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What's the Point of Building a Home Theater PC?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the something-to-think-about dept.

An anonymous reader writes "FiringSquad has written Building a Basic HTPC. They discuss why Building a HTPC only makes sense if it can do something better than any other commercially available solution, as well as why HTPC should integrate act like a component not a computer. They also go into upsampling of DVDs to HDTV."

7 of 358 comments (clear)

  1. umm, price?! by Glog · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The point, Taco, is price. Why should I pay $2000 when I can have it for $200 in parts. Plus, there are plenty to people who get more enjoyment out of building something themselves.

    1. Re:umm, price?! by CrankyFool · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Price is not a good reason to build an HTPC unless you're willing to make a whole bunch of compromises and don't care about aesthetics.

      I priced out what it would take me to build a minimally-decent HTPC system, accounting for the specialized case (quiet, small, looks like it's an HT component), motherboard (because full-size ATX wouldn't fit in that case), processor, memory, decent TV capture cards, hard drive, DVD burner, etc. Hint: It wasn't $200. More like $700.

    2. Re:umm, price?! by Znork · · Score: 5, Insightful

      From what I've seen it's quite a bit more expensive to roll my own decent solution.

      The advantage from my own linux based solution is I have a shitload of features ranging from being able to back it up, remote in via ssh to adding any number of capture cards and disks I wish into it.

      The selling point of building it yourself is flexibility.

      The disadvantages are price and, of course, having to know a fair amount about computers to get it working.

  2. Well, why not? by 192939495969798999 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you have the computer experience, why not build a Home Theater PC? It's fun to do (if that sort of thing is fun to you), and it *can* cost less than a commercial model with the same features, especially if you equip a lot of features into the system. Besides, if the PC can also serve as a PVR or other cool functions, then it's a doubly-good deal.

    --
    stuff |
  3. For me by Judg3 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I do it for the challenges.
    Things like:
    "Build a HTPC into a VCR, and keep the original funcionality of the VCR"
    "Build a HTPC in my receiver, and make sure everything works" (Side note: That one was only sort of successful - had to remove the amp and use an external one, to much EMI)
    I do it because I like having choices, I do it because I like to be able to stream show X to TV Y or burn it to DVD.

    I do it because I'm a geek and a tinkerer, and it's in my nature.

    --
    Looking for hardware (Currently need: Large Etch-a-Sketch) Have one? See my journal!
  4. Re:FPS by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I'm from that school of nerd that wonders:

    "If I have a computer, why would I care about television?"

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
  5. Privacy, Privacy, Privacy! by melevitt · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The number one reason for me to build my own Linux-based PVR is privacy.

    Did you know that Tivo tracks not only what shows you watch, but exaclty what parts of shows you replay or skip over?

    Now, I know it's *supposed* to be anonymous. And I do believe them when they say they aren't selling the data *at the moment*.

    I also know they have systems in place to anonymize the data.

    But can you (or Tivo) guarentee that they will *never* be bought out be someone less ethical?

    Can you guarentee that Tivo won't get a new CEO who decides selling your viewing habits to direct mail advertisers is more lucrative? (Imagine if Darl McBride went to Tivo instead of SCO).

    That's my biggest reason for me to put together my own PVR.

    Of course, there's also flexibility. I get to decide exactly what capabilities I want, not the marketing department of a profit-motivated company.