Windows XP Media Centre

[floppybootstomp]

I wuz thinking. Yes, I know, at my age that can be dangerous, but...

I was looking at my setup in my living room. I'm quite happy with it, does all I want it to, but...

Central, I have a 28" CRT TV; VCR; DVD Player and Digital TV Tuner.

To the right of that, I have a Hi Fi system comprising Amp; CD Player; Turntable; Tuner and cassette deck.

The output of the DVD player is in the aux socket of the hi-fi amp, which means I get really good 2.1 kinda sound when watching movies. The hi-fi speakers are each side of the telly.

For those interested, the TV, freeview tuner & VCR are Goodmans, the DVD player is Toshiba, Amp is 50W x 2 Kenwood; CD Player Marantz; Cassette deck AIWA and Analogue Tuner is NAD. Speakers are Kef on Gale stands and bi-wired.

I figured if I got a small PC by the TV, 15" TFT monitor wall-mounted above the TV; freeview TV/FM Tuner in the PC, big hard disk, I could do the following:

Do away with turntable, cassette deck, freeview tuner, CD player, DVD player, VCR player and analogue tuner. I never use the VCR now and anyway I have a VCR, cassette deck and turntable connected to computer in bedroom for recording from. This results in CD's and DVD's.

So, what I figure is this, do you think it's viable?

Fairly low spec computer, 2Ghz sckt 939, desktop case (flat) couple of big hard disks (say, 2 x 250Gb).

Video output from computer to one of two scart sockets on TV. This would enable me to play DVD movies from computer, either from hard disk or from DVD ROM drive.

Sound line out to aux input on hi-fi amp. This would enable me to hear movie soundtracks and mp3 files over hi-fi.

PC Digital tuner would enable me to watch TV channels on main TV from PC via SCART socket.

I have four huge cabinets full of CD's (about 1000 CD's - how much mp3 or m4a hard disk space is that?). If I could copy these in mp3 or m4A format to a large hard disk, I could play them through hi-fi amp, yes?

I'm getting a bit old now, hi-fi doesn't bother me so much as high frequency perception drops off the older you get, this happens with everybody. And besides, my iPod tunes sound great to me. So no, I'm not a hi-fi snob anymore, I just like the music.

What I would like is a remote control to scroll through music menu on the TFT screen attached to the PC and this is the only area I'm a little confused about.

Is Windows Media Edition the way to go? I think not as I've heard Win XP can do all WME can do. Correct? Remote control?

Do you think I could do this thing using Linux Suse?

My main concern is remote control to access Music.

Any help or suggestions welcome.

Help me reclaim space and mothball my CD collection

 

[muckshifter]

Floppy, I had "remote control" in Win98/ME ... even easier today.

I feel a sale coming on ... but you'll be keeping the speakers.

Yes! XP Pro will do all & then some in place of Win Media Edition.

CyberLink are the one I have used in the past, basically 'cos it was free, these days the new software comes with its own remote.

I'll have to look for Linux equivalents though.

 

[V_R]

Sounds like a cool idea Flops.

I have my pc connected to the Hi Fi via 3.5mm jack to Twin RCA's for the audio, and S-Video out of the graphics card to S-video in on my AV Control Centre. (Great bit of kit.) Its a good way to watch Films/tv shows.

In regards to a remote, you could use a wireless KB and Mouse? Like the Logitech Mediaplay mouse?

 

[Ian]

Instead of Windows Media Player, Nero Home does the same job (and I think you have Nero already?). I just use that and a cheap wireless mouse, but many digital TV cards come with a remote control which will work in most menu systems already

 

[floppybootstomp]

Thanks for the feedback fellas.

I few things I not sure about.

Will a SATA II drive work plugged into a SATA 1 slot? I don't think it will, will it?

Here's roughly the system I'm thinking of using, I'll either get a desktop or micro case to take the components, likely desktop cos many micro cases only take half height cards.

Asrock K7NF2-RAID Motherboard (Socket A, 2 x SATA Ports)
2 x 256Mb Hynix PC3200 RAM (512Mb in dual memory mode)
AMD XP3200 CPU (2.2Ghz)
XFX Nvidia 5700LE Video card

And I'll need a 15" basic TFT monitor with wall mounting plate to look at computer, any suggestions as to what to buy very welcome, even E-Buyer, if need be This will be mounted above the telly.

Here's the video card I'll be getting, not cheap but it looks good and has dual tuners and radio as well, also a remote control. Link. It's £73.00 from overclockers.

Ian, I'll check out Nero Home. Yes, I do have Nero OEM V6.0 plus video plug-in, but all I've ever installed are the audio and video functions, have never used disk-at-once or Media player stuff.

If I have a basic DVD-ROM drive in this computer, will I be able to view DVD movies from that drive? I mean, will the video signal automatically flow from the S-Video out on video card? I know the audio will come from whatever is playing via the motherboard's audio line out socket.

I will be taking audio out to my home hi-fi, as mentioned earlier, and taking S-Video out to the SCART socket on my TV. I'm not sure if that will work. My TV does not have an S-Video input. Maybe the Hauppage TV card has a composite video out?

So, couple of areas of confusion there, SATA drives and movie playback on a conventional TV.

If a SATA II drive won't work with my motherboard, I could use an IDE drive I suppose, but am wondering if big IDE drives are available, haven't checked yet.

I had my eye on a Samsung 400Gb SATA II drive, 16Mb cache, about £95.00. But if that won't work then it no good eh?

So, gimme feedback

 

[floppybootstomp]

Update: Samsung 400Gb IDE (Paralell) drive is £88.11 from Overclockers.

I wonder how many albums in mp3 or m4A format I could store on 300Gb of that drive?

 

[Me__2001]

SATA II is backwards compatible so that 400GB drive sounds like a good idea

the disc drive should play back anything, you might have issues with dual layer DVD's so it may be worth looking up the model on the net to check

i would have thought that what you see on the monitor will be replicated on the TV

 

[muckshifter]

Spending money? ... Isn't "terrestrial TV" coming to an end?

... will I be able to view DVD movies from that drive.

Maybe, depends on who's DVDs you buy ... not sure how may are going to let you play via a computer.

Anyway, yes a SATA II dive will work in any SATA. (you can always buy a cheap sat2 PCI card)


I'll stop with the negative vibes now ...

 

[floppybootstomp]

SATA II is backwards compatible so that 400GB drive sounds like a good idea

the disc drive should play back anything, you might have issues with dual layer DVD's so it may be worth looking up the model on the net to check

i would have thought that what you see on the monitor will be replicated on the TV

Ok, thanks, as you can tell, this is a bit of a new area for me.

And yes, I suppose you're right, anything from VGA/DVI out will be the same from S-Video/TV out.

Good news on SATA II drives being backwards compatible, I didn't actually know that.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Spending money? ... Isn't "terrestrial TV" coming to an end?

Yes, it is.

If you follow the link I gave to the Hauppage card, you may note that it is only capable of receiving digital TV signals, it can't even sniff a terrestrial analogue signal

 

[V_R]

I will be taking audio out to my home hi-fi, as mentioned earlier, and taking S-Video out to the SCART socket on my TV. I'm not sure if that will work. My TV does not have an S-Video input. Maybe the Hauppage TV card has a composite video out?

I've had first hand experience of this, this is what i know/have learned.

You'll need an svid to scart adaptor. That should do the trick.

If you go into the nvidia display options (i use the old classic display style not the new style one) and click on the 'nview display settings' tab. In there is where you can change the display options and monitor setup. i use dual view or single display. its all self explanatory, so no doubt you'll know what to do, i expect you know more about it than i do.

The only problem you may have is the TV output being in black and white. I had that problem when i first connected it.
I run svid out from Graphics > Svideo lead > composite adaptor > scart adaptor then into the AV control centre then into the tv. I use the control centre coz i am short on scart sockets what with ps2, xbox, sky box and pc all wanting a scart socket to connect to. Why does the tv never have enough of 'em!?

You may find you need to change the tv signal to composite from svid or auto for it to be in colour, if that dont work check the colour is turned up in the settings. If that dont work you gonna need an adaptor. But if your going to use the 5700LE then it should be fine.

On my old 6800GT (Same as yours the leadtek one.) it worked fine, but with my new one i had to get an Svideo to composite adaptor to plug into the scart adaptor for it to come out in colour. This was because of the svid out on the back of the vid card is a new 9pin HD out svid socket. (well so i am told...) and not the usual 4pin jobbies.

I found this thread helpful when i needed to sort out the new cards B+W probs. Never did try the 'modified svideo lead fix' they talked about....just got the composite adaptor.

I think i am rambling now, if you get stuck i'll see if i can help.

 

[floppybootstomp]

V_R, I thank you, won't be for a week or two but if I have problems I shall rattle the bars of your cage, as they say

 

[V_R]

No worries Flops.

One last thing but i is certain you know this. Dont forget to use decent cables. I go all mine from http://www.tvcables.co.uk/ They do good quality stuff.

I used this for the audio, and this for the video.

Edit, hang on a minute, your jobs something along this lines aint it...I dont need to be telling you this then do i?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Edit, hang on a minute, your jobs something along this lines aint it...I dont need to be telling you this then do i?

My job is along those lines, yes, but in the last ten years or so I've only done about three installations that involved interfacing with a computer.

If I knew, I wouldn't ask So all help and suggestions gratefully received

Here is one of my suppliers Commercial Audio Solutions. That should give you an idea of the sort of work I do.

 

[muckshifter]

OK, done some digging and if you were interested in the Linux route, have a read ...

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1814924,00.asp

... sounds daunting, but at the beginning & end of the article, is a link.

http://zdpub.vo.llnwd.net/o2/knoppix.iso


Enjoy!

 

[V_R]

My job is along those lines, yes, but in the last ten years or so I've only done about three installations that involved interfacing with a computer.

If I knew, I wouldn't ask So all help and suggestions gratefully received

Here is one of my suppliers Commercial Audio Solutions. That should give you an idea of the sort of work I do.

Ah yes, just a bit different!