OK this is my first post here and first of all to the developers of this program I have to say THANKS A MILLION! I ran across MediaPortal just yesterday and it definitely seems to be exactly what I am looking for and then some. 
First... My Story:
I haven't been paying much attention to the recent changes in the multimedia computing environment over the past several years. Or PC's in general really. It wasn't until last year that I saw this thing called an AppleTV that I begin to look into anything of the kind. You see I have a little boy that just entered kindergarten. He relates to not only why I haven't been paying attention to technology over the past few years but also is my inspiration for looking into this sort of thing. I have hundreds of CD's. Which is great, the problem is I used to have many more. That was until they got kicked across the floor, used as toys in the back yard, fed to the dog and any of several other forms of CD demise at the hands of a very active little boy. {stop laughing} So when I saw the AppleTV it was a great way to put all my CD's into a single little box and pack away the originals (well what was left of them anyway) for safe keeping.
Fast forward a year... I have been talking with one of my friends about using an Xbox (not the 360) as a media center. Similar to the AppleTV but for movies. I don't mind actually buying the DVD's at all, I'm not into pirating them but at the same time I have bought Finding Nemo three times, Cars twice... the list goes on. For the same reasons as the CD's except worse because my son is into these movies. So putting them in a single digitized location and storing originals was a good idea to me.
The Xbox was what I have been planning to do for some time. Then I was in CompUSA a few weeks back and I saw a (vastly overpriced) Media Center computer case and all my plans changed. The idea of a PC in the living room that looked like a component in a stereo rack that could do this is far more appealing to me than a hacked Xbox.
So I began plans to build the computer. I planned to write a program to load the iso images of my collection from their various hard drives into a list and mount them with Daemon Tools and autoplay them. The cost of the case and components I need is easily outweighed by the money I will save not rebuying DVD's 2, 3, or more times.
That WAS the plan... until I came across this software which does all of that and more for me and all with a nice interface. Bonus!
The Plan Now:
Well thats simple, use the exact same Media Center PC with this Media Center portal running on it. I am afraid for me I won't be able to use the TV portions right away and maybe not ever. Where I live cable isn't an option and I don't know of a PC card that works with DirecTV. If anyone does please point it out. As such I am limiting the scope of this project to acting basically as a movie and music PC (perhaps even replacing the AppleTV eventually) and TV cards and functionality is not a concern for me.
Originally I was just going to buy a laser mouse like a Logitech MX Air (or something similar and much cheaper) to control the cursor of my custom interface. Now I am planning on using the MediaPortal software and am thinking more of a MCE Remote. At the same time I would kind of like to be able to also use the computer as a computer sometimes for browsing the web etc. Which brings us to..
The NooB Questions:
1. I was originally thinking of getting the Gyration GYR3101CKUS RF Keyboard and Remote package. The Remote is a GYR3101US. In a quick search I find people having issues with these while others list them in their equipment list. I wonder if for me it would still work fine. As I am not concerned with turning channels on the TV for example. I only am concerned with the navigation buttons and the Play, FF, REW kind of buttons would be nice too. So the question is, does anyone have this and how well does it work? What does or doesn't work? Ideally I'd only like to spend this much money on this component if I can use it's universal remote functionality to control my TV, Stereo AND the MCPC. If it doesn't the it's an expensive paper weight. I can't afford to gamble $150-$175 for the combo to find out.
2. My second option, as I still want to be able to use this as a PC as well is that Gyration sells a different RF Keyboard/mouse device for $99. As long as this works with windows it would seem it would work with MP as a mouse and since I find using a mouse testing MP on my PC now to work I could do that. Am I right,will it work just like any keyboard and mouse? IF so can I also buy the standard Microsoft MCE Remote and use that as well since that apparently works well with MP, even on XP Pro? I know I can just get the MCE Remote but I'd like to retain the ability to easily exit MP and use the machine as a normal computer if need be.
3. Is there any way to get it to not show the file extensions in the My Video's list? I'd prefer not to see them there but if there's an option to turn it off I haven't found it.
Planned Hardware:
For Reference, My planned hardware is otherwise going to be.
- ABIT AN-M2HD AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 7050PV HDMI
- 2GB Ram
- AMD Athalon 64 X2 4200 2.2GHz Windsor
- nMEDIAPC HTPC 200BA Case
- 500W ATX Supply...
- 3 HD's I already have 1, 320GB SATA 2 and 2 500GB Sata 2...
Does anyone see any glaring issues there?
Since it is a dedicated PC I figure the onboard video with HDMI direct to the TV should be fine. I wonder about the CPU but I would think a Dual core 2.2GHz should do fine with 2GB of RAM for just watching movies.
Will Windows XP support this CPU I see it's noted as Athalon 64?
OK OK I will shut up now... I hope some of you can shed some light into this. This is a significant investment for me money-wise even though I have some of the hardware already. I don't want to spend $600 to find out it doesn't work right though. I'm counting on you all to slap me into the right direction
First... My Story:
I haven't been paying much attention to the recent changes in the multimedia computing environment over the past several years. Or PC's in general really. It wasn't until last year that I saw this thing called an AppleTV that I begin to look into anything of the kind. You see I have a little boy that just entered kindergarten. He relates to not only why I haven't been paying attention to technology over the past few years but also is my inspiration for looking into this sort of thing. I have hundreds of CD's. Which is great, the problem is I used to have many more. That was until they got kicked across the floor, used as toys in the back yard, fed to the dog and any of several other forms of CD demise at the hands of a very active little boy. {stop laughing} So when I saw the AppleTV it was a great way to put all my CD's into a single little box and pack away the originals (well what was left of them anyway) for safe keeping.
Fast forward a year... I have been talking with one of my friends about using an Xbox (not the 360) as a media center. Similar to the AppleTV but for movies. I don't mind actually buying the DVD's at all, I'm not into pirating them but at the same time I have bought Finding Nemo three times, Cars twice... the list goes on. For the same reasons as the CD's except worse because my son is into these movies. So putting them in a single digitized location and storing originals was a good idea to me.
The Xbox was what I have been planning to do for some time. Then I was in CompUSA a few weeks back and I saw a (vastly overpriced) Media Center computer case and all my plans changed. The idea of a PC in the living room that looked like a component in a stereo rack that could do this is far more appealing to me than a hacked Xbox.
So I began plans to build the computer. I planned to write a program to load the iso images of my collection from their various hard drives into a list and mount them with Daemon Tools and autoplay them. The cost of the case and components I need is easily outweighed by the money I will save not rebuying DVD's 2, 3, or more times.
That WAS the plan... until I came across this software which does all of that and more for me and all with a nice interface. Bonus!
The Plan Now:
Well thats simple, use the exact same Media Center PC with this Media Center portal running on it. I am afraid for me I won't be able to use the TV portions right away and maybe not ever. Where I live cable isn't an option and I don't know of a PC card that works with DirecTV. If anyone does please point it out.
As such I am limiting the scope of this project to acting basically as a movie and music PC (perhaps even replacing the AppleTV eventually) and TV cards and functionality is not a concern for me.Originally I was just going to buy a laser mouse like a Logitech MX Air (or something similar and much cheaper) to control the cursor of my custom interface. Now I am planning on using the MediaPortal software and am thinking more of a MCE Remote. At the same time I would kind of like to be able to also use the computer as a computer sometimes for browsing the web etc. Which brings us to..
The NooB Questions:
1. I was originally thinking of getting the Gyration GYR3101CKUS RF Keyboard and Remote package. The Remote is a GYR3101US. In a quick search I find people having issues with these while others list them in their equipment list. I wonder if for me it would still work fine. As I am not concerned with turning channels on the TV for example. I only am concerned with the navigation buttons and the Play, FF, REW kind of buttons would be nice too. So the question is, does anyone have this and how well does it work? What does or doesn't work? Ideally I'd only like to spend this much money on this component if I can use it's universal remote functionality to control my TV, Stereo AND the MCPC. If it doesn't the it's an expensive paper weight. I can't afford to gamble $150-$175 for the combo to find out.
2. My second option, as I still want to be able to use this as a PC as well is that Gyration sells a different RF Keyboard/mouse device for $99. As long as this works with windows it would seem it would work with MP as a mouse and since I find using a mouse testing MP on my PC now to work I could do that. Am I right,will it work just like any keyboard and mouse? IF so can I also buy the standard Microsoft MCE Remote and use that as well since that apparently works well with MP, even on XP Pro? I know I can just get the MCE Remote but I'd like to retain the ability to easily exit MP and use the machine as a normal computer if need be.
3. Is there any way to get it to not show the file extensions in the My Video's list? I'd prefer not to see them there but if there's an option to turn it off I haven't found it.
Planned Hardware:
For Reference, My planned hardware is otherwise going to be.
- ABIT AN-M2HD AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 7050PV HDMI
- 2GB Ram
- AMD Athalon 64 X2 4200 2.2GHz Windsor
- nMEDIAPC HTPC 200BA Case
- 500W ATX Supply...
- 3 HD's I already have 1, 320GB SATA 2 and 2 500GB Sata 2...
Does anyone see any glaring issues there?
Since it is a dedicated PC I figure the onboard video with HDMI direct to the TV should be fine. I wonder about the CPU but I would think a Dual core 2.2GHz should do fine with 2GB of RAM for just watching movies.
Will Windows XP support this CPU I see it's noted as Athalon 64?
OK OK I will shut up now... I hope some of you can shed some light into this. This is a significant investment for me money-wise even though I have some of the hardware already. I don't want to spend $600 to find out it doesn't work right though. I'm counting on you all to slap me into the right direction
South Africa
