What makes a Media Centre PC
Discussion
OK, so the video has bitten the dust, and I am getting fed up burning copies of Lost S2 to VCD to watch, so what would I need to have a PC under the TV that could link to my wireless network, have files downloaded to it and act as DVD player etc.
OK, so a DVD drive, a lil bit of disk, a wireless card, more disk, a special video card? (?), some sexy software, and a remote control/keyboard.
Anything I missed? (Form an orderly queue!) I would like to be able to "record" off my sky connection, if possible.
Oh, and I would like to do this as cheap as possible.
OK, so a DVD drive, a lil bit of disk, a wireless card, more disk, a special video card? (?), some sexy software, and a remote control/keyboard.
Anything I missed? (Form an orderly queue!) I would like to be able to "record" off my sky connection, if possible.
Oh, and I would like to do this as cheap as possible.
These guys seem to be offering pretty good systems at the moment & if you step through their configurator then you'll get a good idea of what goes in the box.
www.eclipsecomputers.com/systemlist.aspx?cat=15&mcat=45
you might want to check out this forum if you're planning to build your own
www.thegreenbutton.com/
With regard to recording from SKY, with one sky-box you will only be able to record the channel you are watching. To replicate SKY+ behaviour you would need two sky boxes and two tv-tuner cards in the pc
HTH
Matt
www.eclipsecomputers.com/systemlist.aspx?cat=15&mcat=45
you might want to check out this forum if you're planning to build your own
www.thegreenbutton.com/
With regard to recording from SKY, with one sky-box you will only be able to record the channel you are watching. To replicate SKY+ behaviour you would need two sky boxes and two tv-tuner cards in the pc
HTH
Matt
Quiet components - fanless, or large slow ultra quiet fans. Thats the trick really, getting an acceptable lounge friendly form factor while still getting adequate cooling and whisper quiet operation. Not sure you'll do it on a budget without compromise on the size/noise.
You'll need lots of hard disc - 160 bare minimum, 250GB or 400GB preferred. Dual tuners would be useful.
I won't venture into software, PH being rabidly Microsoft-phobic.
You'll need lots of hard disc - 160 bare minimum, 250GB or 400GB preferred. Dual tuners would be useful.
I won't venture into software, PH being rabidly Microsoft-phobic.
Have you considered Xbox360? It has built in wireless, so you can watch your little Lost programme off your PC, it'll plug straight into your telly and you can play games on it. I've seen my mates set-up and I really was impress (this is coming from someone who is determined to wait for PS3).
And it should work out alot cheaper than a media center PC.
And it should work out alot cheaper than a media center PC.
GregE240 said:
OK, so how would one record a signal from Sky onto a PC? Can it be easily done?
I guess one way would be to have a DVD-R and then burn it from the DVD, but I'm wondering if theres a more direct route?
Ta,
Greg
Hauppage make a digital satellite freeview tuner card.
You just plug the droplink from the dish into it.
Trouble with Sky is, the viewing card...
If you're building one of these PCs, it is worth looking at the mini-ITX form factor machines ... here for example www.mini-itx.com/
They are tiny. Depending on the processor you choose some of them are fanless ... i.e. silent, or if you need a bit more speed they have very quiet fans. The newer chipsets have hardware multimedia decoding.
They are tiny. Depending on the processor you choose some of them are fanless ... i.e. silent, or if you need a bit more speed they have very quiet fans. The newer chipsets have hardware multimedia decoding.
Don said:
Beware the noise.
In your lounge you will HATE the sound of the PC. If you are building one make sure you go with ultra-quiet components or buy a HUSH.
The passive cooling on HUSH machines are perfect for this application. They are tricky to upgrade though, if you might want to later on. I tried installing a better video card in mine but the fractional increase in operating temperature was enough to tip it over the edge. They do say this when you buy one though, to be fair to them.
annodomini2 said:
... two tv-tuner cards in the pc...
Actually you'd only need one, as you'd be watching the other on TV.
Ah yes....but then you're not fully replicating SKY+ behaviour whereby you can record two different channels and watch a recorded program all at the same time [pendantmodeoff]
My solution to this has been to build my own ugly looking, noisy Media Center PC and squirrel it away in a cupboard where it can't be seen or heard (quite lucky to have a walk in cupboard directly behind where the TV hangs on the wall). It's taking feeds from 2 SKY digiboxes and is networked to an XBOX360 in the bedroom. So as well as having access to all my films,music,photos, PVR in the living room ,I can also stream everything up to the XBOX which also gives full PVR functionality. The only caveat with using an XBOX is that it can't currently decode DivX/Xvid avi's...
catretriever said:
... two tv-tuner cards in the pc...
Actually you'd only need one, as you'd be watching the other on TV.
Ah yes....but then you're not fully replicating SKY+ behaviour whereby you can record two different channels and watch a recorded program all at the same time [pendantmodeoff]
But you'd need 3 skyboxes to record 2 different channels and watch another.
victormeldrew said:
You'll need lots of hard disc - 160 bare minimum, 250GB or 400GB preferred. Dual tuners would be useful.
Not necessarily, you can go crazy on disk space if you wanted to but i have a 40gb disk for timeshifting and recording and that offers 45 hours recording at Broadcast resolution which i think is a decent amount to be honest ! I think thats more than a Sky + Box... might be wrong there though
>> Edited by lockstock2sb on Tuesday 28th February 13:17
)What output do you have on your laptop ? Super VHS ?
This might do the job of converting SVHS to scart :
www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/PCTOTV1.html?id=VW9Vgu9m
please check with the seller though before buying !
This might do the job of converting SVHS to scart :
www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/PCTOTV1.html?id=VW9Vgu9m
please check with the seller though before buying !
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