HTPC: tickets please....

[Ruud]

Hi,

When my VCR died on me in the beginning of 2004, I decided to go the HTPC route. I was done with all appliances that only did part of the trick, and having double functionality in house that did not come to full use (e.g. cd-rom / dvd driver in PC not being used for displaying DVD's).

As it turned out: a new hobby was started.... a lot of time was put into getting the right components, nothing worked out of the box or it worked but was just not ready for the real world.... and that is only the hardware part.
I have fiddled a lot with software, but started with MediaPortal somewhere in april 2004 and never put anything else on my system since then: not only the application itself makes it priceless but also the energy and passion the developers and the community put in!

I have had different setups, wanted to use my HTPC as HTPC but also (simultaneously) as PC: did dual monitors (annoying application pop-ups over the TV screen (primary) when starting some applications) went the virtual route (all other applications in a virtual machine on my secondary monitor).

I always had the 'dream' to combine another hobby of mine, furniture making, with technology.... the idea arose to actually build my own dedicated HTPC in a piece of funiture: this is what is finally created.

Core components HTPC Client:

• Jetway J7F3E Mini-ITX (AMD Geode NX1750)
• Sparkle GeForce 8500GT (PCI) 256MB
• NEC DVD RW NEC AD-7633 8x12xRAM LF Black SLIM SLOT-IN
• Samsung 120GB SATA150 5400rpm, 8MB, HM121HI (2.5")
• 1GB memory
• 80 Watts passive power supply

Input / output:

• ATI remote wonder
• 7" VGA display (clone mode with TV)
• Touchscreen input
• Samsung LE32S72B (D-sub connected at 1360 x 768)
• VNC (for initial configuring and maintenance from other PC)

Switch panel:

• 3 relais and switches independent from HTPC power status to control TV and lights
• 1 relais and switch dependent on HTPC power to power up the amplifier when HTPC is turned on (and vv when turned of)
• power switch HTPC
• multicolor led when power on (different fading colors, took it from a toy of one of my children... I swear that the toy was already broken when I pulled it out )
• Harddisk / DVD activity led

Cooling:
Only CPU has small fan that provides enough flow in the compartment for keeping the temperature at a low enough level (40 degrees Celsius at most). On the back I have created two holes with black caps (not sure how you call these in English) that are normally used to have cables go through a desk top (turnable so the actual airflow can be adjusted in three steps). A large Artic Cooler fan (120mm) at the bottom of the case 'sucks' the warm air out and completes the air flow.

Amplifier / loudspeakers:

• Dussun T2 USB (stereo)
• !mpulse 34 loudspeakers

Software:

• Windows XP Pro SP3
• MPC-HC stand alone decoders
• Intervideo WinDVD 7
• MediaPortal (latest version), skin Monochome / Indigo

Server setup:
same spec as client but without DVD, Videocard) and with Hauppauge PVR500

To do list / challenges:

• amplifier should be build in, but has the annoying little 'feature' that when switched on, it defaults to CD input instead of USB.... So have to find a way to overcome this but I feel not confident enough to grab hold of my soldering gear so..... Update: reconnected the amplifier back to the onboard soundcard, thus not using the USB port.... grrrrr. Dussun offered me a solution: a custom made amplifier board, but I am not that desperate
• main volume control of the amplifier should be extended to the switch board, but again... do not feel confident yet to open up the amplifier and start pulling wires
• replace CPU fan for passive cooler
• replace video card as it causes interference on the USB amplifier when used heavily Update: seems like interference is also present when connected via soundcard SOLVED: installed a 'ground Loop Isolator'
• go the digital route as opposed to the current analog TV route
• start all over again (please do not tell my wife )

Second time around...:

• I would not build in DVD in switchboard... breaks design and is barely used (would rather place it on the back (then also no slot in drive needed)
• I would only use relais switches for simultaneously switching on and off appliances with my HTPC, not for lights etc. For this I came across a wireless switching system (same price, more flexible solution because you don't need cables)
• I would use more notebook parts (e.g. hard disks) due to better (=lower) power consumtion

Feel free to comment, brainstorm on ideas etc.

And..... (in) action!

regard,
Ruud.

[cheetah05]

Interesting, I am surprised the client can cope with the Front-end duties. Also pretty surprised that the passive PSU is powerful enough to power it.

[Sparkie]

Great work Ruud, nice to see pictures after hearing lot of stories of you

[ThaClown]

HAHA really nice!

[kesar]

Great design, really nice although I doubt it can play all the material needed.

[jburnette]

Wow, that is one nice looking setup. Great work.

[milhouse]

I love it! I've always wanted to use a touch screen as a remote, but the whole htpc as a kiosk is a great idea.

Is the kiosk anwhere that you could just use an IR blaster and the IR Server Suite to set the amplifier to USB via a startup macro?

[Gixxer]

congrats on a very nice idea/design !! and most important... u made it yourself.

i think its a great idea the little control station with the touch screen to control the htpc when just playing music, or leave it as a digital frame with pictures.

once again, congrats...undoubtely something i would like to build myself some day.

[Ruud]

Originally Posted by milhouse

I love it! I've always wanted to use a touch screen as a remote, but the whole htpc as a kiosk is a great idea.

Is the kiosk anwhere that you could just use an IR blaster and the IR Server Suite to set the amplifier to USB via a startup macro?

Hi Milhouse, thanks for thinking along.
Unfortunately the Amp is not equiped with a remote, only the old fashioned buttons. Your reply triggered me however to open up my case and reconnect the Amp to the on board sound card (line-out) that I connect to the CD in of the Amp. problem solved.... but unfortunately I am not using the high quality USB Onkyo DAC of the Amp....
Dussun offered me to make a modification to the wiring of the amplifier (so it defaults to the USB or even better to the last used input), but because they are in located in china I do not feel like shipping my amp to them (would take several weeks shipping back and forth). Nice though that they are open for modifications.

Originally Posted by Gixxer

congrats on a very nice idea/design !! and most important... u made it yourself.

i think its a great idea the little control station with the touch screen to control the htpc when just playing music, or leave it as a digital frame with pictures.

once again, congrats...undoubtely something i would like to build myself some day.

Hi Gixxer, It really works (almost) perfect as a control station: not everything is TV oriented (like music) so not having to turn on the TV for controlling is for me what makes it work in day-to-day usage. I have played (previous HTPC case) with a 4 line LCD, even looked at the possibility of a pocket PC, but al these have dependencies on other applications (that of course need to be and stay maintained by the community).
Only thing that would make it really perfect would be to have full control with the touchscreen e.g. volume up/down, right click for context menus (double clicking is a pain).
Idea... my thought on this is that there should be a 'hotspot' on screen that when clicked slides in an onscreen remote control (which can be button configured via the remote control section of configuration). the on screen remote would then, just like the normal remote, give access to al functionality. Implementation is limited to the on screen part as the remote control part / functionality is already implemented. Using such a on screen remote would even make it possible to use the normal homescreen (so not just beneficial for the touchscreen but also for mouse only input. come to think of it: this could replace the nice (but limited) topbar...

Originally Posted by kesar

Great design, really nice although I doubt it can play all the material needed.

Hello Kesar, just to end your doubts: it does not play all material, but define needed . It plays 720 content using CoreAVC although my CPU load is really up the roof, playing 1080 content has a stutter and the sound is lagging.
Although CoreAVC is one of the best performing software decoders, I'm still waiting for a decoder that can make use of my GPU rather than pushing everything through the CPU.
Currently for me this is a nice to have feature because I do not have any HD content (other then for testing and experimenting)

Thanks all for replying, nice to here from the community.

kind regards,
Ruud.

[Gixxer]

i agree with the volume and extra control part. maybe just set the volume to the maximum and then control it using the speaker controls.

btw, u got a bit mixed up with the quotes names