Legit Reviews

Alright so I want some good hard facts here. I want to know exactly what's needed for a good htpc if you want to use it as your dvd/(possibly hd dvd or blueray etc) player and a dvr.
I figure you need a capture card, along with all the normal computer components a nice case that looks remarkably like a reciever enclosure (to fit it in the entertainment center). A sound card with the appropriate hd audio out optical. Now for the real meat and potatoes questions. How nice of graphics/sound/drive/large of harddrive do you need? What OS is necessary, especially if you want to possibly stream things across the network. Of course i'd need a wireless card. So guys tell me what i'm looking at actually needing and how much a good one, (one I would use for a long time) would cost.
I have a couple older gfx lying around with dvi out (agp) I also have a pci e graphics or two of hte lower end type. eg x1300 and x1600. Do you need an hdcp card or a fast one?
I think that sums up all the questions for now. It's everyone else's turn now.

LOTS of hard drive space! I recommend at least 3 hard drives - 1 for the OS and programs, 1 for the first recording drive, and then a second for either an editing drive or a second recording drive for a dual tuner card. If you want to record more than 2 shows at a time, you will have to add more hard drives as you see fit. I do not like to record any more than 1 show per drive myself, but you should be able to do 2 per drive if it isnt HD content.

I would get at least 500gb drives for the recording ones, especially if you want to keep shows for a while or are going to record HD!

OS would either be a Linux version with Mythtv or a windows version that has media center built in - I think anything from Vista Home Premium up has it.

graphics card does not have to be top of the line! If you want HDMI, then you will pay a bit more, but if you are happy with DVI->HDMI then you can get a card for under $100 to do the trick.

CPU would depend on the capture card. If, like the Hauppauge cards, it has a built in compressor (is that a word..lol..it compresses to mpeg2 and saves to the drive all inside the card without using the cpu) then you could use a lower end cpu (move up to mid range for HD content). If you get a card that uses the CPU for all the processing of the video, then I would get the most you can afford. You would be MUCH better off with the cards like Hauppauge though.


Wireless - well wireless-g does an ok job, but I still would get stuttering every now and again. I would go for a new N series and be prepared for the future. I believe you can stream HD content with N, but dont hold me to that


Mike

If you need HD then a simple dual core (won't need alot of horsepower here, a small dual core will be able to handle hd)
but try a low wattage one, like an amd energy efficient or a core 2 2xxx (and undervolted) since you will want the system to be quiet!

Again if you need HD, and have an HD tv then you will need a video card with HDCP, again it doesnt have to be powerful. Modern cards do hd on hardware (partially or fully).

Os well, xp media center or some of the linux alternatives. I would go for xp media center. All of them wont have a problem stream media, all you will have to do is share the stuff from your fileserver/pc and they will be accessible to the htpc.

Dont forget the remote! ms remote is ok i guess, firefly should be better. But i dont really know them

I use Hauppauge cards(PVR-350 & DVR-1600), they have a hardware mpg2 decoder built in so CPU use is minimal. To give you an idea of how much the Hauppauge cards help, my HTPC is a SKT A 2500 Barton on an ABIT NF7 R2 and I dont have any complaints! Mind you I am not HD yet on that system!
As far as a video card goes get one with HDCP/HDMI even if you dont need it at the moment its good to spend a few bucks more now and "Have and Not Need" in the future then to "Need and Not Have"

Ok lets make the assumption I want to record in hd as we have direct tv hd and soon it'll be broadcasted in 1080p with a new reciever on their new satellite. I want to be able to do that. What card do I need for that and how do I hook it up with a digital cord of some type into the computer. most tuner cards I see just have a cable connection, or can I get hd through that?

I dont think any of the tuner/recorder cards for the computer will do 1080p - http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1111539

didnt hear they were going to do 1080p - awesome! I hope Dish follows suit and goes 1080p.
I imagine they will try and compress the living hell out of it though

Mike

I think the new satellite will have the ability to with a new reciever, but I doubt any companies will start broadcasting in it right away, but like that guy in that thread, I just want the option so I don't have to upgrade it later.