How to build a media center pc? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

NetForce · 05-19-2004, 07:57 PM

Doe anyone know how to upgrade a regualr pc to a windows media center pc?
I know you can get the remotes on ebay for about $30, but what about the tv tuners? Do they have to be specialty, or will any one of them work?
I noticed at BestBuy an hp laptop with an external tv tuner that turned the laptop into a WMC. I wonder if you can buy those seperately. The guy at best buy said no, but there must be people willing to sell somewhere

Thanks
NF

Scorpion23 · 05-19-2004, 09:06 PM

I'm not familiar with the WMC PCs, but I do have experience with HTPCs. I've got an ATI 9800 Pro AIW, which comes with an RF remote and does all the functions you could ever possibly need. Including a full-screen interface navigatable with only the remote, so it's like you aren't even using a PC.

Mine's setup as a TV, Digital VCR, DVD player/recorder, FM radio player/recorder, and game system.

edit:
You can buy external USB TV tuners, but only for USB 2.0.
www.Newegg.com has plenty as well as the ATI cards.

JohnnyRoyale · 05-20-2004, 03:04 AM

http://www.hauppauge.com/html/usb_data.htm

External tuner? No problem.

Here's the deal tho: Most people have digital cable now, which isn't totally compatible with most PC's TV Tuners. Those tuners are built for analog, not digital, signals. So, you'd have to have the cable companies digital receiver set to the station, pass the output from that through the PC, which can act sorta like a TiVO, and record the signal from the cable box.

I have an older ATI TVWonder Pro, which I do that with, and I cna record MPG from the TV when I want to, but I can't get the digital signal directly from the wall, it has to pass through the cable companie's box first

Mephisto2 · 05-21-2004, 07:12 AM

You can buy Digital cable TV cards now.

Mr Mephisto

iceburn · 05-23-2004, 06:55 PM

That would probably solve your problem, JohnnyRoyale. Or so it would seem.

jvwgtr · 05-24-2004, 06:10 AM

You can buy HDTV tuners, too...
You can't actually buy Windows XP Media Center Edition by itself, you have to buy one of the pre-made PCs from specific Microsoft Partners. (Some people with developer subscriptions get a copy, but it's supposed to be for development use only).
But you can make a full-featured media PC by adding tv tuner cards & so forth.
There are lots of software interfaces to make it easy to operate with a remote...MythTV comes to mind, there are a few others.
Good luck!

CheesePizzaMan · 05-25-2004, 06:09 PM

I want to make a media pc that just outputs to my Wega Downstairs, fits in a desk drawer, uses a remote, and can play wirelessly from my big hard drives upstairs (divx). Any suggestions?

JohnnyRoyale · 05-25-2004, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr Mephisto
You can buy Digital cable TV cards now.

Where? from whom?

05-19-2004, 07:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
NetForce Upright	How to build a media center pc? Doe anyone know how to upgrade a regualr pc to a windows media center pc? I know you can get the remotes on ebay for about $30, but what about the tv tuners? Do they have to be specialty, or will any one of them work? I noticed at BestBuy an hp laptop with an external tv tuner that turned the laptop into a WMC. I wonder if you can buy those seperately. The guy at best buy said no, but there must be people willing to sell somewhere Thanks NF

05-19-2004, 09:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
Scorpion23 Psycho	I'm not familiar with the WMC PCs, but I do have experience with HTPCs. I've got an ATI 9800 Pro AIW, which comes with an RF remote and does all the functions you could ever possibly need. Including a full-screen interface navigatable with only the remote, so it's like you aren't even using a PC. Mine's setup as a TV, Digital VCR, DVD player/recorder, FM radio player/recorder, and game system. edit: You can buy external USB TV tuners, but only for USB 2.0. www.Newegg.com has plenty as well as the ATI cards. __________________ "Empirically observed covariation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for causality" - Edward Tufte

05-20-2004, 03:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
JohnnyRoyale Psycho Location: Boston, MAss., USA	http://www.hauppauge.com/html/usb_data.htm External tuner? No problem. Here's the deal tho: Most people have digital cable now, which isn't totally compatible with most PC's TV Tuners. Those tuners are built for analog, not digital, signals. So, you'd have to have the cable companies digital receiver set to the station, pass the output from that through the PC, which can act sorta like a TiVO, and record the signal from the cable box. I have an older ATI TVWonder Pro, which I do that with, and I cna record MPG from the TV when I want to, but I can't get the digital signal directly from the wall, it has to pass through the cable companie's box first __________________ I'm gonna be rich and famous, as soon I invent a device that lets you stab people in the face over the internet.

05-23-2004, 06:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
iceburn Tilted Location: CT	That would probably solve your problem, JohnnyRoyale. Or so it would seem. __________________ ... and shit.

05-21-2004, 07:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
Mephisto2 Junkie	You can buy Digital cable TV cards now. Mr Mephisto

05-24-2004, 06:10 AM	#6 (permalink)
jvwgtr Completely bananas Location: Florida	You can buy HDTV tuners, too... You can't actually buy Windows XP Media Center Edition by itself, you have to buy one of the pre-made PCs from specific Microsoft Partners. (Some people with developer subscriptions get a copy, but it's supposed to be for development use only). But you can make a full-featured media PC by adding tv tuner cards & so forth. There are lots of software interfaces to make it easy to operate with a remote...MythTV comes to mind, there are a few others. Good luck!

05-25-2004, 06:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
CheesePizzaMan Upright Location: 2 Blocks from the Beach, California	I want to make a media pc that just outputs to my Wega Downstairs, fits in a desk drawer, uses a remote, and can play wirelessly from my big hard drives upstairs (divx). Any suggestions?