Planning a design HPTC installation (1 Viewer)

[Jean-Marc]

First of all, many thanks to everybody: developers for this nice software and users for their tips!

Today I need your advise about my project: I want to have a HTPC installation everywhere in my house but without the usual big case with the PC! I would like to only have a screen on the walls, with everything inside.
So I first searched a flat screen with enough space to put the mother board inside, (!) after I began thinking in tablet PC (too expensive) and smart displays to finally saw that the best option was the laptop.

The only thing to do is to disconnect the screen from the body and reconnect it in the way that the screen is above the laptop once closed (as a tablet PC). After, I must find a nice and design case to put everything inside, the case can be a little bit bigger to allow to have flat speakers on each size of this new created TV!
Then, just plug AC and ethernet cable (both can be into the wall).

Advantages: a slim complete HPTC for about 500 € (without case and speakers) ready to use without the need of doing a lot of things, and with a DVD reader!
No need of TV (I would like to understand why everybody is using a TV since a PC with TV cards does the same thing -and better with MP!- is it a quality issue??)
The problem could be the noise and other things that I don't imagine and that is why I need your advice!

Please see www.visiomatic.net this is what I would like. How they do to have that without fans?? (also see the functions: interesting is the telephone and interphone)

Thanks a lot for your help!!

 

[Spragleknas]

I know that there are (was?) a LCD-screen with built-in "HTPC" (MCE). I belive the TV-card was analog, though... can't remember the name either.

 

[druid9]

I think it was from Hitachi if I remember correctly, and you could specify either analog or digital TV card

 

[Jean-Marc]

Thank you very much for your answers!

I'll try to find this device on google, do you know if it would be possible to change the internal HTPC (MP - of course- instead of MCE)?

 

[Spragleknas]

I believe it was a "standard" PC w/WinMCE - so yes.

 

[Jean-Marc]

Well, I found different LCD screens with windows embedded (dspdesign, Neoware, Nosuus)...

In fact they seem to be design for industrial purposes and they have poor CPU characteristics and low RAM. Windows is on a flash card and generally it's a "slim" windows (XPe or CE)
They are "clients" for servers and that is why they don't have strong capabilities, and are fanless.

So my question is: if I use such a device only as a dedicated MP client (I plan to have a main server -in fact HD on the ethernet-) will it work? I believe that the answer is no...Neoware sells a very slim and fanless mother board, with XPe (or CE I don't remember) on a flash card that can be included into a flat LCD screen, for Home Center.

I want to have a TV server, so no need for TV card inside this system, and just a normal sound exit (no need for AC3 etc..on the bedrooms!)

 

[druid9]

Might want to have a look at this aussie product

http://www.pocketpcreviews.net/news/industry-news/32-all-in-one-pc-tv-from-oziq.html

 

[Jean-Marc]

Many thanks Druid9,

I think this product is wonderful when you just need one Media Center.
It is a little bit expensive to be a client, when there is no need for TV and a so big HD!

I hope that soon we will see a PC built into a flat screen!

Thanks for your help!