Article says the HTPC is dead already?

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GZeus

Senior member
Apr 24, 2006
758
0
76
I'm wondering what HTPC owners think of this...

HardOCP Link

Does the ability to bypass DRM still trump the simplicity of new tech?


ps - I really did just finish getting the last few pieces ordered for the HTPC I'm building (no stupid article will stop me!)
 
silverpig

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
12
81
x264 and flac are great. I've got 1.2 TB in my mythtv computer. It's got a ton of hdtv movies and shows with dts or 5.1 dd sound. I have my desktop hooked up to my ht amp as well for ease of use playing music with amarok.
 
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doze

Platinum Member
Jul 26, 2005
2,786
0
0
I see no need for a HTPC. I like my HDTV DVR from the cable company. My DVD player plays Divx and I can also connect my laptop to my LCD TV or stereo. I also have several MP3 players.
 
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GZeus

Senior member
Apr 24, 2006
758
0
76
Originally posted by: Quasmo
I hope you got a HD Homerun, best decesion I've ever made.
Click to expand...

Nice. Hadn't seen that before. Looks sweet and $170 ain't too bad...hmmm.

Doh.... you weren't supposed to add to the shopping list!!! :roll: My girl is gonna be mad at you for this! :p
 
mooncancook

mooncancook

Platinum Member
May 28, 2003
2,874
50
91
To me the HTPC is the best piece of equipment, and it's the only thing I need besides a TV and Wii. The ability to play all kind of video files is invaluable, and listen to all kind of music format, watch YouTube videos (even though low quality but still provide lots of entertainment). Sound quality can be very good with X-Fi sound card. ANd best of all there are tons of great PC games available and they look great on big screen so I don't envy for a X360 or PS3. But I'm for the larger and powerful htpc with full size ATX mobo, PSU, and at least a mid-range GPU like X1950Pro/7900GT.
 
BoberFett

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
I don't know that the HTPC is dead, but different people have different needs. I have no TV service (by choice) so I use a central server as a media repository for my ripped DVDs and CDs and view it using a modded Xbox and XBMC.

If I were of the TV watching variety, I'd consider a MythTV box, probably a diskless network booting setup that used a central server for file storage.

Open formats are a must though. I've had it with being forced to sit through several minutes worth of commercials and other crap before my movie starts, and being dictated how and where I can use the media I've paid for. If the media industry ever comes up with an unbreakable DRM scheme (which I highly doubt) then I'll simply abandon new media. There has been enough quality movies and music produced in the past century for a lifetime of enjoyment. I won't subject myself to corporate harassment, especially not since most of it isn't worth a dime anyway..
 
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Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
Well there are a number of 720/1080 rips available on the net of shows and films, and some legit stores are selling .flac encoded music.
Various things are out there for people who want them.
 
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RbSX

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
8,351
1
76
I'm incorporating my home PC into my home theatre setup simply because I have the choice and don't see why I shouldn't.

Also I'll be playing alot of d ownloaded content through to my TV sooo.. meh.

I also want to be able to play CS: S on my 52" LCD
 
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zoldar

Junior Member
Jan 6, 2006
14
0
0
Originally posted by: BoberFett
I don't know that the HTPC is dead, but different people have different needs. I have no TV service (by choice) so I use a central server as a media repository for my ripped DVDs and CDs and view it using a modded Xbox and XBMC.
Click to expand...


+1 for a modded Xbox and XBMC! I haven't found anything that XBMC won't play. It even plays images of movies (.ISO) no need to extract. :)
 
sdifox

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
99,457
17,587
126
I don't care for microsoft media centre. I can use a keyboard and mouse. My new computer is feeding high def to my projector. Of course it also feeds sound to pre/pro.
 
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duragezic

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
11,234
4
81
Anyone know how a Xbox with XBMC fares with x264 encoded videos (roughly 6xx by 3xx pixels)?
 
mugs

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
I don't agree at all. I don't have an HDTVs so that hasn't impacted my HTPC use... but I think it would be more accurate to say that HTPCs have to catch up with HDTVs, they aren't dead.

I like the flexibility that my HTPC offers. I also like that the interface isn't slow like TiVo's.
 
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AmdInside

Golden Member
Jan 22, 2002
1,355
0
76
I don't know if my PC qualifies as a HTPC however I like to use it as a DVR (running Windows MCE 2005). My HTPC looks much better for HD than my old Comcast cable HD PVR box. I personally just got fed up with Comcast billing errors and terrible customer support so I decided to ditch cable altogether. I have a large antenna mounted on my roof and it gets great HD reception OTA.
 
slag

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Originally posted by: Mackie2k
Originally posted by: Quasmo
I hope you got a HD Homerun, best decesion I've ever made.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I've had mine for a month, it kicks ass.

Just got it up and running on VISTA, looks fantastic.
Click to expand...

Wait.. you sit in front of your computer and watch movies?

Wouldn't work for me i dont think. My computer room is in the basement and I only use a 22 inch widescreen. I have 3 tv's in the house, 2 32 inch lcds and a 65 inch widescreen. Why would someone want to use this to watch tv on their computer monitor? Do that many people actually use htpc and keep a pc near their tv? Why??? Tivo's realplayer, etc, do much of the same thing and are much much cheaper and a nicer solution.
 
AMDZen

AMDZen

Lifer
Apr 15, 2004
12,589
0
76
Originally posted by: slag
Originally posted by: Mackie2k
Originally posted by: Quasmo
I hope you got a HD Homerun, best decesion I've ever made.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I've had mine for a month, it kicks ass.

Just got it up and running on VISTA, looks fantastic.
Click to expand...

Wait.. you sit in front of your computer and watch movies?

Wouldn't work for me i dont think. My computer room is in the basement and I only use a 22 inch widescreen. I have 3 tv's in the house, 2 32 inch lcds and a 65 inch widescreen. Why would someone want to use this to watch tv on their computer monitor? Do that many people actually use htpc and keep a pc near their tv? Why??? Tivo's realplayer, etc, do much of the same thing and are much much cheaper and a nicer solution.
Click to expand...

you hook the computer up to the tv. if you need to ask why you would want to do that then this isn't for you. I couldn't live without my HTPC

EDIT: and if you think TiVO is a better solution you've lost your mind. The newest tivo is like 700-800$ and you have to pay a monthly fee. Your completely uneducated on this matter my friend
 
Shawn

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
32,236
53
91
bullsh|t. My computer is a HTPC and I record stuff almost everyday. I record both cable and OTA HD and I don't pay for HD at all.
 
secretanchitman

secretanchitman

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2001
9,352
23
91
my sig plays any DRM/nonDRM content perfectly, up to 1080p. my 7900GT has HDCP, as well as my projector.

the reason we got the htpc, is because we can view any content we want on it, play games on it, and do whatever else. we dont need seperate hardware to do 1 thing (vcr, dvd player, blu-ray player, etc).

also, ut2k4 at 1920x1080 with 4xAA/16xAF is amazing.
 
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AndrewR

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,157
0
0
I'm still putting mine together, but I doubt I'll use it for PVR/DVR since we have Time Warner's dual tuner DVR box (needed for the decoder, which my LCD doesn't have). However, I am putting all my music on it to give me access to everything. I tried the massive CD changer (400 disk), but it was simply too much of a pain in the butt to keep track of what music was where in it. Plus, with the HTPC or media PC or whatever you want to call it, I can have impromptu slide shows of my photography to the delight of the family who want to see pictures of our daughter.
 
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