noobie here get fanatic about htpc after going through the windows MCE demo.


i read some review that USB-PVR MCE Hauppage 150 does got get good review. I was think using the notebook to HTPC. pls google and find out the review.

Also

Hauppage PVR 150 = RM 388 comes with blaster ir
Hauppage PVR 150-MCE = RM 499 comes with blaster ir

Now
From what i understand, both also can perform EPG and remote control with Astro.
Q1 : Should i just save the 100 buck and get the PVR 150. Please recommend me (budget consious) or is they are some function in 150-MCE that without MCE cant do.

Q2 : can I still watch astro (bypass mode) without switching on HTPC, or the HTPC just dead.

Q2 : should I match the HTPC to LCD TV like Samsung 42 R7 or DLP like Panasonic PT 900E . Both of this is around 6-7k.

Now we are spoilt for options!

I checked through SageTV website and hauppage website and still not sure of the following: -

1. using SageTV wireless/ hauppage mediaMVP wireless, i can stream mp3, pc video, pictures, etc to the wireless MVP and be display to lcd TV+audio. good idea. BUT you still ned PVR 150 for astro connection to pc, what a minus, because everything together is no good eyesight. I was thinking why cant they make a product that accepts Astro/FM/TV/ signals and transmits wirelessly to PC. In this case, we can hide the product and astro somewhere.

2. Can Astro give digital output signals. Should Astro provide such service?

3. pls check this website. apparently, E6300 and their wintv PVR products are cheaper. I am thinking wait for some time and go down singapore to buy these product back. HTPC is still not common in Malaysia.

http://www.videopro.com.sg/getdata.php?id=109

rgds

To the sifus,

1. I read some comments at tomshardware. All of them seems to give thumbs up for Hauppauge. I just wonder if anyones has faced this problem since HTPC uses m-atx.

"Summary: Works great - mostly. Noticed when I view a signal on the RF connector signal looks fine when there is no card next to it in the PCI slot, but when I installed a SoundBlaster X-Fi in the PCI slot next to it the signal got static and went away when I moved the card 1 slot away. This did not effect the other video inputs. If you do not have a way to run your signal via S-Video or Composite Video (RCA video jack) or enough free PCI slots to keep one empty next to this card it would be a major problem. Apparently the RF port is sensitive to local RF interference off of PCI cards immediately next to it (maybe only the SB X-Fi - only one I tried). If you have Windows MCE, using the S-Video or Composite connections requires you to have a remote, ir receiver and transmitter (not that the hardware is actually required but MCE is hard coded to look for it so you cannot setup the signal without it - there is no way to bypass it), which this OEM package does not have so you would be better off buying the retail bundle. Only reason I did not give 5/5 stars"

2. I hate micrsoft products (and i hate bill gate more) but i can not live without using them (WinXP). Is MCE 2005 the way to go???? how about SageTV, Beyond TV and MythTv, etc. how are they compared to MCE (matched with WinTV PVR 150). I am thinking of using PVR 150 (without MCE) and do away with other media center software. Can SageTV, Beyond TV and MythTv do the Astro EPG?? any guides on this.

3. Question : how it works when u are watching Astro and EPG starts recording other channel that u are currently watching.

4. How is MPEG-4 compared to MPEG-2.

rgds

hold it man.

u can get it at Thunder match for RM 415 for PVR 150mce and Compuzone RM 440. As i said, in singapore they are selling for SGD 170 = RM 375. I think malaysia price should be around RM 380. hope they can clear current stock and reduce price.

I wonder if there is any insider news regarding Astro plan to provide digital output to match LCD TV that is increasingly popular. In that way, we can use Astro digital output to the HTPC for better PQ.

rgds

I am waiting for the launch of i965 mini-atx (Asus p5e-vm, gigabyte, etc) and match with E6300. just saw that pc-zone reduce E6300 to rm 660.

In this way, I can still keep the HTPC current for 1 to 2 years. Propose following for HTPC.

planned htpc.

1. Asus p5e-vm/Gigabyte G965-s2
2. E6300 buy from singapore
3. 1x320 G HD
4. 7600gs GC
5. 1x1 gb ddr2 667 mhz ram later on another 1 gb
6. Logitech Z5500
7. Creative Audizy 4 - is this necessary. can i just use on board ICH8
8. Hauppage pvr 150 mce - buy from singapore
9. Ciplak casing - i-cute
10. logitech wireless kb + mouse
11. Samsung lcdtv 32" R7

since mediaportal is freeware, i will try it.

hope can still do ffdshow with the above. any comment

rgds.

the system is meant for living room. about 12' x 15'. i try to avoid using expansive hifi equipment. later when hd dvd is more common, i will upgrade to hd dvd.

fren, athlon with NF2 for encoding!

you need AMD x2 4200+ or E6300 min. to do that on the fly.

I just wonder if you do a splitter like that, do you get signal loss. I mean picture quality drops.


rgds

Hello guys,

I have been comtemplating about this issue.

E6600|Intel 965OT|LCD TV 37"

I notice this two is about the same price.

1. MSI 7600 GT diamond plus c/w HDMI cable 128 bit RM 600

2. EVGA 7800 GT DVI only OEM 256 bit RM 600

I am not sure what connection is normally used between HTPC and LCD TV. Do you connect by DVI and follow by RCA audio. I am sure connection by HDMI will give the best output in terms of Audio and Video but is there a difference in terms of video. Is it true that connection by DVI can not have high bandwidth (like 1080p). I notice the MSI 7600 GT diamond plus does not print HDCP on the packaging, does that mean playing hdcp content will not be allowed.

rgds

Thanks Ryan,

basically i get some answers at the following link too.

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1022/1/p...tion/index.html

It appears things are quite tricky. I hope users with MSI diamond plus can post some comments. Basically I would like to buy this MSI diamond plus, but just that I dont want to end up with a old version that dont support hdcp.

Also i notice 7900gs price and diamond plus is closing the gap. i will probably just wait few more weeks for the dust to settle.

accs,

i wonder your philip s-video cable is used for Astro. do u find any improvment over composite cable for Astro - lcd.

Well i put below the comments as mentioned by Ryan i have with HDMI DVI cable.

I am using htpc to connect to my LG 37" lcdtv by means of RGB cable.

Recently i bought the DVI hdmi cable to try and play DVD 9 movies. Overall the difference as compared to RGB is not that great, and I am very disappointed with the output. The color is still not brilliant as compared to my SONY NS76H HDMI output.

so i stick back to my RGB (since LG has 1 hdmi port) and quite happy with that, what to do! i suspect my graphics card may not be that good, i am using MSI 6200 AGP.

I like the board too. that's perfect for hometheater. I ended up with intel 965OT, not bad though. I get good sound and graphics so so.

i have a question.

I like to create media center especially on music album. currently i am using media portal. i notice some cyber cafe can do this : create music album arranged in photo album. u just clik on the album and it will play the music. e.g. if u click on jacky cheung (with photo/thumnnail , all past album) and it is arranged very nicely. can i know how they create it. my mediaportal can not allowed album style music .

why dont u consider antec fusion / antec nsk 2400. nice casing, i am using it. very solid feeling (put my heavy lcd monitor on op of it) and very quiet.

no regret.

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/

I am using HTPC with E6750 and 8800GT. I have problem playing mkv, espeacilly those 13GB. At certain time, it would hang or reboot pc, and most of the time stutter, stop the play.

I was wondering if the media classic player can allow more buffer to avoid stutering.