Nice. It's surely future-proof, but for a pure media center, it really seems like overkill. You can do full 1080p HD playback on a 780G motherboard with the integrated graphics alone as I understand it using the lowest clocked AM2+ chips. Why'd you go for the big Intel, full ATX board and HD 4830? Will you be doing encoding too?
0
Mt_GoatHead Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin)Icrontian
Nice. It's surely future-proof, but for a pure media center, it really seems like overkill. You can do full 1080p HD playback on a 780G motherboard with the integrated graphics alone as I understand it using the lowest clocked AM2+ chips. Why'd you go for the big Intel, full ATX board and HD 4830? Will you be doing encoding too?
For me it is more than just a pure media center. It is also intended to replace my previous build as my main PC and be capable of doing everything including Folding@Home.
I tried the BD/HDDVD drive on a few different combinations to test for minimum compatability and found the following;
E7200 / 4GB DDR800 / ATI HD 3850 = very good playback
So for another $20 or so more than the 3850 I upped to the 4830, which is a lot more card. It is also harder to get massive HSF's to fit in micro boards. My fullest extension is to do video editing.
Aside from maybe an obvious disdain for Vista, might I ask why you opted for MCE 2005 instead of a Vista version?
I have tried vista more than once and just don't care for it. It uses too much system resources, makes control harder and doesn't offer enough to make me want it. Vista Home premium isn't too far off in terms of features but it just doesn't perform for me!
Great review and advice. At some point down the road, I plan to build one, and like you I want it to have more power than just a regular HTPC. But I would rather not run any media center sort of OS. Are there any freeware programs that load from within Vista or XP that'll give you the same features? I've tried out HP's solution and liked it but then you need an HP.
Also, how is the image quality using an LCD TV from within windows? Text on websites clear enough? What about using it for photo shop?
What about Vista? Does anyone know if Vista MCE (or whatever it is called) supports HD-DVD or Blu-ray within MCE itself?
I'm not sure if Media Center itself supports either at the moment, but I know it'll play HD-DVD and Blu-Ray through software (I've played HD-DVDs via a version of PowerDVD or whatever with the 360's drive). I think it's slated to get BR write support with SP2, but I'm not sure it'll have native support (and thus via the Media Center) any time soon. Still, being able to play via programs is just as good as playing through Media Center in my view, but I think you can do that on MCE05 just fine as well.
In other words, you can cross your fingers, but it'll probably end up the same either way.
Also, Komete, you can get something like MythTV or the like that is some alternative MC software. I think even XBMC works on top of some OSes now.
The trouble with using TVs for monitors is usually pixel density. I had a 32" LCD TV that was only 1366x768 when used in VGA. That's worse than my 19" 1680x1050. It's just that everything's HUGE.
MediaPortal is XBMC with Tuner support. It was actually developed after one of the original XBMC devs left the project to start his own work. It on the same level as MythTV - assuming you don't mind using the Windows platform.
Great review and advice. At some point down the road, I plan to build one, and like you I want it to have more power than just a regular HTPC. But I would rather not run any media center sort of OS. Are there any freeware programs that load from within Vista or XP that'll give you the same features? I've tried out HP's solution and liked it but then you need an HP.
Also, how is the image quality using an LCD TV from within windows? Text on websites clear enough? What about using it for photo shop?
I don't really see where the MCE component itself is an end all in any way what so ever. The biggest thing I see with it is that you can use a universal type remote that comes with many HTPC cases and tuner cards to run everything. I have no problem using stand alone software to do the desired task! As I pointed out, I will likely end up using separate software for HD DVD and Blu Ray. BTW my remote that came with the tuner card (and is MCE compliant) runs my Power DVD program just fine as well as WMP! Also as I pointed out in the article MCE 2005 is Windows XP Professional with the MCE added. And you can use the MCE as you wish or not. I would buy the same OS again and probably just not use the MCE for my next desktop build. It will save my some cash if nothong else since it is XP Pro in reality.
Viewed on my 52" 1080p (1920 x 1080 resolution) Windows looks to be stretched as far as it can go. I had to enable large font and clear type to read well. But at the 10' viewing distance I have from my bed it looks and reads OK. As a matter of fact I have been using this set up more than my desktop lately. Pictures and everthing else look great and it is just the native windows resolution that craps out. I feel that a 40" or 42" panel would be optimum for maximum size.
0
Mt_GoatHead Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin)Icrontian
The trouble with using TVs for monitors is usually pixel density. I had a 32" LCD TV that was only 1366x768 when used in VGA. That's worse than my 19" 1680x1050.
The biggest thing I see with it is that you can use a universal type remote that comes with many HTPC cases and tuner cards to run everything.
Intelliremote is a cheap way to get most any kind of computer remote to work with Windows. I've been using it for years with the Live! Drive in my HTPC because Creative's software sucks. Recent versions support all kinds of craziness (ATI's RF remotes, Bluetooth remotes like cell phones and Wiimotes, etc.) I'm using it currently with the external box on my Audigy2 ZS, a Logitech Harmony remote, and XP x64 Edition. You know it's solid if it can make that hodgepodge work flawlessly .
Mt_Goat
Head Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
Comments
MCE has no provisions for HD or BD and so far I can not find a way to add it to MCE via the other programs option.
For me it is more than just a pure media center. It is also intended to replace my previous build as my main PC and be capable of doing everything including Folding@Home.
I tried the BD/HDDVD drive on a few different combinations to test for minimum compatability and found the following;
So for another $20 or so more than the 3850 I upped to the 4830, which is a lot more card. It is also harder to get massive HSF's to fit in micro boards. My fullest extension is to do video editing.
What about Vista? Does anyone know if Vista MCE (or whatever it is called) supports HD-DVD or Blu-ray within MCE itself?
I have tried vista more than once and just don't care for it. It uses too much system resources, makes control harder and doesn't offer enough to make me want it. Vista Home premium isn't too far off in terms of features but it just doesn't perform for me!
I have looked and so far there is no support. I really don't see where it would be of any real benefit anyway.
Also, how is the image quality using an LCD TV from within windows? Text on websites clear enough? What about using it for photo shop?
I'm not sure if Media Center itself supports either at the moment, but I know it'll play HD-DVD and Blu-Ray through software (I've played HD-DVDs via a version of PowerDVD or whatever with the 360's drive). I think it's slated to get BR write support with SP2, but I'm not sure it'll have native support (and thus via the Media Center) any time soon. Still, being able to play via programs is just as good as playing through Media Center in my view, but I think you can do that on MCE05 just fine as well.
In other words, you can cross your fingers, but it'll probably end up the same either way.
Also, Komete, you can get something like MythTV or the like that is some alternative MC software. I think even XBMC works on top of some OSes now.
The trouble with using TVs for monitors is usually pixel density. I had a 32" LCD TV that was only 1366x768 when used in VGA. That's worse than my 19" 1680x1050. It's just that everything's HUGE.
The ultimate HTPC solution is MythTV. Nothing else comes close, but it has a steeper learning curve.
http://www.team-mediaportal.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MediaPortal
A handy page that will help you decide which platform is right for you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_PVR_software_packages
(clearly MediaPortal and MythTV are the winners here)
I don't really see where the MCE component itself is an end all in any way what so ever. The biggest thing I see with it is that you can use a universal type remote that comes with many HTPC cases and tuner cards to run everything. I have no problem using stand alone software to do the desired task! As I pointed out, I will likely end up using separate software for HD DVD and Blu Ray. BTW my remote that came with the tuner card (and is MCE compliant) runs my Power DVD program just fine as well as WMP! Also as I pointed out in the article MCE 2005 is Windows XP Professional with the MCE added. And you can use the MCE as you wish or not. I would buy the same OS again and probably just not use the MCE for my next desktop build. It will save my some cash if nothong else since it is XP Pro in reality.
Viewed on my 52" 1080p (1920 x 1080 resolution) Windows looks to be stretched as far as it can go. I had to enable large font and clear type to read well. But at the 10' viewing distance I have from my bed it looks and reads OK. As a matter of fact I have been using this set up more than my desktop lately. Pictures and everthing else look great and it is just the native windows resolution that craps out. I feel that a 40" or 42" panel would be optimum for maximum size.
So much better for pROn!
-drasnor