Media Center/Home Theater PC?

[Blackmoore]

I have been trying to decide for a while now if it would be worth it to build a Media Center/Home Theater PC. I really don't know much about them, or what they can do. Are they meant to be the powerhouse of the home theater, controlling every component of the system? Or are they simply meant to provide a way to access a large amount of media to be used in addition to all the other components of the home theater?

 

[EricB]

I have been trying to decide for a while now if it would be worth it to build a Media Center/Home Theater PC. I really don't know much about them, or what they can do. Are they meant to be the powerhouse of the home theater, controlling every component of the system? Or are they simply meant to provide a way to access a large amount of media to be used in addition to all the other components of the home theater?

http://www.techist.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=66515&highlight=Media+Center

 

[Blackmoore]

Thanks for the link, I dug through those posts, and it seems to me like it is just a media box. You still going to end up purchasing seperatly a reciever to drive the system. Unless I wanted to spend a lot of money on a high end LCD screen, and a nice set of pc speakers. Even still though the sound wouldn't compare to a nice reciever and a good set of speakers.

 

[EricB]

Thanks for the link, I dug through those posts, and it seems to me like it is just a media box. You still going to end up purchasing seperatly a reciever to drive the system. Unless I wanted to spend a lot of money on a high end LCD screen, and a nice set of pc speakers. Even still though the sound wouldn't compare to a nice reciever and a good set of speakers.

this kinda contradicts your first post. you don't need to buy those things but it will enhance the experience