Jim, I have a computer I could use to do this so aside from a TV card, what all do I need to do this? I mean do you just run a good sound card and put the outputs to the suround sound unit? and the vid card out to the TV? also is there any windows software that can do this also? I am not very good with linux, or is the linux pretty much plug and go :rolleyes:

Steve

Steve, I think the TV Tuner with remote control is all you need. It comes with the Windows software required to watch DVD's and download TV listsings from the Net and record TV programs like a VCR but with more features. While watching any TV show, you can pause, go to the bathroom, return and continue where you left off (I assume this is because the show is stored on the hard disk while you have paused it). You connect your TV straight to the TV tuner itself. As for audio, you'll get an audio cable that goes from the TV tuner to your soundcard. Buy a TV tuner that supports stereo. Some cheaper cards like the ATI TV Wonder VE only support mono audio.

The more I search the net, the more HTPC's I find. This is a real trend. Why pay $900 for a DVD recorder w/ HD from Futureshop (for example) when you can build a HTPC for less that does more)

Here are just a few more pics out of the hundreds of HTPC's out there. If we find that the VIA 1.2Ghz CPUs are too slow, there are now mini-itx sized P4 motherboards that we can use in the cases below instead. The pictures below are just fancy cases. Any old PIII (or better) PC can do the same thing.


http://www.mini-itx.com/link.asp?sit...tory0161fL.jpg

http://www.ahanix.com/items/micromini/micromini_01.jpg

http://www.epiacenter.com/bilder/new...wer_new5_s.jpg

http://hoojum.com/albums/oem/gallery_1.jpg

http://hoojum.com/jpgs/c3_3_800.jpg

Here is a quick look at the drivespace I have assigned to my PVR I built.

Mount total Used Avail
MythTV 506G 297G 209G 59% /mnt/store
Captured_Video 29G 18G 9.8G 65% /var/lib/mythvideo

I do all my recordings across to a file server. I use NFS. My PVR frontend does not hav emuch drive space..

Sam.. Have you done anything with this yet?

No, I haven't done anything yet. My first choice was to get the Cubit3 case straight from Hoojum and then buy the internals locally (since the case is not available anywhere else). However, the costs of just the case, powersupply, and shipping, is about $700 before tax. So then I have to add the motherboard, hard drive, RAM, etc and the cost would be over $1,200 for a Cubit3 which is basically a Celeron 1.2Ghz equivalent .

So then I looked at the Hush and that starts at $1,000 for the basic system as well.

Since a basic P4 2.4Ghz complete systems (wo monitor) can be had for <$400, I'm not keen on getting these fancy mini-itx systems. I would rather buy the internals and get a cheap case.

Check this out. Its a mini-itx PC in a breadbox. :biggrin: Now, that's a CHEAP case. Total price of the system: $284US.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/module...rtid=42&page=1

http://www.silentpcreview.com/files/...dbox/final.jpg

Some other neat systems:


Cookie Box

http://www.epiacenter.com/images/pro...uit_tin/17.jpg

Toaster PC

http://www.epiacenter.com/images/pro...c/Image018.jpg

Hummer PC

http://www.epiacenter.com/bilder/projects/h2-itx/34.gif

SamW, you gone anywhere with this yet? the reason I ask is I just picked up a PIII450 for 20 bucks and was thinking of turning it into one of these if it is powerfull enuf.

Steve

Hi Steve.

Wow, good deal for your PIII.

I have finalized the spec of my HTPC. But money is tight right now. :) I'm just waiting for my next paycheque or 2. :)

I'm still going with the Mini-Itx hardware. I'm going to be getting the EPIA MII-12000 (Equivalent to Celeron 1.2Ghz). The only place in Canada that sells it right now that I can find is at Koonline. http://www.koonline.net/detail.aspx?ID=213

For some reason, this MB/CPU is hard to find in N. America. They are easy to get in Europe however.

The case I'm going to get is the Silverstone LC-06 or 05. This is my 2nd choice behind the Hoojum cube but its half the price. It should look good in the living room. http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-lc06.htm

what are you using for a tv decoder card? I am looking at the hauppauge WinTV-PVR-350 myself but I am undecided on sound as of yet.. I have a dolby digital 6.1 system so I gues thats what I need in a card also.

Steve

I don't know exactly yet but I know that you can't really go wrong with Hauppauge nor Leadtek

http://www.videohelp.com/capturecard...&Search=Search

Most people tend to hate the ATI cards.

The EPIA MII has built in MPEG2 hardware so I'm guessing that I don't need to buy a TV card with that feature.

ya the hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 is a real popular one but it only had a Mpeg2 encoader, the hauppauge WinTV-PVR-350 has both the Mpeg 2 encoder, and decoder plus it has built in fm radio. from what I have read so far these two seam to be the two most recomended ones.

Steve

Steve, the PIII should work well.

I just turned my old Dell Dimension 4100 into one using the Hauppauge WindTV-PVR-250 card. I upgraded the RAM to 512MB and put another fan in there for cooling. So far so good.

I still need to upgrade the hard-drive as the one I have in there is only 30GB. Decided to go for an external hard drive instead as the old Dell only has a CDburner and no DVD burner (my new computers have DVD burners). Planning to build one and am waiting for the drive and HD enclosure to arrive.