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Thread ID: 103506 2009-09-26 01:46:00 Building a Media Pc privoxy (15272) Press F1
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813949 2009-09-27 20:33:00 help.ubuntu.com

There's nothing wrong with both playing AND mounting .iso files in linux, nothing really special about Bluray.

XBMC / VLC ought to play them fine, in windows or linux.

You want a graphics card that supports HDMI, most TV's don't have DVI, but only VGA / HDMI.
If your TV has options for audio over HDMI then all the better, otherwise you can go for Optical, or a myriad of other ways of setting up your audio. It's probably worth investigating a 5.1 Channel card for your PC.
Chilling_Silence (9)
813950 2009-09-27 21:43:00 help.ubuntu.com

There's nothing wrong with both playing AND mounting .iso files in linux, nothing really special about Bluray.

XBMC / VLC ought to play them fine, in windows or linux.

You want a graphics card that supports HDMI, most TV's don't have DVI, but only VGA / HDMI.
If your TV has options for audio over HDMI then all the better, otherwise you can go for Optical, or a myriad of other ways of setting up your audio. It's probably worth investigating a 5.1 Channel card for your PC.

Good clarification Chill - I should've said unable to play blu-ray natively; tbh, I doubt I could be bothered going through such a malarky to watch a blu-ray disc - would be easier to just buy a PS3 :D
nofam (9009)
813951 2009-09-27 23:04:00 Mmmmm ... It's not just a problem for Linux, but even in Windows, unless you fork out $$$ to get the likes of PowerDVD 9 for USD$49+ Chilling_Silence (9)
813952 2009-09-28 20:35:00 HTPC isnt really simple plug & play..you gotta do the time

from memory
get a ATI 4670 based vid card
install PowerDVD demo, it will install the codecs needed for H264 hardware acceleration which will work after demo expires.
load up media portal, put up with occasional crashes, or maybe XBMC or GBPVR. Or just use VLC or MPC-HT if you dont need the fancy interface.
Use dvi to hdmi adaptor or get a Vid card with native HDMI connector
Struggle trying to get audio passthrough into HDMI to work (you need a recent model vid card). I gave up here, simply couldnt get any HDMI audio so I used VGA output(1080) to TV with separate audio cable.

If you are having trouble now, Linux based HTPC is NOT an option
SVGA will output 1080 , some TV's & projectors have the connector
HDMI audio passthrough may be more trouble than its worth.
Its a PC, you gotta expect it to run like a PC-ie not be perfect
sroby (11519)
813953 2009-09-28 20:51:00 Struggle trying to get audio passthrough into HDMI to work (you need a recent model vid card). I gave up here, simply couldnt get any HDMI audio so I used VGA output(1080) to TV with separate audio cable.

This works much better in Win7 - Grab the public beta and give it a try! :)
Chilling_Silence (9)
813954 2009-09-28 20:58:00 Or get a vidcard thats got it on it. Then you wont have to connect anything to it. One reason why I got this card. its built in. Saves me connecting it to whatever on the mobo..Altho it still wasnt easy getting hdmi audio to work.

I had to update the driver in device manager, to get it to install first. But everytime I update the ATI drivers, it gives you the option to update it (if its an earlier version). Wouldnt say mine is the latest version (HD3450). Only got it because its got DVI, HDMI and VGA on it
Speedy Gonzales (78)
813955 2009-09-28 21:00:00 thought you could no longer legally get the beta or rc? nedkelly (9059)
813956 2009-09-28 21:08:00 Ah well, still works here for now :) Chilling_Silence (9)
813957 2009-09-29 02:56:00 thought you could no longer legally get the beta or rc?

You can't get it-but if you have the iso from before M$ stopped the download it still works until march next year(RC)

Beta expired a while back..
Blam (54)
813958 2009-09-29 04:08:00 I've just built one. Nothing flash, but it does the job with no problem
Asus P5QL-EM M/B with HDMi Out
E7500 CPU
2Gig Ram
500Gig Samsung H/D
Pioneer IDE DVD Drive
$120 Micro ATX Case inc 300 watt P/S
PVR3000 TV Card with Component In
All networked.
I haven't got HDMi switching on my home theatre ( I got it for Christmas 2 years ago & feel I shouldn't just dump it) So I just watch the movies etc in stereo, or I can burn them to disc & get 5.1 in the HT system

I've got the sky digital component out connected to a component splitter via a decent scart to component cable. 1 way to the back of the TV the other to the TV card via RCA cables bought from Repco. Running windows 7. Windows media centre is useless. I think the widescreen TV's in America must be a funny shape, because you can't get it to display full screen, unless it's zoomed that much, half the picture has disappeared. Media Portal I find average. Leadtek PVR2 software is easy to set up & record TV etc, hopeless for playback. Use VLC for playback, excellent sound & video quality (40" Sony)
Now I''ve got that going I'm going to wipe it all & try Mythbuntu. I'd prefer to use it as it's not going to thrash my wallet like an MS product will
Phil B (648)
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