OK Computer gurus, lets talk HTPCs

I've dumped Direct TV. The $80 a month was just too much. Upgrading one of the office computers left me with a spare pc. I have hooked it up to my TV and stereo and am running netflix through it. It works pretty good, though I get some artifacts in the display occasionally and no surround sound.

What I have now:

AMD Sempron 3100+ 1.8Ghz

2 gig of memory

1600Mhz FSB

256KB L2 Cache

Video is S3 Unichrome 3D on the motherboard. It does have a free AGP slot.

Sound is on the motherboard.

No idea what the motherboard is, but it is an E-Machines computer and at the time it was cheap.

Now the questions:

Is this worth upgrading or should I scrap it and and start from scratch? Would a video card help with the artifacts. Would a sound card give me surround sound. A TV tuner would be nice too, as would HD capability.

Thanks for any advice.

Just recently did the same, I'll share my setup, and where I go from here.

Currently going the ultra-cheap bastard route:

sabnzbd (free) + sickbeard (free) + usenet service of your choice (i use easynews at $10/month)

confused? here is a quick start guide. Once set up, these programs work together to automatically download and categorize your favorite TV shows, as they come out. I then use windows media center to stream the shows to my Xbox 360. Total cost: $10/month I supplement it with this over the air antenna, for local channels in HD.

so far the downsides are that the Xbox won't play nice with all file types, and HD content tends to buffer more often than I'd like.

I've looked into: mac mini ($$$$$$$$$, proprietary formats) boxxee ($$$$$, mixed reviews) which leaves me looking very hard at the acer revo. The price seems right, and it has an HDMI interface built in. If you have to ask if your current setup is fast enough....

edit to actually answer your question: Sounds like you've got a bit of a weak box there. It's possible to upgrade cheaply and realize some nice improvements...

I built a HTPC that doubles as my iRacing rig. It drives a 37" 1080p LCD quite nicely, but is strictly overkill for just watching Netflix, which is what mostly does these days.

The basic setup (before I went to the big graphics card) cost $524 shipped from NewEgg. It's not pretty, though it is pretty quiet, and I don't have it doing surround sound, but it works really well. I didn't get all spendy on this, but I think I got the stuff that walked the edge of performance/dollar.

I don't really watch TV any more, but I can do Hulu easily enough, and of course the usual YouTube and all that.

The real issues are: a) reading text/navigating from far away b) finding a good input system. My el-Cheapo wireless keyboard works, but is... less than optimal.

ask if you want the gory details...

if you're willing to pay a few bucks to upgrade the various bits, you may want to consider a Roku. it'll stream netflix and amazon vod. there's a bunch of other channels as well. I think hulu is available. And it has a remote. and it's under $100. look on amazon. We have two and swmbo watches netflix. it'll do 720p or less easy.

If you have an iphone,etc, check out the new apple tv. same principle as the roku.

Honestly I dont know why anyone wouldnt just get a PS3 for a home theatre PC.

Mine was cheap used, outputs 1080P and optical digital audio, streams anything you want off PS3 Media Server running on my workstation PC. The PC I use as a workstation (AMD Phenom quad-core 3.4 ghz, 4 gb RAM, 1.5 terabytes of hard drive) set me back $500 without reusing anything but my keyboard (IBM Model M circa 1984) mouse (OG Intellimouse optical from 2000), and monitor (24" Soyo LCD)6 months ago and has plenty of jack to run on-the-fly transcoding of non-native formats. Its plug n play, can do netflix, hulu, or whatever you download off usenet or bit torrent.

Also a PS3 is a fantastic blu-ray and DVD player and can be used with a conventional remote control or seamlessly integrated into most home automation/long range remote systems. The blue-tooth remotes are clutch for walking around the house doing chores, I just stick it in my pocket and can advance/rewind tracks at my choosing.

Sure you can build a HTPC, but for the cost, simplicity, and power, you can't touch a PS3. I hear they also play a few popular games.

Toyman01 wrote: Now the questions: Is this worth upgrading or should I scrap it and and start from scratch? Would a video card help with the artifacts. Would a sound card give me surround sound. A TV tuner would be nice too, as would HD capability. Thanks for any advice.

If all you're planning to do is run Netflix, you should be able to set that up pretty decently for not too much money. I'd get a used inexpensive video card. Be sure it's AGP, if that's what your motherboard has a port for. If you want a built in TV tuner, you're looking at spending a lot more money for something like a Radeon "All-In-Wonder". In order to get surround sound, you're going to need a decent sound card. Find them used, and you can probably pick up each for about $20.

Toyman01 wrote: Is this worth upgrading or should I scrap it and and start from scratch? Would a video card help with the artifacts. Would a sound card give me surround sound. A TV tuner would be nice too, as would HD capability. Thanks for any advice.

Yes, yes, and yes.

Add a ati 9800pro (last of the old school s00per cards that readily supported AGP). You can find them used for $20, but they are quite powerful. Add any $50 sound card of your choice for surround sound, and voila, you are good to go. I mean, if the $80/month was too much for tv, might as well keep this as cheap as possible. And then do what the first poster said with usenet and the like.

It's not that the $80 was too high, it's the crap you get for your money. The value just isn't there anymore. Of the 200+ channels I think I watched 3 and they showed reruns 2/3s of the year.

The info given in the first post was read off the sticker on the front of the case. Not knowing one slot from the other, here is a photo of the MB.

I don't mind dumping some money into this box if it will do the job. I guess what I'm asking is would I be better off putting the money into something a little more modern or will this do what I need it to do.

Ideally it will be taking over all video entertainment and storage. Netflix, DVR service for the local channels, and movies. I would like to be able to dump all my DVDs and Blueray disks to the hard disks if possible. HD is a requirement. HDMI output would be nice. The only displays will be a 42" Vizio TV for daily use and a Sanyo projector at 100" for movies.

Wow.... i haven't seen a Socket A motherboard in years.... this brings back memories!

Back in those days, MSI made very good motherboards, so i think you'd be ok with that thing. Just slap a 9800pro (or a 6800ultra... most of the "next generation after the ATi 9800pro/NVidia 5900ultra had AGP support) in there and see where it gets you!

Yeah, the red slot that looks a bit different is your AGP slot. Any of the Vid Cards suggested would work. I would hunt craigslist to find something cheap. Pretty much any old AGP card will do what you need for watching TV.

Computers have been able to display "HD" for a while now. Finding something with an HDMI out is a bit tougher, if you're looking used. Otherwise, Newegg has 4: http://tinyurl.com/3rbobd8

And for your sound needs, here is a $13, 7.1 channel sound car that gets pretty good reviews: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829180004

The issue is that many HD tv's with HDMI need HDCP in order to display the full resolution. In order to do that with a PC you'll need a card that supports HDCP.

If your TV doesn't need HDCP (like mine, thankfully) then you don't need an HD video card.

Of course then you've got the fun of DRM on Windows systems and the fact that some of the content available needs DRM and HDCP to play properly. This is another reason for buying movies, etc and then downloading versions without the DRM infestation.

BTW, ATI and other vendors made AGP versions of the 2400 and 2600 HD cards, which are based on the 9800 chipsets, but supports HDCP (but not audio over HDMI, only the PCIe cards support that)

Decent PC + big hard drives + torrent client = set for life

93gsxturbo wrote: Honestly I dont know why anyone wouldnt just get a PS3 for a home theatre PC.

probably the biggest weakness is its spectacular firey crash-up they call a web browser.

2nd runner up would be its bluetooth remotes that have no infrared, forcing you to have an extra remote.

if you don't care about those 2 things, yeah a ps3 is a mighty good solution.

To toyman:

whats your software?

PS3 won't DVR will it?

DILYSI Dave wrote: PS3 won't DVR will it?

Nope.

The PS3 has all the hard bits to make a good media server, but falls pretty short in terms of interface and software.

You can thank Sony for nuking the "OtherOS" project.

In reply to madmallard:

Right now I'm using Windows XP and Firefox through Nexflix.com. I haven't even gotten into the software options yet. I figured I would get the hardware bits right before I got into the software. I'm not even sure what options are available so any recommendations there would be helpful also.

I tried to stream a HD video yesterday rather unsuccessfully. At 1080 and 720 it was rather jerky. I assume a video card would solve that. Looking at the cards Salinas recommended I assume more is better. As in more memory and more speed.

if you can identify the emachine docs on the mobo and confirm agp 4x vs 8x, that will help in selection.

and if you were considering upgrading windows to 7 hom, it comes with lots of fiddlybits to facilitate use in this way.

madmallard wrote: if you can identify the emachine docs on the mobo and confirm agp 4x vs 8x, that will help in selection. and if you were considering upgrading windows to 7 hom, it comes with lots of fiddlybits to facilitate use in this way.

I was considering the win 7 upgrade, but after some reading, some of the more powerful AGP video cards apparently aren't compatible with win 7

The AGP slot is 8X.

Here is the rest of the info on the motherboard.

MSI K8MM-V (MS-7142-010) Socket 754 ATX Motherboard, Dual DDR400, AGP8X, SATA RAID, VGA & LAN, 6ch Audio Features: 9.44 in.(L) x 7.68 in.(W); Micro- ATX, 2 DIMMs w/ DDR 400 upto 2 GB, 1 AGP 8X; 3 PCI; 8 USB, 6 Ch. Audio; 10/100 LAN; RAID; SATA; ATA133, S3 Graphics UniChrome 2D/3D Graphics with motion compensation assign upto 64MB of video Memory, Live Update; Fuzzy Logic; PC Alert.

madmallard wrote:

93gsxturbo wrote: Honestly I dont know why anyone wouldnt just get a PS3 for a home theatre PC.

probably the biggest weakness is its spectacular firey crash-up they call a web browser. 2nd runner up would be its bluetooth remotes that have no infrared, forcing you to have an extra remote. if you don't care about those 2 things, yeah a ps3 is a mighty good solution.

I thought a home theatre PC was for movies and music and watching Louis Thoreau episodes, not surfing. Without a true keyboard and mouse, the nicest web browser in the world is pretty useless. Of course, adding a full time (wireless?) keyboard and a mouse to a HTPC adds 1 or 2 remotes no matter how you do it.

I wish all my devices used a bluetooth remote, but to address your comment I run a Logitech Harmony 1000 that controls every device including the PS3 seamlessly. I like that I can do chores with the bluetooth remote for the PS3 in my pocket and no worries about line-of-sight to change music tracks.

93gsxturbo wrote: I thought a home theatre PC was for movies and music and watching Louis Thoreau episodes, not surfing. Without a true keyboard and mouse, the nicest web browser in the world is pretty useless. Of course, adding a full time (wireless?) keyboard and a mouse to a HTPC adds 1 or 2 remotes no matter how you do it...

alot more people start most of their entertainment thru surfing these days. the lines are blurring. ;p

Its best to use a (HT)PC to surf, i agree. But even with wireless keyboard, the PS3 browser is an absolute garbage product, not worthy of note.

So for many folks it can't be the livingroom hub by itself...

Update.

After a lot of reading and research, here's what I did.

Video: HIS Radeon HD4650. AGP, 1GB DDR3 1080P Full HD, with HDMI out.

Sound: ASUS Xonar DG PCI 5.1 Audio card.

TV Tuner: Kworld PCI ATSC Hybrid HDTV Card.

Storage: Western Digital 1TB 3.5" SATA Hard Drive.

Updated to Windows 7.

Still working some of the bugs out, but so far so good.

Why not just buy Google TV .

Where's the fun/challenge in that.