How to turn an old computer into your HTPC

Norman Witte III 1 Nov, 2011 at 4:18pm ET Article published in Tech

You’ve built your new computer for Battlefield 3, and now you want to use your old gaming computer as your home theater—but you are unsure as to what is involved with setting up an HTPC. Have no fear! We’re here to show you how to configure and optimize your computer for home theater use.

Prerequisites:

This guide assumes that you have Windows (Windows 7 x64 is highly recommended) installed on your computer as well as the latest drivers for all of your hardware. I would highly recommend a fresh install of Windows for this guide, as you are only going to want the minimal number of apps and utilities installed to save resources on your machine.

Hardware Requirements

Xbox Media Center will run on just about any machine out there, including an unlocked Xbox, which was its original purpose. It has now been adapted to run on every major operating system, so your options are quite flexible. However, in order to display high-definition video on your HDTV, a last-gen gaming PC would be recommended. This means it should have a processor with 64-bit capabilities and a gaming graphics card that was made within the last three years. If you are running Windows Vista or 7, I would recommend a minimum of 4GB memory and a sound card with a digital output (SPDIF: Optical or Coax) if your motherboard does not have a digital audio output integrated already.

Connections

HDMI, VGA and DVI, this video card has all three digital video connections

It will be very important to have the proper connections to connect your computer to your television set and stereo, in order to get the best quality picture and sound. For this reason, I would recommend a video card with HDMI output, as long as your HDTV supports it. HDMI is capable of sending both sound and video to your TV, so if you don’t have an external sound system, you will only need one cable to connect your computer to your TV. Some TVs have a VGA or DVI input, and these can be used as well, but they are not capable of handling a 1080p signal or audio. If you have an older HDTV that has no HDMI inputs, it will likely have one or more component inputs as well as a VGA and/or DVI input for digital video. Component video is not an option with an HTPC, so in this scenario you would want to make sure your VGA or DVI input on your TV matches what is available on the back of your video card. If you need to buy a new card to match your TV’s digital input, get the cheapest video card you can find with the proper output for your TV. Even the cheapest cards with entry-level GPUs will have the proper accelerators needed to display HD video and sound. For example, here is an AMD Radeon 5450 built by MSI that has everything you need for an HTPC and it’s only $35.

SPDIF Connections: Coaxial and Optical

If you are using an external receiver for audio, you will need a SPDIF connection in order to achieve digital sound. This can be done with a coaxial RCA cable or an optical SPDIF cable. Check to see what is available on your motherboard and sound card, and make sure it matches what is available on your receiver. I have a receiver that only accepts an optical signal, but I have seen receivers that only have a coaxial input. If your computer and receiver do not have matching digital audio connections, you may need to purchase a new sound card with the correct output.

If you do not have a digital receiver, or you are using a TV without an HDMI input, you will most likely be using the analog audio output on your computer. For this, you will need a special cable or adapter. It will have a male 3.5mm headphone connector on one end and two male RCA connectors on the other. The headphone connector goes in your PC and the RCA connectors go into your TV or receiver. Sound quality will be reduced if you use an analog audio connection. This Belkin F8V235-12 Y Audio Cable is 12 feet long and is what you’ll need for this type of connection.

Make sure you have all the right cables you need, and use the cables you have when you can. Adapters can be used if necessary to convert one format to another, so check with your local electronics store to see what is available before purchasing new hardware.

Network Requirements

We recommend connecting your HTPC to your router using a physical Ethernet connection, with a minimum speed of 100 Mbits/sec. Wireless Ethernet may inhibit your ability to play back HD content over the web, especially with services like Netflix. This can be tough in many situations, so it may be necessary to move your modem and router to your home theater if possible. If you are simply unable to bring a physical network connection to your HTPC, HD content will sometimes have buffering issues, but can still be viewed. For best results, a 5 megabit internet connection is the minimum requirement for viewing HD video, but an 8 megabit connection is suggested for viewing some 1080p content.

Software

It is the general consensus among the Icrontic staff that XBMC is the best platform for an HTPC. It is open source and includes all of the codecs that you will need to decode audio and video files on your PC. XBMC also allows for the use of external apps which can download and stream from services like Netflix and Youtube. It’s really just a matter of installing the software—however you may want to use something different than the stock theme. Some of us here at Icrontic use the Aeon Nox theme because it includes all of the new features you will need to run apps and organize your library.

Physical Media

You can play DVD and Blu-ray movies through your HTPC too. Blu-ray drives can be purchased for your PC, and typically run about $70, depending on if the drive has CD/DVD writing features built-in. While XBMC does not support Blu-ray playback as of yet, most Blu-ray drives will come with the software needed to play Blu-ray movies. No extra software is needed to play DVDs.

XBMC Remote for Android

Remote Control

You don’t have to go out and buy an expensive input device to remote control your HTPC. If you have a smartphone you can download remote apps for Android, iOS, and Blackberry. There are also apps you can use to turn your touch-screen smartphone into a keyboard and mouse, like RemoteDroid for Android or Air Mouse Pro for iOS.

If you are resourceful, you may not have to buy any new hardware to get your HTPC up and running. Personally, before I had a smartphone that was cable of being used as a keyboard and mouse, I had tricked my PC into using an old wireless Xbox controller as a remote. Be creative, and experiment with your system to see what gives you the best results.

If you want to throw a little less effort into the problem (but more money), you can always go with a ready-made remote for your PC. They range from around $30 at the low end to $160 at the high end, like this Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote with Color Touchscreen.

Conclusion

Turning an old computer into a home theater system is both fun and relatively cheap. The beauty of using an old PC versus purchasing home theater-based equipment is that the system can be completely customized to your needs. It can also be used for big-screen gaming, folding, video rendering, video chat, security camera, or even serving files to your home network. It’s also likely that your HTPC can be easily upgraded to support new technology as the home theater market continues to grow. It is a great investment that will provide many years of exciting entertainment experience.

Comments

1 Nov 2011 ~ 4:37pm fatcat Couple things:

DVI|VGA handle 1080p just fine.

Most new receivers have HDMI in, so there is no need for SPDIF optical or coax if you run HDMI from video card to receiver, and then output video to TV

Using you video card as your soundcard also eliminates the need for multiple cables
1 Nov 2011 ~ 4:47pm shwaip Yeah, but vga looks terrible relative to dvi/hdmi.

Also, last time I tried, digital audio over hdmi in linux would never do more than 2.0. 5.1 worked fine when I picked up an asus xonar card.
1 Nov 2011 ~ 4:55pm Thrax Another note: 802.11n is more than sufficient to stream even Blu-ray content, as its practical bandwidth is 2-3x the highest available bitrates with this media. In some respects, 11n wireless was designed to enable HD streaming. The WiFi Alliance is using it as the base standard for the open standard for wireless HD.

As for what GPUs are recommended, they should really be picked based on their specific DXVA capabilities, rather than a generation.

For AMD:
UVD 2, 2.2 and 3.0 are sufficient for high-def content (VC-1, H.264, MPEG2). UVD3 adds support for MPEG-4 Part 2 (Xvid and DivX) and MVC (Blu-ray 3D).

Suggested targets are UVD 2.2 and UVD 3.0.

For NVIDIA:
PureVideo 3, 4 and 5 are also sufficient for high-def content (again VC-1, H.264, MPEG2). VP4 adds support for MPEG-4 Part 2 (Xvid/DivX) and MVC (Blu-ray 3D).

Suggested targets are PureVideo 4 or PureVideo 5.

Confirming your DXVA support by the specific hardware decoder version is easier than picking a card because, as in the case of NVIDIA, a new generation of PureVideo was not synchronized with a new generation of hardware. This has lead to mixed VP versions within the same product stack.

And to confirm what Greg said, an SPDIF connection is only required if your receiver or TV does not support HDMI. Both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs support 7.1 Dolby TrueHD or DTS-MA passthrough to a compatible receiver. If you have a WiFi HTPC, that's the only cable you need beyond power.
1 Nov 2011 ~ 5:03pm djmeph Thanks for clarifying all of this, I actually don't really have any newer home theater equipment to base this article from. My receiver does not have an HDMI input.
1 Nov 2011 ~ 5:19pm ardichoke To jump on the clarification comment bandwagon: if you get a universal remote for your HTPC (such as the Logitech Harmony line), you will also need to get a consumer infrared receiver. A select few cases come with ones built in, otherwise you would need to get an external one. A decent IR receiver seems to be hard to find though... or so my on and off hunting would suggest.
1 Nov 2011 ~ 5:21pm djmeph In other words, save your money and use your smartphone.
1 Nov 2011 ~ 6:01pm ardichoke If you're only going to use the HTPC for XBMC? yes. If you plan on using it for other things, getting a remote and an IR receiver will likely work better. Also, you could just get a dedicated MCE remote like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Special/ShellShocker.aspx?cm_sp=ShellShocker-_-80-101-007-_-11012011_3

Then, if you really want to, I'm sure you could replace the remote part with something like a Logitech Harmony.
1 Nov 2011 ~ 6:02pm fatcat My favorite XBMC remote. Works with MPC and WMP out of the box
1 Nov 2011 ~ 6:33pm djmeph

ardichoke wrote:

If you're only going to use the HTPC for XBMC? yes. If you plan on using it for other things, getting a remote and an IR receiver will likely work better. Also, you could just get a dedicated MCE remote like this one: http://www.newegg.com/Special/ShellShocker.aspx?cm_sp=ShellShocker-_-80-101-007-_-11012011_3

Then, if you really want to, I'm sure you could replace the remote part with something like a Logitech Harmony.

I disagree. Say you have a touch-screen Android or iPhone. What can't you do with RemoteDroid or Air Mouse Pro that you can do with any of those remotes? Not to mention that some of them require purchasing an IR receiver, which isn't necessary because these programs use the wireless connection you already have.

The point of this article is to say that most people can use their last gen PC as an HTPC without having to buy anything. Use what you have first, and make that work for you, then purchase extras if you want more convenience.
2 Nov 2011 ~ 3:44am UPSLynx Obligatory post in a thread with AVATAR used as the feature image.
2 Nov 2011 ~ 3:49pm allenpan HDMI, VGA and DVI, this video card has all three digital video connections

VGA= analog
2 Nov 2011 ~ 4:16pm Kwitko I started building an XBMC HTPC out of old parts, but I keep coming across this odd problem where the machine won't POST. I fixed it a while back by pulling the CMOS battery. Now the problem is back. Pulled the CMOS. No luck this time. Meh, maybe I'll buck up for a new motherboard.

I can't wait to get it up and running. Some of the XBMC plugins are amazing, like the one that automatically downloads your favorite TV shows.
2 Nov 2011 ~ 5:50pm Straight_Man Um, you might try a brand-new CMOS battery charged 24 hours in HTPC for a cheaper way out.

Even cheaper than that MIGHT be to leave your HTPC with battery in running 24 hours. Then pull it and put it back in, keep machine from fully booting by entering BIOS ASAP as boot process continues, then reset BIOS to what you want or what it sets itself to if previous trick of pulling CMOS was not followed by customizing settings( since pulling it alone did not work, it is likely that the CMOS battery is dead as to charge, but also true is that many older CMOS batteries are rechargeable and thus may not even need replacing).

Brevity causes compaction of idea flow, ask about anything you do not understand please. Good luck Seth
2 Nov 2011 ~ 6:55pm Mt_Goat There are other options for remotes available. You can add a tuner card, I recomend Hauppauge as far as a name goes. Many of these come with a decent remote and the ever elusive IR receiver. This option can be had for as low as $50. You can also use the IR receiver with other remotes if you like. On the other end you could go with something like the Logitech diNovo Mini, which is what I use. It can give you control of not only media controls but also complete control of your PC. It can come in handy for locating items in a library by using the letter keys for indexing movies saved to disc.
2 Nov 2011 ~ 6:59pm Thrax I have a diNovo mini, and gave up on it in favor of my smartphone/tablet.
2 Nov 2011 ~ 7:43pm Kwitko

Straight_Man wrote:

Um, you might try a brand-new CMOS battery charged 24 hours in HTPC for a cheaper way out.

Um, I already tried a brand new battery. No dice, unfortunately. The other problem is it won't POST, so I can't get to BIOS.

Going to try again tonight. I want to cry.
9 Nov 2011 ~ 11:49am Thrax Except the first generation Apple TV has numerous issues playing HD content. The GeForce 7300 Go is not a shining example of multimedia readiness, and also does not support multi-channel audio passthrough over HDMI.

Basically, it sucks.
9 Nov 2011 ~ 11:53am djmeph

DonJakobo wrote:

I find it funny that everyone is posting 'add this' or 'buy that remote', when you can just get a 1st gen Apple TV (modded) for under $100 bucks and run all this crap without any more investment, plus you get a remote with it, and bluetooth keyboards work well for web browsing. There is a ton of stuff for the 1st gen Apple TV, and it works just fine for hacked airplay too! Just suggesting an option here to an old pc that you would have to waste time on.

You totally missed the point of this article. This is for people who are building new gaming PCs to play some of these next gen games like Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3. That's $100 you don't have to spend if you already have the equipment you need. The inferior nature of an Apple TV device non-withstanding.
9 Nov 2011 ~ 12:44pm redchief I've used Hauppage for about 5 years now. I'm on my 2nd tuner card. I upgraded to get a digital tuner. the card and the remote have worked daily and flawlessly. for years. I'm using a Q6600 and an infocus projector to put HD on the wall about 12 ft wide, with 5.1 surround. Phat Boi, TV..
9 Nov 2011 ~ 1:04pm djmeph My first tuner card was Hauppauge and I would continue to but their products if I had TV. The only thing I could see myself using it for at this point is to watch sports and be able to pause and rewind.
9 Nov 2011 ~ 11:53pm ErrorNullTurnip On the subject of tuner cards, I had a Hauppauge for my laptop that worked well, but had some lag between the video stream and the display on screen. Even using VLC to get the stream directly I could only get down to about a 0.5 second lag. Do they have cards that are instantaneous, or close enough to play games?
13 Jan 2012 ~ 12:41am trooster89 Page not found. What happened to the original article?
15 Jan 2012 ~ 9:01pm Garg Fixed! Thanks for the heads-up.