Poll: Do you own / plan to own an HTPC?
Relevant Posts
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- What's the best HTPC under $3,000? (19 days ago - 18 Comments)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Galley @ Jul 5th 2008 12:34PM
Does Apple TV count?
rothgar @ Jul 6th 2008 1:51AM
no. I don't think a xbox with XBMC would count or a xbox360/PS3 so a AppleTV for sure would not count.
Sean T. @ Jul 5th 2008 12:38PM
Yes, but I didn't buy an expensive monstrosity that claims to do it all. Like many of us I built mine which is essentially a PC in a quiet case with a good HD tuner card (MDP-130), a fat hard drive and an Internet connection for all that online goodness.
Although, after seeing a recent video of the latest LinuxMCE build in action, that is a project that has jumped up high on my list of things to do.
Mitchell @ Jul 5th 2008 12:40PM
Sure do! MythTV all the way. Main server is connected to my Theather with projector and I also have a remote fronted in my living room.
Matt @ Jul 5th 2008 12:43PM
I used to have one but now I have a SageTV HD media extender so it became unnecessary.
ztiger93 @ Jul 5th 2008 12:57PM
i've got an aging desktop anyway, and i'm just nursing it along until i find the media setup i really want. i'm not a system builder so i need MCIB so to speak. very tired of recording something in the living room but later wanting to watch it in the bedroom, or vice-versa. also tired of having to jump through hoops to burn dvd's off my cable box. hoping the format evolves to a point where it's simple enough for my wife to operate, also our parents when they visit. solid editing software also a must for archiving sporting events. heck, doesn't even hafta be wireless for me. but the price has to come down, and hopefully hp is moving things in the right direstion on that front...
007craft @ Jul 5th 2008 12:57PM
well I use my computer to download x.264 blu-ray rips and I then watch those on my tv (pc is hooked up to pc via long DVI-HDMI cable).
The pc was not built for the tv tho, it just happens to be in the same room as the tv so I run the cable over to watch movies on the big screen. Does that count as a HTPC?
amount @ Jul 5th 2008 1:28PM
Streaming with the PS3 is suiting me fine for now.
Rob @ Jul 5th 2008 1:39PM
That's what I should've done instead of buying these temperamental video games consoles. The PS3 plays some files that the 360 doesn't, and viceversa. Then, the file's video would play but not the sound. The list goes on and on. With a HTPC, all that nonsense goes out the door. Once Blu-ray players get cheaper, I'd start building one.
Erix @ Jul 5th 2008 1:53PM
I have, like many others, my own hand built HTPC which is actually just the old bits from my main rig in a quiet setup.
I also don't have a HDTV yet as until this year's panasonic plasma range have been unwilling to drop £1000 on a hdtv that has a substandard picture and can't handle 24fps (i know there are pioneers for more and picture quality is in the eye of the beholder but my time isn't yet, close, but not yet)
MarkHawk @ Jul 5th 2008 2:15PM
Hoping the next generation of Xbox 360 has this feature. I really want to see Hulu+Xbox Live Marketplace+Zune Marketplace merge. I really love Hulu and hope that I can start streaming TV from my 360 with a Hulu service so I can cancel my Cable...
Karyudo @ Jul 5th 2008 2:31PM
I'd planned to build a brand-new HTPC for several years, but didn't pull the trigger until I got an HDTV last Christmas. Best "investment" I ever made: plays all the stuff I download, rip, borrow, rent, or buy (regardless of codec), upsampled to (or natively) 1080p, via HDMI, with 5.1 audio via S/PDIF.
For Blu-Ray and GT5P, I use my PS3. For everything else, it's the HTPC.
coyotej @ Jul 5th 2008 2:37PM
Been there, done that, don't really want to do it again...
Having a simple box far from the TV to deliver content from (like to an AppleTV or similar set-top box) is OK, but as a primary way of watching content, a PC isn't sensible unless you are a college student who doesn't have a living room (IMO).
Garst @ Jul 5th 2008 3:26PM
I have the PC part, but not the HT part, yet.
Ernesto @ Jul 5th 2008 3:27PM
well I was going to pick the "aiming to get one" option but then seeing how I haven't bought a pre-made system (laptop aside) since my very first PC back in 1992, wheres the build / DIY option ???
I've had a mini-HT since 2003 and never built myself a HTPC although I've looked at 'em over the years and considered it, but like a front projection setup w/100" screen, it just hasn't happened yet. I built a PC last year to replace my 4 year old one (to play BioShock, Call of Duty 4, etc.) and got a gigantor case, Coolermaster Cosmos. I'm happy with it but it weighing around 40-50 lbs and in the bedroom upstairs, its not going anywhere. I made up my mind that my next PC will be #1 - cheap (under $1,000) and #2 - small form factor and of course super quiet if not dead silent (passive cooling). All my setups I've built are quiet aside from my first custom built PC back in the 90's that sounded like a blow dryer, no lie. I dunno how I used that thing for so long. Anyway, all those requirements I've set for myself are perfect for a HTPC, hopefully later this year. Then finally a FP setup =D
MI @ Jul 5th 2008 3:50PM
Still using SageTV and 5 analog tuners. I can;'t bear the thought that that the cable companies (via cable labs) FORCE me to use Windows Vista Media Center built by someone else?!?!? When I can build my own HD 'media center' PC I'll move.Give me clear QAM or some other alternative that doesn't hamstring me.
Bradley @ Jul 5th 2008 3:58PM
I have a PC hooked up to my TV, but I only use it for watching torrents. No DVR or tuner capabilities so I wouldn't classify it as an HTPC
Decaye @ Jul 5th 2008 6:31PM
Was planning on building one, maybe with a shuttle case, but I think I'm leaning towards the Zio Markus-800 instead. Seems to do everything I need. The Matroska, H.264 and .Ogg support pretty much sold me.
Major4Play @ Jul 5th 2008 6:50PM
Yep, small case with an E2160 CPU (runs at 18 degrees !) 1.5TB hdd, Nvidia 7600 GS Silent, Hauppauge T550 Freview tuner, connected up to a cheap 32" HDTV.
Can't live without it now, music library, dvd library, full PVR. Looking forward to BLU ray support in Vista MCE (well maybe Win7) and freesat support (for the UK)
Bob Sintas @ Jul 6th 2008 12:27AM
18c? Do you have it in a freezer or something? It is impossible for air and water cooling to bring a CPU down to that temperature unless your room is really cold.
Matt Keller @ Jul 5th 2008 8:00PM
Not yet, but I might build myself one.
TeK @ Jul 5th 2008 8:20PM
Yes I have a custom built VistaMCE HTPC pretty high spec mainly used for its PVR functions and bluray playback
J.Goodwin @ Jul 5th 2008 11:39PM
Well, I have Vista and it has media center, and it's hooked up to my box as a tuner, but I don't really use it as a HTPC...I do use it to serve media to my 360 (dynamic music playlists mostly).
chop @ Jul 6th 2008 12:04AM
i have my q6600 rig connected to my lcd via a 50' svga cable...does that count?
rothgar @ Jul 6th 2008 1:51AM
my last HP dc5000 got sold off so I am getting a mac mini to put MythTV on next month. I very much miss MythTV.
HTPCer @ Jul 6th 2008 8:27AM
I have 3 HTPCs. The one I use all the time has a Blu-Ray drive. It was a cheap way to start getting HD video since the drive was about $100 and I already had most of the components for the HTPC. While the nice folks at Slysoft and ImgBurn have made it relatively easy to have a juke box of HD content on the PC, the lack of a 7.1 DIGITAL audio solution is the big drawback to HD HTPCS.
Currently, there is no way to get a 7.1 DIGITAL signal to the receiver. 5.1 digital yes. 7.1 analog yes. 7.1 digital ...almost. The problem is that you need 3 things:
1. An HDMI path to sync up the video with the audio
2. A protected HD audio path
3. Playback software to work with the above 2 so the audio is not
downsampled
I am still waiting for the Asus HDMI-equipped Xonar HDAV1.3 sound
cards to appear that apparently will work with Arcsoft’s BD player. If this plays out like it is supposed to, it will be the Holy Grail of HD HTPCs. At that point I would say there is really no reason to buy a stand-alone BD-player unless they go less than $200 and can do everything.
ChrisM @ Jul 6th 2008 10:34AM
MythTV backend in the basement, frontend next to each (4) TV
mcrexx @ Jul 6th 2008 1:20PM
Does a Popcorn Hour hooked up to a NAS filled with TV Shows on DVD count?
serwei @ Jul 7th 2008 3:46AM
got me a laptop instead, via VGA out. Same high res, but no HDCP. I can also work on the laptop via its own screen when needed (like search for subs :)
The difference in cost is minimal, as I got a used Dell 1520 with a 8600MT for a good price. And performance wise is good enough for games, HD, and torrents as a whole.
cckrobinson @ Jul 7th 2008 10:40AM
How about the option:
Used to have one, but I dumped it because they are a pain in the A#@.
CapNJunkie @ Jul 7th 2008 4:10PM
Yes sir, had one for a number of years now and I'm just getting ready to upgrade it again. Use it for TV, DVDs, downloads and Blu Ray and HD DVD that I have on a media server thanks to AnyDVD HD.
Not to mention all my music, weather, RSS feeds and viewing family photos of that recent trip to the largest ball of string in the world !
Fuzzball @ Jul 7th 2008 5:26PM
I marked mine as "Not yet, but I'm aiming to get one.", however I plan on building one if you want to get specific. The pre-built ones I've seen are either overpriced or don't have what I'm looking for.
Nehal @ Jul 7th 2008 6:14PM
Not until I can find one that will tune IPTV, which is what my provider has. I use my PS3 for watching network videos, bluray, and DVD, as well as music and photos. If I had a HTPC that could do all that and replace my STB, I'd be golden.
Ben @ Jul 11th 2008 2:28PM
Got a Mac Mini on HDMI input #6; provides occasional media @ 720p, music, and most importantly, a Delicious Library catalog of many DVDs, CDs, a few HD-DVDs, Bluerays, XBox and XBox 360 titles, PS3 titles, PS2 titles, Gamecube titles and Wii titles. Plus you can do anything else you might want to do on a Mac. We use bluetooth KB and mouse to make running it convenient. Aside from the annoyance of changing batteries now and then, it all works smooth as silk.
Plus it looks *excellent* on our 200+ inch display:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fyngyrz/2531688467/
Alex @ Aug 17th 2008 4:59AM
Been meaning to get one for a while but cant find anything suitable for around the £500 mark, only needs to play 720p. Well 1080p would be nice for when i upgrade my tv... Want something of small form factor, maybe 500gb storage and cool quiet running so can have my torrent client running 24/7! Would be nice to have a freeview digital tuner and recorder built in too. Maybe my price range is restricting....