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PC Audio HTPC, anyone doing this?

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terencey
post Sep 1 2006, 11:03 AM

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QUOTE(mADmAN @ Aug 30 2006, 04:03 PM)
guys...need some quick quick help with my HTPC...

currently setup is like this:-

AMD Sempron64 2500+ @ stock
Asus K8N-E Deluxe
KVR 512mb DDR400 x1
Maxtor 20GB PATA HDD
MSI FX5200 GC (only has VGA and S-Video out...NO DVI)
- connected to TV and a 14" CRT for reading purposes.
Samsung DVD Rom & Samsung CDRW
Powerlogic 500w PSU
Cheapo RM38 Wireless Mini KB & Mouse
Linksys Wireless USB Adapter
Edifer R501 MK-II connected to on-board audio
Panasonic 21" TV only has ONE AV input - connected to FX5200 via S-video
Some brandless 4 or 5 year old beige ATX Casing.

System is running on Windows XP SP2

its basically a normal PC thats connected to a TV....change the graphics card to a better one and it could probably even be a gaming rig biggrin.gif

the thing is, im reconnecting ASTRO in my room... so what i wanna know is....

1/ i wanna connect ASTRO to my PC so that i can record the programs bla bla bla... i also want the output to not only come out at the TV but also the CRT... my TV only has 1 AV in so its gonna be troublesome to keep switching the wires....

2/ what kinda hardware do i need for the output and recording thing and how much will it set me back? HDD i know a lil small but thatll come later....

3/ how do i connect the astro to my Edifer R501 MKII so that i can view the channels in 5.1?

ill be going to LYP tomorrow (MERDEKA!!!  rclxm9.gif ) to get some stuff and will get these as well...

will appreciate all the help i can get...

thanks a bunch in advance

EDIT: forgot to mention a few things...

1/ need hardware that can support many kinds of TV... coz i dunno which TV im gonna be upgrading to... currently considering a 42" plasma which doesnt have a tuner but has inputs. prefer USB connection

2/ would also like sumthing that can be used while the PC is off.. i dun wanna on my PC just to watch astro

3/ need sumthin that supports progressive scan... so it wont pixelate on whatever TV i upgrade to later or sumthin that supports the digital signal.. (very blur about this notworthy.gif)

4/ can support high resolutions...
*
I have the exactly the same display setup as you. As in MSI Fx5200 card and a panasonic 21" TV.

I recently bought a Happauge PVR-150MCE TV tuner card to hook up with astro. Currently writing a guide on my experince in setting up the entire HTPC system. Its not complete yet but I have some screen shots on the finished system there. You can check back later to get the information you need. It should be done by this weekend.

Link: http://www.terencey.net/blog/?p=65
terencey
post Sep 4 2006, 10:27 AM

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QUOTE(Matrix @ Sep 4 2006, 09:06 AM)
Still it's the price that's holding me back...I was hoping can find a solution for around RM300. I was thinking to get a normal smaller desktop casing, but it'll be without the remote control for controlling Windows XP MCE.
Aren't you gonna get a TV tuner for your HTPC? If yes, then most TV tuners comes with remote. I'm not very sure about compatilibty with XP MCE, but my Hauppauge PVR-150MCE's remote can control MCE flawlessly.

QUOTE(Matrix @ Sep 4 2006, 09:06 AM)
btw, anybody here has the CoolerMaster CMedia 260? Is it good? Frankly, i think the design is kinda boring and doesn't fit well in the living room. I would prefer something silvery color like an amp. smile.gif
*
http://www.sfftech.com/index.php?/articles/show/704

According to this review, its not that great of a HTPC casing. Cooling not good and difficult installation. 1 plus point, its quite quiet.
terencey
post Sep 8 2006, 11:00 AM

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QUOTE(Matrix @ Sep 8 2006, 10:44 AM)
Maybe mod the casing a bit? How big is the IR receiver for the MCE remote anyway?
*
Here's a pic of the MCE IR Receiver.

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «
terencey
post Sep 10 2006, 07:08 AM

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QUOTE(Edifier @ Sep 9 2006, 12:16 PM)
New HTPC case for who want to built the HTPC (Silverstone case), available in Malaysia start on next week.
*
Mind sharing the price of the case. Thanks. smile.gif
terencey
post Sep 13 2006, 11:36 AM

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QUOTE(ryansia @ Sep 13 2006, 11:31 AM)
thant's what i did for my first HTPC...... i modified from a tower casing to a ha desktop and made a new stainless steel face for it and wola....
*
Ryan, you have pictures of your custom made casing? Share la. thumbup.gif
terencey
post Sep 14 2006, 10:23 AM

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QUOTE(ryansia @ Sep 14 2006, 10:14 AM)
my DIY stainless steel HTPC casing.

it was my first project but due to time constrain, no time to do a better one.
*
Very nice! thumbup.gif rclxms.gif

Too bad I don't have engineering and electrical skills to start my own DIY project. Have to stick with normal casing or buy expensive HTPC casing wink.gif
terencey
post Sep 19 2006, 01:46 AM

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ckhoong, nice setup there. All you need is a decent GC with dual display. I'm using a G4 MX 440, VGA to my monitor and TV-Out to TV. Envy that you have a 32in LCD TV thumbup.gif Saving up for mine.

HTPC Club. Yeah!!! It will have my support.

Our singaporean neighbour have a very nice and resourceful site. The link
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 09:51 AM

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QUOTE(brabus55 @ Oct 4 2006, 09:33 AM)
hi all...m planning to build up htpc...already hav a system ere...my gfx is ati radeon x1950xtx..wat is the best lcd tv to pair with it?i want to use the lcd tv for daily use..m afraid text is not clear if i use lcd tv..prefer 26inch...any suggestion?
*
If you're pairing up with a LCD TV then the display will be similar to a LCD Monitor. Just need to set the screen resolution to the LCD TV's native resolution then it will be sharp and clear already.

I am currently outputting my HTPC display through TV-out to my normal TV. The text are not readable at all even at 640x480. I don't think there will be any issue with LCD TV. Just need to consider how far you will be sitting away from the LCD TV. 26" is not that big, if you sit too far away and running 1366x768 resolution, you might not be able to read text from browsers. But watching shows is fine.

I am planning to buy a Samsung LA32R7 32" LCD TV tonite thumbup.gif to replace my TV. I not guru in LCD TV and never used 1 b4 so couldn't give you much suggestion. For me, LA32R7 is perfect for me, taking into consideration of price and features. It has a 26" version but 1 or 2 feature is slightly lower than the 32" model.
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 09:55 AM

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QUOTE(AlamakLor @ Oct 4 2006, 09:43 AM)
Im building a HTPC in a week or two with the following stuff:

Casing: Silverstone LC11B
Mobo: Asus M2NPV-VM
Sound Card: EMU 1212m
Processor: AM2 3500+
Ram: 1gb 667 - still deciding what brand
*
Bro,

Wow, nice casing. My casing is SG01 Evolution. thumbup.gif

I am using Asus M2NPV-VM currently. Be careful. This mobo very sensitive to RAM. Crashed everytime I install Windows.

I have to tweaked the bios to manually set the RAM timing and voltage to get it stable.

I am using kingston 667 ddr2 ram.

This post has been edited by terencey: Oct 4 2006, 09:55 AM
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 10:08 AM

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QUOTE(AlamakLor @ Oct 4 2006, 09:57 AM)
yes, and the mobo only max out at 1.9Vram...choosing a stable 1.8V ram is giving me headache doh.gif any recommendation? looking at patriot/geil/Vdata

How's the component tv out working for you, and does the onboard vga works ok? compared to my current FX5200 tongue.gif

The SG01 is not bad, but doesnt seem "HTPC" enough laugh.gif

I would really like to get ahanix casing, but the casing itself is more expensive than many "audiophile" components..... vmad.gif
*
Yeah LC11B definately looks much better than SG01 cry.gif how much is it anyway?

Regarding the mobo, i googled around and found alot of ppl faced the same BSOD problem due to the ram issue. Most of them solved it by increasing the voltage to 1.9V. For me I increased it to 1.9V and manually set the timing to CL5 and specified the RAM type as DDR2667 in the bios to get my windows installed. Now I revert back the voltage and so far so good. unsure.gif

Haven't tested the component tv out yet. tongue.gif Just finised installing MCE and setting up Astro and EPG on it from a monitor last nite. Fed up with TV-out already, tonite go get a LCD TV. rclxm9.gif


terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 10:58 AM

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QUOTE(AlamakLor @ Oct 4 2006, 10:33 AM)
yeah ive also read alot about them picky on rams....or maybe the rams just dont work very well at their lowest rated voltage. Definitely have to pump it to 1.9v Ive also read that ppl couldnt use ddr800 with them and had to lower it to 667 in order to work sweat.gif

any problem with dual channel? my guess is probab;y have to boot up with 1 stick first to set the bios...

the casing will cost arounf RM600+ here

btw when u said tv out, did you mean componsite out? lol....composite cannot be used 1 ler laugh.gif
*
I used dual channel straight away. After doing some tweaking on ram setting then ok already.

RM 600 ah. Not very expensive. My SG01 cost RM500. Dam now you make me feel abit regret getting SG01.

Yeah, composite out. My old TV no component input ma. Quality sucks for composite out.
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 11:25 AM

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QUOTE(brabus55 @ Oct 4 2006, 10:58 AM)
same as lcd monitor...wat bout movie playback then?i hav tested my card using sony 21inch tv..movie playback is very clear compare to lcd monitor..will it be the same as lcd monitor quality if i use lcd tv?
*
On normal TV, movie playback no problem. But on LCD Monitor got some problem if your LCD Monitor's contrast ratio is not high. But it should not be a problem for LCD TV because LCD TV has higher contrast ratio compared to LCD Monitor/


QUOTE(AlamakLor @ Oct 4 2006, 11:20 AM)
s-video oso dun have meh? sweat.gif i bought a cheapo 24" tv bout 3 yrs ago....it cost me RM600 last time...and it is a true flat screen, with component and s-video input biggrin.gif
*
S-video tak dak. Not to mention compponent input. Mine 21" Panasonic True Flat Screen. bought few years ago for around rm700 shakehead.gif

OT: dam cute your puppy!!!

This post has been edited by terencey: Oct 4 2006, 11:26 AM
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 12:19 PM

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QUOTE(ryansia @ Oct 4 2006, 12:15 PM)
beware, some of the LCD TV's vga in don't even support the native resolution(very strange), not to mention the HDMI port with 1366x768 panel......
what's the best deal out there for 32" r7??
actually the 32'' wide screen is much smaller than the 29'' 4:3 crt.......... if you are used to the 29", reccomend 37" LCD and above.
*
Hmmm like that I better research abit of 32" R7 see if the vga supports 1366x768.

I got a quote from SS2 shop RM4180. SenQ selling RM4998 with 5yrs warranty + insurance.

I am using 21" currently. So should be fine blush.gif No money to invest in anything more than 32" la. Just spent 2.5k on my new HTPC and going to buy Xbox360 this weekend. pokai liao.

This post has been edited by terencey: Oct 4 2006, 12:20 PM
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 01:58 PM

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yeah. I got AMD x2 3800+ for my new HTPC.

Going to try to upscale Astro using FFDShow. Anyone has experience on this?
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 04:18 PM

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QUOTE(ryansia @ Oct 4 2006, 03:43 PM)
running FFDShow will disable HW acceleration and it's very CPU hungry. that's my point of AMDx2. It tried before upscaling astro to 1920x1080 with my P4 2.8 but hell lotsa drop frame. quite ok for 1280x720 though
*
Wow cool, I gonna try to do it when I get my hands on my new LCD TV. Don't think I need to upscale it to 1920x1080 coz my LCD max can support 1366x768.

Ryan, after you upscale from SD to HD does the Astro image get stretch?

QUOTE(ryansia @ Oct 4 2006, 04:01 PM)
terency, matrix, spiller and the rests....
dun forget to post your pic of the setup
*
Ok. Will post together with my new xbox360 this saturday.
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 05:02 PM

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yeah matrix. show show screen shots of with and without upscaling la.
terencey
post Oct 4 2006, 05:16 PM

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QUOTE(ryansia @ Oct 4 2006, 05:12 PM)
i've played it for a while during testing (still hunting for LCD TV). depending on your resize setting in ffdshow,  keep the original ratio will have 2 black bar at both sides on wide screen tv. you can use the zoom fuction on MCE to choose your prefered mode. try it and update us. since you have x2 cpu, mind to try resize to 1920x1080 if it plays smoothly. try also together with other enhancement setting
like Blur & NR, Sharpen.......
i was only experimenting if my rig could upscale....... on crt TV only, can't see much. the results will be apparent on LCD TV. let terencey reports the result.....
*
Ok i will test it out.

I tested on my PIII 933. no enhancement but only show OSD also choking like mad.

With the new setup it should be able to handle upscaling, blur & NR and sharpening together. Hopefully......

Will post the results when I have it.
terencey
post Oct 5 2006, 10:51 AM

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My simple setup.

Attached Image Attached Image

My new LCD TV and HTPC. No money for any sound system. Pokaiz.

Just finished setup Astro Programme guide on MCE last nite. Took me 3 days last time just to reseach and setup the guide. Now its kacang puteh already. laugh.gif

I am abit dissapointed with the quality of Astro images. Either running directly from composite cable or through MCE the quality still not that good. Can't expect much i guess since Astro is sending its signal in SD format.

But my tears of joy start flowing when I watch my downloaded Prison Break season 2 on my LCD TV. The quality is excellent. rclxms.gif

This post has been edited by terencey: Oct 5 2006, 10:52 AM
terencey
post Oct 5 2006, 11:18 AM

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QUOTE(ryansia @ Oct 5 2006, 11:08 AM)
are you using composite??? hopeless..... try s-video, big improvement from composite. tell us the results. how about ffdshow?
*
Yes I'm using composite. Didn't try S-Video because no cable. Will try it out. Thanks for the tip.

FFDShow will try tonite. Yesterday nite too busy setting up EPG and testing all the downloaded movies and series.
terencey
post Oct 5 2006, 11:50 AM

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QUOTE(ryansia @ Oct 5 2006, 11:32 AM)
i dun even have time to watch episode 6&7 of PB....my maid ran away liao....
*
Its good you need to watch it.

Ok back to the topic. Yesterday, I almost wanna buy a set of amp and speakers to get 5.1 surround sound for my HTPC setup. But I didn't, otherwise I won't be able to buy my xbox360 this saturday.

How much is the cheapest amp+speakers system around? I just want to have a basic 5.1 surround sound for my HTPC, xbox360, future PS3 and astro. Means the amp must have at least 4 or more inputs rite.
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