Any need for set top box with HTPC?

[mikeford]

I'm 9 months into recovery from a 4 TB raid failure on my HTPC, no time to do all the "next step" type things beyond making it work "for me" and filling new drives with the old and new content and sorting it out.

But

I am approaching that time when the HTPC can return to a anybody in the house is able to use it device, and I am wondering both as a stop gap and later complimentary device to the HTPC if I should be looking at either some kind of Roku box or a "smart" Disc player with similar functions.

Absolute requirement is that I have a way to pass audio content to my AVR via Toslink spdif.

 

[evident]

htpc can do everything a set top box does and more. like you said, you just need to set it up so everyone can use it.

 

[blackangst1]

htpc can do everything a set top box does and more. like you said, you just need to set it up so everyone can use it.

Yep this. Just make sure you've got all the right drivers (I use Shark007 drivers...they work perfectly). Also need to decide on your GUI preference. I personally use Windows Media Center and bought a Windows Media Center remote to set up my Harmony. Just about everything can be done with it, and there isnt a file type I cant play.