HTPC - a few questions for you all.

[Sammael]

OK, here is what I want to pull off.

I already had a PC hooked up to my entertainment center, but I had frankenstiened it in. I want to either find or build something that would fit the following requirements :

record HD signal from a cable box - I want to eliminate my DVR if possible.
Burn HD quality (when I have tried this from my DVR I end up with 480 i/p quality) to DVD's
mouse / keyboard setup made for couch usage

Everything else I think I can take care of myself, but these issues are the ones I had trouble with the first time around. Even if I can't completely get rid of my DVR, I would like to be able to pull content off of it in HD.

Any ideas / suggestions on those issues?

[Wraith]

Burn HD quality (when I have tried this from my DVR I end up with 480 i/p quality) to DVD'sAre you talking video DVDs that play at 720p or greater? I...don't think you can do that, can you? You can get Blu-ray burners now.

[biosc1]

Are you talking video DVDs that play at 720p or greater? I...don't think you can do that, can you? You can get Blu-ray burners now.

Can't....max res of DVD's is 480p...hence the limitation encountered.

Blu-Ray burners are only in the $150 range these days.


Some other notes because I'm thinking about this as well...does your cable company have a CableCard? I think that matters...up here in Canada, we can't record HDTV without directly controlling the cable box with an IR-blaster (and losing control of being able to watch 2 shows at once).

Other than that, I've definitely seen some very sexy boxes out there (http://www.ntcw.com/search.asp?sp_flag=0&sp=htpc&searchgo.x=0&searchgo.y=0)

[hunterx280]

There are a few problems you may run into. Some content on your cable box is encrypted, that is why they have the cable box to begin with. It's a secure decryption device. There are CableCard adapters for Windows but you usually have to buy them in a pre-built system. You will run into problems mostly on premium channels like Showtime and HBO.

The good news is, there are still a lot of unencrypted channels out there from what I hear so you should be able to get any HDTV tuner that supports QAM and be able to record and watch those channels.

As for recording to a disk. DVD's can't really hold enough info on them to play back in HD. Now, you could do something like put the recorded video on the disk as an MPEG or DIVX file or whatever but you won't be able to play that on any and every DVD player. Only ones that support that type of playback or a PC, 360, and PS3. You could get a blu-ray burner and burn the recordings to that. Blu-ray burners run anywhere from $200-$400 usually. Not sure what your budget is. There are a lot more details but I think this is a good place to start. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[NoName]

Do you have a coffee table? That's generally where the keyboard and mouse sit in my living room when I'm using the computer.

As far as recording the high def stuff goes, like hunterx said you probably need the cable box to receive it. I know all my cable HD channels are encrypted. You can hook the cable box up to your computer but you'll only be getting the channel the cable box is on.

[KingGorilla]

The FCC has mandated cable card compliance for cable companies, satellitw is exempt. So you can 86 the cavle company boxes. As far as burning hi def, Why? You can have the hi def content right there on the computer whether it is off of the cable or a download. But you can go with a Blu ray drive is you so desire. The one great benefit to an HTPC is full HD scaling of DVD without hackery. You will notice a big difference in how they look, even in 1080p.

As far as control. There are wireless keyboards with touchpads and trackballs, Bluetooth as well as RF with a dongle(costs less).

[hunterx280]

I remember hearing a while back that if your cable box has firewire you should be able to pull any unencrypted recordings. I don't have TV currently at home so I don't know if that is still something you are able to do or how many recordings are unencrypted these days but it's definitely something we may need to try.

[roguebaboon]

Other than that, I've definitely seen some very sexy boxes out there (http://www.ntcw.com/search.asp?sp_flag=0&sp=htpc&searchgo.x=0&searchgo.y=0)

Why is it that just seeing an empty sleek case, makes me want to build a new PC?

But on the topic, blue ray burners aren't the expensive part its the blank media.

[biosc1]

Why is it that just seeing an empty sleek case, makes me want to build a new PC?

Yah, unfortunately, that store is just around the corner from my work. They are more expensive than other stores, but they stock the best stuff, stuff other places don't. It's one of those stores that's a mess inside, but that's because they have all their cases in the front room...so many sexy cases...

I remember hearing a while back that if your cable box has firewire you should be able to pull any unencrypted recordings.

Depends on the box and whether it's firmware disabled or physically disabled.

[KingGorilla]

If you are not into building, Dell either offers or previewed a mini htpc. Something Mac Mini sized, but with a network card that works.

[biosc1]

If you are not into building, Dell either offers or previewed a mini htpc. Something Mac Mini sized, but with a network card that works.

Yah...I was at one point really considered a modified Mac Mine/Apple TV offering...

Would love to have an EEE desktop PC to fit nicely next to my Wii.

[hunterx280]

I recently moved my old PC next to the bedroom TV. It's an old P4 in a Shuttle case and makes a decent netflix streaming box as well as divx movie player among other things. I haven't bothered to get a tuner yet. I will probably get a USB one just because my lone PCI slot is occupied by a wi-fi adapter.

One of the things that I use for my HTPC is something similar to this (http://www.gyration.com/?l=en#productDetail/mobility/airMouse). My version is a lot older but it works pretty well most of the time. It also came with a small keyboard but I don't usually use that. I'm thinking of upgrading to this (http://www.gyration.com/?l=en#productDetail/livingRoom/mediaRemote) as my mouse stops working sometimes.

[Sammael]

Hmm... Well, some more info for you on this.

I have a 56" 1080p tv with a PS3 hooked up. Will a PS3 play burned blu-ray media?

I am keeping the cablebox... sounds like I'll have to keep the DVR too due to a few issues there.
The reason I want to burn in HD is lending out media. My collection has a nickname since I tend to lend out a lot of my stuff, but some of it is now imprisoned on my DVR.

Viewing sites online can be unpredictable...

coffee table is a no - go. too far away, too low, too cluttered. I want something like the infinium labs lapboard (yeah, i went there) but those idiots seem to be adverse to making any kind of money and never have it for sale... ever. It's been 2 years since I ordered one and never heard a thing back on it. :(

I'll have to keep looking into alternatives, but thanks, you guys answered some important questions there. :)

[biosc1]

I'll pimp my keyboard again because I love it

Logitech DiNovo (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/192&cl=US,EN). You can find it for a fair price if you shop around :)

[Whunpo]

I'll pimp my keyboard again because I love it

Logitech DiNovo (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keyboards/keyboard/devices/192&cl=US,EN). You can find it for a fair price if you shop around :)That looks absolutely awesome. However, for that price, I could NEVER justify it. $50 would have me instantly though.

[KingGorilla]

Hmm... Well, some more info for you on this.

I have a 56" 1080p tv with a PS3 hooked up. Will a PS3 play burned blu-ray media?

It does support BD-R and BD-RE discs.

[Sammael]

Wow. BD-R's are fucking expensive. You've got to be kidding me on some of those prices.

Once I get an idea of what kind of specs I'm looking at I'll post them.

I haven't built a PC since '04. It's still going strong, I'm just getting bored with it again.

[biosc1]

That looks absolutely awesome. However, for that price, I could NEVER justify it. $50 would have me instantly though.

I found it for $109...and it was a treat for myself. I really wanted it for the PS3, but fell in love with it, so I use it as my main pc laptop now. The keys look great and this thing really knows how to hold a charge...I recharge it about once a month and I game a lot. No drop in connectivity either, which is a first for me...quite robust this thing.

Only downside is a lack of numeric pad.

[KingGorilla]

Wow. BD-R's are fucking expensive. You've got to be kidding me on some of those prices.

Once I get an idea of what kind of specs I'm looking at I'll post them.

I haven't built a PC since '04. It's still going strong, I'm just getting bored with it again.

Hence you exercise your fair use rights and just stream from the box any recorded or ripped video. If you want hi def streaming there are some great solutions with 802.11n and airport extreme adapters. But keep your other devices off as routers default bandwidth to the slowest device on the network. You could also run cable if you can.

Works for recorded TV and Downloaded video. You need a direct video feed for streaming services however-Netflix or Hulu

[Schnoogs]

Lots of FAIL in this thread.

There is no such thing as a max res for DVD. You can put much higher res footage on one...the key is whether or not your player will play it. ;)

You can encode 1080p and then burn it onto a DVD...just don't expect your old DVD player to recognize it since it's expecting MPEG-2.

DVDs are just discs...they can hold any type of file at any resolution. I've recorded tons of 1080p content to DVD and it plays just fine on a PC.

[KingGorilla]

Why not cut out the middle man and just keep them on a hard drive?

[Sammael]

Lots of FAIL in this thread.

There is no such thing as a max res for DVD. You can put much higher res footage on one...the key is whether or not your player will play it. ;)

You can encode 1080p and then burn it onto a DVD...just don't expect your old DVD player to recognize it since it's expecting MPEG-2.

DVDs are just discs...they can hold any type of file at any resolution. I've recorded tons of 1080p content to DVD and it plays just fine on a PC.

You are correct Schnoogs, but the posters understood what I was implying.

my reason for HD on DVD was to be able to share with my friends, but it defeats the purpose entirely if regular DVD players wouldn't read them...
I have to do some experimentation with my PS3. Curious about it's file format limits...

[Sammael]

Why not cut out the middle man and just keep them on a hard drive?

For some reason I keep thinking I will keep running out of HDD space. I'm not sure yet. Going with at least a TB...

[KingGorilla]

Am I uniquely capable of watching not collecting video? There are half a dozen ways to delete unused files. The problem is filling up drives with a collection of shit you will never watch or never watch again.

[biosc1]

Am I uniquely capable of watching not collecting video? There are half a dozen ways to delete unused files. The problem is filling up drives with a collection of shit you will never watch or never watch again.

Agreed. Either I turf it completely, or, if I feel like I may watch it again, I'll burn it to disc.

I have a cable company PVR, I know how to make room on the hdd ;)

[hunterx280]

Lots of FAIL in this thread.

There is no such thing as a max res for DVD. You can put much higher res footage on one...the key is whether or not your player will play it. ;)

You can encode 1080p and then burn it onto a DVD...just don't expect your old DVD player to recognize it since it's expecting MPEG-2.

DVDs are just discs...they can hold any type of file at any resolution. I've recorded tons of 1080p content to DVD and it plays just fine on a PC.

It's not so much that we don't understand this. It's more of a simplification. If I remember right there was version of Terminator 2 out there that would do 720P or 1080i or something like that. We say DVD as in the movie specification but you are right they are capable but due to reader and space constraints it's usually accepted that 480P is the best you will get out of a DVD short of an upscaling DVD player. That is another beast entirely, though.

[KingGorilla]

Agreed. Either I turf it completely, or, if I feel like I may watch it again, I'll burn it to disc.

I have a cable company PVR, I know how to make room on the hdd ;)

It is a genuine problem of time and space waste. I know so many people who never delete ANYTHING. Be they horrid photos on cameras, the music that they never listen to on 100 GB of their 160 GB iPods, or the copious amounts of neglected porn on a hard disc.

I understand in stickier situations like how iTunes works, that is just horrible. But I can go back to Amazon any time I want for a movie.

[Sammael]

It is a genuine problem of time and space waste. I know so many people who never delete ANYTHING. Be they horrid photos on cameras, the music that they never listen to on 100 GB of their 160 GB iPods, or the copious amounts of neglected porn on a hard disc.

I understand in stickier situations like how iTunes works, that is just horrible. But I can go back to Amazon any time I want for a movie.

Yeah, that is me. Everything you just described there...

My ipod I do listen to random shit all of the time though. I really do listen to completely different music all of the time. So that works out well. It's the tons of video I have that is becoming unmanageble. This is the point where I begin to lose things.

[Stmfuller]

record HD signal from a cable box - I want to eliminate my DVR if possible.OTA HD/Digital signals can be recorded with a simple digital tuner and the right software (media center Vista will probably do this fine for you) Cable HD as previously mentioned is scrambled and needs a box to unscramble it. The problem you're going to run into is that Clearcard can only be installed by an OEM...so unless you have one already, you aren't going to find one. You're going to have to find a way to connect the box to the computer...which I think your tech support people from the cable company would be able to help you out.

Burn HD quality (when I have tried this from my DVR I end up with 480 i/p quality) to DVD's That's going to be software dependent. I think the new tivo for PC might do this for you. http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/whatsnew/neroliquidtv/index.html
This again, is something I'm looking at as well as we just rid of our cable box.

mouse / keyboard setup made for couch usage I'm looking into this http://biz.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3571935&CatId=1482 for my HTPC. Even though it's refurbed, it should be fine.

as for the blu-ray idea, I have a blu-ray drive in my computer and getting everything to work with my setup has been nothing short of a nightmare. I would strongly discourage doing it unless you're really into tinkering. But, if you are going to, I would recommend getting a copy of PowerDVD 8 ultra (seems to be the best blu-ray player for PC IMO) and a copy of AnyDVD HD (forces the broken HDCP protocol to work every time instead of when it feels like it).

Lastly, you're going to need a remote to control all of this. I would do an IR blaster or something like that and get yourself a bad-ass universal remote.