Hello all!
I have been building the specs for my HTPC for months now. I've tried my best to come up with as much information as possible from various sites. I've decided that I'd like to give MediaPortal a shot as my frontend.
Below are my HTPC specs. I'm looking for input to make sure I'm on the right track. I live in the US and I have DirecTV. I get great reception for my OTA HD channels. I do not anticipate that I will be getting another DirecTV receiver to view/record multiple channels (although with the HD capture card I can record an HD channel while viewing another channel with my DirecTV receiver). So I may not even need the Nvidia DualTV.
I'm having the toughest time in the world with cases. I like the simplicity of the Antec NSK2400 case but it is only Micro ATX. I'd like to have the expandability of a full sized ATM motherboard and case.
Here is what I am thinking in terms of connections to components, etc:
Video card DVI to HDMI port on Pioneer Plasma
Onboard sound out to Kenwood Receiver (RCA. Sucks I know, but it still sounds good for our small livingroom)
Coax cable out from DirecTV HD reciever to TV Capture Card
Coax from OTA antenna to Vbox 150 for HD channels
Hardwired into my home LAN
Am I missing something with the basic connections?
I currently have a Pioneer 810H DVD/TiVo unit. Channel changing is done througha serial cable from the DirecTV HD receiver. I'd like to use this same cable to change the channels on my new HTPC. Otherwise I'd have to get some other serial channel changing options.
HTPC Build Specs:
Running total as of 8/8/2006: $1330 (not including cables, shipping etc)
Green = Already own
Bold = Recent Change
Software: MediaPortal 0.2.0.3.0
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2
Case: UNDECIDED (Desktop style)
CPU: AMD Athlon 4200+ 64 X2 Dual-Core (changed from 3800+)
DVD R/W: Pioneer DVR-111D
Floppy Drive: NONE
Hard Drive: 2x Seagate Barracuda 320GB 7200.10 ST3320620AS (maybe another smaller one for the OS)
Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) DDR2 800
Motherboard: ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe
Remote: Logitech Harmony 890 MAYBE!
Keyboard: UNDECIDED
Mouse: UNDECIDED
Sound Card: Onboard
Video Card: MSI GeForce 7600GS (NX7600GS-T2D256EH)
TV Capture Card: NVIDIA DualTV MCE
HD Capture Card: Vbox Cat's Eye DTA-150
TV: Pioneer 50" Plasma PRO-1110HD
Satellite Box: DirecTV HTL-HD Receiver
Remote: Sony RM-AV3000
I have been building the specs for my HTPC for months now. I've tried my best to come up with as much information as possible from various sites. I've decided that I'd like to give MediaPortal a shot as my frontend.
Below are my HTPC specs. I'm looking for input to make sure I'm on the right track. I live in the US and I have DirecTV. I get great reception for my OTA HD channels. I do not anticipate that I will be getting another DirecTV receiver to view/record multiple channels (although with the HD capture card I can record an HD channel while viewing another channel with my DirecTV receiver). So I may not even need the Nvidia DualTV.
I'm having the toughest time in the world with cases. I like the simplicity of the Antec NSK2400 case but it is only Micro ATX. I'd like to have the expandability of a full sized ATM motherboard and case.
Here is what I am thinking in terms of connections to components, etc:
Video card DVI to HDMI port on Pioneer Plasma
Onboard sound out to Kenwood Receiver (RCA. Sucks I know, but it still sounds good for our small livingroom)
Coax cable out from DirecTV HD reciever to TV Capture Card
Coax from OTA antenna to Vbox 150 for HD channels
Hardwired into my home LAN
Am I missing something with the basic connections?
I currently have a Pioneer 810H DVD/TiVo unit. Channel changing is done througha serial cable from the DirecTV HD receiver. I'd like to use this same cable to change the channels on my new HTPC. Otherwise I'd have to get some other serial channel changing options.
HTPC Build Specs:
Running total as of 8/8/2006: $1330 (not including cables, shipping etc)
Green = Already own
Bold = Recent Change
Software: MediaPortal 0.2.0.3.0
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2
Case: UNDECIDED (Desktop style)
CPU: AMD Athlon 4200+ 64 X2 Dual-Core (changed from 3800+)
DVD R/W: Pioneer DVR-111D
Floppy Drive: NONE
Hard Drive: 2x Seagate Barracuda 320GB 7200.10 ST3320620AS (maybe another smaller one for the OS)
Memory: CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) DDR2 800
Motherboard: ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe
Remote: Logitech Harmony 890 MAYBE!
Keyboard: UNDECIDED
Mouse: UNDECIDED
Sound Card: Onboard
Video Card: MSI GeForce 7600GS (NX7600GS-T2D256EH)
TV Capture Card: NVIDIA DualTV MCE
HD Capture Card: Vbox Cat's Eye DTA-150
TV: Pioneer 50" Plasma PRO-1110HD
Satellite Box: DirecTV HTL-HD Receiver
Remote: Sony RM-AV3000