My DREAM-HTPC - need help! (1 Viewer)

mhuelsew

Portal Member
July 26, 2005
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Hi,

I am planning to throw away all the DVD-Recorder, Player, 2* DVB-S Tuner and replace it with one HTPC. My requirements are:

0. A housing that fits into a living room environment
-> My hardware suggestion: Asus Pundit-R (does anyone know anything better or tried the ASUS "S-Presso"?)

1. Capability of handling 2*DVB-S CI tuners. It should act as a twin HDD-Sat-Receiver. One tuner should be used to record DVB, the second is to simply watch TV (or listen to Radio)
-> My hardware suggestion: 2*DigitalRise/Twinham DTV PCI SAT-CI

2. At least 300MB HDD to allow 60+ hours of DVB recording & store CDs (as MP3 archives - use HTPC as Jukebox)
-> My hardware suggestion: WD 300GB S-ATA WD3000JD

3. DVD-Recorder (+/- R/RW) to archive recorded films & watch DVDs (also VCDs & SVCDs)

4. RGB (VGA), DVI, YUV & S-VHS video outputs and Digital (Optical or Coax) Audio OUT.

5. Noise level at a level where under normal use conditions (watch TV, DVD) you can´t hear the HTPC.
-> My hardware suggestion: Use integrated graphics controller, Pentium-M processor -

6. Card-Reader / USB / IEEE1394 Front Connectivity (e.g. for Digicams for slideshows, DV-Cam -> DVD etc.)
Question: What do I need for real-time (or even "high speed" MPRG-encoding (to write TV records or DV-Films in "highspeed" to DVD)

7. Configurable Front Display to show e.g. the current TV channel, MP3 tags, Volume level, Clock etc.

8. W-LAN for Internet, Mail etc. services

Now the big question: Is this AT ALL possible and did anyone yet plugged together a system like this? I did not find a combination as above yet and am not sure whether MediaPortal can handle all these wishes. Should I maybe wait one more year??

I´d ppreciate your answers & suggestions - best regards, Michael
 

Callifo

Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • December 7, 2004
    1,439
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    Adelaide, Australia
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    2. Dont know if this will change your mind but Seagate offer a longer warranty (5 years) and are quieter.

    3. Really up to your personal preference here.

    4. Nvidia 6200 64bit 256mb passively cooled with component out / composite out / svideo out

    Either find a motherboard (intel) which supports DDL or look at a HDA X-Mystique 7.1 Gold which does DDL encoding. Has both digital outputs.

    6. You cant record directly to dvd, you have to do that after its finished recording.

    7. Stick to their list of working LCD/VFD displays and it should work fine.

    8. Depending on what else you want to with the wireless, you have two choices.

    11b slow (raw transfer speed, its fast enough for webbrowsing etc), longer range

    11g fast, more secure, not a strong signal so it wont be a far ranged. Its is good for watching your recorded tv files on another pc.

    Question is not really whether it can handle it, MP is fine for that but is it stable enough for your liking? At the moment there are things which youll most likely find and will have to spend time with dev getting them fixed. If you can handle that then your ready, if not as you said wait a little while.
     

    Dazzyb2K3

    Portal Member
    June 27, 2005
    44
    0
    London, UK
    These are very specific requirements and while the Pundit and S-Presso are great 'ready built' solutions. Neither of them will give you what you need. They are both very tight for space/expandability and are far from silent.

    You need to pick a good case with plenty of room and perhaps a VFD built in as they can be tricky to retro fit. This will give you a greater choice of hardware and you will be less restricted in choosing the motherboard, video card etc that does what you need (great suggestions by mhuelsew here) and give you more scope for 'silent' cooling.

    Check out the Silverstone range. (I'm currently using an LC11M). Not the cheapest but the styling is great and lots of expandability.
     

    mhuelsew

    Portal Member
    July 26, 2005
    8
    0
    Hi Dazzy & Callifo,

    thanks for your comments!

    Yes, the Silverstone looks really good! I´ll check out a bit more to see what´s possible!
     

    simon169

    MP Donator
  • Premium Supporter
  • February 9, 2005
    45
    3
    I have an original asus pundit and mine is pretty silent. However if I were building one from scratch now I would go for a bigger case cos my pundit is really tightly packed. Also I don't know if on board graphics are upto the job if your running Media portal my box only works well in overlay mode and also mine is limited too 32000 colors and when I play videos it tends to blend similar colors on some shots
     

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