Home Theater PC (1 Viewer)

[CoryT]

I'm trying to decide if I should use my PC with ad DVD drive instead of a standard DVD Player. I will be using a projector with a 92" screen, from what I understand is that the computer will have a line doubler along with progressive scan. Do any of you have this kind of set up?
There are some things that worry me
1. Computers are some times unstable.
2. Virus problems.
3. Speed.
Let me know what you guys think.
Thanks.

 

[Nick_Gray]

I am not using my PC with a projector (or Progressive Scan, for that matter), but I can address some of your concerns, mostly depending on what you will be using your HTPC for.
If the HTPC is dedicated for your HT only, you should have not problems with 1) and 2). 1) may be addressed in which components (hardware and software) you choose (or already have). There are additionally configuration tricks you can apply to your hardware to make it even more stable - though usually at the sacrifice of some speed. 2) If you keep your PC off the internet, and you aren't loading software all the time that you've downloaded elsewhere, the viruses are not an issue at all. The caveat here is that you are trying to decide to use your current PC; if anyone plays games, does any programming, or uses the internet on this PC, solving 1) and 2) can be a bit more tricky.
3) is a bit more difficult to address. What type of PC do you have (Processor type, speed, RAM, hard disk space). Also, what operating system (almost certainly Micro$haft, but which one matters greatly). If your PC is too slow, you could always buy a DVD-decoder card, which would require almost nothing of your PC.
There's always the option of buying a dedicated HTPC. I don't think it would be much more expensive than a good Progressive DVD Player (given today's currently depressed market). This would give you much more flexibility in addressing all three problems.

 

[Thomas_Berg]

all i have to say is that you need to run Windows XP!!! i've been using an advanced copy for the past 3 weeks and it is BY FAR the best Windows EVER. bootup is now around 20 seconds, and overall speed is enhanced. granted that the speed will depend on your hardware, XP does speed things up.
i have only had one crash (i keep my computer running for weeks without restarting) and that was due to lack of driver support for XP. this is only b/c XP hasn't been released yet and no new drivers for the hardware havent been written (well, they have but aren't available yet). make sure you update all your drivers when you upgrade to XP.
about the virus thing: i havent ever had a problem with this (and i don't have anti-virus software) because i'm careful. NEVER open emails with attachments from people that you don't know. also, never open one that has a .exe or .vol file extension. (just dont open anything that isn't .txt, .doc (or other MS extensions like .xls), or .eml) follow these steps and you'll be virus-free!
if you have any questions about the computer portion of the HTPC, feel free to email me. check out my website to look at my HTPC. hope some of this helps you...
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-Thomas
Click here to visit my webpage.

 

[Ted Lee]

check out the htpc area...you may get additional info there.
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You step in the stream,
But the water has moved on.
This page is not here.

 

[Deane Johnson]

Some of the guys that post over at the AVSciences forum are really deep into HTPC. You might find some additional help there.
http://www.avsforum.com/ubbcgi/Ultimate.cgi
Deane

 

[Phu Vo]

Cory,
I am using an HTPC with a projector (NEC LT150) and let me tell you, it allows the best possible image reproduction over any standalone DVD player you can possibly get. There are problems though. If you are not computer savvy, or do not have a pretty good understanding of computers, you are garaunteed headaches. However, if you are pretty good with Windows and PC hardware, then the result is well worth it. You don't need XP. Most who have went the HTPC route, have not gone back. What you get is a progressive scan image rendered via software that is purely gorgeous. Software tweaks allow you to expand on this image clarity even further. Also, with a $40 WinTV card, you can do deinterlacing of all your analog video sources. Saves you money over getting an external line doubler.
I would reccommend that if you decide to go the HTPC route, reinstall Windows from scratch. Get all the latest drivers for your hardware. Install your regularly used programs (Office 2000, Photoshop, etc). And then image that sucker with Ghost or something. This way you can experiment without having to go through the hassle of installing Windows over and over. Also check out the HTPC section at www.avsforum.com for more information.

 

[CoryT]

Phu,
Your imput was very reasuring, I'm glad to hear how I can make this work. You have answered alot of my questions about the picture quality and such. I do have one concern though, I will be using my computer as my MP3 Jukebox for my muliroom audio system, does this cause any concerns? Other than that the computer will pretty much only be used for my HT.
How about controlling the computer, I plan to get a Pronto remote will I be able to control the PC with the remote??
Thanks

 

[Thomas_Berg]

will I be able to control the PC with the remote??

the answer is "kind of yes." you have to do a little jerry-rigging. i have a WinTV card on the computer and it came with a remote. my Onkyo's remote is a learning remote (which i'm sure the Pronto is) so i taught it the signal for the WinTV remote.
if you get the right program to "control" the remote, you can program it to do ANYTHING that you normally do on your computer. mine controls the music, TV, DVD player, and minimizes windows on command; yours can be programmed likewise. the program i use to control the remote (that's kind of funny

) is called "UICE" (stands for Universal Infrared Control Engine). it costs about $20 to register it, but i think it's well worth the $$.
again feel free to email me with questions.

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-Thomas
Click here to visit my webpage.

 

[Phu Vo]

As far as using it as an MP3 Jukebox in a multiroom setup, there should be no concern there. I can't really help in terms of controlling your HTPC, as my HTPC also doubles as my workstation. But if you need more information, check out www.avsforum.com for info on HTPC. You will have to do some digging, but the information there should answer all your questions.