Rob's HTPC Setup (CableCard, Touchscreen LCD, etc..) PICS!

New TV!!!

a0je4j.jpg
 
valve1138 said:
Good luck with the USB Ceton's. I haven't heard great things about them.
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Yea, I'll be interested to hear your experience with them as well. Biggest gripe I have about the use of these types of tuners in general is that there isn't a great automated commskip that's 100% (which of course isn't a huge gripe, but boy it'd be nice).
 
The garage is 95% done. I had a huge wrestlemania party April 1st :D (75 people or so, the other people are inside)



More updates to come soon!
 
Wrestling? Really? People still watch that? lol. Looks like a fun time otherwise :p
 
Adidas4275 said:
because this is [H]ardForum not oft
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exactly.

Rob Black said:
People spend thousands of dollars restoring old cars, people spend $600+ on a single GPU, Well my hobby is electronics / HTPC's . My main PC is a $300 HP Pavilion from Walmart. Do I need all this? Probably not, but I only live once so why not?
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Amen!

Good luck with the Ceton tuners. I was going to order one but after doing some research I noticed that there were frequent negative comments regarding the tuners over heating or just generating a lot of heat, and the tuners dropping out requiring a reset. I really wanted the four tuners but I wasn't going to get a unit that runs hot to put inside my HTPC case, the USB model doesn't review very well at all and apparently Ceton takes too long to update thier firmware and software. HD Homerun Prime was on sale recently at Woot for $149, I jumped on that and will take a loss on that 4th tuner, but this is supposed to work way better, we'll see. Let us know how those Cetons work out for you. Maybe the bad reviews are from tards just doing it wrong, somehow.
 
Man you guys are eat up with it. ;)
Very, very cool though.

But personally because of the unstable housing market I would be very hesitant to invest that much and possibly loose big on return. The average family stays in their home only 8 years. And in the tech business you have to sometimes move to where the jobs are.
 
Dr. Righteous said:
But personally because of the unstable housing market I would be very hesitant to invest that much and possibly loose big on return. The average family stays in their home only 8 years. And in the tech business you have to sometimes move to where the jobs are.
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Agree 100%

I'm like 90% done with this project. Might as well finish it (I'm too deeply involved now to quit) I'm only 29 so if something happens I can always rebuild in a few years.
 
Rob Black said:
Agree 100%

I'm like 90% done with this project. Might as well finish it (I'm too deeply involved now to quit) I'm only 29 so if something happens I can always rebuild in a few years.
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I got a kidney punch a couple years ago when I tried to sell my place. I couldn't sell it unless I was going to drop the price to what I PAID FOR IT in '98. :mad:
I always liked the idea of a 'smart home' with centralized control of AC zones, lighting, communications, etc. But I will have to be in the home I plan to die in.
If anyone lives in an area where the home values was rocked by the housing bubble it is better to make the upgrades because you enjoy them. There is a good chance they won't add a dime of value to the home.
 
Dr. Righteous said:
I got a kidney punch a couple years ago when I tried to sell my place. I couldn't sell it unless I was going to drop the price to what I PAID FOR IT in '98. :mad:
I always liked the idea of a 'smart home' with centralized control of AC zones, lighting, communications, etc. But I will have to be in the home I plan to die in.
If anyone lives in an area where the home values was rocked by the housing bubble it is better to make the upgrades because you enjoy them. There is a good chance they won't add a dime of value to the home.
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Upgrades are a myth, they really don't add as much as people think to the price of your home.


New roof = add to value
remodeled kitchen = not so much
theater room = none at all
 
More Pictures:



Every garage needs a retro gaming station (I actually have 6 Tube TV's in the garage) I plan to add 3 PC's here for emulation. I eventually want to get 6 GameCube's and 6 Modded XBOX 1's and have them all linked up for local LAN gaming...



Updated living room setup. Im going to add more retro consoles here also

 
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Latest Purchase

6 x 4 component matrix switch (This will replace the 3 x 5 switch in rack #2)



Sources

XBOX360 (x3)
PC (x3)

I originally hoped to be done by September 2012, looks like I wont be done till September 2013 :rolleyes:
 
Here are my 3 remotes for the entire house

iPad 1, Evo 4G, Android 4.0 Table from China (Excuse the finger prints)



And whats also been delaying me is I been busy setting up my game room



This place is going to be a gamers paradise when im done :D Here's what I have so far

XBOX360 Consoles - QTY 10
PS3 - QTY 2
Computers - QTY 16 (YES SIXTEEN, Older PC's. Core 2 Duo's etc..)
Bunch of Retro Systems
Projectors - QTY 2
HDTV's - QTY 12
Tube TV's - QTY 6

When I'm done my house is going to be a poor man's version of this

http://www.electronichouse.com/article/ultimate_av_home_has_43_speakers_26_tvs_and_17_iPads
 
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:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Since I decided to replace the matrix switcher that means I have to rewire the whole rack again.



Sooo many wires. Never Again :mad:
 
Don't mean to be a hater, but... component video? Really dude??
Other than that.. pretty awesome
 
Galas said:
Don't mean to be a hater, but... component video? Really dude??
Other than that.. pretty awesome
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When I started this project in 2008 component video distribution was way cheaper then HDMI, So I ran component video and 1 cat5 cable to each TV location. If I would have known then what I know now I would have ran at least 1 HDMI cable and 4 Cat6 cables to each TV location.

I will probably upgrade to HDMI next year. Maybe...
 
Did some re-organizing





The kids love "Game Land" (Not my kids :p)



The only thing that can make this gaming cave complete is a few arcade machines. *My Want List* NEO GEO Arcade, NFL Blitz Arcade, Killer Instinct & Ultimate MK3


p.s I also got a nice leather couch for the man cave
 
Got some more arcade sticks



Controller charging station



All my wired remotes are here

 
This is soooo sweet I haven't posted here in years but ive lurked hard. Keep posting this is great.
 
Galas said:
Don't mean to be a hater, but... component video? Really dude??
Other than that.. pretty awesome
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you obviously have 0 experience in distributive video.....

HDMI matrix switches are a PITA due to HDCP

sometimes they work and other times they dont.... they are not reliable. Still today if you want HD video from multiple sources being exported to multiple devices then component is the way to go
 
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