Best Options for a Home Entertainment Network?

Vultan asks: "Now that I'm finally a proud homeowner, I'm looking to integrate my video, audio, and computer hardware. Specifically, I'd like to be able to listen to Internet radio throughout the house (or at least through my main stereo unit), and transmit video from my computer to my home theater in a separate room. I've done my share of googling, and I'm drowning in options. Wired vs. wireless, RG6 vs. CAT5e, digital vs. analog, line level vs. speaker level (for audio), etc. What kinds of technology do Slashdot readers use or recommend?"

Comments

Here is what I do.

[SphynxSR]

I turn the TV off and go outside. Life is much more entertaining. Also buy a motorcycle, better than any home entertainment system. But really, a mix of wireless and hardwired is the best bet. Use it where you need it.

A modest set I have

[zakezuke]

"Now that I'm finally a proud homeowner, I'm looking to integrate my video, audio, and computer hardware. Specifically, I'd like to be able to listen to Internet radio throughout the house (or at least through my main stereo unit), and transmit video from my computer to my home theater in a separate room.

I've been visiting http://www.audiokarma.org/ primarly because there is a person there who knows vintage sansui gear. Nots of great people there.

Now in "theory" alot of vid cards support video output... BUT all the ones I have are crap. I bought a hollywood plus card by Sigma designs on a crappy special, came free with a crappy drive that doesn't play disks from Hollywood video. The nice thing about the newer card atleast is the fact that it offers dolby 5.1 digital output, and comes with a remote control. I know ATI has a vid card with svideo output and wireless remote control, but you'd have to get info form someone who has one, i'm happy with my g-force and dvd decoder combo.

I did something similar my self, though not the best setup.

I have a computer knook upstairs, which has 4 cat5 runs to the TV and entertainment system, and currently have Svideo and audio running on the same line though the creative use of splicing. While this is HARDLY ideal for the video, it seems most adquate for audio. I just have to make a secondary run for the video. I know sigma has a newer card that in theory supports mpeg 4, but i've not tested it, but is rumored to do divx-4 as well as xvid. For speakers, I just have a pair for the TV and a pair for the kitchen. As far as a remote control switch, I realy entirely on the telivision who's output is sent to my amp, which isn't ideal, but hey, it's there it does the job, I don't have enough ports on my amp nor switches.

But needless to say, computer video is on aux-1, digital cable on aux-2. As I have NO remote for the amp, I rely entirely on the telivision's volume control, which shockingly works adquatly.

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Regardless of wether you are dealing with analog or digital, a good pre-amp is your friend, gives you nice switches to switch between your diffrent gear. You can get away without having one if your amp has enough ports on it.

For sound, you might consider some vintage gear. While it's not going to support digital nor is it going to support things like remote control, you'd be shocked how good some of the better equipment from the 70's sounds. While my amp isn't anything to really write home about it's OK, my speakers are adquate.. one pair of sansui sp-1500's, one pair of au-300's [3 ways], one unknown advent 2 way, and a cheepo pair of sony uu-s500's. All were pretty much sub $40 solutions in the goodwill / friend forsale type market. While all (except the sony) are about 30+ years old, with the exception of changing out the wooders have required no maintance and sounds pretty damn spiffy.