What the heck is an HTPC- Basics plz...

S

Sun_tzu617

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 22, 2004
Messages
137
SO fFar, i have figured its a sort of media pc...
If i have a few old pcs laying around, how do i turn em into an htpc's-
What software do i need
What hardware do i need
What can i do with it?
Thx for the help

P.S. Add any other info i migh need....
 
Home Theater Personal Computer = HTPC

It can do as much or as little as you want it to. (depending on money and time)

Most HTPC's are built to take over the functions of these components.

Sterio, cd player, music archive
DVD Player , video archive
Tivo
Various Gaming Systems (NES, SNES, etc etc..)


Obviously hardware and software requirements depends on what you want it to do.

Sterio fuctions could be done with a mp3 player program and a harddrive full of mp3's .. you can also get radio tuner cards, and of course there's always streaming internet radio stations..

DVD Player - just needs a dvd-rom drive, a vid card with TV out, and a dvd player program (such as power dvd) the advantage of an htpc over a standard dvd player is that you can play divx, xvid, and any other file fomrats that pc's will play.

Tivo - Vid card with TV out, a TV Capture card and a program that records TV.

Gaming systems - you just need emulators and roms. and a gamepad or something.

edit: i'll add to this since i dont feel like working.

There is a linux solution called MythTV - It can do everything listed above, but I personally don't have any experience with it (yet).

For windows - I started with a Pentium 1.6a, 512 megs of pc2100 ram, VIA P4MA Pro 533 Mainboard (with onboard nic, and sound), ATI All In Wonder 7500 vid card/capture card that came w/ a Remote Wonder.


That setup has lasted me for about a year with minimal upgrades.. I bought a hauppaugh PVR 250 capture card and use the ATI for video out only. Within the past month I upgraded my processor to a 2.4b. I also bought a firefly remote a week or so ago.


Software wise you have a ton of options.. for Tivo functionallity the big 2 are beyondTV www.snapstream.com and sageTV www.freytechnologies.com both are great products.. there are also many others out there, some of which are even free.

DVD players are everywhere as are mp3 players, and emulators and roms probably shouldn't be duscussed here.

The other big piece of software needed for an htpc is a front end. A program that sits on top of windows to make navigating easy using a Remote Control and looking at a standard tv set. windows xp : Media Center Edition is a good example.. there is also myHTPC www.myhtpc.net (which I used up till recently) xlobby, mainlobby, beyond media (not out yet) and probably hundreds more.
 
cool, thx.... i would do it but i have no room anynmore, ill have to get a shuttle if anything.... but im broke right now (just bought x800xt)
 
So do I have to have a frontend, myHTPC, and another program to record shows, Beyond TV?
 
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