Your HTPC Setup

[AP0ll0UK]

I know there is a sticky asking everyone to show off their home cinema setups, I'm more interested your Home Theatre PC setup's be it Windows Media Center, MythTV, XBMC or something else.

My Windows / Media server was converted to Ubuntu a few months ago. I'm just getting a decent Media Center app setup on there and I have to say I'm very impressed with XBMC, of which both Windows and Linux versions are available.

So, my Media Server runs Ubuntu 10.4 with XMBC with the Aeon skin running over the top of that, it's connected to my 40" Samsung LCD and the sound pumping from my Server to a Sony DAV S500 [a few years old but is still very much up to the job]. I can control XBMC with an Android app I've installed on my HTC Desire which I must say is very cool and certainly impresses people.

My install of XBMC and Aeon is still in the early stages and does need some additional configuration and fine tuning before it's complete, but if anyone is curious as to what the GUI of XMBC looks like then I'll post a few pics tomorrow.

I'm just curious as to what other HTPC solutions other people have gone for.

Or if it's something your considering and you have a bit of time on your hands to play then perhaps we can put a few suggestions your way

[snoz]

I'd be interested in this too. There is no point in me posting my setup yet as I also have just started, rather then build a htpc I decided to try to use my current pc as the server, using long dvi to hdmi to 50" 1080p plasma and toslink cable from a x fi fatal1ty pro with front panel to my samsung dvd/surround amp combo.

I'm using ultramon to automate between my monitor and my tv ( when i launch xbmc it auto makes plasma the primary monitor and launches full screen on it, then when it exits it reverts back to normal).

Also using the toughball wireless keyboard/trackball combo for input.

Seems to work ok but judgement is out atm, if I end up feeling its worse than having a £500 htpc on its own then I will buy one.

I'm gonna try the aeon skin in a sec looks good.

I have a question btw, i noticed if you install a nightly build then scripts and plugins don't work ? Do you have to install camelot release of xbmc first then install a nightly build over the top or am I best off just sticking with camelot ?

[{{909}}]

i had an old desktop that i housed in a nice HTPC case, was only basic spec, 3400 xp64 cpu, fanless gfx and could handle 720p OK, quite a big case though, and ran hot. then I saw the Acer Revo which could piss all over it, run XBMC as an OS, silent and small enough to be hdden.

I have that but nothing else too flash, Arcam Alpha 8 amp. 42" plasma, Paradigm actuve sub and some B&W 601 speakers. Had the audio stuff for yonks.

[TwoPlAnKs]

I just have Xubuntu running on an old office computer that work was selling off for a tenner charity donation after upgrades, presumably to avoid paying somebody to WEEE on it. It's plugged into the VGA socket on the back of a TV after I couldn't get my fancy DVI>HDMI cable to work.

To play media I have a cheap wireless mouse and just open my folder of media and double click on the thing I want to play. What's the point of the fancy software?

Great for 4od and iPlayer on TV too, although we also have a Wii on the other TV which has a decent iPlayer app the picture quality is not quite as good.

[Conkers]

I've got a little chenbro case with a zotac ION mini itx-mb, into my Sammy 40" LCD & Yamaha RXN-500 amp. & AE Aego-T satellites & sub. Audio stuff is about 3-4 yrs. old.

It's running win7 with the hardware accelerated version of XBMC, and plays 1080p without a sweat. It's set for WOL, and have a vpn set up so can wake it up & remote desktop to it from the iphone for cheeky mobile downloading. Using a cheap bluetooth dongle & eventghost to control it with a PS3 BD remote control.

[eblaster101]

Best powersaving method i found was. Windows 7 desktop SLeep on lan running and found an alternative application to put PC to sleep if no network activity is being seen.

This way i get me and my brothers xbox playing MKV streaming with no decoding what so ever. And i use my pc with second monitor on XBMC if i want. Downside of xbox 360 playing mkv is that it dont do DTS but it downmixes it to 2 channel and if you have DD it outputs it correctly and most tv shows are DD so its no prob. I use popcorn hour for playing in main room simply because it can decode DTS HD and true hd streams. Can put up pics but dont see it helping.

Forgot to mention if i goto media centre on my xbox the PC wakes up from lan. And if i want to use anywere else simple iphone app to wake on lan does the job.

try this for xbmc skin
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?t=52755

[Lou_smorals]

Hi
I got dreambox DM8000 hd, after many attempts at building one u just cant beat the support and software for this (and mine is a clone so half price).
LS