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[gpvillamil]

I'm building media-centric PCs and using Media Center 9 almost exclusively. Since I have the opportunity to tailor the hardware to the software, what are some recommendations regarding the optimum configuration? What hardware works best/most smoothly with MC9?

Specifically, I'm looking for recommendations on:

1) Audio hardware - I'm thinking the M-Audio Revolution 7.1
2) Video & TV hardware - either the Hauppage tuner or the ATI All-In-Wonder
3) Remote controls - any ideas?

I'm not looking for the absolute best performance in each category - instead I'm looking for the hardware that will work most seamlessly with MC9. What are the developers using? What does JRiver test against?

As for general PC hardware config, I'm shooting for an underclocked Celeron with lots of RAM, probably the Seagate Barracuda quiet drive and a Plextor combo drive.

[kiwi]

1) Audio hardware - I'm thinking the M-Audio Revolution 7.1
3) Remote controls - any ideas?

1)  It really depends on cost.  In the $100 range, the Revo looks to be quite nice.  Then you move out into the $300-400 range and M-Audio has their Firewire-410.  This is particularly interesting since it can be placed further away from your PC... and it has 10 outputs and 4 inputs.  You can probably find the RME Digi8/96 in this range too.  When you get to the $600 range, there's the CardDeluxe, LynxL22 and RME HDSP-9632.   I have a friend with the HDSP-9632 and he's removed his CD player from his system because the card sounded so good.

3)  PDA?  More expensive, but more flexible.

[gpvillamil]

Any word from the developers? What is the configuration you use to develop & test? What is your favorite hardware setup? Not necessarily the best performer, but the configuration that is easiest to work with for MC9.

[JimH]

I'm probably not the best guy to answer since I don't build PC's anymore.  I buy Sony VAIO PC's and add an ATI All in Wonder card for video/TV.

The latest Sonys are quiet.  I don't change the sound card though I hear good things about M-Audio.

I have been feeding the video to a 32 inch Sony HDTV, but I just bought a 42 inch Sony plasma HDTV.  It took some time to get a decent picture.

I use a Logitech mouse and keyboard for control.

Not very exciting but it works well.

[yaarne]

gpvillamil, for what it is worth, I am looking at the Yamaha RP-U100 for audio hardware. It is a PC Receiver connected by USB with a great set of digital and analog inputs and outputs and 30W + 30W. All sound processing is done in the receiver, and it has some cool sound fields for a two-speaker system. Buy.com has it for $119 before a $50 rebate until November 30, 2003.

I am setting up a whole house audio system with structured wiring and need to power 2-4 zones. At $70 each, I could get a multi-source, powered 4-zone system up and running for under $300 with my existing W2K computer. Alternatively, I could buy 4 sound cards and four powered amps, but I think it would cost a lot more.

Anyways, I was intrigued by the combination sound processor/receiver connected by USB. Thought you might want to take a look. I don't know if the fidelity is as good as the Revo, though.

[Yaobing]

Even though I develop the TV aspect of Media Center, I do not have a PC based home theater setup.

I replaced the video card on my Sony computer with an ATI All-in-wonder card, for the purpose of development. I also have Hauppauge and other TV cards, as well as USB TV devices. I like the ATI AIW card better than others.

[gpvillamil]

...
I have been feeding the video to a 32 inch Sony HDTV, but I just bought a 42 inch Sony plasma HDTV.  It took some time to get a decent picture.

...

What did you have to do to get a decent picture? I have a 42 inch Hitachi plasma on the way.

[JimH]

I bought a $400 ATI All in Wonder card that had component video output.  There may have been a better or cheaper way, but it's what I did.

Even then, I had to reinstall ATI software three times before it decided that it could do 720 lines per inch.

I freely admit I'm not any good with hardware, but Sony had no information at all in their manual on how to connect a PC.  And the DVI port had a connector that was incompatible with my previous All in Wonder card.  It was DVI minus, I think, and the card was DVI plus, or maybe it was the other way around.

If someone is reading this and chuckling, please tell me where I went wrong.  I'm not as proud as you might think.

[xen-uno]

I almost bought a ATI 9800 XT video card tonight at Best Buy...but decided to wait and pick it up (and a 24" widescreen Sony) from a tax free supplier out west. I'm hoping the only difference between the XT and an All In Wonder card is the lack of a TV tuner, remote, and a bit of software.

Jim (or anyone)...
How does the remote interface with the AIW? Is there a receive station that hooks up via serial or USB?..or is it on the card itself?

10^-27

[LisaRCT]

How does the remote interface with the AIW? Is there a receive station that hooks up via serial or USB?..or is it on the card itself?
10^-27

The remote comes with a receiver that plugs into USB, it is a RF remote and works well. Although my AIW is only the 7500 I have no complaints for TV, movies, visualizations (I do not play games so that is not a factor).

[gpvillamil]

How does the remote interface with the AIW? Is there a receive station that hooks up via serial or USB?..or is it on the card itself?
10^-27

The remote comes with a receiver that plugs into USB, it is a RF remote and works well. Although my AIW is only the 7500 I have no complaints for TV, movies, visualizations (I do not play games so that is not a factor).

Does it work directly with MC9, or do you need Girder?

[xen-uno]

Girder req'd...but the "script" comes with MC.

[Omni]

Wow... this has been a wildly informative thread.  Let's recap:

gpvillamil  --  is an easy going guy unconcened with prestige or status;
kiwi  --  has friends who sabotage computers for fun;
Jim  --  often puts batteries in backwards not knowing positive from negative;
yaarne  --  has too much time on his hands and is probably best friends with Mastiff;
Yaobing  --  is a heretic programmer
xen-uno  --  hates the government (refuses to pay taxes);
Lisa  --  refuses to awaken her inner child ("games are for kids" [paraphrasing]).; and
Omni --  is starting his long overdue vacation tomorrow, so has nothing better to do other than writing silly lists.

[gpvillamil]

Funny, I am pretty easygoing...

Any experience with anyone using the VIA C3 processor for a media PC? This may be a better option than an underclocked Celeron.

[jleerigby]

I bought a $400 ATI All in Wonder card that had component video output.  There may have been a better or cheaper way, but it's what I did.

Even then, I had to reinstall ATI software three times before it decided that it could do 720 lines per inch.

I freely admit I'm not any good with hardware, but Sony had no information at all in their manual on how to connect a PC.  And the DVI port had a connector that was incompatible with my previous All in Wonder card.  It was DVI minus, I think, and the card was DVI plus, or maybe it was the other way around.

If someone is reading this and chuckling, please tell me where I went wrong.  I'm not as proud as you might think.

Doesn't your plasma have a vga input?  If not that's where you went wrong.  Mine does have one but it's on the front (that's where I went wrong!) so I've experimented at connecting to S-VHS, Component Video or RGB-Scart on the rear.  No matter what I tried I could not get a decent picture - you can get away with hairstyle but mega-me is unreadable.  

I'm using an ATI 9600 pro VIVO that cost me £140 ($220). It has VGA, DVI and S-VHS outputs.  I'm connecting my pc monitor to the DVI and plasma to the vga.  The picture is fantastic.

You could try Powerstrip.  That's what Mastiff uses to improve the picture on his projector.  I've not tried it though.

[sraymond]

What's a reasonable price for plasma these days?  It seems I'm still seeing the $4K range.  With the price of 21in monitors dropping, I've been thinking they're the best way to get an HTPC for the den - the ATI AIW tunes the TV well enough.

Scott-

[gpvillamil]

I'm using an ATI 9600 pro VIVO that cost me £140 ($220). It has VGA, DVI and S-VHS outputs.  I'm connecting my pc monitor to the DVI and plasma to the vga.  The picture is fantastic.

You could try Powerstrip.  That's what Mastiff uses to improve the picture on his projector.  I've not tried it though.

Do the ATI cards support 16:9 resolutions? I'm getting a 42 inch screen with a VGA input (on the back) and was wondering if I was going to get a stretched display, or if the card will support 1280 x 768. I can't find any info on this on the ATI website - it shows 1920 x 1024 as a supported resolution, but nothing lower at 16:9.

[nameuser]

Well since Omni, and maybe others, seem to be in a joking mood, and we all need to prepare for TURKEY day, I will try this:

My first google search yielded this:

pub1.ezboard.com/fdigitaltelevisionhdtvforumdigitaltelevisionhdtvtechnicalforum.showMessageRange?topicID=150.topic&start=1&stop=20

My understanding of this is that the extra pins on your DVI connector are to support the newer encryption/security protocols.  But this is backward compatible with the non-security, fewer pins, DVI connector.  There are passive converter cables for $10-$40 depending on quality and profit needs.

As you know DVI is more recent and higher bandwidth capable than component video.   But DVI has a built in handshake protocol that automatically negotiates best resolution between the talking components.  Component video does not do this.  This means that DVI’s ‘automation’ can be problematic, if you are not careful to first set up you AIW card properly.  I believe 60Hz refresh and either the full resolution of you Plasma or one half of these numbers.

Sony was late to Plasma market.  The original Sony Plasma was OEM'd and its display was criticized. See AVSforum.  Which model do you have?

gpvillamil, There is 3rd party software, like Powerstrip, that may allow you to set ATI cards to other settings.  Do an AVSforum search.

Happy Turkey day everyone!! ;-) lol

[jleerigby]

I'm using an ATI 9600 pro VIVO that cost me £140 ($220). It has VGA, DVI and S-VHS outputs.  I'm connecting my pc monitor to the DVI and plasma to the vga.  The picture is fantastic.

You could try Powerstrip.  That's what Mastiff uses to improve the picture on his projector.  I've not tried it though.

Do the ATI cards support 16:9 resolutions? I'm getting a 42 inch screen with a VGA input (on the back) and was wondering if I was going to get a stretched display, or if the card will support 1280 x 768. I can't find any info on this on the ATI website - it shows 1920 x 1024 as a supported resolution, but nothing lower at 16:9.

My ATI card supports 1280 x 768.

What's a reasonable price for plasma these days?  It seems I'm still seeing the $4K range.  With the price of 21in monitors dropping, I've been thinking they're the best way to get an HTPC for the den - the ATI AIW tunes the TV well enough.

Prices always come down quicker in the US.  I paid £3500 ($5600) for a really good spec Panasonic (TH 42PA20) that retails on the high street at £4700 ($7500).  I though that was a bargain but the price is now down to £3219.

[JimH]

What's a reasonable price for plasma these days?  It seems I'm still seeing the $4K range.  

I just saw a 50 inch plasma TV at Best Buy for $6,000 something.

42 inch HDTV plasma displays are around $4000 to $5000.

Less expensive versions are available that don't have high resolution capabilities.

[xen-uno]

gp > Do the ATI cards support 16:9 resolutions?

Yes...
1920 x 1080 (16x9)
1920 x 1200 (16x10)

(should be typ of XT/Pro/AIW)

see...
http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9800/radeon9800pro/specs.html

10^-27

[phelt]

gp > Do the ATI cards support 16:9 resolutions?

Yes...
1920 x 1080 (16x9)
1920 x 1200 (16x10)

(should be typ of XT/Pro/AIW)

see...
http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9800/radeon9800pro/specs.html

10^-27

I can back this up. Using ATI Radeon 9500 Pro @ 1920x1200 right now, and there are quite a few 16:9 and 16:10 resolutions available in display settings.

I should note that these are _real_ widescreen resolutions - I got a card a while back which advertised widescreen but implemented it as 4:3 display with "virtual desktop" side to side scrolling. That was annoying. But no longer an issue with the Radeons.

[Lynn]

I have used the following successfully with good results,  and this setup is so quiet that if you are more than 3 feet away you dont know it is on:

Antec Sonata PC case (almost silent w incl powersupply) - $129
ASUS P4PE Motherboard (no fan on chipset) - $160
2.4ghz P4 w/512 memory stock CPU fan
Fan Controller (to reduce CPU fan speed) - $20
Seagate Barracuda 120gb - $60
ATI 7200 - $80 (requires no fan)
RME Digi96/8 - $250

The O/S is tuned for music based upon tips at http://www.musicxp.net/.  The 2.4ghz CPU is rarely above 10% usage, and so it runs cool and quiet at 104F with the CPU fan speed reduced (using the fan controller).

The RME digital card feeds an external DAC for my hifi using coax out, and a HT receiver using the optical output. Media Center ASIO mode is used with a 1.5 sec buffer size.

The ATI card feeds my HT projector.  A very flexible piece of software to tweak video is Powerstrip. It allows you to tune the video output to the specific resolution and timing of your display.

My music is stored on a file server optimized for cooling (many fans), which is located in another room.

I don't use this setup for TV, but adding a fanless TV card, perhaps the one from ATI, should not be a problem.

Lynn