hi from Northern Utah

[jman06]

Hey guys, my name is Brett and I currently live in Northern Utah. I have loved A/V all my life and am trying to create a new HTPC. I have some experience with HTPC - but not a lot compared to a lot of you. I've been reading this forum for a long time now and been reading over messages/setups/and pictures and finally got some questions in building my new HTPC.

Here are some things that I would like to have featured in the HTPC, and hopefully I can get guided or directed or critiqued or flamed, et cetera, to what I need to make it possible, if at all.


-HDTV support
-DVD/Blu-ray Combo
-Videooutput: HDMI and YPbPr (component) 420p-1080p (and of course it can play most video types: mkv, divx, avi, mpeg3,4, etc. but that's more on the software of things really now that I realize that)
-Audiooutput: 5.1/7.1/DTS/coaxial/optical
-DVR support (I like mediaportal alot btw)
-USB support
-Wireless and/or IR remote for keyboard/mouse
-XBMC support (either Linux ubuntu or Windows XP) which isn't really hardware but man, i'm a true blue Xbox Media Center fan, especially with the MediaStream skin. WOW! amazing stuff.
-and I only know of 1 xbox to HTPC integration mod but have only seen pics (and their not that good) and no DIY guides on how to do it - but if anyone knows about this that would be great too!

that's all I can think of right now but any good lead would be great!
thanks!

[jman06]

i can't edit my posts till my donation goes through....so sorry for this.

I don't know how many are aware of this a/v "best" but it is a VERY good test of your HTPC and if it can play 1080p and everything else that goes with it. If you can play this sample (which is nearly 100mb for 10+ seconds) than your HTPC will play virtually everything.

So - ergo - I would like a HTPC that can play this mkv.

Unfortunately, till I post more than 5 posts and I directly embed the link. So here do this. Google "Killa sample" and click on the 3rd webpage (which SHOULD be a link to the xbmc subforum and its a link to rapidshare where you can download the file).

[Sonnie]

Howdy jman06 and welcome to the Shack!

Help yourself and enjoy your stay...

---

Sonnie

[Mike P.]

Welcome to the Shack!

[Aaron Gilbert]

Welcome to the Shack! My wife and I passed through your area at the end of September this year to visit family in Salt Lake City and Price. Always a nice drive, especially in the fall. Unfortunately, I know very little about HTPC, except for what the acronym means.

[tonyvdb]

Hi Brett, Welcome aboard!

Enjoy your stay with us.

[salvasol]

Welcome to the forum ...

I'm sure you'll find the help you need to build your HTPC ...

[eugovector]

jman06 wrote:

-HDTV support
-DVD/Blu-ray Combo
-Videooutput: HDMI and YPbPr (component) 420p-1080p (and of course it can play most video types: mkv, divx, avi, mpeg3,4, etc. but that's more on the software of things really now that I realize that)
-Audiooutput: 5.1/7.1/DTS/coaxial/optical
-DVR support (I like mediaportal alot btw)
-USB support
-Wireless and/or IR remote for keyboard/mouse
-XBMC support (either Linux ubuntu or Windows XP) which isn't really hardware but man, i'm a true blue Xbox Media Center fan, especially with the MediaStream skin. WOW! amazing stuff.
-and I only know of 1 xbox to HTPC integration mod but have only seen pics (and their not that good) and no DIY guides on how to do it - but if anyone knows about this that would be great too!

that's all I can think of right now but any good lead would be great!
thanks!

Found this in one of the forums:
BITRATE.........: 106 Mbps

Ehhh, what's the point in testing with that? Not even Blu-ray has that kind of bitrate. Speccing a computer to play that one is a serious waste of cash in my opinion.

I think that says it all. Any new comp you put together should be able to handle blu-ray just fine.

I put together a computer I use for media purposes, you can catch the video here: YouTube - Build your own Home Theater PC Computer DIY

My goals were cool, quiet, power efficient, and inexpensive. I'd say I hit them all. Except for HDTV support, it should meet the list you've put forward as well (and I'll try to play the Killa Clip when I get a chance).

Now, people will ask if this is really a home theater PC...since I use it in my Home Theater, I'd say yes. But other folks will want these things:

1) A case that looks like a traditional AV Unit (usually more expensive, louder, hotter, and less upgradable)

2) A TV Tuner (don't have a use for one, no $$ for cable, and very poor OTA reception, so I stick with Hulu, Netflix, etc.)

3) A Blu-ray drive (Finally snagged one around $100, don't pay more, mine was an LG unit)

[jman06]

eugovector wrote:

Found this in one of the forums:
BITRATE.........: 106 Mbps

Ehhh, what's the point in testing with that? Not even Blu-ray has that kind of bitrate. Speccing a computer to play that one is a serious waste of cash in my opinion.

Now, people will ask if this is really a home theater PC...since I use it in my Home Theater, I'd say yes. But other folks will want these things:

1) A case that looks like a traditional AV Unit (usually more expensive, louder, hotter, and less upgradable)

2) A TV Tuner (don't have a use for one, no $$ for cable, and very poor OTA reception, so I stick with Hulu, Netflix, etc.)

3) A Blu-ray drive (Finally snagged one around $100, don't pay more, mine was an LG unit)

Hmm interesting.
I like that case in your video - but I would prefer a horizontal rather than vertical. Does that company make one horizontal? I love that black color though.

Yes the bitrate is high in that video - but its used more as a future-proof test, although bit on the extreme side though.

You said that it doesn't support HDTV - yet with the nvidia card, you said it has HDMI and Component. Or am I missing something? Or do you mean it supports HD just not the TV part of HD. But that would be silly to not include the TV part in a card as good as that Nvidia one.

[nova]

Hello Brett, Welcome to the Shack.

[tenzip]

Hi Brett, welcome to the Shack!

[eugovector]

I just mean that it doesn't pull ATSC or QAM because I didn't install a tuner.

Antec make several AV Style cases, many of them geared towards quiet computing, but they were north of $100 at the time I did my build, so I opted to save $$. Yes, the card I chose does Component and DVI/HDMI.

BTW, I played the killer sample on my computer and got stuttering, but only 80% utilization on one core and about 20% on the other. I'm thinking it may be a software problem that I'm not hitting 100%, so I'm going to play around with playback software. On the otherhand, playback of the same file on a Popcorn Hour A-100 gave only two little blips, and otherwise played fine.

[jman06]

hey thanks eugovector for the info

Sounds good to me. Thanks for the heads up.