Autumn Project - Looking for input

BenEadir

Hi all,

Background:
Based in South Dublin with 3 TV's currently being fed UPC Go Digital Max Pack + Digital Sports and Movies Pack + ESPN + Digital Video Recording HD + Digital Multi Room Viewing + 20mb Broadband.


What I want:
A HTPC which is discreet enough to hang off the back of my TV (thinking of something like an Asus EeeBox PC EB1501P http://www.asus.com/Eee/EeeBox_PC/EeeBox_PC_EB1501P/) yet powerfull enough to store and stream content to the other TV's.

The Challenge:
I'm somewhat useful in terms of laptop and smartphone technology and I know how to download and/or stream content via HDMI cable to my TV but that's the limit of my ability.

First and foremost I'd like to know whether the setup I'm after is even possible? Can the HTPC setup I'm looking for be implemented without breaking the bank and/or without turning the house into a maze of cables and remote controls?

I'd really appreciate the input of the experts in this forum. If it's doable then the question is can I do it myself or do I need physical help from someone who either does this as a hobby or professionally? Like everyone else these days I don't have cash to throw around and want to get the best value for money I can. I do however also recognise that paying a little extra for professional assistance can often be better than trying to save money doing a DIY job and making a complete mess of it.

I look forward to your input!!

Ben

BenEadir

I guess if 37 people have read my post and none replied I'm either posting in the wrong forum or what I'm looking to do simply can't be done

digitaldr

Not sure if i can help you as my setup is pretty basic. XBMC for my money is definitely the way to go. You could use an EeePC (if it's powerful enough I imagine it should be) to stream content to your other 2 TVs - you'd need some kind of media player hooked up to each though. Maybe something like WDTV lives or even Apple TVs (720p only though) running XBMC. For simultaneous high def streams I imagine you'd need gigabit LAN. Hope that helps!

Carter P Fly

do you have a main PC in the house which can take Tuner cards? In fact many iolk have an old PC they picked up for free sitting in a cupboard or attic which runs as a tv server, It doesnt really need much HP to run as a server.

If so you might look at dvblogics offerings that integrate with Windows media center. Exxentially you have a machine with the cards working as a TV server and small tiny discrete pc's running as clients.

Sage TV would have been another good option with their hardware extenders but that been bought by Google and shut down for now.

Again if you have windows media center on a main PC with Tuner cards you can use Xboxes on each TV to view tv and media, Unfortunatly the file formats for stored media is limited in this setup.

if Linux is your preferred OS then theres myth tv and linux MCE for backend server and Boxee or XBMC on your front end client machines.

Of course a suitably powerful PC in a nice case in your room can perform a lot of these functions itself.

No Professionally installed DIY networked TV syetem is going to be cheap.

Sage extenders, x boxes and small mini -itx based pcs for each machine run at about 3900 each and good quality tuner cards can be 150 a pop. Add Licences plus cabelling and leads your talking a fair amount of work.

TBH unless youre a techie hobbiest Sky multiroom or Several UPC boxes are actually a more stable and cheaper option.

BenEadir

Thanks Carter, looks like I'll be renewing with UPC