The end-all be-all of HTPC case

[itschris]

Check out this new line of cases from Omaura. They have modular system of displays and storage. This stuff would look right at home next to the highest of the high end audio equipment.

When I'm ready, when the new motherboards and video cards come out that support lossless hi-def audion output via HDMI, this may be the case for me. I was set on Origen, but I think these are slick as all get out!

http://www.omaura.com/tftft.html

 

[mike c]

how much are these?

and I didn't know there were plans for new MB's and sound cards that would support audio out through HDMI. that would be nice

 

[itschris]

They're sold through Dell. I don't know howmuch the touch screen module is, but the rest seems well priced in the $200-$300 range.

I've been over at AVS reading through pages and pages of HTPC stuff. A lot of threads are so hard core it's hard to even follow them. From the hours and hours of reading, it's my understanding that there is an HD Audio output solution coming down the road. We'll just have to see what happens.

 

[Audioholics]

Some pricing here:

http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/search.php?substring=omaura

Looks very nice. HTPCs have a long way to go, however...

 

[itschris]

I'm trying to figure out what the OLED thing is and what it's for. As best I can tell, it's just a fancier LED type display that shows a logo or something. Clearly I'm missing something. Also, what's an IR blaster.

I agree that HTPC's aren't perfect, but if you think about it, the likely system format of the near future will just be an amp, a surround sound processor (maybe not), and an HTPC that does it all.

If you look at the funtions it can do very well as of today, like superb organization of all your music (digitally stored of course), your movies digitally (non-hd since 5.1 works just fine with HTPC's), virtually unlimited and exandable DVR capabilities, plus pictures and internet access and streaming of the your DVR stuff to other TV's over you network, you have to admit that convergence, which has been promised since i first got into this 10 or so years ago, is finally here in a big way.

You've got manufacurers who make cases finally understanding that people who have $5-$10K or a lot more invested in there audio/video, don't want some stupid computer case next to their find equipment. I think a lot of the cases from SilverStone, Oregin, Thermaltake, and Omaura really understand what we want and need. Microsoft has take a huge step with Vista and MCE and it will only get better as people demand more. With the exception of perfect HD DVD/Blu-Ray playback, there's really not a lot it doesn't do and do well. For all of that, I can just buy a Blu-Ray player for now along and still enjoy all the other capabilities and just upgrade later... another great benefit. How cool will it be just to drop in another $100 video card instead and download some new software as opposed to scrapping an unupgradeable $600 bd player?

I'm gonna enjoy what I got for awhile (as soon as Emotiva gets their stuff out and I can finish my system), but I'll probably start building an HTPC soon. I really like this Omaura stuff.