Do HTPCs need to have a keyboard and mouse?

[StormRider]

I'm thinking of trying to put together a HTPC that will function mainly as a PVR but I don't want to have a keyboard or mouse. I just want to have my remote control access the TV tuner and recorded shows. Is this possible? I think the bios won't even boot up without a keyboard, right?

 

[conjur]

Mine boots up fine w/o a keyboard. I do have a mouse so I can launch DVD movies off it and play MP3s, though.

 

[NutBucket]

I can't see building a HTPC for DVR purposes with the advent of a $100 DirecTV receiver with TIVO. Dual tuners is friggin' awesome!

EDIT: Yes, most boards will boot without a keyboard. You can tell it to ignore keyboard errors in the BIOS.

 

[StormRider]

That's great to hear. I just tried an experiment with my spare AMD K-6/3 PC. It has a Geforce MX440SE and Creative Labs Digital VCR (TV tuner and hardware mpeg2 encoder) and the picture was surprisingly good even at the economy recording setting. I guess it's true how the analog signal for TVs naturally hide any imperfections. The only problem is that the PC is a little underpowered so playback at best quality recording setting was slightly jerky.

I also want to enable it to go to sleep when it hasn't been used in awhile. I hope this doesn't prevent the Creative Labs Digital VCR card from making scheduled recordings.

 

[StormRider]

I would love to get a Tivo -- that's basically what I want to do with my HTPC. But I don't have a telephone jack nearby my computer. I wish you could just use a Tivo as a HD recorder if you don't have telephone access.

 

[Goosemaster]

1 Shuttle SFF XPC HTPC setup withOptical/SPDIF out and S-Video out without keyboard or mouse: $400
1 Wireless card for HTPC: $10
1 Wireless card for Lappy: $15


Controlling it through VNC on the Lappy without wires: Priceless

 

[StormRider]

There's a computer show this weekend -- I think I'm gonna look at some of these small form factor PCs.

 

[kami333]

I don't use mine as a PVR (yet) but I do control it with a remote.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: StormRider
I would love to get a Tivo -- that's basically what I want to do with my HTPC. But I don't have a telephone jack nearby my computer. I wish you could just use a Tivo as a HD recorder if you don't have telephone access.

There's no excuse for that. I was under the house Sunday running the other feed from the satellite and the phone line (and a cat5 from the bedroom).