A HTPC, is Windows/PC/MP the right way to go...? (1 Viewer)

[jcee]

I spend many many hours on setting up this HTPC based on Windows and using MP, I am through on odysee of tv cards swapping and (guess) 10+ reinstalls in the latest months.

I now start to wonder why it is so hard to setup a HTPC and while reading the forums I see that 80%+ of the problems in here are related to Windows.

I was close to switching to something else many many times. Ok, I am still here... But what is the perspective...


The core question is: Is Windows and PC hardware really the best platform for a HTPC?

Looking at things like the Dreambox or a modified Dbox or an hacked XBOX (XBMC) you see products much more easily to use and much more reliable.
Many times Windows decides to do something in the background, slowing the system down, some short freezes in live tV or whatsever..

Many time installing latest MS recommended patches or new device drivers gets you into trouble again..

The reason is simple: Hardware and software come from different suppliers and there are billions of combinations possible. MS (especially Windows) tries to address all of them.
In the end device driver x in version y gives problems to Windows because of hotfix z installed/not installed..

I see the possibilities in open systems, but maybe there is more luck and joy in closed systems.

After month of working on HTPC my colleague switched to Mac mini + Eyetv and frontrow..

After a week he reported to not having any problem, everything works like a charm... Yeah, because there is only ONE platform.

Ok, it is not my intention to talk negative, but I would look forward to YOUR thoughts on that.
It gets frustrating if you just intend to build a better DVD recorder and what it ends up is hundreds of hours spend on computer work ..


Maybe, to sound a little bit more positive, There is a goood opportunity to define a MP reference system. Means a selection of hardware and software that just runs..!

 

[xemumanic]

The problem is really the setup. There's many things you have to know beforehand. First and foremost, is how you plan to use it, and what your environment allows. Everything else stems from this. You also have to know exactly how you're going to configure your HTPC, what codecs and other software you're going to install.

Your mention that you reinstalled 10+ times is a telltale sign that your issues are more than just Windows. I don't believe you've planned out your setup as much as you may think. And even if your config has gone awry, don't be so keen to reinstall. Learn from the mishap. Maybe its some faulty driver thats causing a BSOD, maybe its some incompatibility. Reinstalling will just assure the same thing happens again. For example, Microsoft has come out as saying that 90% of BSOD's are either faulty drivers, or user error.

Building a HTPC on Windows isn't easy, but when done correctly, no one even knows its just a PC running software you setup. But it takes a lot of learning to get things just right. Sure, the whole Mac Mini idea can work out, and the 'it just works' philosophy is the whole theme of HTPC (after _you_ put work into it), but I think the Windows platform is superior for setting up a HTPC. There's far more hardware, software, and support available.

I used to run XBMC for YEARS. I'd update to new builds on a daily basis, and yeah, it just worked. But it couldn't PVR, and now with HD finally in the forefront, its being left behind. Its still a great platform for viewing non-HD media, but my HTPC running MP has surpassed it in every way. Once I show a avid XBMC user my setup, they want one of their own.

So to sum up, sit back and think about what your environment is. What do you use to get your TV signal? What sort of card? How do you get EPG data? Then think about what software you need, and how it should work together. You'll find things work out better that way. And you don't have to reinstall once an issue comes up, find out what caused it, and how to fix it. Reinstalling isn't going to make the problem go away.