HTPC (Home Theatre PC)

[vern]

---

I don't have an HTPC, I do have an Xbox 360 that acts as a Media Center Extender which gets it's data from an ...

AMD X2 4200+
2GB RAM
4x 500GB HDs + multi-terabytes (around 400GB of music and around 2TB of movies, some HD) of data shared on the network stored on 2 separate Linux boxes.
It runs on Windows Home Server and serves all my video/music needs both on the TV and on various extenders at my place. All of this is wired since wireless can't push through data fast enough to show HD content.

No display. It doesn't need it.
Built in video. It doesn't need it. It just needs the codecs

Everything else is standard. If you already have an HDTV, all you really need is a Media Center PC with an extender + wired connection to enjoy all your HD media in it's full glory. Plus the new Xbox 360s have HDMI built in although you don't need it for HD playback. You can also get a 360 to VGA converter.

[muzikfreakah]

Great Vern, can you post a topography sketch of your setup, its very interesteing.

@blad4638, your right, and some HDMI cables do not suppot HDMI version 1.3 so better to make sure and ask.

[IT]

WOW nice rig for multimedia ..

@ Sir Ryan

mo accept ka ug pc mod? naa pa si GADI?

[muzikfreakah]

Dili nami mu accept kay busy nakaayo, sorry. wala nasad si gaddy, pero pwede man sad ako but busy lang gyud.

[vern]

@muzikfreakah ... rather simple ...

1x Windows Home Server, 2x Linux Server running Samba to share files, 2x Desktop PCs, 1x Laptop, 1x Xbox 360 (the newer ones with HDMI), 1x DAAP Server to serve up music allowing allowing all uPnP/Itunes aware media players and devices access to all my music including wirelessly.

I have WiFi, but servers, desktops, and the 360 are all wired. I ran wires either under the carpet or using a drill to run it outside. Gigabit is nice, but 100mbit will work just as well.

All devices and servers are in the network. None of my hardware is specialized except maybe the 360 and Media Extenders. All servers use parts that can be bought off the shelf and old used parts. Two of my servers don't even have SATA yet, luckily you can still buy huge IDE drives. I use open source software as much as I can and aside from Windows Home Server which serves up files for the 360 via local and network storage, all my systems run on Linux including my primary desktop.

[muzikfreakah]

Very nice setup really One day if I have extra spare parts, illl consult you with this setup Thanks!

[Imagine]

mga masters... wanna get info on this HDMI thingy.. I got hold of an DVI-HDMI adaptor already. Once I plugged the PC via hdmi, the colors displayed is not the same as with the VGA connection, text can hardly be read, analog feeds such as from my PCI-DVB are more horrible, but playing videos seems to be finer and brighter. Is this normal? The thing is with the VGA connection I can set the resolution to its maximum/native of my LCD which is 1366 x 768. But with the HDMI connection, wala may option to set at that resolution, naa raman sa 1200+ x 900+ after ana na option sobra napud... any inputs?

[muzikfreakah]

What video card are you using? (michbern bro of michie ni noh? )

That shouldnt be the case at all. Everything, including video should be way better than that of any available connection.

[jintatsu]

nice.. still planning on this but don't have the funds yet.. hehehe

[muzikfreakah]

Good luck jintatsu and dont forget to consider Silverstones HTPC cases