Converting desktop to HTPC

MartMax

Guys

Am not sure if I should have this posted in Sticky thread, but I'd give a go here. Having a little bored, I am thinking of getting my current desktop setup a little bit more fun. It does more than I need mainly surfing, few RTS games, office and webmaster applications, etc. It's aging now, sitting in the bedroom, being 1.5 years old and perhaps it needs some "refreshment" :

• Intel P4 Prescott 3.2Ghz 800Mhz FSB
• ZALMAN CNPS7000B-AlCu
• MSI 865PE Neo2-PFISR Socket 478
• Corsair TWINX512-3200C2 DDR-DIMM 512MB
• SATA 160GB Samsung SP1614C 8MB
• 128MB Sapphire Radeon 9800 Pro
• Plextor DVD recorder PX-712A
• Samsung SyncMaster 793DF
• Antec SLK2650BQE Thermally Advantaged Chassis
• MS Windows XP Pro SP2

What I want to do or at least capable of :

• play DVDs or any regional medias on hacked Pioneer DVD350 player to the monitor, leave other non-regional media played on desktop DVD drive
• hook up the system with NTL digital, surely I need get a point and STB in the room, be able to see EPG and record any tv shows
• hook up the system with my unmodded classic xbox and make use of it
• experience the rest of PVR thing, not necessarily using MCE2005

Budget is not tight but I want to minimise overhauling the desktop. I guess I will fork out around €400 to get this mini project done. The biggie questions, What choices should I consider and what best to do :

• Samsung CRT will be replaced, I have looked at LCD/TV and LCD monitors. Should I bother with sthing like Samsung 17" LCD-TV Syncmaster 711MP (http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=315384), it has tuner built-in, good response time and various input interface.
  
  Or get a bigger LCD monitor like Acer Widescreen AL1916ws (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000CCB0OG), but stuck just one input which is VGA.
  
  Or do I have any better option out there for the little money I have?
  
  
• The next thing I need to get is a tuner card, I suppose Hauppage WinTV PVR-150 will do the job good enough.
  
  
• More RAM, maybe additional 1GB will do help because I tried Media Portal and sure it does eat up a lot of my memory when running.
  
  
• Finally, the PVR software itself, I'm liking Media Portal but it is slow. Is SageTV any better? I am not sure going the route installing MS Windows MCE2005.

The rest for eg. sound system and cosmetic appearance, I will get around it in the future. For the mean time, I'll stuck with the onboard sound. Ehehehe. I know, cheap skate.

Please help make some suggestions and guide me through this. Thanks.

Mart Max

secret_squirrel

Your rig is fine as it is for MCE, infact powerwise its overkill. My MCE box is an Athlon XP 2500 and its grand.
Another 512Mb would be more than enough. However I reckon 512 is ok as it is. Another Gig would be overkill.

PVR150 is pretty reasonable. Get the PVR150MCE edition if possible. Get 2 or a PVR500MCE if you want to watch and record at the same time.

How noisey is your rig? Consider getting a cooler running cpu if necessary. A HT capable P4 might be benificial.

Onboard sound is grand - I specifiically got onboard sound with mine because it was the cheapest way to get a Toslink 5.1 output.

SouperComputer

that rig is WAY overkill. Id be concerned about keeping the noise levels down on the Prescott, but you have a good cooler already. TBH, unless you plan to continue playing games on this, id sell the 9800 and the prescott and replace them with a passive FX5200 and maybe a 2.4 - 2.8NW. This will free up some cash as well.

If you plan running Xbox, DVD & NTL digital, than get a hauppage PVR500 capture card. Otherwise you are talking splitters and switches to change source outside of the HTPC.

Have you factored in a remote control into this?

Sage TV isnt too bad, but itys very USA-Centric. I got fed up with it after a couple of days.

Media portal is still in development and as you say can be slow and downright buggy.

Overall, MCE is the way to go. Its not without its faults, but overall its the best package, with the exception of MythTV.

MartMax

hi guys

Your rig is fine as it is for MCE, infact powerwise its overkill. My MCE box is an Athlon XP 2500 and its grand.
Another 512Mb would be more than enough. However I reckon 512 is ok as it is. Another Gig would be overkill.

Perhaps my initial experience with Media Portal somehow convinced me that I need more RAM, now that you said it's probably overkill filing up my RAM slots with another 1GB.

How noisey is your rig? Consider getting a cooler running cpu if necessary. A HT capable P4 might be benificial.

The noise is not that bad and bearable, at idle I have Speedfan runs the Zalman fan at 1700rpm. It's on hot prescott so idle means 45 degree celcius. But I am sure at this stage, noise is not bothering me much.

PVR150 is pretty reasonable. Get the PVR150MCE edition if possible. Get 2 or a PVR500MCE if you want to watch and record at the same time.

If you plan running Xbox, DVD & NTL digital, than get a hauppage PVR500 capture card. Otherwise you are talking splitters and switches to change source outside of the HTPC.

What does it make PVR500MCE any different to PVR150MCE apart from the dual hardware capabilities? I really hope both can be hooked up to xbox, dvd and stb without much of splitters and switches. one thing i'm not sure enough is will I really be needing to record and view at the same time. after all, PVR500MCE will costs me twice of the PVR150MCE price.

that rig is WAY overkill. Id be concerned about keeping the noise levels down on the Prescott, but you have a good cooler already. TBH, unless you plan to continue playing games on this, id sell the 9800 and the prescott and replace them with a passive FX5200 and maybe a 2.4 - 2.8NW. This will free up some cash as well.

i wish i could keep the hardware as it is, at least i could play future games at par performance. anyway, things keep changing, i won't be holding too long to this system for playing games in the future.

Have you factored in a remote control into this?

Sage TV isnt too bad, but itys very USA-Centric. I got fed up with it after a couple of days.

Media portal is still in development and as you say can be slow and downright buggy.

Overall, MCE is the way to go. Its not without its faults, but overall its the best package, with the exception of MythTV.

tbh, i'm kinda in the loop... not sure where to start and all that, even i dunno where can i get the stuff apart from Komplett.

lads, what do you think of my consideration for LCD monitors?

again, thanks lads.

SouperComputer

PVR500 is 2x 150's on one PCI card.

You only get 1xRF, 1xRadio RF, 1xComposite & 1xSvideo on the PVR150.

So, if you plan running your DVD or Xbox or whatever, you need to first consider your cabling and of course, you cannot capture TV while playing the Xbox.

512 is fine, although you will at times cross over into 768 or so usage, so if you have a sapre 256 knocking about, throw it in.

secret_squirrel

mart_max wrote:

tbh, i'm kinda in the loop... not sure where to start and all that, even i dunno where can i get the stuff apart from Komplett.

Ebay is a good source you can generally pick up both the 150MCE and the MCE remote and disks.

Overclockers also has mce and remotes.

Dabs has normal pvr150's which come without the radio rf in, and with a remote (that doesnt work with mce)a

As for monitors personally I would tend towards a TV/Monitor but only if you can get a good enough deal to make it worth it. It would be good for those days you cant be arsed to switch mce on. Just make sure it has a good resolution not one of the crappy 640x480 tv/monitor combos that are doing the rounds. Bear in mind that 1024x768 is the max you will probably need for MCE, unless you want to run games at higher res.

Alternatively I would get the biggest Widescreen monitor you can afford

MartMax

thanks lad for the replies

i'm kinda decided to go with the following :

- PVR150 MCE around €85 from komplett
- MS Windows MCE 2005 around €110 from ebay
- MCE Remote control around €40 from ebay
- Acer 19" Widescreen AL1916WS around €300 from elara
- 512MB PC3200 memory modules around €80 from komplett

jeez... i hv to spend at least €600! :eek:

secret_squirrel

Well if you are worried I would drop the memory, and only get it if you think you need it later.

Catalyst

mart_max wrote:

- Acer 19" Widescreen AL1916WS around €300 from elara

http://www.elara.ie/products/detailsfull.asp?productcode=ECE1140166&productID=167223

Eur 292.00 for the next week

Also I think PVR 150 comes with MCE remote.

Tom Dunne

At the other end of the spectrum, I have a 3 year old Celeron, with 256 Mb Ram and on-board Intel graphics running GB-PVR.

The TV tuner card is the Hauppauge USB PVR2 which comes with a remote and works fine with GB-PVR. I have it hooked up to my projector and while it runs a little slow, all the functionality is there (PVR/music/pictures/DVD). FM radio is the only thing I am missing.

I must admit, I was actually amazed that the recording works so well, given the system has such a low spec.

secret_squirrel

Catalyst wrote:

Also I think PVR 150 comes with MCE remote.

It comes with a remote but afaik its not MCE compatable and its certainly missing some of the buttons.

MartMax

wuhooo.. just order Dell 2005FPW 20" LCD monitor as a start...:D now next month I'll be getting the tuner and some more memory... wait, i'll hunting for new home too, can't be sure yet if NTL will be around?...

does anyone has this Dell on their HTPC ? how is it like ?

MartMax

today i saw PVR150 model 1046 for €89.99 in PC World. was thinking to grab it but not sure if it was MCE edition or ordinary one. what makes a PVR150 any different to PVR150 MCE edition anyway?

secret_squirrel

MCE edition is an oem version with less bits and pieces but with an FM tuner as well afaik.