MINIMALIST Video out computer for playing stuff on TV Surround sound system
- Thread starter Santilli
- Start date
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
I've found that the onboard toslink optical output works fine for surround sound use.
For HD capability you would generally need either an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray drive, and a protected HDMI display chain. VGA output also allows HD output.
For HD capability you would generally need either an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray drive, and a protected HDMI display chain. VGA output also allows HD output.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2002
- Messages
- 5,252
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
You really want to use a digital audio output to a home theater receiver. Just like Pradeep said. Very simple.
ddrueding
Fixture
Exactly as Merc and Pradeep said; you want all audio sent to a receiver. Idealy, you want it sent there as a digital stream via coaxial SPDIF or optical toslink; coax is of course, cheaper.
Ideally you also want an Auzentech soundcard that can encode all the PC sound into that digital stream (most soundcards only forward what is already digital).
I happen to have a spare in my box o' parts...
Ideally you also want an Auzentech soundcard that can encode all the PC sound into that digital stream (most soundcards only forward what is already digital).
I happen to have a spare in my box o' parts...
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Depending on your TV Greg, if it has component input (the three RCA connectors usually colored red, green and blue), use the component output on the 850XT (I'm assuming there is one via a dongle output). This will give you the best image quality possible. Alternatively, S-Video would be your next best choice, and composite (the yellow connector) would be the last option.
Stereodude
Not really a
DVI to HDMI cable. Voila'
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Honestly, the HTPC thing is a lot nicer if you dedicate a PC to it. A "cast-off" 2GHz machine with a bt878 capture card, soundblaster or Via Envy and a largish hard drive can make a pretty spiffy MythTV machine (LinuxMCE looks REALLY nice and is supposed to be trivial to set up, though I have not yet tried it).
If you use a non-dedicated Windows machine for home theater stuff, you will continuously have to keep futzing with your video acceleration to get different video content to display through TV Out, then setting it back when you want a game to run.
If you use a non-dedicated Windows machine for home theater stuff, you will continuously have to keep futzing with your video acceleration to get different video content to display through TV Out, then setting it back when you want a game to run.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
I'm pretty sure Greg doesn't have an HDMI input on his TV.
I'm going to drop digital cable, get the lifeline package and use a PCI HDTV tuner card to tune in unencrypted QAM. Should be able to break even within 3 or 4 months.
I'm going to drop digital cable, get the lifeline package and use a PCI HDTV tuner card to tune in unencrypted QAM. Should be able to break even within 3 or 4 months.
Sol
Storage is cool
If you actually want to use an existing Windows box to do media on the TV as well Zoomplayer from inmatrix is a life saver. It is by far the best media player I've found for playing stuff on a second screen so you don't need to much arround with primary and secondary monitors you just drag zoomplayer where you want it and full-screen.
As Mercutio said though a separate PC is still better.
As Mercutio said though a separate PC is still better.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2002
- Messages
- 5,252
Well, developments.
Girlfriend, one of the reasons for doing this, isn't enamored with the idea. It would mean moving a bunch of stuff, and changing her work place. However, I just hooked a DVD portable player up to her bedroom TV, and, she's jazzed on that.
The reciever is a Yamaha RX-995, and, it's got enough SPDIF inputs for a large rockband. TV is an old Panasonic 32 inch, and, it only has one S-video input. My HIS 850 XT also appears to have a digital S video out, so that would work.
David's got a sound card, and, the only thing missing are new cables to connect to the amp, and deciding if I try and run the video through the DVD player, or just unplug the cable, and run it through the computer.
The major advantage is my girlfriend tends to much up DVD's. It's a lot safer to have the DVD ripped to a removeable hard drive system, ala this:
http://www.granitedigital.com/catalog/pg51_hot-swapinternalsystem.htm
http://www.granitedigital.com/images/satahotswapinternalrock.jpg
then having her mucking around with our nice library of DVD's. Also, it's pretty awesome playing the movies on the
system, rather then the little TV speakers...
So, cables from here, to avoid moving everything, would be over 100 bucks, and, 40 bucks for the player Sol mentioned, and, another bite for the sound card.
May have to put this one on hold. Mercutio has a good idea, and, I have one more of those removeable SATA drive setups laying around.
Wonder what developments will occur in this field, and, what processor requirements, and ram, will occur in the next 5-10 years?
Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions.
Greg
Girlfriend, one of the reasons for doing this, isn't enamored with the idea. It would mean moving a bunch of stuff, and changing her work place. However, I just hooked a DVD portable player up to her bedroom TV, and, she's jazzed on that.
The reciever is a Yamaha RX-995, and, it's got enough SPDIF inputs for a large rockband. TV is an old Panasonic 32 inch, and, it only has one S-video input. My HIS 850 XT also appears to have a digital S video out, so that would work.
David's got a sound card, and, the only thing missing are new cables to connect to the amp, and deciding if I try and run the video through the DVD player, or just unplug the cable, and run it through the computer.
The major advantage is my girlfriend tends to much up DVD's. It's a lot safer to have the DVD ripped to a removeable hard drive system, ala this:
http://www.granitedigital.com/catalog/pg51_hot-swapinternalsystem.htm
http://www.granitedigital.com/images/satahotswapinternalrock.jpg
then having her mucking around with our nice library of DVD's. Also, it's pretty awesome playing the movies on the
system, rather then the little TV speakers...
So, cables from here, to avoid moving everything, would be over 100 bucks, and, 40 bucks for the player Sol mentioned, and, another bite for the sound card.
May have to put this one on hold. Mercutio has a good idea, and, I have one more of those removeable SATA drive setups laying around.
Wonder what developments will occur in this field, and, what processor requirements, and ram, will occur in the next 5-10 years?
Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions.
Greg