Not weird at all! On the AVS Forum, one of the hot topics has always been adding a tuner or video input card to your system. This is particularly useful due to DScaler. This program, developed by users from the AVS Forum, is a freeware digital image processing program that converts a plain-old NTSC signal into an excellent progressive scan image for viewing on high-res displays.
More recently, adding an HDTV tuner card is the "in" thing. If you haven't seen HDTV, you haven't experienced home theater! Even on that tiny little display, you'd get a far more detailed, crisper, and color saturated image than you can see on even high-end NTSC TVs (though the LCD itself would be a limiting factor for color reproduction).
The SS40G/SS50G are quieter than the SV24, and many folks replace the stock fans with Panaflo fans to make them even quieter. It isn't a particularly complex task, but it works quite well to quiet things down. As was shown in the internals shots on the website that I referenced, I've also installed a cheesy looking, but quite effective modification to quiet the Seagate Barracuda IV hard disk (which is also highly recommended - until the Barracuda V ships, this is the quietest hard disk on the market).
That's one of the main reasons why I highly recommend the SS40G. It's quiet out of the box, and with a bit of work, you can make it _really_ quiet! For an ideal HTPC machine, I can't wait for the SN41, which adds a real-time Dolby Digital encoder, thanks to its nForce 2 chipset, yielding full-time 100% digital sound.
After the great compliment [Thanks!], I'm hesitant to disagree with you, but...
For many folks, aesthetics and appearance are a big issue in their home theater. I don't want a notebook's keyboard sitting in my rack, so this form factor (to me at least), is truly better suited for the mission (with or without the mod!).
As RedX suggests, the ability to add in a PCI-based HDTV card such as the MyHD is crucial, as well, which is why I use the Shuttle to begin with!
Interestingly enough, I don't have any glare problems except when I'm trying to take pictures! Since the material is completely flat, and since all my room lights are higher than the machine, there isn't any glare. I can see reflections of the desk, but it hasn't been objectionable. In fact, I didn't even think about it until you asked!
[As far as work goes, I'm fortunate that I have some flexibility. However, I had to write a major report, as well as support the forum, so it wound up being a 20 hour day!]
That works, too! I'm also playing with an iPAQ (MS - sorry) and a great package called NetRemote that lets you use that as a remote control via the iPAQ's built-in BlueTooth. If that works out, the display on the HTPC unit will primarily be for information purposes, displaying current song/title/artist/movie, etc.
For me, the A/V rack is right next to where I sit, and the projector is about 15' behind me.
One thing I do have to say: I'm definitely not a prototype builder! I used to head up several different portable computer engineering teams, but personally I'm pretty much a klutz mechanically. This is actually the first PC I've ever modified!
Thank you very much! The cords indeed do have to go; that's one of the many reasons that this is still a work in progress (I just got the system to this stage this weekend). The power bricks you see are actually for my telephone gear, not for the monitor - the monitor power supply is fully integrated into the system, along with the switches and LEDs from both the motherboard and from the monitor. For what it's worth, the 7 switches along the bottom (from left to right) are: Monitor Power, Monitor Menu, Monitor Select, Monitor Adjust +, Monitor Adjust -, System Reset, and System Power.
It's something I considered, but ultimately not to go with the touch screen for several reasons:
1) The Acrylite GP protects the LCD
2) I use a remote control, so I don't need the touchscreen
3) I don't want fingerprints on my screen
4) It looks cooler! When power management kicks in and the display power turns off, the TFT panel essentially disappears under normal room light; it's just a smooth black cube.
Having said all that, a touchscreen version could make a lot of sense!
It is truly an odd juxtaposition: one screen 7", one screen 122". The asymmetry leads one to occasional flights of fancy: is it possible that our primary preference is neither the small nor the large, but that instead we quest passionately to escape the median, the middle, the mundane?
Whatever that was all about, this is a fun little toy!
You caught me! OK, another major reason I built this was for fun - for stress relief! Having said that, I've found the integrated display so valuable for full-time monitoring of my (remotely located)) home Linux server that I haven't been able to convince myself to move this off the breakfast counter and into the home theater! I guess I'll just have to build another one!
Hi, SB! You, you've nailed it. That's one reason why I chose not to use a touchscreen. The other is that I prefer the clean appearance of the system when the panel is turned off - the monitor essentially disappears!
The material is called Acrylite GP, and it is optically flawless to the naked eye, with very high light transmissivity. Viewability from a distance is obviously an issue due to the size of the panel, but the image is crystal-clear!
Incremental changes to existing processor cores yield only incremental benefits, whereas delivering radical improvements in price/performance demand a ground-up reevaluation of the entire architecture. by way of example, consider sort programs. You might write the tightest, fastest bubble sort program on the planet, fine-tuned over many years of tweaking in assembler - then a newbie comes along with a Quicksort routine hacked in C and blows it away.
For more concrete examples, consider Digital's (now Compaq's) Alpha and StrongARM processors, which respectively delivered the highest performance, and highest performance/watt of all competing products. By reevaluating the fundamental algorithms used (i.e. truly rearchitecting the core), it becomes possible to achieve dramatic leaps. Tweaks to existing designs just can't yield the same result!
Best Regards,
MarkF
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Hi, ProzacGod!
Not weird at all! On the AVS Forum, one of the hot topics has always been adding a tuner or video input card to your system. This is particularly useful due to DScaler. This program, developed by users from the AVS Forum, is a freeware digital image processing program that converts a plain-old NTSC signal into an excellent progressive scan image for viewing on high-res displays.
More recently, adding an HDTV tuner card is the "in" thing. If you haven't seen HDTV, you haven't experienced home theater! Even on that tiny little display, you'd get a far more detailed, crisper, and color saturated image than you can see on even high-end NTSC TVs (though the LCD itself would be a limiting factor for color reproduction).
It works, and looks great!
Best Regards!
MarkF
Hi, Polo!
The SS40G/SS50G are quieter than the SV24, and many folks replace the stock fans with Panaflo fans to make them even quieter. It isn't a particularly complex task, but it works quite well to quiet things down. As was shown in the internals shots on the website that I referenced, I've also installed a cheesy looking, but quite effective modification to quiet the Seagate Barracuda IV hard disk (which is also highly recommended - until the Barracuda V ships, this is the quietest hard disk on the market).
That's one of the main reasons why I highly recommend the SS40G. It's quiet out of the box, and with a bit of work, you can make it _really_ quiet! For an ideal HTPC machine, I can't wait for the SN41, which adds a real-time Dolby Digital encoder, thanks to its nForce 2 chipset, yielding full-time 100% digital sound.
Have Fun!
MarkF
Hi, Ian!
After the great compliment [Thanks!], I'm hesitant to disagree with you, but...
For many folks, aesthetics and appearance are a big issue in their home theater. I don't want a notebook's keyboard sitting in my rack, so this form factor (to me at least), is truly better suited for the mission (with or without the mod!).
As RedX suggests, the ability to add in a PCI-based HDTV card such as the MyHD is crucial, as well, which is why I use the Shuttle to begin with!
Cheers!
MarkF
Hi, t!
Interestingly enough, I don't have any glare problems except when I'm trying to take pictures! Since the material is completely flat, and since all my room lights are higher than the machine, there isn't any glare. I can see reflections of the desk, but it hasn't been objectionable. In fact, I didn't even think about it until you asked!
[As far as work goes, I'm fortunate that I have some flexibility. However, I had to write a major report, as well as support the forum, so it wound up being a 20 hour day!]
Cheers!
MarkF
Hi, Nonac!
That works, too! I'm also playing with an iPAQ (MS - sorry) and a great package called NetRemote that lets you use that as a remote control via the iPAQ's built-in BlueTooth. If that works out, the display on the HTPC unit will primarily be for information purposes, displaying current song/title/artist/movie, etc.
Cheers!
MarkF
Hi, Biglig2!
For me, the A/V rack is right next to where I sit, and the projector is about 15' behind me.
One thing I do have to say: I'm definitely not a prototype builder! I used to head up several different portable computer engineering teams, but personally I'm pretty much a klutz mechanically. This is actually the first PC I've ever modified!
Thanks for the kudos!
Have Fun!
MarkF
Without my HTPC and the Girder automation program, I'd need [b]8[/b] remote controls. I'm sure an octopus wouldn't mind, but I do!
Hi, Raetsel!
Thank you very much! The cords indeed do have to go; that's one of the many reasons that this is still a work in progress (I just got the system to this stage this weekend). The power bricks you see are actually for my telephone gear, not for the monitor - the monitor power supply is fully integrated into the system, along with the switches and LEDs from both the motherboard and from the monitor. For what it's worth, the 7 switches along the bottom (from left to right) are: Monitor Power, Monitor Menu, Monitor Select, Monitor Adjust +, Monitor Adjust -, System Reset, and System Power.
Thank you again!
Cheers!
MarkF
It hasn't been around that long. I just finished it to this stage early Sunday morning...
Hi, Touch!
It's something I considered, but ultimately not to go with the touch screen for several reasons:
1) The Acrylite GP protects the LCD
2) I use a remote control, so I don't need the touchscreen
3) I don't want fingerprints on my screen
4) It looks cooler! When power management kicks in and the display power turns off, the TFT panel essentially disappears under normal room light; it's just a smooth black cube.
Having said all that, a touchscreen version could make a lot of sense!
Best Wishes!
MarkF
Hi, WackyBrit!
It is truly an odd juxtaposition: one screen 7", one screen 122". The asymmetry leads one to occasional flights of fancy: is it possible that our primary preference is neither the small nor the large, but that instead we quest passionately to escape the median, the middle, the mundane?
Whatever that was all about, this is a fun little toy!
Cheers1
MarkF
Hi, QB!
You caught me! OK, another major reason I built this was for fun - for stress relief! Having said that, I've found the integrated display so valuable for full-time monitoring of my (remotely located)) home Linux server that I haven't been able to convince myself to move this off the breakfast counter and into the home theater! I guess I'll just have to build another one!
Have Fun!
MarkF
Hi, SB! You, you've nailed it. That's one reason why I chose not to use a touchscreen. The other is that I prefer the clean appearance of the system when the panel is turned off - the monitor essentially disappears!
Have Fun!
MarkF
That would be very cool - the perfect way to build a Pixar render farm!
Cheers!
MarkF
The material is called Acrylite GP, and it is optically flawless to the naked eye, with very high light transmissivity. Viewability from a distance is obviously an issue due to the size of the panel, but the image is crystal-clear!
Good Luck!
MarkF
Incremental changes to existing processor cores yield only incremental benefits, whereas delivering radical improvements in price/performance demand a ground-up reevaluation of the entire architecture. by way of example, consider sort programs. You might write the tightest, fastest bubble sort program on the planet, fine-tuned over many years of tweaking in assembler - then a newbie comes along with a Quicksort routine hacked in C and blows it away. For more concrete examples, consider Digital's (now Compaq's) Alpha and StrongARM processors, which respectively delivered the highest performance, and highest performance/watt of all competing products. By reevaluating the fundamental algorithms used (i.e. truly rearchitecting the core), it becomes possible to achieve dramatic leaps. Tweaks to existing designs just can't yield the same result! Best Regards, MarkF