HTPC Advice

[Brock]

I want to build a HTPC, but i need some advice, i'm going to salve some leftover parts from a current system

it has a mobo + 768mb ram, a 1.2ghz amd tbird processor and a gf4 420 gfx card 64mb onboard ram

now my question is what other parts will i need to get it up as going, wish to get it for as cheap as possible, thanks for any help.

 

[mpegripper]

tv tuner card - happauge is probably your best choice (PVR-150)

if you have a cable or satalitte box u will also need a usb-uirt to change the channel for you

if this is going to be run on a tv, you will need to make sure you video card has s-video out

also if running from a tv, you probably want a remote for the pc, i personally use the niveus

 

[J4M3S0N79]

I would seriously look into the ATi theatre 550 cards. I hear the imagequality is prime.

 

[warbird]

Don’t forget a nice big hard drive. You didn’t say what your OS is will be but if it’s XP you can try free GB-PVR or MythTV for linux.

Some people like that software, others have issues.

You should also try the free trials of SageTV or BeyondTV even though you will have to pay if you keep it.

They really help make your HTPC act as good as or better than a Tivo.

You also didn’t say if you watch analog cable or digital cable or Satellite.

The IR receiver/blaster and PVR tuner card mentioned by mpegripper will handle all those options, but you may need yet another piece of software , Girder, to get it going.

 

[CrimandEvil]

I would seriously look into the ATi theatre 550 cards. I hear the imagequality is prime.

When feed straight in via coax the image quality is about equal with a PVR150, it's when you have to use the A/V in ports does the image quality look alittle better.

But there are problems so watch out.

 

[mpegripper]

for sake of knowing exactly what you are getting into, i would get the happauge pvr-150