HTPC machine - choices for next steps?

MAJJ

Hi Folks,

I bought one of these. The detailed spec can be found here
http://www.medion.de/md8818/uk/ausstattung.htm

It has the following features which I think may be relevant to the questions I'm asking below.

The TV card says this : - allows you to receive digital satellite TV, digital terrestrial TV via DVB-T and analogue or cable TV. I know the DVB-T is no use in Ireland yet.

Graphics/video card - NVIDIA® GeForce™ 7650 GS graphics card with 256 MB DDR2/HDMI interface and DVI output.

The other connections are best summarised here

http://www.medion.de/md8818/uk/anschluesse.htm

It was the first time I've seen MCE and I am so impressed at how easy it is to use. That's quote will no doubt haunt me down the line

I unplugged it and connected the PC (15" CRT portable) to the TV via a bog standard scart cable. The PC scart is labelled and it displayed on my screen no problems - much to my surprise. Windows resolution changed and MCE large fonts switched on. I got sound and picture no problems.

That was step one and now I'm considering my options next. A lot was discussed by 8T8 and SouperComputer in this posting and probably others but I want to be sure before I commit to buying anything that won't work out.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055021660

I am going to purchase a LCD TV and would like views on the best way to link it to the PC? I think it may be via a DVI -> HDMI?

I am going to get a satellite/free view service, I believe that will provide me with a 'set top box' I would like views on the best way to link it to the PC? I know that will depend on the box but what is the best option and I will try to achieve it.

I will probably get a surround system and amp - what's the best way to integrate this with the PC?

Ideally I would love one remote 'to rule them all' i.e. controlling it all via one RF remote - I have one RF one that came with the PC that currently works all over the house. What could I use?

Also, how would I go about using a wireless network to control the system from another machine i.e. wireless laptop?

That's all a plan over next year that I may chip away at, budget providing, and I thought where better than to seek advice. Aside from the PC I haven't bought the rest yet so all suggestions welcome.

I suspect i should have broken this up over many topics but I am dying to think about my options and research further. So apologies if I've gone over the top!

Thanks as always for your time.

Thanks,
MAJJ

SouperComputer

okay, where to start......

I am going to purchase a LCD TV and would like views on the best way to link it to the PC? I think it may be via a DVI -> HDMI?

Sure, but VGA is more than adequate.

I am going to get a satellite/free view service, I believe that will provide me with a 'set top box' I would like views on the best way to link it to the PC? I know that will depend on the box but what is the best option and I will try to achieve it.

My knowlege on sat is limited, but I think your card will receive FTA channels from a sat. If not, then your STB will be connected to your PC either by Composite or Svideo. The PC will control the STB by use of a little bead called an IR blaster. It will use this bead to change the channels on the STB for itself.

I will probably get a surround system and amp - what's the best way to integrate this with the PC?

Thats a good idea. Any quarterly-decent amp will have digital inputs. You PC will most likely have a digital output. Just hook the two up. I highly reccomend picking up even a creative audigy 1 from ebay. For 15e the sound difference is amazing!

deally I would love one remote 'to rule them all' i.e. controlling it all via one RF remote - I have one RF one that came with the PC that currently works all over the house. What could I use?

What came with the PC. Most likey, you could use it to controll eveything, remember that the PC will be controlling the sat STB if you have one, so you can at aleast put that remote away.

Also, how would I go about using a wireless network to control the system from another machine i.e. wireless laptop?

It depends entirely on what you plan controlling. The short answer is that there is not a lot you can do remotely with another PC. For remote control (IE remote desktop) you can use ultraVNC with the DSMencryption plugin. However the MCE interface is not suitable for this. Really its only good for settings and troubleshooting.

Have a look at webguide: http://asciiexpress.com/webguide/ I just came across it now and have no idea how useful it is.

Again, it all comes back to exactly what you want to control from the lappy and how you want to control it.

adrian.s

If you're doing the freesat, you probably should be able to get away without having to take stuff via an STB, the card should be able to decode the signal on its own.
Regarding the TV connections, I've connecting in the plasma using a vga cable. Until you get hi-def stuff, the benefits of using dvi aren't really worth it, that's my opinion at least.

A.

MAJJ

adrian.s - cheers for the feedback that would be great if the card could do that. As for the cable i need to get one anyway so I want to opt for a whatever is best , within reason of course.

Thanks
MAJJ

MAJJ

SouperComputer - I really appreciate your response it was so quick and so helpful. PS - I have started a lot of my house renovation work so hence my late response - it wasn't out of a lack of interest or gratitude.

Sure, but VGA is more than adequate.

If I have neither - what is the best option?

My knowlege on sat is limited, but I think your card will receive FTA channels from a sat. If not, then your STB will be connected to your PC either by Composite or Svideo.

I intend on getting a dual tuner, with FM - possibly WinTV-PVR-500MCE.
Any feedback on what else I could consider and features to look out for would be great?

The PC will control the STB by use of a little bead called an IR blaster. It will use this bead to change the channels on the STB for itself.

That's great I will look them up - am intrigued on how they 'hijack' a STB and how could they be used to do the same for e.g an amp? Is it something like this - http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=313612

Thats a good idea. Any quarterly-decent amp will have digital inputs. You PC will most likely have a digital output. Just hook the two up. I highly reccomend picking up even a creative audigy 1 from ebay. For 15e the sound difference is amazing!

I read about them - really good idea - but will probably do this incremently. I assume it plugs into the mobo?

What came with the PC. Most likey, you could use it to controll eveything, remember that the PC will be controlling the sat STB if you have one, so you can at aleast put that remote away.

It's a medion badged RF remote very similair to the MS MCE one. It does the job well and the receiver is inside the box. But I wonder is there any advantage of the MS one - I briefly read the spec and it alludes to a 'learning function' which sounds useful.

It depends entirely on what you plan controlling. The short answer is that there is not a lot you can do remotely with another PC. For remote control (IE remote desktop) you can use ultraVNC with the DSMencryption plugin. However the MCE interface is not suitable for this. Really its only good for settings and troubleshooting.

I intend on housing the unit in a place that would make it difficult to access a keyboard,mouse and screen. So if i could do setup tasks from my laptop that would be ideal. That VNC i will look into - sometime akin to pc anywhere maybe.

Have a look at webguide: http://asciiexpress.com/webguide/ I just came across it now and have no idea how useful it is.

Will look into this - cheers


Again, it all comes back to exactly what you want to control from the lappy and how you want to control it.[/QUOTE]



Thanks for all your help to date.
MAJJ

Conar

MAJJ wrote:

If I have neither - what is the best option?

You have VGA, DVI, and HDMI.
You'll be able to use any of those to connect to a HD ready LCD.
Just check which inputs are on the TV you get and use the corresponding cable.
Most LCD's have both VGA and HDMI. Some have DVI too.

MAJJ wrote:

I intend on getting a dual tuner, with FM - possibly WinTV-PVR-500MCE.
Any feedback on what else I could consider and features to look out for would be great?

You already have a TV tuner on that PC with a coax connector which you can connect to your Sky box and you're good to go.
Even if you decide to get another card there's no point in it being a DUAL tuner. You could connect an arial to your existing card and your Sky box to your new one. You may have issues trying to get MCE to use both at once though....would need to look into this further.

MAJJ wrote:

That's great I will look them up - am intrigued on how they 'hijack' a STB and how could they be used to do the same for e.g an amp? Is it something like this - http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=313612

You're looking at a soundcard there. He was talking about an IR blaster.
Basically its a small cable with an infrered sender at the end of it which you set in front of your STB. It allows MCE to send a signal to the STB to change the channel so that it can record the scheduled show etc. You'd not be able to control you're amp with it I'm afraid.

MAJJ wrote:

I read about them - really good idea - but will probably do this incremently. I assume it plugs into the mobo?

Its the card that you linked to above. Was that a coincidence or what?
Anyway, it would definitely be a good idea as integrated sound cards are not the greatest quality.

MAJJ wrote:

It's a medion badged RF remote very similair to the MS MCE one. It does the job well and the receiver is inside the box. But I wonder is there any advantage of the MS one - I briefly read the spec and it alludes to a 'learning function' which sounds useful.

You should check if it came with an IR blaster. Probably not as the PC is designed to take DVB-T directly and therefore wouldn't need to control an STB.
You could look around to see if you can get a blaster.
If not the MCE Remote would do the job.

MAJJ wrote:

I intend on housing the unit in a place that would make it difficult to access a keyboard,mouse and screen. So if i could do setup tasks from my laptop that would be ideal. That VNC i will look into - sometime akin to pc anywhere maybe.

I'm not to sure what "tasks" you're trying to set up. The MCE scheduling etc will be controller by the remot.
If you do need to connect to it though and its on the web you could use the free remote access software on www.logmein.com. This would enable you to access the box from work etc. I use it a lot as it doesn't even need to be configured to get around firewalls etc.


I hope that all makes sense.....I was getting a bit confused by replying to your replies to someone elses comments!

MAJJ

Hi Conar,

Thanks for all the informative feedback. That dodgy link - yeah a coincidence

I wonder if a universal remote could be used to control the tv/amp/etc?

Thanks,
MAJJ