Windows Media Center?...or

HighdefDoug · 12-10-2004, 06:39 AM

Okay, most of my setup is taking shape after 2 months of reading, researching, etc....at least now my hd looks good, my dvd's look good, still looking for the PS2 resolution settings, but much less important.

I keep an access point running in the house, my office is there as well. My whole family can be seen at different times in the day, grabbing one of 3 laptops that are wireless enabled. The kids use it for looking up school stuff, some disney and learning games, as well as sending e-mails back and forth with relatives. My wife uses it for researching purchases, e-mail, solitaire, solitaire, solitaire..sometimes backgammon.

We are all Movie buffs, big music fans etc....I keep reading and researching Windows media center but not sure I get all the fuss.
I want a wireless enabled tower connected to my Sammy 5085, connection already enabled.

I want to stream internet music videos, songs, etc...I want to surf the web from my wireless keyboard and mouse. I want to play games, research stuff, store great media files on a single pc. I'd like to get the most I can out of going this route and suprising the family with an "extra" holiday gift that we can all enjoy and share.

So...Any do's or don'ts, any suggestions about OS or specific PC manufacturers that play well (aren't proprietary).

How do you use a PC hooked to your home theater? What have I totally not thought about that I might want to do and get the biggest bang for.... I run a software company, but that's business, when it comes to ALL of the cool toys, gadgets, etc....just not sure I have my facts.

Thanks for sharing!!!

HighdefDoug · 12-11-2004, 03:07 PM

Okay, I know I am a newbie, but geeze, someone has to have some insights or thoughts to get me along the way? Anyone else with HDTV have a pc tower hooked up and getting WMC benefits?

Please help!! THanks to all of you who share on this forum.

DJ

mshulman · 12-11-2004, 04:05 PM

Hi Doug,

You may want to check this out. http://www.divx.com/hardware/detail.php?p=34

A Media Center PC could also work - Obviously you can do everything on the media center PC that you can on a normal PC. The main difference is that Media Center PC's have a lot of additions in regards to digital media (go figure

) that regular PC's don't. They all have tuners and DVR's and include the software to manage all this stuff. The newer one's can also record High Def, but I believe just OTA stuff.

Check out the features here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/m.../features.mspx

kingbuzzo · 12-29-2004, 02:49 PM

Hey:

I have been using MCE for about a month now but I am just beginning to ramp up to HDTV.

I use the MCE for Movies, Music, and Picture Slideshows now. I just recently purchased an LG 48" HDTV and I am currently trying to figure out how to get the best picture out of it.

The MCE is an awesome 10' interface for the PC. The menus are super-crisp and easy to use. I made my MCE PC and have it running on an P4 1.8 with an ATI All-In-Wonder 9600 Video card that has dual VGA outputs. I also have a VGA-to-Composite converter which I am trying to get to work but have had better luck with VGA because of stupid MACROVISION.

I also just ordered a wireless kb with integrated mouse so I can surf from the couch.

I haven't looked into the wireless stuff as much as my house is pretty much wired already.

If you want to push video across wireless you will need alot of bandwidth or you may have to get an MCE Extender device that can cache.

Good Luck (you'll need it)!

bobr8868 · 02-01-2007, 06:12 PM

High King and group...

I have a problem. maybe you can help. Please check the sting I started about the MCE. I can not get digital TV to pass from the MCPC through my MCE. analog TV is OK as is all other digital files. I get the error "digital TV can not be displayed on this device". I also have an XBox 360 in the same system. It passes the digital and HD just fine. All is wired via cat5. No bandwidth issues.

BR

PenGun · 02-02-2007, 06:23 AM

I kike my Linux setup. Windows always gets in my way. My TV sees only my computer for all it's needs. Satelllite and my collection of several hundred gig of HD files.

Mplayer rules video playback, I always install it on windose machines as you don't even get an mpeg2 decoder without installing a DVD player. Kinda pitiful but it's not been a problem for me since NT 3.51.

Dela · 03-09-2007, 12:36 PM

I'm running 3 media Center PCs right now. All are networked...One is my sons' so I won't go there. The other 2 are capable of feeding music, movies or pictures (simultaneous also) to 2 media center extenders. All this is wireless. 1 MCE feeds video to a flat screen in the living room and the other feeds a 15" flat screen in the upstairs foyer.

Really rather simple...any ?

KALISPIMENTA · 03-10-2007, 10:06 AM

bobr8868 YOU CAN STREAM HD THRUM THE 360?

borromini · 03-10-2007, 05:12 PM

Sure...but only flawlessly if you have a strong signal and using at least a wireless "G" router that isn't sharing bandwidth with other devices.

12-10-2004, 06:39 AM	#1
HighdefDoug High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 154	Windows Media Center?...or Okay, most of my setup is taking shape after 2 months of reading, researching, etc....at least now my hd looks good, my dvd's look good, still looking for the PS2 resolution settings, but much less important. I keep an access point running in the house, my office is there as well. My whole family can be seen at different times in the day, grabbing one of 3 laptops that are wireless enabled. The kids use it for looking up school stuff, some disney and learning games, as well as sending e-mails back and forth with relatives. My wife uses it for researching purchases, e-mail, solitaire, solitaire, solitaire..sometimes backgammon. We are all Movie buffs, big music fans etc....I keep reading and researching Windows media center but not sure I get all the fuss. I want a wireless enabled tower connected to my Sammy 5085, connection already enabled. I want to stream internet music videos, songs, etc...I want to surf the web from my wireless keyboard and mouse. I want to play games, research stuff, store great media files on a single pc. I'd like to get the most I can out of going this route and suprising the family with an "extra" holiday gift that we can all enjoy and share. So...Any do's or don'ts, any suggestions about OS or specific PC manufacturers that play well (aren't proprietary). How do you use a PC hooked to your home theater? What have I totally not thought about that I might want to do and get the biggest bang for.... I run a software company, but that's business, when it comes to ALL of the cool toys, gadgets, etc....just not sure I have my facts. Thanks for sharing!!! __________________ Samsung HLP5085DLP 600 Watt Sony Home Theater PS2, Motorola 6412 Comcast HD DVR Toshiba 5970 HDMI DVD

12-11-2004, 03:07 PM	#2
HighdefDoug High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 154	Okay, I know I am a newbie, but geeze, someone has to have some insights or thoughts to get me along the way? Anyone else with HDTV have a pc tower hooked up and getting WMC benefits? Please help!! THanks to all of you who share on this forum. DJ __________________ Samsung HLP5085DLP 600 Watt Sony Home Theater PS2, Motorola 6412 Comcast HD DVR Toshiba 5970 HDMI DVD

12-29-2004, 02:49 PM	#4
kingbuzzo How can anyone watch standard def? Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 18	Windoze Media Center 2005 Hey: I have been using MCE for about a month now but I am just beginning to ramp up to HDTV. I use the MCE for Movies, Music, and Picture Slideshows now. I just recently purchased an LG 48" HDTV and I am currently trying to figure out how to get the best picture out of it. The MCE is an awesome 10' interface for the PC. The menus are super-crisp and easy to use. I made my MCE PC and have it running on an P4 1.8 with an ATI All-In-Wonder 9600 Video card that has dual VGA outputs. I also have a VGA-to-Composite converter which I am trying to get to work but have had better luck with VGA because of stupid MACROVISION. I also just ordered a wireless kb with integrated mouse so I can surf from the couch. I haven't looked into the wireless stuff as much as my house is pretty much wired already. If you want to push video across wireless you will need alot of bandwidth or you may have to get an MCE Extender device that can cache. Good Luck (you'll need it)!

02-02-2007, 06:23 AM	#6
PenGun Avast Mateys Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Backwoods BC Canada Age: 63 Posts: 217	I kike my Linux setup. Windows always gets in my way. My TV sees only my computer for all it's needs. Satelllite and my collection of several hundred gig of HD files. Mplayer rules video playback, I always install it on windose machines as you don't even get an mpeg2 decoder without installing a DVD player. Kinda pitiful but it's not been a problem for me since NT 3.51. __________________ Sony 34XS955N HDTV - Custom HTPC Opteron 165 dual core at 2.4 GHz - Gnu/Linux-Slamd64 11.0 - Nvidia GT6600 - Twinhan 102g Satellite Card - Dual DVD burners - 0.8 terrabyte array - M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 - Sonic Frontiers SFL1 Signature (Factory modded) Preamp - Kimber Braided interconnects - Sonic Frontiers SFM75 Monoblocks - Tara Time & Space Speaker Cables - B&W Matrix 1s (the original) crossovers rebuilt (MITs) bi-wired

03-09-2007, 12:36 PM	#7
Dela My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 7	Media center wireless I'm running 3 media Center PCs right now. All are networked...One is my sons' so I won't go there. The other 2 are capable of feeding music, movies or pictures (simultaneous also) to 2 media center extenders. All this is wireless. 1 MCE feeds video to a flat screen in the living room and the other feeds a 15" flat screen in the upstairs foyer. Really rather simple...any ?

12-11-2004, 04:05 PM	#3
mshulman My Projector is High Def. Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Marlborough, MA Age: 35 Posts: 6,762	Hi Doug, You may want to check this out. http://www.divx.com/hardware/detail.php?p=34 A Media Center PC could also work - Obviously you can do everything on the media center PC that you can on a normal PC. The main difference is that Media Center PC's have a lot of additions in regards to digital media (go figure ) that regular PC's don't. They all have tuners and DVR's and include the software to manage all this stuff. The newer one's can also record High Def, but I believe just OTA stuff. Check out the features here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/m.../features.mspx

02-01-2007, 06:12 PM	#5
bobr8868 My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 6	High King and group... I have a problem. maybe you can help. Please check the sting I started about the MCE. I can not get digital TV to pass from the MCPC through my MCE. analog TV is OK as is all other digital files. I get the error "digital TV can not be displayed on this device". I also have an XBox 360 in the same system. It passes the digital and HD just fine. All is wired via cat5. No bandwidth issues. BR

03-10-2007, 10:06 AM	#8
KALISPIMENTA What is HD? Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2	bobr8868 YOU CAN STREAM HD THRUM THE 360?

03-10-2007, 05:12 PM	#9
borromini HT Frontiersman Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Northern California Posts: 9,925	Sure...but only flawlessly if you have a strong signal and using at least a wireless "G" router that isn't sharing bandwidth with other devices. __________________ "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

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