Most soundcards output through 2 3.5mm jack (front and rear), so using 3.5mm -> RCA would mean you can only use 1 jack. I use 2 3.5mm to RCA cable and use a converter to input the RCA heads into my AV receiver. Another option is to use optical cable if your sound card and your hifi or AMP have it.

Z5500 is a very good set of speakers for a small setup. It receives the front and rear input from your sound card and also accept digital input. I don't own a Z5500 but my friends using it gave good reviews about it. Its a cheaper solution also compared to AV receiver + speakers setup.

Sound quality wise AV receiver + speakers (with digital input) will have better sound quality but that comes with a hefty price.

hey noon question

which is better for an astro pvr.
convert my old junk pc or old junk xbox?

Depends how old is your pc. How you gonna record using your xbox???

I thought xbox can be converted to a PVR

Nice thing to put our HTPC....



iMON Ultra Bay Black

http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_info.php/...-receiver-black

Looks nice ..

Anyway, just wondering if any of you run Vista MCE on your HTPC? I'm having a problem with Vista driver for my TA690G .. the ATI driver crashes almost every minutes and the MCE will get restarted every time too when the ATI driver crashes. It becomes unusable when watching live TV.

Hi all,
I am thinking of setingup a HTPC with dual display (one DVI to LCD, another composite to TV). I am wondering if I can use each display simultaneously to display different softwares? Eg: simultaneous watch TV/AVI on the LCD and play games on the TV.

Is this possible? Thanks for any input.

HTPC can do picture in picture?

Should be .. as long as your video card allows dual display.

I have the exact setup you mentioned last until until I upgraded to a LCD TV. Check my signature for the link.

isn't that if you assign album art to your collection then you will have thumbnail view? i used to use SageTV, it has quite nice interface on music cataloging. anyway, MCE really screw up on album/artist with ID3 tag..... either album not listed or album with unknown artist.... sigh

how much did you pay for it and where? is the fusion come with VFD and remote or only the plain version?

I got the version is antec nsk 2400 (without VFD). Paid RM 400 to Czone from Lowyat and waited 1 month for the item to arrive from USA.

review of antec fusion
http://www.sudhian.com/index.php?/articles..._fusion_review/

sifu sifu sekalian....can winxp use for htcp built or do i need another type of winxp? currently using winxp pro....btw...can i know how u guys connect ur htcp to the lcd monitor? i wanted to buy the new samsung 40inc R8....how should i connect the htpc to the lcd?

and can i still watch astro with htcp and record?

can someone explain for me wat is windows xp media center edition? is it a OS or a program to install???it seems i saw got remote control....

This post has been edited by intothefantasy: Jul 11 2007, 09:04 PM

you need the windows xp media center edition. it's OS. alternative way is to install 3rd party PVR / media center software ie SageTv, Beyond TV, media portal etc.
to connect your HTPC to R8, either VGA cable (analog) or DVI to HDMI cable (digital).
you need TV card to record astro ie hauppauge PVR 150 MCE. it come's with MCE remote and receiver.

well if i only use winxp windows media player on that 40inch lcd tv...is it clear??btw where can i get MCE?

This post has been edited by intothefantasy: Jul 11 2007, 11:26 PM

clear like monitor, depend on your definationand quality of the source media. as for Windows XP MCE, i'm not sure if it is being sold on retail. i'm sure ahem is there or look for it via BT

but those ahem version need my xp to be updated....but my xp also ahem lol...well thanks for ur info it helps alot

Can I run nVidia Purevideo on my ATi chipset mobo (690G)?

sure, but you won't benefit certain features specifically only work within nVidia ships.

what 690G mobo did u buy? with HDMI? pls report in with the review with onboard HDMI mobo.....

Hi There,

Plan to build a HTPC like media center. Below are the spec and price after a visit to lowyat last week. Please comment:

ATHLON X2 4600+ 2.40 AM2 2000 2X1MB RM340.00
Gigabyte MA69G-S3H AMD690G AM2 PCI-E VSL DDR2 RM360.00
Power Logic Casing + Cooler Master Extreme 430W RM210.00
Corsair xms DDR2 800 1G x 2 RM415.00
Seagate 320GB sata HD RM270.00
LOGITECH CORDLESS EX110 KB + MOUSE RM129.00

TOTAL RM1,724.00

I already have a USB type TV Tuner from pixerview, and also LG DVD drive.
Also signed up for the MBF samsung 37" LCD TV promotion, which should arrived in this few days. For those who has received their SAMsung LCD TV, is the HDMI to HDMI cable included? If not, any recommandation for a budget cable? I heard that the quality of a cable is not so important as the signal transmitted is in digital, right?

Here is the review for my seelcted mobo:
http://my.ocworkbench.com/2007/gigabyte/GA-MA69G-S3/g1.htm



Thanks and looking forward any comments.....

Cheers