Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater ANyone here with a HTPC?

Your lucky you got something in English.

English---yeah, sort of...

I want to revive the HTPC discussion, but I don't want anybody to start fighting about scaling and stuff, okay?

I found some pretty cool looking systems at what seem to be fair prices at 2 Parts Fusion.

Here's what I want to do:

1. Control my Sony CD Megachangers through a SAVR (like Slink-e) from Black Box Designs and some associated software (like TitleTrack). I do not wish to spend my life ripping CD’s. Not now, anyway. Would a MCE remote (or preferably MX-700) be able to control a regular PC application like this, or would a user need to use a mouse? (obviously, I have zero experience with MCE and apologize for what is undoubtedly a stupid question).

2. DVD playback - Since one of the things I am interested in is replacing my existing and aging DVD player with a HTPC, how "easy" might it be to start playing a DVD? That is, using existing components and MX-700 macros, it is basically a one-button operation. Could the same thing be accomplished with a HTPC? I know, a decent, regular DVD player is going to give me similar quality, but I have limited equipment space, and leveraging that impending expenditure on more diversely capable hardware seems satisfying.

3. Web browsing

4. Photo display - show jpgs of family photos and stuff

5. PC games (basic, family-oriented things, not extreme gaming)

My wife likes and uses our URC MX-700 remote for our HT, including DirecTivo. At this time, I am not interested in HTPC PVR functionality. I want to use the MX-700 for everything - can you make it act like a mouse for HTPC apps?

You may recall that I have an older, SD Mitsubishi 55 CRT RPTV. At the moment.

We have the main computer in another room (it ain't moving) and do have broadband access with Cat5e already run from the router at the other computer to the living room (where the HT is).

Now, I know there are other ways to accomplish these things more cheaply. I could buy a new DVD player, get an XBox or PS2/3, and either just suck it up on the Megachanger control or start ripping. I considered getting a Prismiq media player for the browsing and file sharing. Those all seem like compromises and inelegant solutions.

I’d appreciate any thoughts you might have about the viability of my situation, especially related to ease-of-use questions.

I actually use my Mac Mini w/ my HT. Mostly as a 2nd computer though, not a real HTPC. Works quite well and form factor is small. In fact, I've actually seen some PCs that are VERY close in form factor to the mini.

If you want a good all in one keyboard, I use a BTC 9116 I got cheap on ebay.

BTC

osb - thanks for the link on the keyboard. Some people seem to like the Gyration products. I'm a little concerned about distance. What's your experience?

Mac Mini! Holey smokes - that could almost work! Is there any other way to convert the video output to S-Video besides this or this expensive option? What kind of picture quality would I expect? Should I be concerned about the path (converting from DVI to VGA to NTSC)?

I don't want to degenerate into "Mac for PC/newbie idiots" or anything here, but that could work. At half the cost. What about games? And can Macs read data CD's burned by PC's?

Oh, the power of the Dark Side!

oohh, a possible switcher...

Keyboard is great. I'm about 10' feet away from the transmitter, which is inside a Salamander twin. I also have an old VersapointRF keyboard w/ thumbpad that I've used. That works good too, but you have to be 2 handed to use the pad, whereas the BTC you can do w/ one hand. I'm willing to sell the Versapoint if anyone's interested.

The Mini comes standard w/ DVI. On my Panny 6UY EDTV plasma, picture is quite good. The DVI is for the HDTivo so I use VGA, which is suprisingly good. Watching Apple's h.264 quicktime library is pretty impressive, even via VGA.

$100 for a converter? Holy smokes, it's only $19.
Svid adapter

Mac's version of an HTPC. Check these:
Mac HTPC
HT Mini
CenterStage

How to get digital audio:
M Audio

I only listen in stereo mode via USB, since my Pioneer 45TX has a USB input. The Mac Audio CODEC is actually VERY good, better than my Win2K IBM laptop which was very "tinny".

Prices have dropped, check macmall.com. I think the full blown 1.4GHz, superdrive, bluetooh, airport, 1 GB, is under $800.

Yes, Macs can read PC disks. You can also run Virtual PC to run a Windows session, although it maybe somewhat slow on a Mini. Works fine on a G4 Powerbook though. The nice thing I've found is that the new Tiger runs older OS9 (classic mode) software pretty easily. I've picked up some older Living Books CDs for my kid for cheap on ebay, like Dr. Seuss and Little Critter. Even those these are almost 10 years old, they play easily w/ the Mac. Try that w/ XP. (I did and it won't work...w/o some in depth video driver changes.)

An Apple DVR would be cool though...

DVR

iFlicks

I wouldn't try PC games in virtual PC. Miserable experience. But do look around and see if the games you are interested in are on both platforms, as long as they're not to intense speed wise. If you're doing any real 3d gaming, you're going to want better than a mini, be that a PC or a more powerful Mac.

agreed, i didn't mean virtual PC for games. Mini is good as a 2nd computer or HTPC, but not a full blown gaming rig. For that, you'd be better off w/ a gaming PC or G5 tower.

But even a G5 tower will need a vid card upgrade. This dual 2.5 is nice, but it could use some souping up for games -- not that I have time to play anymore

Yup, a 9800 XT at least, preferably the 6800 GT or the X800 XT... which are way too expensive. A G5 tower with the 9600 would be acceptable for lower end games, but probably not as an HTPC.