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The interest in home theater PC's has grown
tremendously over the past couple of years. What many will quickly notice when
they venture into it is not only what kind of benefits it offers,
but just how much better it is to run such a system over standard A/V
options. However, the process of building one can indeed be quite
overwhelming for many. What many will quickly find is that there's
much to learn in order to build a system that will not only work for you,
but one that is designed to enhance your overall home theater experience.
That's the purpose of this new "Extreme Guide" here at ExtremeMHz. We
will help you with your build and cover everything from hardware to
software, as well as provide some recommendations that will help you in the
long run. This is a guide that was inspired by a number of HTPC
related products that were recently reviewed here. Join me as I take
you through the most critical aspects of setting up that perfect HTPC.
**Update May 2008**
This guide has been updated with not only some recommended new hardware, but
a number of software applications as well. In addition, the guide will feature a new
section below focusing solely on Blu-ray/HD-DVD hardware and playback
capabilities. You'll definitely want to read this section if you plan
on building an HTPC with this kind of functionality.
We
begin with a brief explanation of all areas that will be covered in this
latest guide.
1. The Benefits - We'll cover why running an HTPC is a much better
option than sticking to standard home video/audio components.
2. The Hardware - Cases, cooling, video cards, sound cards, PC
accessories, switches, cables, etc. We will cover mostly all the
options out there and recommend a variety of products that will help you
build a system that will suit your individual needs.
3. The Software - Another main area of focus, running the proper
software will enhance your overall experience, as well as provide some
serious benefits that will certainly make everything worthwhile.
4. PVR Functionality - Turn your HTPC into a fully functional PVR with
no recurring/subscription costs. We will also cover some of the very
best methods to capture the highest quality HD possible.
5. Blu-ray & HD-DVD Playback - This new section covers everything you
need to know regarding playback of such media. From hardware to
software, this section provides plenty of information you need to know
before you make the jump into this kind of functionality. After
extensive testing, I have found that the hardware requirements are indeed
quite demanding and without the bare recommended, you will likely encounter
a number of issues.
6.
Final Tips & Conclusions - A summary of all that was covered, as well as some final
recommendations and conclusions to building that perfect HTPC.
The
Benefits
We
start off this comprehensive guide with overall benefits of setting up such a system
in the first place. The advantages, for the most part, are limitless! Let's have a look at some of
the main benefits of an HTPC...
1. Storage - The first is quite obvious and that is the
practically limitless storage for music, movies, recordings, etc. High
capacity hard drives can now be purchased at very low prices. They
currently go as high as a whopping 750GB and will reach one terabyte by the
end of this year. Storage is key in such a build and you'll want the
most you can afford to take advantage of many features that will be covered
in this guide.
2. Superior DVD Playback - This is, in my opinion, one of the main
benefits of building an HTPC. Not only because of the quality, but
also the cost factor involved as well. When paired with the right
components, an HTPC will simply outperform any standalone DVD player out
there. Yes, this includes ultra high-end players that can cost well
over $1,000. Spending this much on a standalone unit is, quite
honestly, a waste of money. I've owned my share of higher end
up-converting DVD players only to find myself highly unimpressed with their
image quality. The image quality is that significant when you run the
proper components.
3. Say goodbye to optical discs - Another major benefit here.
Let's be honest, we all have encountered playback issues with optical disc.
They are prone to scratches and are likely to skip or fail to play overtime.
This is especially the case with rented DVD's or movies you have owned for
quite some time. I don't know about you, but I get seriously irritated
when a disc does hiccup or fail to continue playing. With
an HTPC, you can rip your movies and store them as files for trouble-free
playback. Heck, even if you have a troublesome disc, you can still
manage to rip it successfully so that it will playback without any problems.
No more skipping or even hesitating at that second layer mark. Loading
a movie from your hard drive will ensure the movie will always playback
smoothly.
4. Movie Catalog Management - With some of the third-party tools I will
show you in this guide, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to manage your
entire movie collection. In fact, you'll be quite surprised with what
you can do with this software.
5. Music Storage & Playback - With an HTPC, you
can forget audio CD's and even MP3 players. You can load your entire
music collection on your hard drive and browse all your files in the exact
same fashion as you would with your MP3 player. Enjoy the rich, full sound through your surround
sound setup.
6. Internet on your HDTV - Have a wireless network at home? Why
not take advantage of it and expand its access to your very own HDTV?
With the right equipment and proper configuration, you can experience trouble free
internet access right on your TV. Perfect for guests or just for the
pure convenience of it.
7. PVR Functionality - With an HTPC, you can setup your own custom
PVR without the need to purchase expensive equipment or even have to deal
with the recurring costs of owning one. TIVO killer? Not really.
However, there are many benefits over one, all of which will be explained in this
guide.
8. Low Cost Alternative - Finally, one of the most important benefits is
the low cost involved in setting one up despite all the additional
functionality it will offer. What many fail to realize is that you do
not need to build a top of the line computer in order for it to perform well.
In this guide, I will elaborate heavily on hardware and which key components
you need to really focus on.
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