HTPC show and tell

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92 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 122274 9-Apr-2008 10:58
Cheers it was actually quite reasonable from a place called canary furniture in Chch. THere was origionally a drawer in the middle bottom hole so I am still working on the company who makes them to get a proper shelf made to tidy it up as its a little messy close up.

Disrespective

975 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 123055 12-Apr-2008 15:17
Well, afer seeing this thread i thought it only fair to post my system. I've quite enjoyed seeing how others have their gear set up. Helps to throw other ideas into my mind. File server: Silverstone TJ07 Gigabyte K8N SLI Platinum AMD Athlon X2 3800+ 4GB Generic DDR400 RAM 2.75TB Various 500GB and 250GB drives MSI 6600GT PCIe 256mb TV Server: Silverstone LC16M (silver... i know, i got it for a steal so couldn't choose) Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H AMD Phenom 9500 2GB DDR2 8500 Crucial Ballistix Trace 500GB Western Digital HDD Gagabyte 8600GT (silent cooler version) Hauppauge Nova-T 500 Hauppauge PVR 500 (I might drop this and put the Audigy 2 ZS back in, but will see how the onbaord audio goes for a time first) Audio gear: Standard Sony 5.1 Compnent system (can't remember the exact model right now and am at work) 150W front speaker pair, 80W rear speaker pair, 80W center (never used as the center channel on the component system is a bit troublesome) 120W sub. TV: Samsung 42" Plasma PS42Q9 (capable of 720p only, but sure is sexy) Misc Gear: Wii console and a few games, not used as much as i would have hoped i would... should really get some more time in my day to just play games. Harmony 785 Universal remote fully mapped to work with the iMon IR receiver in the case. I'm in the process of fabricating a custom TV stand and gear cabinet from some old Rimu floorboards i have lying around so it's been good to see how others have their gear set up. And the pic: www.archimage.co.nz psn: PabloNZ

Etacovda

29 posts

Geek

Reply # 123069 12-Apr-2008 17:04
is that a fluo tube sculpture or an actual working light (or neither, lol) - thats pretty damn cool. Im currently looking to do the same re: recycled rimu, have an old wardrobe that i made into a nice desk that needs to change form for a 3rd time...

Disrespective

975 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 123077 12-Apr-2008 17:33
It's a floor standing (or hanging i guess) light fixture i've made. Inside it is a single 1200mm long fluoro tube to light it and the external tubes are used to diffusse the light down. It's handy to use when watching movies and there is light needed as it gives off a warmer light than the bulbs in the ceiling. I need to make some nice end caps to hold the tubes in place and do some wiring to hide the lit tubes mounts on each end, but that's for a rainy day. www.archimage.co.nz psn: PabloNZ

Etacovda

29 posts

Geek

Reply # 123107 12-Apr-2008 20:04
its very cool, i do like it. Id post a picture of my htpc set up, but theres not much to it at present!

Nety

2553 posts

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Reply # 123330 14-Apr-2008 08:23
Disrespective: TV Server: Silverstone LC16M (silver... i know, i got it for a steal so couldn't choose) Gagabyte 8600GT (silent cooler version) So did you have any problems with the length of the video card and the optical drive? My 7800GT has the power plug on the end of the card which interfered with the optical drive. Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

Disrespective

975 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 123395 14-Apr-2008 13:50
Nope, no issues with the card length at all. I don't remember what optical drive i have in there but i don't think it's a short version. www.archimage.co.nz psn: PabloNZ

Nety

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Reply # 123396 14-Apr-2008 13:58
Disrespective: Nope, no issues with the card length at all. I don't remember what optical drive i have in there but i don't think it's a short version. So is there a power plug on the end of the video card or does it not have one/it is mounted a different way? Also what 8600 card is it? Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

Disrespective

975 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 123464 14-Apr-2008 18:20
No extra power plug as no extra power is needed with an 8600GT And as for which 8600 it is ;) Nety: Disrespective: TV Server: Silverstone LC16M (silver... i know, i got it for a steal so couldn't choose) Gagabyte 8600GT (silent cooler version) So did you have any problems with the length of the video card and the optical drive? My 7800GT has the power plug on the end of the card which interfered with the optical drive. www.archimage.co.nz psn: PabloNZ

1gkar

720 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 125931 23-Apr-2008 17:31
Okay, I was forced to upgrade my HTPC: another story told elsewhere. My new specs are: HTPC Case: Silverstone LS14 Mobo: Gigabyte GA-M56S-S3 CPU: AMD 4800+ (AM2 Socket) -stock cooler Video Card: Asus EN9500GT 512 Silent/Magic Hauppauge HVR-2200 DVT-T Tuner Hauppauge 150MCE Analogue Tuner PSU: Silverstone NF400s -at present: may be issue with it. All rest of hardware/software same as in original HTPC, except Mediaportal which will be RC1. Why did I go with Asus : I have nothing but issues with their products. This card will NOT display an image on my 29" CRT Sony TV until Windows is loaded. No POST & that means no Ghost (ver. 3) display. I have to blackout my room & fire up the pojector for backups. When it is going, I have to manually adjust the flicker filter inside the Nvidia Control Panel everytime the PC restarts as it resets itself. Finally, I am one of many who cannot access their poxy website due to runtime errors on my desktop. At least my new HTPC can. Silverstone LC14 HTPC Case/Intel E4600 CPU/GA-EP35-DS3 MOBO/Asus EN9500GT graphics/2GB RAM/total 2TB HDD space/HVR-2200 & 2X 150MCE tuner cards/LG GGC-H20L BD Drive/MCE2005/Mediaportal/TVServer 1.1.0Final/LG 55"3D LED-TV/Denon AVR-1803 receiver/X1 projector

rhysb

415 posts

Ultimate Geek

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Reply # 131741 19-May-2008 12:06
Updated my post with the new additions to my setup. Finally got a decent screen a 52" Full-HD LCD, added a Bluray drive and a new Logitech Dinovo Mini remote keyboard.

peteinakl

21 posts

Geek

Reply # 134629 31-May-2008 17:28
Yum!

gehenna

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Reply # 136695 9-Jun-2008 16:12
Well I finally got round to making some changes over the weekend. I got a new Silverstone LC16M case on special from Ascent. Added a Liteon Blu-ray drive and another 750GB hard drive. Oh and I managed to get a PCI-e SATA RAID card which I've just used for 2 extra SATA ports (only 4 on the motherboard). It also has an extra IDE and two e-sata ports. Here's the case installed - a camera flash seems to highlight all imperfections doesn't it! Better get the duster out!: So in there is a HVR-3000 (not hooked up yet) and a PVR150 for Saturn. 2GB DDR800 memory. 4x 750GB, 1x 500GB, 1x 250GB and 1x 80GB drives all SATA2. A Fatal1ty XFX Nvidia 8600GT silent GPU and a 520W Cooler Master silent PSU. VFD is all hooked up, but I'm using the MCE remote not the Silverstone one. All the front buttons are working. I then installed the Liteon BDROM drive which went without a hitch. With no VMC integration for HD discs yet I shelled out for Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre....chucks an icon on the Media Center menu and runs the disc seamlessly: I've also got an Xbox 360 HD DVD drive that was sitting idle, was hooked up to the Xbox but thought what the hell, and gave it a whirl on the VMC... Works perfectly too, all from the Media Center menu So that's about it. All running at 720p until I can afford a 42" + full HD display. Hopefully this year sometime :)

Nety

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Reply # 136734 9-Jun-2008 18:29
So how may BR disks have you tried? I had heard of people having issues with playing BR disks but sounds like Total media thearter might be a go... So the MCE remote controls the BR disks no problem? Does it flick out of media centre to play the BR disk and does it have the same look an feel? Not sure if I would bother go full 1080p with a 42" screen.. general consensus is that at normal viewing distances you can't see the difference until you get to 50"... Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

gehenna

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Reply # 136743 9-Jun-2008 18:48
Nety: So how may BR disks have you tried? I had heard of people having issues with playing BR disks but sounds like Total media thearter might be a go... So the MCE remote controls the BR disks no problem? Does it flick out of media centre to play the BR disk and does it have the same look an feel? Not sure if I would bother go full 1080p with a 42" screen.. general consensus is that at normal viewing distances you can't see the difference until you get to 50"... Yep I'm aware of the +/- of screen size vs resolution. I've tried a couple of disks: 300, Superbad, and Black Hawk Down. All of them played with no issues. I'm using AnyDVDHD to sort out some HDCP issues (there's a link in the chain somewhere even though all my gear is compliant). When you insert a disc into the internal drive (blu-ray) it just sits there until you choose to run it, or you can have it auto-run - i don't like auto-run though. When I manually select BD/HD from the VMC menu it automagically runs the TotalMedia Theatre application. This is clearly a 3rd party app but it's not like flicking back and forth from VMC to the desktop - focus is kept and the TotalMedia app just overlays on top of VMC. The remote controls all commands within the app, and to choose from BD or HD DVD drive I just press the "i" button to bring up a context menu as I would within VMC. I go to settings, change the drive letter to look at, and click ok. it then plays the other drive. I can choose different audio output types easily as well. And all the disc menus are easily navigated To bring up the popup menu's in the disc you have to press "i" then select popup, it then pops up :) easy as that. top level menu is accessed the same way. When I want to go back to VMC i just press the back arrow. No flashes or anything i'm just back in VMC. It's really quite impressive.

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