that the avsforum.com is a great site. One of the best for that type of thing. But it's got problems. First, it's a bad layout with bad colors. (which is important, like it or not, if a site ever want's to become "mainstream," which THIS type of thing SHOULD start to become). Second, for "AV" (which is AUDIO and VISUAL) the site is almost ALL TEXT. Not going to suck in a lot of AV freaks with a mostly text site. Third, it's lacking structure. It's a "forum" and that's about it. Something like cnet, slashdot, etc... will always get more traffic, becuase it's got news, and stories. Comments are without doubt needed. And there isn't a lack of content at all on the avsforum! Last, the only solution I see for the avsforum is to go over to something like the engine http://www.kuro5hin.org/ uses. Leave it forum based, and user run for content, but structure it so that it's much more fun and easy to use!
The iPod does seem cool. However, it seems Apple does not really want to sell them, otherwise they would encourage interfacing them to PC's.
Apple's business model is mostly smoke and mirrors ("we will sell them something that does a lot less for a lot more: but we will have GREAT advertising and the best packaging!... we'll be able to fool hardly any computer users, but this small percentage will keep us going"), but they have had the rare groundbreaking achievement every once in a while: The Newton.
Even so, this is a company for which user-interface is Job 5: the most basic control, an on-off switch, is obscured on the iPod. At least it does not require bent paperclips as part of usage like their desktop micros do.
Can't imagine Apple doing something to make fair use of TV programs easier.
After all, this is the company with the "Don't steal music" disclaimer for the iPod. They seem to follow more the MPAA/RIAA lie that copying is theft, when in reality it is impossible to steal music or media with one of these machines.
Since you can power up your iPod by pushing any of the controls, it seems you've labeled yourself as not being able to find your own ass without written instructions.
If Apple's success depended on being able to sell into the PC dumbass market, it would have turned to vapor long ago. The only thing on the market that appeals to the lowest common denominator consumer is toilet paper. And some of those will even skip this step.
You PC twits are a delight to debate. Like shooting dead fish in a barrel. C'mon by sometime and I'll beat you like a rented mule.
As a professional GFA, I resent being compared to an AC. Can you guys just kiss and make up, please?
When reading about Apex DVD players, I found that some models, like the $65 AD-1200s use a normal IDE DVD drive run off their proprietary circuit board.
So, if you could replace their circuit board with a small motherboard, you could turn the Apex DVD player into a mini-PC. You would have to drill out a bunch of holes in the back, or buy a cheap ATX case and chop it apart and use it to hold the motherboard and provide the connector holes. you would also probably need a small PC power supply.
I haven't gotten past the "hmm" stage with this one yet, but it has possibilities.
The big problem would be keeping heat down to a reasonable level. Maybe go for a low-heat or underclocked CPU, and do the decoding on a Hollywood Plus card?
Jon Acheson
All opinions expressed herein are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled.
The Divx channel. :)
The overall setup is good, but the problem is the ATI remote only works with ATIs MultimediaCenter.Invariably, ATIs software will not meet everyone's needs.
A better solution would be a more general purpose remote like Streamzap's. The downside of Streamzap's is that it's IR--but in reality, do you ever need to control your PC from another room? And if so, ATI's is still limited to 30ft.
If you go with Streamzap you get a lot more compatability with all programs--HTPC, MP3, etc.. And the remote layout is much more ergonimical than the awkward ATI.
I was in Germany about 6 months ago and this was selling at around USD$700 for the lower-end model (in terms of CPU and HD). It's sized like a normal stereo component, seems to have a feature set that's quite good and a decent set of applications, and best of all, it's actually QUIET.
r ta inmentdevices/entertainmentstation/activy.html
http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/rl/products/ente
now that mod chips are coming Although it isn't the most flexible piece of kit out .. with posibility of divx playback and mame. I may purchase one for just that purpose.
There will be no time in the near future that a PC will replace the home theatre. First off Sound, you may have a nice DSP, but you will have **** for sound output. Unless of course, A.) You have a GIANT fan in your case, and a totally sound proof CPU unit or double case for it.
2.) You can fit a nice sounding 500 watt in a CPU.)
D.) You have good Component video out with progressicde scan in 1 box.
Otherwise, you have an over priced office machine that has no use for normal, or even abnormal computing.
And BTW, SQL sounds the same in Mono, strero, and Dolby Digital.
"This is you left and that's your left. This is your right and that's your right. You're gonna die!
From the hax0rz at German c't magazine:
:-)
The c't S.V.P - the Sound and Video Platform [Article in German, use the Fish]. Plays music CDs, MP3 and other compressed formats, VCD, DivX:-), DVD (5.1 sound), is a digital VCR, CD burner/copier, surf terminal and E-Mail client (built-in LCD), remote-controllable and practically noiseless. This is the *AAs nightmare, cool
The only drawback I can see is the price - it's basically a full-featured PC with a TFT display, which is still quite expensive.
The S.V.P is windows-only for now, but c't is working on a Linux version. It would be cool if this could be made into a community project with translated documentation; it deserves to get better recognition worldwide.
"There are already a million monkeys on a million typewriters, and Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare." - Blair Houghton
Just to think about using a Wintel or Linux/Intel based computer for watching movies etc makes me alsmost laugh my non-false teeth out. Come on, you need to have the computer boot up INSTANTLY before it is remotely useful to do such a thing!
Pitty, my Amstrad CPC & C64 can do this soooo much better than the crap Intel based computer I am typing this on...
But please, please remember to stay away from Western Digital. I have in my box almost the absolute quietest components from the psu to the processor fan to the special hard drive case that separates the hdd from the case to prevent resonation.
But what I also have is a monstrous sounding Western Digital 40GB hdd that makes this all useless, because let me tell you, that thing is LOUD AS HELL.
(Anyway, I've already bought a Seagate Barracuda to replace it, and I've tested it a bit. It really gives almost no sound at all.)
The Little Mermaid from 1989? Isn't that before Pixar existed? Seems like a long time ago.
Also, any idea what "Antz" and "Ice Age" were done on? They looked so much better than "A Bug's Life", the Toy Story's, and "Monsters Inc". (Probably Apple is not to blame; some users are making better color/design choices for the non-Pixar flicks)
As for PC software, ever notice how MS uses Macintosh to publish their user guides? Check out all the PC books at Tower next time...
Microsoft has user guides? Wow. If they are only at Tower, that must explain it. Tower's are few and far between. Are you referring to those useless tiny books that come with the version of Windows shipped? Yes, Apple, while not succeeding at general-use microcomputers, does excel in niche application markets. Desktop publishing is one of these.
Microsoft does have a special relationship with Apple. Apple only exists because Microsoft is there to bail them out, sometimes with cash payments, other times by making sure that popular Microsoft apps are ported over to Apple. Not that Microsoft is a monopoly (by definition it can't be with several alternative OS's out there), but by keeping Apple alive they don't come as close to being one.
As for "calm down", you DID say content on a PC, without specifying what kind of content. The vast majority of content on a PC is just plain computer programs. I think you mean to say entertainment content like movies and TV.
Finally, was Jar Jar Binks created on Apple hardware? That could be case enough for total elimination of the machines!
Since you can power up your iPod by pushing any of the controls
So you turn the thing off by pushing any of the controls? How unintuitive. Probably the off function is buried inside some obscure menu. Remember, Apple is the same "intuition be damned" company: remove media from system by throwing it in the garbage or shoving a push-pin in a pinhole. I've seen devices like this: the best way to shut them off is to unplug them from the wall or open the hatch in the back and remove the batteries.
"If Apple's success depended on being able to sell into the PC dumbass market, it would have turned to vapor long ago."
It's not that successful, and often has been vapor. What do you expect when the main selling point of the iMac was the color of the case.
It has had to be bailed out by $$$ from Bill Gates! PC's are in general much more useful; nothing "dumbass" about buying a more useful system that costs a lot less.
Hell, if you are buying a desktop system, the money you save getting PC over Mac can be used to buy yourself a nice new iPod!
The PC market is also 9 times bigger than the little Mac world; Apple would be much more successful if it increased its market field by 900% you know. They are like the church that only preaches to the choir; not really successful.
The iPod has some weaknesses. Apple products tend to cost about twice as much as they should, so how long before someone comes out with an iPod immitation with better controls that costs half the price and has twice as much storage.
Apple also tried to cripple the iMac by limiting the ability to make multiple copies of music. Looks like users can get around this though.
Another major weakness is the company selling it. Their perverse marketing strategy has always involved limiting the places that sell the machines. This is pure stupidity on Apple's part and just makes their products harder to buy.
Have you seen their new XServe? It runs their OS X Server edition, and has the option for an ATI 8500 (which, according to avscience, the gamma problem has been fixed)
Patrick
Enough with the lame-ass pretty-front-end layed-sideways ATX cases!
2U is where it's at. More room than 1U, and about the right size to fit with the AV gear. Yes, you need riser cards, but it's a small price to pay for style.
So does anyone know about a good "video capture" system. I could go with either the "hollywood" bridge, or pinnacle system card. Or maybe a sony DV camcorder. Which way is the best for good video quality?
I picked up one of these http://www.mikeshardware.com/section_pcprojects/d
And there you go. Not exactly an audiophile's wet dream but perfectly adequate. Plays MP3's through my Technics receiver and Klipsch speakers and they sound great. While it doesn't have a DVD drive it plays DIVX rips flawlessly. Nobody can tell the difference. I can always add a DVD drive but I don't buy DVDs so why? It plays all my MAME games wonderfully. It even runs GTA3 but the on board video can't really handle 3d graphics that well (ATI Rage). Big deal I've got a real computer for that.
Opera running in full screen mode is perfectly readable. You can zoom in and out easily. As for recording video, TIVO is far superior to software PVRs so I'm not going there yet, but I suppose I could add a USB vid cap device.
All in all, most of the functionality for 1/4 the price. A great little MP3 jukebox, DIVX player, and Classic Video Game machine.
Anyone who drops $1900 for an all in one stereo component box at this stage will be disappointed simply because the software to integrate all that functionality doesn't exist yet. And if big media has their way, it never will legally exist.
I suggest you change your homepage to this: MSN.com
I am the nightmare of nightmares.
Would someone tell me why people [spend]dumb huge wads of cash on these big plasma screen displays when they could spend a coupld [sic] of [sic] grand on a decent digital XGA projector and project the picture onto a screen/wall at 9 feet by 6 or something like that?
Why do people spend dumb huge wads of cash on anything? Isldeur obviously hasn't read earlier Slashdot, or he would know Slashdot Saves©. Now build your own complete home theatre system for less than ONE GRAND! Yes, not even a coupld of grand and you will be living in style. XGA? Decent? Please. Build your own and you'll be viewing in up to 1600x1200 SVGA+ crisp resolution!
Just combine this article with Homebrewed LCD projectors and create your FULL theatre experience TODAY!
Seriously, I'm going to create my own as soon as I save up the $ (prom is good for your wallet like vodka is good for abstinence.)
If I had a sig, this is where it would be.
Yeah, well, what can you do?