what to buy

[vickerp]

Ok i am new to media portal (media centre stuff in general)

I am running a P4 3.4g, 1gb mem, Gefore 6600 GT, 200gb hard drive, XP Pro SP2

I have just bought a house and about to move in anytime soon. I just found MP and it look great. The PC has to go upstairs but I want to connect to the TV downstairs. I am pricing a long Svideo cable / Audio cable which i will feed down stairs to my TV (any1 think of a better way?)

What is the best remote and TV card to buy to use with MP?

I am thinking the of :

Hauppauge WinTV HVR1300 (Does XP Pro / MP support this)

RF remote Something like ATi Remote Wonder (Any1 know of a better one that Supports MP)

[Sleighty]

Originally Posted by vickerp

I am pricing a long Svideo cable / Audio cable which i will feed down stairs to my TV (any1 think of a better way?)

I would use HDMI or DMI cable if your TV supports it as you will get a better picture. If not stick with the S-Video

Originally Posted by vickerp

What is the best remote and TV card to buy to use with MP?

I'm using the Compro DVB-T300 which is great for Digital TV and I'm using the MCE remote

[surfermc]

If you are going over a long distance then HDMI or DVI will be quite expensive.

Have you considered Kat5 or Video over Cat 5, it may provide a mor flexible solution in the long term depending on what you want to do, but again it is not cheap.

[Sleighty]

Originally Posted by surfermc

If you are going over a long distance then HDMI or DVI will be quite expensive.

Have you considered Kat5 or Video over Cat 5, it may provide a mor flexible solution in the long term depending on what you want to do, but again it is not cheap.

True but its best for quality, if your watching Digital its the only way to go. If its not digital and you dont want to watch DVD's or your TV is small it may not matter, then go S-video.

[NLS]

I would consider just buying a second PC.

[vickerp]

Thanks for the replies

I don't have the funds for a second pc at the moment and when do (a bit off - moving to a new house). I will have to buy a better TV first. S-Video to scart is the way i will go because that all TV can do (old sterio TV). I also thinking of a video sender?

anyway what does every1 think of the Hauppauge WinTV HVR1300 good with MP

And finally what about a RF remote any1 think of a good one that support MP.

MCE remotes are just IR which won't work the distance i need it (10-15m)

[NLS]

Better use an RF AV (and IR) sender...

Quality WILL deteriorate, but MUCH less than your long cable idea.

[vickerp]

Originally Posted by NLS

Better use an RF AV (and IR) sender...

Quality WILL deteriorate, but MUCH less than your long cable idea.

What do you mean RF AV and IR sender? and do you have an example (name/make) i can serch for.

When i mean long cable i am only talking around 15m. I don't think the picture quality will deteriorate that much will it? I have a video sender to send a sky channel from one room to the another TV which around 20m and the picture quality doesn't really change so i would of thought the same would apply to S-V. I am thinking of a video sender for MP but i have to be careful because WLAN can cause Interference

[NLS]

I don't have some link readily available. Google for it (maybe as "audio video RF transmitter receiver" or something).

15m is not too long if the cable quality is GOOD. Make that sure at least.

In any case don't expect too much from such a connection. You understand that the clarity of a direct DVI connection is far from what you will get, right?

Depends on what you need. I would never use this to connect a source in my office room to a destination in my living room, but maybe I would do it for a source in my living room and a destination in my kitchen (where people only "casualy" watch something).