Topic: Need advice on my HTPC Setup (Tips, Tweaks and Recommendation)

[reynold]

Hello mga Brader,

I know there are already some existing tips, tweaks, recommendations, suggestions, etc. on how to improve someones HTPC setups in some threads here but i don't have time to open each thread and read every pages on that thread, masyadong kakain ng napakalaking oras para sa akin... I have an existing PC which i can convert into HTPC na, pero i would like to ask for some tweaks, tips, recommendations, suggestions on how to improve and maximize my existing PC... ngayon palang ako magse-setup ng HTPC ko and i hope you can help me... TIA


here's my PC specs

OS:                windows7 Ultimate Edition (32bit)
MotherBoard:   gigabyte g31m-es2c
Processor:       intel c2d 7200
Memory:         Team Elite 4gig (ddr2 800) (2x 2gig)
Video Card:     Palit 9800GT 1gig/256bit ddr3
PSU:              Gigabyte Superb 550P (450watts/550w peak)
Hard Disk:       320gig seagate 7200rpm
                     500gig Samsung
Optical Drive:   LG DVD Writer
...plus mouse and keyboard (wired)


1. Im using windows media player and vlc for playing movies
2. Im planning to connect it to my PJ Samsung SP-M250s  (can be connected via VGA or HDMI)
3. Im also planning to connect it to my A/V Receiver via coax/optical


Suggest lang kayo mga brader on how am i going to improve my HTPC ha

[Wildfire™]

brader you should try xbmc.

your pc spec is sufficient enough but i suggest getting a bigger capacity hard drive.

also for the sound card, onboard sound card can produce static noise better get an asus sonar or creative sound card

[reynold]

brader you should try xbmc.

your pc spec is sufficient enough but i suggest getting a bigger capacity hard drive.

also for the sound card, onboard sound card can produce static noise better get an asus sonar or creative sound card

xbmc is an application (software) for media playing, right?
I'll try to look for that soundcard.

Thanks brader wildfire

[Wildfire™]

also if your video card has a hdmi it can pass audio signal and you wont need a sound card anymore

[reynold]

also if your video card has a hdmi it can pass audio signal and you wont need a sound card anymore

the problem is, i don't have a receiver with HDMI...

[Clondalkin]

Reynold hindi PA big problem ang lack of HDMI port sa receiver.

Yung SPDIF/optical out ng PC mo, just connect it to the A1 via optical cable.  Install AC3filter (freeware) and set-it up correctly to passthrough DTS/DD.  Sufficient na yung on-board sound if you are simply passing through because the A1 will take care of the sound quality.   Pero kung output mo lang ay stereo via a PC speaker or headphone, mas maganda ang tunog ng dedicated soundcard like Creative (cheapest) or kung kaya ng budget, yung mga Onkyo or Xonar.

For MKV and most types of files, install KMPlayer, MPC.  I personally dont like jukebox stuff like XBMC because they are resource hogs.  Very efficient na codec ang CoreAVC but the latest versions of the freeware FFDSHOW DXVA Video Decoder is very very very nice!

For pure BD rips, BD-ISO and DVDs and ISO, use TMT3 or PowerDVD Ultra (at least version 7.0).  Both of these software players can be hardware accelerated - very very important for smooth playback of BDs especially.

Get nice contents - the really nice ones that you can magnify on your PJ.  
 

[reynold]

Great tips sir Clondalkin, noted lahat ng sinabi mo

followup question sir Clondalkin...

1. kahit alin sa dalawa ba (KMPlayer or PowerDVD Ultra)? Or kailangan ko silang dalawa na i-install?
2. CoreAVC for efficient codec or FFDSHOW DXVA video decoder (or pareho ko sila i-install)?

Thanks

[Clondalkin]

1. kahit alin sa dalawa ba (KMPlayer or PowerDVD Ultra)? Or kailangan ko silang dalawa na i-install?
2. CoreAVC for efficient codec or FFDSHOW DXVA video decoder (or pareho ko sila i-install)?

1.  KMP can play almost any file extension (mkv, wmv, mp4, fs4, avi, xxx) except the pure BD Structures, BD ISOs and DVD ISO.  That's why I also have the PowerDVD Ultra installed - but I've been using TMT3 more recently.  BTW, you also need a mounting software (for BD ISO's and ISOs).   Freeware lang yon so no problem at all.

2.  I suggest that you install both and see for yourself which performs better on a specific file.   Some people say having more than 1 codec may cause one to conflict with the other but hindi naman in my experience. You can toggle between the two external video codecs any time you want.  This is important because although CoreAVC appears to be generally more efficient, FFDShow DXVA image looks more pleasing.  So kung kaya rin lang ng FFDSHOW ang smooth playback, why not.  Tapos, when you play around with various splitters (Halli, Gabest, etc.) other than the internal one, you may encounter certain splitters conflicting with certain codecs.  With CoreAVC and FFDShow installed but used only one at a time, I feel totally covered whatever bizarre file I encounter..

[reynold]

Noted sir

Ano po yung mounting software (for BD ISO's and ISOs)? ano name nung software at bakit po kailangan ng mounting softwares? Thanks

[praktikal]

Clondalkin is the name! period. 

malaking tulong sa akin ang mga tips nya noon esp that kmp. kaso lang ngayon, gamit na lang ng anak ko kasi may m8r na hehe...

[Clondalkin]

Ano po yung mounting software (for BD ISO's and ISOs)? ano name nung software at bakit po kailangan ng mounting softwares? Thanks

It's a disk emulator software.  Im using Virtual Clone Drive para compatible pati BD ISO. If you are only interested with DVD ISOs, puede na ang Daemon Tools.

What this utility does essentially is to FOOL the media player that a real disk is inserted in a drive, but in reality, it is only a virtual drive and the ISO file is simply stored somewhere in your HDD.  Same concept na when you insert a DVD sa DVD tray or a BD on a BD tray, the DVD or BD player will automatically start.  Naughty but clever utility isn't it?   

[wengkapre]

Here's the guide for setting up kmp + coreavc brader reynold:
http://imouto.my/configuring-kmplayer-to-play-h-264-videos-using-microsofts-directx-video-acceleration-dxva-and-nvidias-compute-unified-device-architecture-cuda/

hth

[reynold]

It's a disk emulator software.  Im using Virtual Clone Drive para compatible pati BD ISO. If you are only interested with DVD ISOs, puede na ang Daemon Tools.

What this utility does essentially is to FOOL the media player that a real disk is inserted in a drive, but in reality, it is only a virtual drive and the ISO file is simply stored somewhere in your HDD.  Same concept na when you insert a DVD sa DVD tray or a BD on a BD tray, the DVD or BD player will automatically start.  Naughty but clever utility isn't it?  

I see, yun pala yung mounting software na yun, ang galing!
Thanks Sir

Here's the guide for setting up kmp + coreavc brader reynold:
http://imouto.my/configuring-kmplayer-to-play-h-264-videos-using-microsofts-directx-video-acceleration-dxva-and-nvidias-compute-unified-device-architecture-cuda/

hth

Nice, Thanks brader

[nerveblocker]

I am presently using KMPlayer+coreAVC but I cannot output DD/DTS through HDMI. I was using VLC before and I was able to achieve this but with KMP, only stereo sound comes out of the HDMI connection.  In the meantime, I am using the optical output of my MOBO to get DD/DTS from KMP.  Is there a way that I can output DD/DTS through HDMi using KMP?

[nerveblocker]

I am presently using KMPlayer+coreAVC but I cannot output DD/DTS through HDMI. I was using VLC before and I was able to achieve this but with KMP, only stereo sound comes out of the HDMI connection.  In the meantime, I am using the optical output of my MOBO to get DD/DTS from KMP.  Is there a way that I can output DD/DTS through HDMi using KMP?

Tried again to change the output to NVIDIA HD Audio from Realtek HD Audio in my Audio Devices and changed the audio source of the HTPC in my receiver to HDMI and voila...5.1 DD/DTS output!

Maybe when I installed KMPlayer and changed the audio settings, I played some files right away without rebooting my PC.  I  should've just simply rebooted my PC first for the settings to take effect.    

[FrancisD]

Sir:

One way to improve quality is upgrade the SPDIF from the onboard motherboard to a soundcard /  DAC digital pass through. For some reason, many people report onboard SPDIF as inferior -

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/478443/spdif-optical-out-for-onboard-sound-vs-discreet-soundcard

I heard one case which shows better SPDIF through soundcard passthrough (my brother's set-up with Asus motherboard I believe). Used a usb based soundcard pass through to receiver and the sound was better. YMMV.

For HT usage (movies) the difference may not be that significant (the effects don't change). But for listening to music (stereo), it may be one of the things to consider in tweaking to get better sound quality.