I don't know what solution I am looking for

[ivseenbetter]

I’m assuming a HTPC is the solution to my problems but I’m not sure. I don’t even know what options I should be looking for. Anyway, let me know if I should be asking this someplace else.

I want to be able to watch Blu ray movies, play video games, watch HD cable, and schedule cable recordings and play them back later. I want to do this and access all of it via two different location (except for video games, they can stay in one room.

I don’t know if any of my stuff just needs to be configured a certain way or if there are things I need to purchase that will enable me to do what I am asking for.

I already have an IMac that is in one room (it is not located in either of my media rooms).

I have a HD cable box, PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii in one room that is connected to my Yamaha receiver which is connected to my projector. They each are getting fed internet via a Wireless G connection. I get about 3 bars.

In the other room I only have an old stereo receiver and an HD Cable Box that runs component direct to the TV with Audio going into the old stereo receiver.

Also, I have an old (2.5 yrs) PC that is sitting in a closet with XP Home on it. I don’t have a component list on this as I don’t remember what I put in there, just know the wife wanted an IMAC so I don’t use it anymore.

Any suggestions on what type of solution I should be looking into? HTPC or other?

Thanks.

 

[yrk1959]

Try HTPC/VMC with Xbox

Hi,

I can suggest something for videos.

You can put a HTPC with VMC where your cable box is. Use the VMC directly here.

For the other room, use the XBox to access the VMC, since the XBox has a MC client (or something like that).
I used this for quite some time. There are some restrictions though e.g. you must rip the video on VMC in a format that XBox can support.
The best thing is that you get the same VMC interface in XBox.

I also think that VMC can record TV programs if you have tuner in the PC. Though I never used it.

I, personally, gave this up and put up another HTPC instead of using he Xbox.
It solved the video format problem and also allowed me to use Media browser for DVDs (and soon BluRays).

regards

 

[ivseenbetter]

I appreciate the response. I hope this doesn't sound too retarded...but what is VMC?

Thanks.

 

[yrk1959]

I appreciate the response. I hope this doesn't sound too retarded...but what is VMC?

Thanks.

You are welcome!

VMC = Vista Media Center
It come within Vista Home/Ultimate editions.

 

[Nemo128]

For everything you want, you need to go to dell.com and order an XPS that has an ATI Cablecard device in it. There are other options, but that's the cheapest one that will let you distribute HD cable and DVR it to multiple locations in your home. You could build one based on the Dell motherboard too. That's a whole other can of worms.

 

[sturgl]

I'm with yrk1959 on this one. You may want to wait until Windows 7's release on 10/22 though. 7's media center is superior to Vista's. It was just announced at CEDIA that you can now roll your own, as far as CableCard tuners go. So you may be able to wipe that old XP box, buy yourself a CableCard tuner or two, install Win7, et voila! DVR, music management, videos, pictures, IPTV (well, sort of), DVD library management. As was mentioned, you can stream all of this to your xBox 360 - and through a pretty classy interface at that.

Here's the caveat: HTPCs are not for the faint of heart. While stability has improved over the years (I've been on the Media Center train since early 2004), these solutions are not remotely consumer electronics products yet. If you go this route, expect some troubleshooting in your future. Personally, I think the tradeoff is worth it - but that's just me.

If you hesitate to roll your own, and you don't want to go to the likes of Dell, there are numerous boutiques out there that build beautiful higher-end machines. Niveus, S1Digital, and Okoru come immediately to mind. Good luck!

 

[abboudc]

Another solution would be to get a slingbox/slingcatcher.

http://www.slingmedia.com/go/slingbox

A Slingbox Pro HD in the room with the DVR, etc. Hook it up to the cable and internet. It come with ir repeaters to control the other stuff.

Hook up a slingcatcher to the tv in the other room.

The Slingcatcher will allow you to watch anything hooked up to the Slingbox in room 2.

This solution also has the added benefit of being able to watch the content from the slingbox from any computer (even away from home). Download the software onto the computer and put in the slingbox name/ip and you'll be all set. The Slingcatcher can also be used away from home. A friend of mine watches nfl games in the US to New Zealand this way.

A slingbox pro hd is about $250 and a slingcatcher about $200. I have a Slingbox Pro HD and it took me about 20 minutes to set up (including poking the necessary hole in my firewall).

 

[ivseenbetter]

I keep reading that it doesn't take much computing power to set up a home server. So, I am thinking that I will go ahead and use my old computer parts and see if I can throw WHS on it to start establishing a library. I would consider going Ubuntu, but I just don’t have any familiarity with that OS and I hear it is command line driven so I am tentative about using something new (to me) like that. So, for about $99 I can start the server side of what I want to do.

Then with the news about the cablecard restrictions on HTPC being loosened I may look into doing something with that in the near future. AMD came out with a Quad core processor for $99 retail…throw in an ASUS Xonar sound card and Windows 7 Media Center and I should be golden on the receiving end too. Not sure if this is a good plan or not…but it appears to be the road I am heading down.