Author Topic: Share your HTPC Setup (Read 342347 times)

RU9 · « **Reply #870 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 12:38 PM »

Quote from: MAtZTER on Apr 05, 2006 at 10:06 AM

Hi guys,

I have set aside a budget for a CD player. But I am also interested in HTPC, but my priority and budget is allocated for a CD player.

Is there a way that I can convert a HTPC to a good CD player? Say by using a good PC DAC? Is there such a thing in the local market?

I am seriously considering this option. I think it would save me a lot (depends on the cost of the DAC) and I would get both a good CD and DVD player.

Thanks

Hi!

Just got myself a Chainteck AV-710 (P1,400.00) soundcard. Me hirez output. You can extract wav files from your CD and play them using Foobar2000. You can upsample this to 24/96. Kung 2 channel-playback lang ang gusto mo, I suggest this.

more info:

http://www.tipidpc.com/viewitem.php?iid=311285

http://www.tipidpc.com/viewtopic.php?tid=42577&page=1

Louie

jpadua · « **Reply #871 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 03:08 PM »

The HDA Xmystique 7.1 with DDLIve has upgradable opamps which can be replaced by burbrown opamps... thats if you are really interested in DACs inside the soundcard itself. Another card that has upgradable opamps is the HDA Xplosion 7.1 w DTS connect.

The card has diptype removable opamps for all the channels but you can replace only the Left and right if you only want to improve the stereo output.

OPA2134PA is recommended by HDA

MAtZTER · « **Reply #872 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 03:33 PM »

thanks for your replies bros.

Yes, I listen to 2 channel only.

Question: If my receiver has 192khz/24bit DACs in its specs, does that mean it will do the DAC work?

Also another problem I suddenly thought of (for the HTPC/CDP) was that I will be using a projector, so it will be impractical to open the PJ just to see which track is playing. Will the wireless keyboard handle the forward/rewind controls?

RU9 · « **Reply #873 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 04:07 PM »

Quote from: MAtZTER on Apr 05, 2006 at 03:33 PM

thanks for your replies bros.

Yes, I listen to 2 channel only.

Question: If my receiver has 192khz/24bit DACs in its specs, does that mean it will do the DAC work?

Yes, use the optical out of the soundcard.

Kato · « **Reply #874 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 04:27 PM »

Quote from: MAtZTER on Apr 05, 2006 at 03:33 PM

Also another problem I suddenly thought of (for the HTPC/CDP) was that I will be using a projector, so it will be impractical to open the PJ just to see which track is playing. Will the wireless keyboard handle the forward/rewind controls?

Hey Matz, you can use a secondary display like a small LCD/TV monitor or if you're using an HTPC with a VFD panel, you can program it to display the tracks or other media info.

For control, you can use an IR multimedia remote (or use your universal learning remote) or a wireless keyboard. Like I'll be using an Adesso RF keyboard with touchpad (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00083Y0YG/), which is perfect for me since I also plan to use the HTPC for surfing and other stuff while laying on the sofa. Technically, I'll be using my 43" Sony RPTV as a huge monitor, but of course, mainly for viewing HD videos.

For serious audio, I'd still recommend an external DAC (like your receiver's, etc.). Otherwise, if you're looking for an all-in-one-box high-end solution, I'd recommend professional sound cards from Lynx Studio (www.lynxstudio.com). They make professional sound cards used in many recording studios for mastering many of the CD's we have today. These are expensive though (USD 1,000 and up).

Looks like sabay-sabay tayo nila Ricky with our HTPC projects ah. Sabay na kayo ni Ricky mag shopping.

MAtZTER · « **Reply #875 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 04:41 PM »

Quote from: Kato on Apr 05, 2006 at 04:27 PM

Hey Matz, you can use a secondary display like a small LCD/TV monitor or if you're using an HTPC with a VFD panel, you can program it to display the tracks or other media info.

For control, you can use an IR multimedia remote or a wireless keyboard. Like I'll be using an Adesso RF keyboard with touchpad (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00083Y0YG/), which is perfect for me since I also plan to use the HTPC for surfing and other stuff while laying on the sofa. Technically, I'll be using my 43" Sony RPTV as a huge monitor, but of course, mainly for viewing HD videos.

For serious audio, I'd still recommend an external DAC. Otherwise, if you're looking for an all-in-one-box high-end solution, I'd recommend professional sound cards from Lynx Studio (www.lynxstudio.com). They make professional sound cards used in many recording studios for mastering many of the CD's we have today. These are expensive though (USD 1,000 and up).

Looks like sabay-sabay tayo nila Ricky with our HTPC projects ah. Sabay na kayo ni Ricky mag shopping.

Yikes! I am allergic to more spending, so $1k sound card and small LCD monitor is out of the question

.

But the wireless keyboard solution is a relief.

Thanks bro. It looks like an external DAC is the solution to my problem now $:-\$

Baka di ako makasabay. I still have to priritize audio for now than video, I already have an upconverting player.

Kato · « **Reply #876 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 04:43 PM »

I almost have all the ingredients for my HTPC. Last things on my shopping list:

1. HEC WinPower 480w (or 550w) Power Supply
2. A really nice black HTPC Case

I can't seem to find any retailers who have those (or have them in stock). Help, please?

I wanna start cookin'!!!

Kato · « **Reply #877 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 04:51 PM »

Quote from: MAtZTER on Apr 05, 2006 at 04:41 PM

Yaiks! I am allergic to more spending, so $1k sound card and small LCD monitor is out of the question .

But the wireless keyboard solution is a relief.

Thanks bro. It looks like an external DAC is the solution to my problem now $:-\$

Baka di ako makasabay. I still have to priritize audio for now than video, I already have an upconverting player.

LOL!

Yeah, I'd settle for an Xmystique as Jpadua suggested.

You can also try the BTC Wireless Keyboard (saw them in Octagon Megamall too), but it uses a small joystick, which I personally find cumbersome to use if you plan on using your HTPC other than playing videos/music. Unfortunately, the Adesso is the only cheapest RF Wireless Keyboard with built-in touchpad around (at USD 86

). I think there are also some keyboards with built-in track balls, but again, they're awkward to use.

Kato · « **Reply #878 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 04:56 PM »

Quote from: MAtZTER on Apr 05, 2006 at 04:41 PM

Baka di ako makasabay. I still have to priritize audio for now than video, I already have an upconverting player.

Cool!

What player did you get? Did you get the Oppo? Muntik na kami bumili ni Ricky.

voj · « **Reply #879 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 11:08 PM »

QUESTION:

I assume that you can use your TV as monitor and monitor as TV in a typical HTPC setup, Can you use both? Like the TV showing regular broadcasting or playing downloaded divx and the monitor doing computing stuff?
What do you need to install 2 monitors and 1 TV on an HTPC setup?

I'm looking at a scenario wherein you can transfer to another room and bring your wireless keyboard. Also, what is the limitation in cable length from your PC to a monitor.

Kato · « **Reply #880 on:** Apr 05, 2006 at 11:47 PM »

Quote from: vojdiaz on Apr 05, 2006 at 11:08 PM

QUESTION:

I assume that you can use your TV as monitor and monitor as TV in a typical HTPC setup, Can you use both? Like the TV showing regular broadcasting or playing downloaded divx and the monitor doing computing stuff?
What do you need to install 2 monitors and 1 TV on an HTPC setup?

I'm looking at a scenario wherein you can transfer to another room and bring your wireless keyboard. Also, what is the limitation in cable length from your PC to a monitor.

Yes, you can use both displays/monitors at the same time, limited only by your video card's capacity and features. You can even install extra video cards for additional displays. I've tried 4 displays before using 2 video cards with 2 DVI out on each card, but not for HTPC. I used that setup for a graphics workstation working on video editing and 3D graphics/animation. A similar HTPC setup shouldn't be too different, except for the use of TV tuner(s).

As for DVI cable length, the longest that I've tried is only around 6 meters with no noticable signal loss/degradation. Longer DVI or HDMI cables use thicker/higher-quality wires to compensate for the distance. There are also DVI repeaters/amplifiers available like this one: http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=1207

jpadua · « **Reply #881 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 03:41 AM »

I use dual monitor setup all the time

One is connected to my LCD TV and the other to a VGA monitor... while playing or watching TV, I use the other monitor for computer stuff.... You can switch them too if you prefer to work on the larger (HDTV) monitor and have the video on the smaller monitor.

MAtZTER · « **Reply #882 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 10:36 AM »

Quote from: Kato on Apr 05, 2006 at 04:56 PM

Cool! What player did you get? Did you get the Oppo? Muntik na kami bumili ni Ricky.

I got a GIEC upconverting (component) DVD player that I got last year April. We along with several members (ricky was there) put it head to head with a Denon 1920 and it was still better (by a bit) than the Denon in many (video) aspects. And that was considering the Denon was using HDMI and the GIEC was using component to the PJ.

Back to topic: Why buy Oppo when a HTPC is better? HTPC na lang, definitely. I had another member (pchin) come here so we could compare his HDMI upconverting DVD player vs a PC VGA connection and the PC was definitely better and had higher resolution. We used the LCD TV for reference, not the PJ.

ricky · « **Reply #883 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 11:26 AM »

Really excited na nga,i just hope kasya yung budget ko

Yeah mat,kato and i almost bought an oppo but after some review(and convincing from kato

) I've decided to build a HTPC instead,kahit medyo mahal sya pero atleast future proof na

pati si munskie bubuo na din

Kato im not into gaming so do you think hindi ko na ba kailangan ng separate audio and video card?

will the on-board ones be enough to play 720p,1080p and hd dvds?

sorry ha wala talaga ako alam pa dito,and everytime i try to read things about htpc eh mas nalilito ako kasi mas madami na terms na im not familiar with

For now my idea is to get a fast one with atleast a 250gb hard drive memory and 1gb ram

thanks for your patience guys

Kato · « **Reply #884 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 11:27 AM »

Quote from: MAtZTER on Apr 06, 2006 at 10:36 AM

Back to topic: Why buy Oppo when a HTPC is better? HTPC na lang, definitely. I had another member (pchin) come here so we could compare his HDMI upconverting DVD player vs a PC VGA connection and the PC was definitely better and had higher resolution. We used the LCD TV for reference, not the PJ.

Yeah, amen to that! A computer with a capable video card and relatively fast processor will deliver much better PQ than stand alone players, specially if you use good media players, proper codecs and the right filters (for deinterlacing, upconverting, noise reduction, etc.). Not only because computer-based/generated video is inherently progressive, but imagine all that processing power!

I wanted to get the Oppo for my dad for its outright out-of-the-box convenience, plus it's very affordable considering its features. The advantages of using an HTPC is unquestionable (if done right), specially for tech savvy enthusiasts.

But, there are some who'd prefer the more orthodox ways...

Kato · « **Reply #885 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 11:46 AM »

Quote from: ricky on Apr 06, 2006 at 11:26 AM

Really excited na nga,i just hope kasya yung budget ko Yeah mat,kato and i almost bought an oppo but after some review(and convincing from kato ) I've decided to build a HTPC instead,kahit medyo mahal sya pero atleast future proof na pati si munskie bubuo na din

It wasn't that hard to convince you. You were destined to be one with the force.

Quote from: ricky on Apr 06, 2006 at 11:26 AM

Kato im not into gaming so do you think hindi ko na ba kailangan ng separate audio and video card? will the on-board ones be enough to play 720p,1080p and hd dvds? sorry ha wala talaga ako alam pa dito,and everytime i try to read things about htpc eh mas nalilito ako kasi mas madami na terms na im not familiar with For now my idea is to get a fast one with atleast a 250gb hard drive memory and 1gb ram

Personally, I'd go for a strong video card and sound card. But, don't rush it. Try mo muna yung on-board video/audio components ng board mo and do a blind side-by-side comparison. It's always easy to upgrade to better video/sound cards later on. That's the beauty of the HTPC's expandability. Pag natapos na yung HTPC natin, let's do a blind test with your great gears. I'll be using a GeForce 6600 graphics card and my mobo's on-board 7.1 audio. I'll just upgrade to a better sound card later on as my ears dictate.

For your hard disk, bigger is always better, but if you'll be using your HTPC mainly for HD/DVD/audio playback, you won't need it to be that big. If you'll be installing a TV tuner and will be doing some program recording, then you'll need a huge hard disk. Also, if you'll be using your HTPC like me, for downloading "stuff", you'll definitely need all the hard disk space you can afford.

jpadua · « **Reply #886 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 01:38 PM »

Quote from: ricky on Apr 06, 2006 at 11:26 AM

Really excited na nga,i just hope kasya yung budget ko Yeah mat,kato and i almost bought an oppo but after some review(and convincing from kato ) I've decided to build a HTPC instead,kahit medyo mahal sya pero atleast future proof na pati si munskie bubuo na din

Kato im not into gaming so do you think hindi ko na ba kailangan ng separate audio and video card? will the on-board ones be enough to play 720p,1080p and hd dvds? sorry ha wala talaga ako alam pa dito,and everytime i try to read things about htpc eh mas nalilito ako kasi mas madami na terms na im not familiar with For now my idea is to get a fast one with atleast a 250gb hard drive memory and 1gb ram

thanks for your patience guys

Tama si Kato, start first with onboard, asuming you will be using a motherboard with a capable igp like the 6150 mobos or Xpress200. Then after some time na bitin ka na then thats when you add a videocard or a better soundcard.

Have you chosen a motherboard yet? If you are really concerned with playing HD, 6150 mobos might be a better choice since the IGP is a Geforce6 series that supports pure video HD acceleration, also some 6150 boards have already built in HD-Audio chipsets.

There are many manufacturers to choose from.. just choose whats best for you...

Asus 6150 - DVI only 5.1 (optional bracket required for S-video and Spdif)
Foxconn 6150 - VGA\S-video\7.1 included s-video bracket (optional bracket required for Spdif)
Gigabyte 6150 - VGA\S-video\Component\7.1 included S-video\component breakout box (optional bracket required for Spdif)

The Geforce 7 line has acceleration for h.264 which will be the standard for HD-DVD and Blueray. As of now there is no need yet since matagal pa ma rereplace ang DVDs with HD-DVD and Blueray. By the time those become standard newer video cards will be out.. HDMI video cards. Then again you only really need HDMI video cards when Vista becomes a standard. So again don't look too far ahead. Start with onboard then migrate later on.

As for Xpress200 the dfi rs482 has VGA/DVI/S-video/Component/Spdif all on the back i/o which makes it a good board for everything... No WMV/H.264 hardware acceleration though, 720p and 1080i is playable but with higher CPU usage. For the time being this is sufficient for me since its too early to adopt future HD standards... I will just upgrade the Video card and Soundcard when needed.

Kato · « **Reply #887 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 02:50 PM »

Actually most of the GeForce 6 series already have hardware acceleration support for HD content such as H.264, WMV9, MPEG-2, like the 6600 (http://www.nvidia.com/page/purevideo_support.html). I think the 6600 is the most reasonably priced video card for guaranteed HD viewing and 3D gaming satisfaction.

Ricky, I can almost see the light... malapit na ma-finalize yung shopping list mo. How's this?

A. Motherboard (Socket 939):

Option 1. Gigabyte GA-K8N51PVMT-9 with HD video and HD audio support
Option 2. Asus A8N-VM CSM with HD video and HD audio support
Option 3. DFI RS482 Infinity (5.5K)

B. Processor (Socket 939):

Option 1. AMD Athlon64 3000+ (7K)
Option 2. AMD Athlon64 3200+ (9.5K)
Option 3. AMD Athlon64 3500+ Venice (12.1K)

C. Memory

Option 1. 1 GB Geil Dual Channel DDR 400 184-pin (4.6K)
Option 2. 1 GB Kingston DDR 400 184-pin (5K)
Option 3. 1 GB PQI DDR 400 184-pin (4.5K)

D. Hard Disk

Option 1. 80 GB Seagate SATA 7200 RPM (3.3K)
Option 2. 200 GB Seagate SATA 7200 RPM (5.3K)
Option 3. 250GB Seagate SATA 7200 RPM (6K, care of JPadua)

E. Optical Drive

Option 1. Liteon SOHW-1635S (3.4K)
Option 2. LG Collins 16x GSA-4167B (2.6K)
Option 3. Benq 1640 (recommended by JPadua)

F. Casing

Option 1. Antec P180 ATX Tower Case (recommended by JPadua)
Option 2. HTPC Case (you may want one with a VFD)

G. CPU Cooler

Option 1. Scythe Ninja coupled with a 120mm fan (recommended by JPadua)
Option 2. Zalman 9600 (?)

H. Power Supply

Option 1. HEC 550w WinPower HEC-550TW-ATF (4.2K)

I. Miscellaneous/Optional Components

- Sapphire Theatrix TV Tuner (4.3K, care of JPadua)
- BTC RF Wireless Keyboard (2K+)
- Adesso RF Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad (4.5K+)
- IR Multimedia Remote (?)
- HD video card
- HD sound card

ricky · « **Reply #888 on:** Apr 06, 2006 at 04:05 PM »

Jpadua and kato, you guys are really cool

Im trying to review the list kato and take the pricing into consideration para mafinalize na

jpadua · « **Reply #889 on:** Apr 07, 2006 at 06:47 PM »

Hardware mpeg2 with dual tuners and built-in purevideo technology in the encoder!

NVIDIA has applied its renowned PureVideo™ technology to the DualTV tuner enabling the highest possible picture quality on a PC to date. In addition to PureVideo, the NVIDIA DualTV tuner features:

* 3D comb filter—to create high-quality color separations and enhance image detail.
* 3D noise reduction hardware—to clean up the signal, thus removing artifacts.
* In-line TV amplifier—to boost weak signals.
* Multi-stream hardware encoder—to record crystal clear TV shows with low CPU utilization.

In addition to these picture-quality enhancing features, the NVIDIA DualTV tuner carries the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) certification, signifying that it meets ISF standards for home theater-quality television tuning and recording. Since 1994, ISF has provided comprehensive testing and certification of performance quality, and a publicly recognized logo program for high-end consumer electronics products that consumers identify with superior quality.

Checkout the press release here...
http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_30696.html

-------------------------------

Now time to wait for locally distributed manufacturers (inno3d, Palit, etc.) start creating a product using this hardware....

agmjr · « **Reply #890 on:** Apr 10, 2006 at 11:25 AM »

sir,
i was surfing the net and came across this case...
http://www.coolermaster.com/index.php?LT=english&Language_s=2&url_place=product&p_serial=RC-260&other_title=RC-260CM%20Media%20260
any thoughts on this? magkano kaya ito dito? the phil distributor is yet to respond to my email...

bote · « **Reply #891 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 01:15 PM »

I scoured the Cyberzone stores in SM City and found no mobo with 6150 chipset.

jpadua · « **Reply #892 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 02:09 PM »

Quote from: bote on Apr 11, 2006 at 01:15 PM

I scoured the Cyberzone stores in SM City and found no mobo with 6150 chipset.

Asus and Foxconn 6150 mobos are available here in the philippines by special order look for distros and give them a call ask where you can get one... normally stores wont stock them due to limited market...

jpadua · « **Reply #893 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 02:44 PM »

Hi Ricky how's your build going?

bote · « **Reply #894 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 06:28 PM »

Quote from: jpadua on Apr 11, 2006 at 02:09 PM

Asus and Foxconn 6150 mobos are available here in the philippines by special order look for distros and give them a call ask where you can get one... normally stores wont stock them due to limited market...

Hi JP. Wala ba equivalent yun in terms of HD processing sa Intel? Thanks.

jpadua · « **Reply #895 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 09:35 PM »

Quote from: bote on Apr 11, 2006 at 06:28 PM

Hi JP. Wala ba equivalent yun in terms of HD processing sa Intel? Thanks.

Pwede naman ang intel, wala lang ako masyadong alam sa intel ngayon, been with AMD for the past few years.... I think heat parin ang kalaban with intel chips. Athlon64s runs cooler talaga compared to intels.

ricky · « **Reply #896 on:** Apr 11, 2006 at 11:00 PM »

Quote from: jpadua on Apr 11, 2006 at 02:44 PM

Hi Ricky how's your build going?

Sir Jpadua up to now undecided pa din po ako what to get

, INTEL ba or ATHLON

as for the rest medyo may idea na ako,yun na lang kung magkano final cost para matuloy na. Sir how much po ba yung Benq 1640,antec p180 and yung Scythe ninja na cpu cooler?

bote · « **Reply #897 on:** Apr 12, 2006 at 05:38 AM »

Quote from: jpadua on Apr 11, 2006 at 09:35 PM

Pwede naman ang intel, wala lang ako masyadong alam sa intel ngayon, been with AMD for the past few years.... I think heat parin ang kalaban with intel chips. Athlon64s runs cooler talaga compared to intels.

Hi again JP. Pero I checked speed of Athlons parang mas mababa compared to intel but more expensive. Btw Athlon din ako xp nga lang as of now.

ricky · « **Reply #898 on:** Apr 12, 2006 at 09:54 AM »

Quote from: bote on Apr 12, 2006 at 05:38 AM

Hi again JP. Pero I checked speed of Athlons parang mas mababa compared to intel but more expensive. Btw Athlon din ako xp nga lang as of now.

Tama ka mang eddie, mas medyo mahal athlon at slower speeds pa compared to intel, consider ko lang din sabi ni sir jpadua na may heat issues yung intel

Sir jpadua i think you know my brother-in-law,si glenn na bassist

jpadua · « **Reply #899 on:** Apr 12, 2006 at 02:13 PM »

Thats true... but the way the athlon is marketed is different. Athlon64 are actually much faster than their intel counterparts.... for example a P4 3.2GHz is an equivalent of a Athlon64 3200+ in performance but the actual running speed of an athlon64 3200 is only 2.2GHz. Intel needs more speed to run at the same performance level. Thats also essentially why intel CPUs run hotter than Athlon64s. Athlon64s also have cool and quiet, which actually lowers your temp when the PC is not in full load.. sometimes, the CPU gets so cool, the fan will automatically stop since its not needed and turn on again when cpu loads up again.

Intels are good no doubt... but for HTPC / Media PCs I really prefer Athlon64s... for Workstations and Graphics editing, Video production intels are preferred because of raw power. So if you are building an HTPC A64s really fit the bill.