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Is a HTPC still a viable option

G

gplracer

Golden Member
Is it still worth the money to build a HTPC? I have some parts here and can build one relatively cheaply.

Thanks!
 
That's a bit of a nebulous question. Would a STB like a Boxee Box or Apple TV do what you want out of an HTPC better? Are the parts you have around enough to build an HTPC that actually fits your needs? If not, is it more than you can afford?

I bought the TV/video watching PC for the kitchen - a Sony L-series. A current-model Macbook Pro handles similar duties in the home office, but I'm plotting an upgrade to an L as well. For the APC (Audio-only) in the living room - since I don't actually do a lot of movie watching at home - I went custom. I'm pretty happy with the dvr / on demand services of my TV service provider and playing back network media on the PS3, so have no plans to purchase an STB at the moment - but I probably wouldn't look to be installing a full-blown HTPC in the living room.
 
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As mentioned, it depends on what you want. I'm of the opinion right now that unless you plan on throwing some tuners in it and using it as a dvr, then there are a lot of other options besides a computer, unless you want something computer specific like web browsing or gaming.

You honestly don't need a powerful machine for a htpc. I roll a 5-year old Opteron 165 with 2gb of ram and w7, and it will record 5 streams simultaneously while playing back 1. You really rely on the video card for hardware accelerated decoding for a system as old as mine though.
 
I have an HTPC, and it works well enough if you want a device that does a little of everything. The windows interface is suboptimal, and HTPC interfaces are limited. I wouldn't get one without looking at the competition (TiVo, Roku, blu-ray players with extended media functionality built in, the video game consoles) and figure out what you want. I guess part of the beauty of an HTPC is that it can be extended to do everything you want, should your needs change later, but I don't think it does much of it great.
WMC is a better DVR than what comes from the cable provider, it's also really expensive to set up, more so now with the cable card requirement, and WMC sucks for anything else.
Netflix streaming is available on a large variety of platforms now, as is youtube (and a few other sites), and amazon video on demand has a decent selection of hardware available.
 
yah my htpc can do dual 2560x1600 output; can decode 4K video in software; hibernates when it doesn't need to run (so don't nag on power).

these lame WDTV are extremely limited due to their chipset - whereas a good cpu can pretty much decode anything you throw at it with a cheap hd5450 video card you can handle the rest. throw in antec microfusion 350 and you have a setup reliable for many years. 7 media center is better than tivo imo. xbmc, youtube, hulu, whatever else that comes out - google tv you name it - will run it.

if you dont need high def an old xbox1 with xbmc will do you fine 480 to 540p and upscale to 1920x1080
 
Its all up to the user. As others have stated an HTPC will do everything. Problem is you might have trouble tweaking and getting it to work. As people have with blu-ray's. Whereas a set top box will do at least the majority (but isnt upgradable) but is stream lined to work right out of the box.

It really just comes down to features and desires. I like htpc's for the upgradability/ability to change things. But a device like a blu-ray with network support (or ps3) can do a vast majority of what i want.
 
If you torrent your content you might be happier with a PC that can run any codec.

If you rent DVDs and blu-rays and want to stream Netflix a PS3 is a good choice -- it even can play a game or two if you feel like it.
 
HTPCs are worth the money if you want to drop cable or sat and go OTA/Netflix/Hulu/Blu-ray. An amazing amount of content is available online now. When you're no longer tithing $500, $1000, or more to a cable/sat provider each year an HTPC will pay for itself very quickly.
 
s44 said:
But PS3 will get it sooner and better than the PC. Media companies like locked platforms.
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I doubt a PS3 will ever be capable of being an OTA DVR or function as a primary unit that other extenders can be connected to. A PS3 also provides limited options for upgrading or customizing...admittedly a double-edged sword.

PS4? Who knows?
 
s44 said:
But PS3 will get it sooner and better than the PC. Media companies like locked platforms.
Click to expand...

never saw a PS3 with OTA tuning/recording. Good luck using it to replace your cable if you want to watch any sports.

My HTPC plays BD and dvd discs, my rips, works as a DVR (using comcast cablecard), has hulu, youtube, netflix and a browser integrated within 7MC. All of which is run through a pretty slick interface that can be customized. It took a good amount of work to set it up, but I wouldn't trade it for any of those media streamers.
 
Depends if you like tinkering: HTPCs (especially 7MC) require constant "fixing".
If you have a wife, girlfriend or family that is supposed to watch TV through the MC ... then DO NOT DO IT!!!
If you are looking for something that can stream online videos, I would definitely wait until google TV is out before making a decision. 7MC is pretty bad for streaming content (it is all over the place) and gTV could offer a much more integrated solution for the various options out there (hulu, netflix, youtube, ...)
 
coolVariable said:
Depends if you like tinkering: HTPCs (especially 7MC) require constant "fixing".
If you have a wife, girlfriend or family that is supposed to watch TV through the MC ... then DO NOT DO IT!!!
If you are looking for something that can stream online videos, I would definitely wait until google TV is out before making a decision. 7MC is pretty bad for streaming content (it is all over the place) and gTV could offer a much more integrated solution for the various options out there (hulu, netflix, youtube, ...)
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While I tinkered for the first couple of weeks on my HTPC, I haven't touched it in over a year. My wife runs Win Media Center 7, watches TV, records shows, closes it and opens up boxee, watches downloaded TV/hulu, listens to music etc. with no problem and she's about the least technical savvy person I've ever met. This is all controlled with a $9 windows media center remote I bought.

In the background I have the computer running SAB to automatically download and organize TV shows.

Honestly my HTPC was the best entertainment investment I ever made. It really does everything though. I use it as a general file server, HTPC, LAMP server, FTP server etc. I haven't shut down or restarted the thing in 6 months. It just silently sits behind my TV, doing its job. Running it with two HD homeruns is awesome as well. Now that I got wireless n setup we can stream recorded or live TV to a laptop in the kitchen/bedroom/etc so every computer in our house is now a tv. My wife thinks we're so cool and unique for getting this setup because nobody she knows is capable of this and everybody else pays a thousand bucks a year for cable.
 
If you want plug and play then a set top box is what you want. If you are okay with setting up things like codecs, remotes, video cards, software , then a HTPC might be better.

I say might because providers are starting an all out war on content protection and soon expect to see everything that isn't already protected to become so. Usually that means they target secure platforms. In the pc format only windows is approved for path secure content so make sure you are okay with windows being the OS. Most content providers will release a pc client before they do a set top box release but that could change with the low cost boxes, some like roku for $59 making it to the market.

My advice is to pick up a set top box and see how you like it. They can be had for under $125 and if it isn't what you need then you can return it and you are out nothing but time.
 
coolVariable said:
At the very least you should expect a very sloooooooow Netflix experience, as the plugin is not coded properly and takes foreeeeeever to populate menus.
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That is more to do with netflix than the plugin. I can use netflix during non peak hours and the service menus through media center are speedy fast. If I do it during the evenings it is much slower. This isn't network related as I measured the time it takes for netflix to respond to a selection during both times of day. Evening it takes netflix almost 3 x as long.

They are also going through growing pains as they have added Canada and mobile devices recently.

The way netflix works is when you are using the menus it is routed to the main netflix servers no matter what device or where you are located. When you select a movie to stream you are then transferred to the nearest data center and that server sends the content to you.
 
Modelworks said:
That is more to do with netflix than the plugin. I can use netflix during non peak hours and the service menus through media center are speedy fast. If I do it during the evenings it is much slower. This isn't network related as I measured the time it takes for netflix to respond to a selection during both times of day. Evening it takes netflix almost 3 x as long.

They are also going through growing pains as they have added Canada and mobile devices recently.

The way netflix works is when you are using the menus it is routed to the main netflix servers no matter what device or where you are located. When you select a movie to stream you are then transferred to the nearest data center and that server sends the content to you.
Click to expand...

That is probably correct, though it is worth noting that it is a Media Center only problem (due to Media Center using specific servers). Other devices, PS3, Roku, etc, use a different server and setup, so that the menu slowness does not happen (or at least is not really noticeable ... I assume they cache menu items and only download changes)

Another good indicator though why HTPCs are great devices if you are willing to tinker and hack stuff. Not something that you set up and forget.
 
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