flyin15sec

So thanks to Uncle sam and George Bush, I was able to get a new computer and refresh 3 existing computers. Bear in mind this is a long read, but your ideas and suggestions will be greatly appreciated. With that in mind, I have an AMD A64 3400+ 2.2ghz system /w 2gig DDR400 ram, 120gig IDE, DVD IDE drive, EVGA 7800GS AGP video card, Antec 400W PS.

First my goals with this conversion to an HTPC is to replace my current blu ray player, a PS3, replace a 3 disc Magavox CD player, and replace a SONY DVD Player. This will free up my media shelf by removing the 3 devices into just 1 device. I also have an A/V Reciever that has 2 conponent HD input, and 1 conponent output. My PS3 is using 1 and my HD Comcast Cable box is using the other. My TV is a SONY HD projection, about 7 years old now. It can do max 1080i HD. TV only has conponent IN, DVI in, NO HDMI.

I was thinking of getting these 2 conponents:

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811144231
It comes with a power supply, but I already have one.

Blue Ray DVD: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16827106225

The problem I have is Windows Media Center 2005, is a costly $119 dollars. I have a, cough, means of obtaining XP Pro already(really who doesn't have a version). I googled and found a way of installing Media Center, but I would need the WMC 2005 install CDs to do this. Which I don't have. If anyone knows of another way of installing MC2005 on to XP Pro I'd like to know.

Another solution is to go with this: http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePage

A free Media Center Software. Probably not as feature rich as Media Center 2005, but It may work fine for my needs.

Now comes more questions, will either of the DVD players with the MC2005 or GBPVR play Blu Ray?

Will I have to pay for a Blu Ray software player, like Cyberlink PowerDVD? Hate to pay $50 - $90 for this.

Will the Nvidia drivers decode fine with PureHD on the 7800GS? or will I need a software decoder like: CoreAVC (not real bad, since pricing is $8 and $14 only)? My CPU is not the fastest, but base on some initial research, it should be fine, if I can offload the decoding to the GPU or via Software.

What type/name/brand of wireless media keyboard do you recommend?

Coma

You'll need PowerDVD to play BD. I'm sure you have a copy of PowerDVD... after all, who doesn't have a copy?

As for PLAYING it, I don't know if your CPU will be enough. CoreAVC gains a huge boost from being well multithreaded (which ffdshow isn't), but then you have a single core.

A P4 3.2GHz can smoothly play 720p H264 with ffdshow, though, so 1080p with CoreAVC might be okay.

Do take into account that you might have to upgrade your CPU though.


One last thing - I don't understand why you have a CD player, a DVD player, and a BD and want to "merge them into one"... the PS3 already does all that!

flyin15sec

Thanks for the input. I've got an old packaged version of PowerDVD that came with an old CDR/RW drive I bought. It's close to 4 years old, so I'm sure it won't play blu ray DVD.

Currently the TV is the only HD TV, a Wii and PS3 are attached to it. The game consoles are being moved off to a smaller HD TV that I recently got.

So this sequence is the way I'll need software and hardware to do each function:

BR Disc-->BR drive-->DVD player (PowerDVD)-->Decoder(CoreAVR or GPU PurevideoHD)-->CPU(puts it all together)-->sends signal to GPU-->output to Monitor.

Any keyboard recommendation?

Coma

Nono, I mean *everybody* have a copy backed up somewhere on the internet. :P

kmo_9000

lol just like all those backed up games

bgbop15

Best HTPC keyboard right now is the Logitech Dinovo Mini

MnMCap

I have AMD64 754 3400+, 2gigs pc3200, ati hd2600pro, Lg hddvd/blu ray drive. CoreAVC and powerdvd(which came free with retail blu ray drive) Plays 1080p just fine through dvi to hdmi cable, but thats playing a movie only, cant have the pc doing anything big in the background. Now as for keyboard, this is what I have. I love it http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823110017

flyin15sec

Thanks for the keyboard suggestions. The Logitech is nice and I'd get that if my HTPC build was not a budget system.

I'll try the BTC. Don't know what I was thinking, but I guess I wasn't thinking, since I totally forgot most retail DVD/BR Drives will come with a Blu Ray Player. I even responded to Coma that I had a packaged PowerDVD from a retail DVD drive I bought!!!

FrankenPC

I built my HTPC using a laptop believe it or not. The HP DV9700T. Nvidia 8600M accelerator with built in HDMI out. Laptop was 1350$ Came with Vista home premium X64 a 2.5GHZ core 2 duo, and 4GB RAM. Also, the laptop comes with a remote control which you can store in the laptop itself. An awesome all-in-one HTPC solution. Also, I can undock it and use it as a laptop . win win

I purchased a LG 6X Blu Ray burner which also can read HD-DVD's for 300$ from New egg (HD-DVD's are great because you can buy them for next to nothing and rip them to your HDD).

I also purchased two 1TB WD drives for 200$ each. And I bought the Microsoft bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo 110$(which I LOVE): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16823109012. The mouse has a recharging stand and the super sexy keyboard has a miniature touch pad mouse on the upper right hand corner.

Then I bought AnyDVD HD (MUST HAVE!!!) and Cyberlinks PowerDVD V8 which plays all HD formats flawlessly. WinDVD 9 sucks...avoid at all costs.

So, for 2300$ I have a hardcore, universal format, HTPC. You can't get ANY HTPC as small as a laptop!!

My only complaint is this...M$'s media center sucks butt out of the box. You REALLY need to put a bunch of plug ins and third party CODEC's to make it do anything. Even then, it's still lacking. For instance, you can't tell Media Center to use PowerDVD instead of Microsofts lame Media Player.

__________________
Previous Member of Team Owners - 1st to hit 200k and 250K

Previous member of Rough Riders - 1st to hit 300k!!!

Adios everyone! I've been proud to be a member of Owners and Riders.

bfgDennis

you can tell media center to user powerDVD to play blue ray and hd-dvd


here's the link

http://thegreenbutton.com/blogs/mike...14/158640.aspx

__________________