Help for HTPC newb?

C

Cabn12

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Messages
299
I have a PC with Windows Home Server (Core 2 Duo E4500 with 4GB ram) and like to hook it up directly to my TV to stream Movies (DVDs and Blu Ray) I'm looking at buy a Gigabyte 4350 video card and a Lite-On Blu-ray player. I want to connect the video card to my TV with an HDMI cable and watch movies that I ripped to the servers HDDs using Any-DVD HD and Clone DVD. and I will use the PowerDVD BD edition to watch the movies.
Am I missing some thing? I think I have everything covered but before I make the investment I'd like some feed back or suggestions.

Thanks
 
Don't do it unless you want to severally destabilize it. For one thing, WHS wasn't made to work like that and second it has very limited media playback abilities. I'm a little confused though when you say you want to hook it up to your TV and then stream movies from it. That doesn't make senes.

Anyways, dude, the point is this idea sucks. Build an HTPC. WHS is a server and is meant to work only as a server, it's not an HTPC.
 
Or just switch to Linux!

Not only is Linux free (saving you money), but with Linux you can easily do all those things, all with your existing PC (saving you even more money), no need to spend money on new hardware (other than maybe a better graphics card, Linux video playback works best with Nvidia 8 or 9 series cards).

A Linux PC can be a HTPC, media server, desktop PC, ripping machine, mail server, all at the same time, no need to buy separate PCs and separate versions of Windows.

One thing you can't do currently with Linux though, is playing back retail Blurays, you will have to rip them first to mkv or a similar format to play them back under Linux.

And of course Linux is different than Windows, so you will have to familiarize yourself with it.
 
tuxista said:
Or just switch to Linux!
Click to expand...

Well, part of what I said is also based on "server HTPCs" just being a dumb idea period. My comment had little to do with WHS it's self (which is awesome BTW) but more to do with using a server as an HTPC. Like I said, server software isn't designed to be used in this fashion. This is a destabilizing workload on it no matter the OS used. I know, I did it for a while and it was nothing but a PITA (there have been several threads about doing this too, that's the general consensus over all).
 
And who wants all the heat and noise of a server in the same room you're watching TV?
 
CrimandEvil said:
Well, part of what I said is also based on "server HTPCs" just being a dumb idea period. My comment had little to do with WHS it's self (which is awesome BTW) but more to do with using a server as an HTPC. Like I said, server software isn't designed to be used in this fashion. This is a destabilizing workload on it no matter the OS used. I know, I did it for a while and it was nothing but a PITA (there have been several threads about doing this too, that's the general consensus over all).
Click to expand...

Well, that's the beauty of Linux, with Linux having a "server HTPC" is not a problem at all, it can easily handle both.
There is no such thing as server Linux and desktop Linux, it's the same thing, it just depends on which apps you install (server apps, desktop apps or both).
Even the so called Enterprise Linux distros are not any different than an Ubuntu desktop Linux, the differences are the apps installed by default, but you can make an Ubuntu desktop install become a server exactly like a Redhat Entrerprise installation.

Obviously heat/noise considerations are a different matter, that has nothing to do with the OS.
 
Given that the OP has already invested in Windows Home Server, loonix discussion would appear to be moot.

OP, you might want to take a look at the SageTV HD Extender. You can use it in standalone mode (no sagetv server needed) and it'll stream what you want from the server via the network. It'll even do ripped Blu-Rays, minus menu support though, it does handle chapters however.

linky: http://sage.tv/hd_theater.html
 
valve1138 said:
Given that the OP has already invested in Windows Home Server, loonix discussion would appear to be moot.

OP, you might want to take a look at the SageTV HD Extender. You can use it in standalone mode (no sagetv server needed) and it'll stream what you want from the server via the network. It'll even do ripped Blu-Rays, minus menu support though, it does handle chapters however.

linky: http://sage.tv/hd_theater.html
Click to expand...

The OP want's to use his EXISTING hardware also as a HTPC (other than maybe adding a graphics card and a Bluray drive).

I suggested Linux (dual boot as suggested by jfnirvana292 is probably best) so he doesn't have to spend loads more money on a completely new HTPC or on devices like SageTV.

If anything your suggestion is moot. Telling someone to spend more money than necessary isn't really helpful.
 
tuxista said:
The OP want's to use his EXISTING hardware also as a HTPC (other than maybe adding a graphics card and a Bluray drive).

I suggested Linux (dual boot as suggested by jfnirvana292 is probably best) so he doesn't have to spend loads more money on a completely new HTPC or on devices like SageTV.

If anything your suggestion is moot. Telling someone to spend more money than necessary isn't really helpful.
Click to expand...

OP has movies, DVD's, etc, ripped to the Windows Home Server. Dual booting linux on it is the worst idea ever.

loonix isn't the end all be all :rolleyes:
 
valve1138 said:
OP has movies, DVD's, etc, ripped to the Windows Home Server. Dual booting linux on it is the worst idea ever.

loonix isn't the end all be all :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You are simply showing that you have no clue about Linux and by attacking other people's perfectly sensible suggestions you just make yourself ridiculous.

When booting to Linux he can still access his Windows filesystems and all the content in them from Linux.
 
If you dual boot you would not be able to stream content from whs. you would have to store media on both.
 
thanks for all your input. From your suggestions and comments I think I'll stick with just watching DVDs and will buy a cheap Blu-ray player. A HTPC seems more trouble and cost than its worth. Sage TV sounded interesting though. Maybe at some point I'll go that route.

Thanks again.
 
m0s3s27 said:
If you dual boot you would not be able to stream content from whs. you would have to store media on both.
Click to expand...

From Linux you have access to all content stored in the Windows partitions, no need to store media on both.

In fact the Linux partition could be rather small (10GB or so) and not contain any content at all, all content could still be stored only on the WHS partition as usual.
 
I would recommend against linux as well. Every year for the last 4 years, I have given linux a try in some way, and have yet to find one (except for, recently, moblin) that I did not have to muck around in the command line. And to recommend linux without asking about hardware other than the cpu is somewhat irresponsible...

I think the important question no one has asked the OP is if he/she plans on running it as an HTPC a the SAME TIME as it runs as a server, or will the two uses be independent of one another?

If they are going to be done at the same time, then yea, WHS is a bad idea. If at different times, look into something else. If you have $100 laying around get an OEM vista copy and use VMC. You'll be very happy.
 
That is all very true but the whs could not stream or do backups while in linux if there are other users this might not be ideal.
 
m0s3s27 said:
That is all very true but the whs could not stream or do backups while in linux if there are other users this might not be ideal.
Click to expand...

Fair point, but backups can be rescheduled (I don't know WHS, but if it's any good it would do that automatically once it starts back up again) and from Linux you could still share out all the Windows filesystems, so there would only be a short interruption while the box reboots.

But I guess this is moot, as the OP has decided to buy a Bluray player instead (so instead of mucking around with Windows or Linux he will have to muck around with firmware updates to be able to play the latest discs... ;) )
 
tuxista said:
Oh dear the dreaded command line... much better to spend a few hundred bucks to avoid it... :rolleyes: (just to end up having to muck around in the Windows registry)
Click to expand...

Pretty much yes...

Except if you are doing anything with your windows registry you are doing something wrong.
 
tuxista said:
You are simply showing that you have no clue about Linux and by attacking other people's perfectly sensible suggestions you just make yourself ridiculous.

When booting to Linux he can still access his Windows filesystems and all the content in them from Linux.
Click to expand...

You have ZERO clue how Windows Home Server stores it's files.
 
tuxista said:
Your posts are always so insightful and informative....
Click to expand...


Why are your posts always borderline trolling?? Seriously the elitest linux tone you have is pretty offputting.

The OP wanted to do something that was impractical and sketchy at best. Judging by his post he lacks general knowledge in the whole HTPC arena (which thankfully he came here to correct) and you throw out linux??? Really linux?? Why not suggest OSX while your at it?
 
no_control said:
Why are your posts always borderline trolling??
Click to expand...

You can't be serious, I have made a reasonable suggestion to the OP (which you might agree with or not) and get attacked for it by a few obvious trolls like valve1138 and you say I'm trolling?

Everyone can have his opinion, but when someone uses the word loonix and argues with personal attacks than he/she just exposes himself as a troll.
And by defending the troll you don't put yourself in a good light either.

Nuff said.
 
jfnirvana292 said:
Regardless of how it stores its files, he can make a partition and dump the files on there, im sure itd work for both windows and linux...
Click to expand...

But then whats the point of having the Windows Home Server?

This is my point, he's got a WHS, WHS works really well for storing files and a whole lot more, so why negate that invesment? An HTPC or the Sage device I posted would be a great front end to it.
 
tuxista said:
You can't be serious, I have made a reasonable suggestion to the OP (which you might agree with or not) and get attacked for it by a few obvious trolls like valve1138 and you say I'm trolling?

Everyone can have his opinion, but when someone uses the word loonix and argues with personal attacks than he/she just exposes himself as a troll.
And by defending the troll you don't put yourself in a good light either.

Nuff said.
Click to expand...

Maybe the trolling was a bit harsh, but it seems like nearly every post (not just this thread) you like to point out the Linux option. If I agree or not isn't the issue. Its an issue of what works. Linux is great for a lot of things. But the fact remains for HTPC's its definately not the easiest option, nor would I suggest integrating it in a primarily wondows environment.

But seriously while I respect your high opinion of linux...the comment above is pretty much with out merit:

1. Where did I defend valve1138?
2. I never used the term loonix.
3. I don't think dumping WHS in favor of Linux is a reasonable suggestion.
4. We have pointed out the linux is not an option for the OP since he has invested in WHS
5. The OP states the HTPC is not what he's looking for. (IMO because the linux comment made it more compliated than it needed to be).
6. You are still are defending your "reasonable" suggestion with religious ferver. That does seem elitest and somewhat "trollish" to me.

IDK if me saying bro let it go, is being a troll so be it.
 
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