home theatre

[taintedplay]

ok, planning on setting up a home theatre setup. i atleast want to be able to play my avi files on my computer onto the hdtv i have. my computer and the ht room are seperate. i heard about virtualization? or would it be better just to buy a cheap ht computer? and how would i set the computer up to the speakers?

 

[TheOtis]

Do you want to do anything else besides play .avi files? Will the .avi files be located on the HTPC, another computer, or centrally?

How are the speakers connected to the TV? Will they be connected to the computer? Through a receiver? How many channels? What type of audio output to do you need? What type of video output do you want to use?

 

[zedman3d]

Buy a WDTV. $120 USD or something like that.

 

[Harper]

If you just want to play AVI files, then all you really need is a computer with about a 1Ghz CPU, 512Mb Ram, Video Card (with possibly TV out depending on your TV) DVD-Rom and rather large hard drive.
My first media centre was put together from scrap parts that i found at work.

Speakers will need to connect to your computer. Or you can having them connected via your TV


MEDIA CENTRE --> TV --> Speakers
or
MEDIA CENTER --> TV
|-------------------> Speakers

It really comes down to what your set up is like.

 

[Apokalipse]

ok, planning on setting up a home theatre setup. i atleast want to be able to play my avi files on my computer onto the hdtv i have. my computer and the ht room are seperate. i heard about virtualization? or would it be better just to buy a cheap ht computer? and how would i set the computer up to the speakers?

You could just get a 780G board with 4GB RAM and a cheap dual core CPU for around $200 USD
That will be capable of playing 1080p blu-ray movies, using the onboard GPU.

 

[taintedplay]

Do you want to do anything else besides play .avi files? nope, pretty much just avi files. Will the .avi files be located on the HTPC, another computer, or centrally? not sure yet, im kinda throwing an idea around for a NAS

How are the speakers connected to the TV? Will they be connected to the computer? To play off a computer dont the speakers need to be set to the computer? i dont know how i would attach a HT surround sound system to a computer. Through a receiver? i want a reciever somewhere in the mix How many channels? prob 5.1 What type of audio output to do you need? What type of video output do you want to use? not quite sure what you mean on these last to questions, if you mean video as in like 1080p, yes id like to be able to do 1080p, but i might grab a bluray player for the hidef stuff

my answeres in bold

also, thanks so much for the responses guys! im liking that 780g board idea

 

[Apokalipse]

Newegg.com - LG Black 6X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Model GGC-H20L - Blu-Ray Drives
this can read blu-ray discs at 6X, and HD-DVD discs at 3X

If you use it with AnyDVD HD, you can run basically anything.

 

[taintedplay]

Newegg.com - LG Black 6X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 40X CD-ROM SATA Internal Combo LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Model GGC-H20L - Blu-Ray Drives
this can read blu-ray discs at 6X, and HD-DVD discs at 3X

If you use it with AnyDVD HD, you can run basically anything.

you think this is better than a standalone bluray player?


also, would it just be speakers -> reciever -> computer/tv (so i can watch tv with surround sound too)

 

[Apokalipse]

you think this is better than a standalone bluray player?

Yes, it reads blu-ray and HD-DVD discs, and if you use it with AnyDVD HD, you can use discs from any region.

Plus it is cheaper to just get a drive for your HTPC, if you're already getting an HTPC anyway.

also, would it just be speakers -> reciever -> computer/tv (so i can watch tv with surround sound too)

If you used optical out (just about every motherboard should have that), you can use an external DAC.

 

[taintedplay]

kk also, about surround sound speakers. my budgets around 400, any suggestions?