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| Thread ID: 98841 | 2009-04-09 11:18:00 | Home Media Centre Setup | stardotstar (14815) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 763654 | 2009-04-14 13:10:00 | I'll share my setup that I have been running for almost two years now: MediaPortal running in server-client configuration with the server side on a stand alone machine with 2 Hauppauge Nova-S cards receiving Freeview via an old Sky satellite dish. I also have a Hauppauge PVR150 in there that used to have a Sky decoder connected to be able to receive Prime but got rid of the Sky decoder. We don't watch a lot of live TV as we hate ads so if we want to watch anything we set it to record then watch on the TV using an original modded Xbox with XBMC on it. Disaddvantages to this setup is that we have to use one of the laptops to do watch live TV if we want to and need to use one of the laptops to view the program guide and schedule recordings. I am looking at getting an Asus Eee Box machine to replace the Xbox as this will allow a full MediaPortal client install on Windows so the above disaddvantages dissappear plus they are very quiet compared to the XBox or a normal PC. We can't receive any HD TV so the hardware specs are not too important, anything that can play a DVD will work fine pretty much. By the way that's my media extender that blam6 linked to on TradeMe and it is still for sale :D |
CYaBro (73) | ||
| 763655 | 2009-04-14 13:11:00 | ;) Not my records...I used to play them so much that I think all of them got regrooved Just off the top of my head: You can search for a particular song with records Every change of artist means you have to change the record (time consuming) You have to store your records, pull them out the sleeves, put them back again when finished. You can't create a playlist of your favourites. You can play your record on an iPod while walking through town. You can't watch the music video of your favourite song with a record player. Every reproduction of analogue decreases the quality, try taping a record, then making a copy of the tape...or try faxing a fax...it's a known problem with analogue, but digital remains pure on every reproduction (unless you are recoding). You can download a new album/song immediately from iTunes. I can't play a record, and wirelessly transmit the signal around the house if I'm in another room. But I do agree with you, digital does bring a whole raft of complexity with it, as I'm discovering right now, but that's the challenge for me. And sometimes companies are also required to help, such as the comment made in the latest PcWorld article about HTPC, where they said the broadcasters aren't delivering their EPG's in a consumable manner. Ok I admit it, I'm a technology junkie... ;) |
stardotstar (14815) | ||
| 763656 | 2009-04-14 13:24:00 | ;) I can't play a record, and wirelessly transmit the signal around the house if I'm in another room. Yes you can. |
CYaBro (73) | ||
| 763657 | 2009-04-14 14:10:00 | "I can't play a record, and wirelessly transmit the signal around the house if I'm in another room." Yes you can. its called a radio station :) also no matter what the type of digital signal it will get converted back to analogue form which we can understand in some form be it light level or sound at some point in the process why have the middle man ie digital transmitter when it will only get seen or heard as an analogue signal anyway. at least you dont get complete picture loss on analogue if a plane flies through the signal path etc :p or track loss if a tape/record is a bit flakey. some things in digital are rendered useless if some of the signal or media is lost. at least analogue could make it through a nasty rainstorm relativity unharmed all the digital (terrestrial and satellite. cable wouldnt be affected) users would have to sit through a rain fade message or packet loss. analogue has been around for nigh on to 50 or so years, sure its (relativity) ancient but its lasted through the ages and if they didnt decide to cut off analogue in a few years time probably would last another 50 |
williamF (115) | ||
| 763658 | 2009-04-15 12:37:00 | Yes you can. Yeah you're right, like I said, it was just off the top of my head with no real thought behind any of that... And yes williamF, you do make valid points, rain fade in the dying minutes of a great show :eek:, so much for technology... So for any of those who are interested in my tale :) I eventually went an bought a Hauppauge HVR 1110. Got home, did the obligatory kiss for the wife ;), then off to my pc... Installed the card, and connected to my Dick Smith extender, using RCA. Installed MediaPortal and couldn't get that to work at all. My guess, it just doesn't know how to get the signal from the RCA connectors (and I'm also not ruling out my own ignoramus here, I saw stuff in there that made me believe I needed to get some kind of certification before attempting this stuff). After no success, I installed the software from Hauppauge, and managed to get it to work with relative ease. And as blam correctly pointed out, the bundled software is generally crap. My only problem, well I saw the TV, I saw the person's lips move, then a second or so later got what they were saying (but by then their lips weren't moving anymore). Kinda like seeing the lightning, then hearing the thunder 30 seconds later. I tried everything, with no luck...but them peeps just didn't want to synchronize their lips with their voice at all for me. Then, after googling a bit, I came across two other media centres, SageTV and BeyondTV. I gave SageTV a download...and to be honest, I'm blown away. Here's the summary: Installed without a hitch Picked up the Hauppauge card without a sweat Picked up my Sky TV running through the RCA connectors from the Dick Smith Wireless receiver Now finally the lips were actually talking...in time with each other. Played around with the other stuff, and man I am stoked, I watch YouTube videos, got the Christchurch weather up with a 5 day forecast (bit of rain for anyone who cares), watched Apollo 13 on DVD, watch TV, watched videos on my HDD, and started a slideshow with my pictures. But as with everything, there is no free lunch...SageTV with all its lip-smacking, drooling goodness, is a bit buggy, and I had to "End Task" it quite a few times :-( Now while I haven't looked at what M$ MCE can do, I am impressed with SageTV's features, and menu navigation etc was heaps better than MediaPortal (which is just a tad too buggy for me)...I'll give MCE an install and check out the juicy goodness before making any decisions on what to use, so feel free to feed me with any good/bad comments about the software. I'm already a converted HTPC junkie, looks like my Media Center PC will be on it's way sooner that I expected... I know that you don't need a high end spec for a HTPC, but anyone out there got any recommended minimum specs I should be looking at? Naturally a decent sized HDD, or NAS would do good for content, but what CPU/GPU and RAM should be good enough? I see SageTV used about 150megs when running full steam, so I'd imagine 1 gig RAM would be sweet. A cheap to mid-range 3D GPU would also do the trick, but I am presuming that the outputs are more important features here. I'll need to get a RF out to go to the TV. I guess I'm just a sad case, but I've been working with PC's for so many freaking years, and still get turned on when I discover a new thing to play with...(er, technology speaking for those with perverted brains). :thanks for the all help... |
stardotstar (14815) | ||
| 763659 | 2009-04-15 12:59:00 | Well if this is the card (www.hauppauge.com.sg) it would be better if you had a p4 2.0 - 2.8 ghz CPU (or higher). Or probably a dual core system You may not need a high spec system for HTPC, but that may depend on what kind of card / tuner you're using. The higher the specs, the better things will be |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 763660 | 2009-04-15 13:25:00 | Yup, that's the card (except I got the 1110 and it doesn't have a remote) Ok, I've heard that media center pc's don't need to be high spec, and considering today's chips, a P4 is not high end anymore.... Thanks! |
stardotstar (14815) | ||
| 763661 | 2009-04-15 21:14:00 | I'm kinda in the same boat as you at the moment. Trying a new setup with HTPC. I have an MCE remote due to arrive in the next day or 2. As I am also a Linux user, I will be checking out MythTV this time round. I haven't bothered with the TV card at this point in time, that may be something to do later. For the time being, Im just looking to play music etc from harddrive, as well as DVD's; using the TV and my stereo as the outputs |
Myth (110) | ||
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