Hi Geov
Thanks a lot for your advice. Well, below is the text for my profile which I am hoping to post by the end of the week.
A little background
Perhaps a little info about myself will go a long way in shedding some light on where am coming from.
Well, I am a freelance web developer based in Kampala the capital of Uganda. For those who have never heard about Uganda, it’s a small East African nation of about 30 million. Though little known to the outside world, Uganda is a tourist paradise, endowed with beautiful natural vegetation, abundant wildlife including the endangered mountain gorillas and shoe-billed stock. Most of all Uganda is a country rich in cultural heritage.
Most people will remember the 70’s when Uganda was known for the notorious dictator Idi Amin. More recently, Uganda was a country at the verge of being wiped out by the HIV/ADIS endemic. All that is in the past and Uganda is once again on the path to prosperity.
Living in a developing nation like Uganda is quite a challenge.
Am not saying that there is a shortage of opportunities, but to make it financially, one needs to overcome several hurdles including corruption, nepotism, extended families and to some degree political prejudice.
As a web developer living and working in Kampala, resources are quite limited.
My current set up
My current entertainment system has served several years and is due for an overhaul. Despite the lo-tech set up, the system has served its master to the best of its limited ability.
Visuals
At the moment, my visuals are coming out of a 21” Sony CRT TV with a flat screen.
Basically, the main sources of content are a simple Sony DVD player and a digital satellite receiver.
Sounds
I have a huge MP3 collection backed up on CD-Rs. Some of my music dates back to the days of Napster. Over time, CD-Rs develop scratches and some other physical damage to the surface. I guess I have lost at least 50% of my music collection over the last couple of years. A large percentage of my music collection is saved on my 30GB Ipod video. Before I upgraded from the stock Ipod ear buds, I didn’t enjoy listening to the Ipod that much. After upgrading to Sennheiser CX300s, my listening experience has improved dramatically.
When am not on the road, I have the Ipod docked to the Aiwa shelf system. The Ipod dock came with a credit-card size remote which makes it convenient to use the Ipod at home.
The Aiwa shelf system has only 2 AUX inputs which are shared by the satellite box, Ipod dock and DVD player. It’s quite inconveniencing fumbling to the back of the system to change cables. Despite the inconveniences, the sound from the Aiwa is fairly decent. I have had this system for over 6 years.
Remote controls
I have a Sony RM-AV3000 which controls the TV, DVD player and Aiwa system.
The credit card size remote controls the Ipod (when docked)
I have a third remote for the satellite box. I am unable to program the satellite and Ipod remotes into the Sony. I hope some day I will be able to replace all the remotes by the Sony.
My dream set up
I have a 6 year old Compaq PC with a 1.7GHz processor, a paltry 256MB of RAM, 40GB hard drive running windows XP with service pack 2. Obviously these specs are too low to run Media Portal. I have tried to run media portal on the Compaq with disastrous results.
Since there is no possibility of upgrading the processor and main board, am keeping my expectations at a minimum
My plan is to upgrade the current PC with the following components:
- A proper HTPC case
- Upgrade the RAM to 1 GB
- A 250 GB hard drive to hold my huge MP3 collection and DIVX movies. The 40GB drive will be reserved for the operating system and other software applications.
- A new optical drive
- SPDIF/digital soundcard
- High end video card
- Remote controller (Am looking at two possibilities; the Logitech Wireless DJ and Imon remote)
- A TV card that can accept the signal from my satellite provider (Multi-choice DSTV)
Visuals
I have my eyes set on a 42” plasma/LCD TV. I have no particular brand in mind. However, I have some basic minimum specs for the TV i.e 1080P signal compatibility, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, at least 2 HDMI ports, pixel shifting technology in case of a plasma display to cater for screen burn-in, and a wall mount bracket.
Sound
I am expecting a JBL sound system and Pioneer receiver. I bought these items second-hand on eBay in December of 2007. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford air shipping so am waiting for the container to arrive in Kampala any moment. The 5.1 JBL sound system is rated at 100w per channel plus a 150W powered sub woofer. Am sure the sound from this system will impress.
Other accessories/hardware
The Stormak TV unit from IKEA looks great. I love the silver colour scheme. It will complement my new set up.
Conclusion
I am hoping to develop a decent home entertainment system on a budget. Should resources allow in the near future, I will definitely go all out and develop a more advanced rig. For now, am making do with the resources at hand. |