Media Center Done

[MrMiyagi]

Just built THIS for my buddy for his TV and Home Theater system.

Now he's asking how to power it up remotely from the couch along with his other AV stuff. Ultimately he'd like to do it from his universal remote (Logitech) he's getting. However, I don't really know how that would work...or where to start.

I figure he could power it up/wake it up from the keyboard/mouse combo I've set him up with...but they are wirless so I don't think it will send anything to the comp without it being on/awake.

Maybe this is a simple question...I'm not sure.

 

[XMan]

Are you using Windows Media Center? You need a couple of things. The MCE remote control, with 5VSB enabled on your motherboard, and MCE Update Rollup 2. You may have to make some registry edits as well if it doesn't work straight out of the box. The Logitech (Harmony?) remote will work with the MCE remote control receiver pod if you get a Media Center version like the 628 or 880.

Edit - also, you really didn't get the best hardware for an HTPC. The Pressler chips run pretty warm; AMD Venice chips are the hardware of choice for HTPC's.

 

[JohnAn2112]

Get him an MCE remote and he can hit the green Media Center button to start up the program from his couch.

 

[Ayah]

What about a long stick?

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: XMan
Are you using Windows Media Center? You need a couple of things. The MCE remote control, with 5VSB enabled on your motherboard, and MCE Update Rollup 2. You may have to make some registry edits as well if it doesn't work straight out of the box. The Logitech (Harmony?) remote will work with the MCE remote control receiver pod if you get a Media Center version like the 628 or 880.

Edit - also, you really didn't get the best hardware for an HTPC. The Pressler chips run pretty warm; AMD Venice chips are the hardware of choice for HTPC's.

Actually the D 900's are built on .65 and run cooler than previous Pentium chips.

 

[MrMiyagi]

MCE remote. Perfect! I didn't know it could do that.

Xman: why you gotta make me feel stupid with that edit? It's already built man
My original setup was debated over..and (for truly no reason in particular) I went with Intel. I think he does want to play some games on it at some point in time (other than old emulation)....and heat is not a huge concern. I'll have to ask him how he likes it in the next couple months as he uses it.

 

[XMan]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: XMan
Are you using Windows Media Center? You need a couple of things. The MCE remote control, with 5VSB enabled on your motherboard, and MCE Update Rollup 2. You may have to make some registry edits as well if it doesn't work straight out of the box. The Logitech (Harmony?) remote will work with the MCE remote control receiver pod if you get a Media Center version like the 628 or 880.

Edit - also, you really didn't get the best hardware for an HTPC. The Pressler chips run pretty warm; AMD Venice chips are the hardware of choice for HTPC's.

Actually the D 900's are built on .65 and run cooler than previous Pentium chips.

They still put out about 50% more heat than Venice core while being used.

XBit

 

[XMan]

Originally posted by: MrMiyagi
MCE remote. Perfect! I didn't know it could do that.

Xman: why you gotta make me feel stupid with that edit? It's already built man
My original setup was debated over..and (for truly no reason in particular) I went with Intel. I think he does want to play some games on it at some point in time (other than old emulation)....and heat is not a huge concern. I'll have to ask him how he likes it in the next couple months as he uses it.

Heats a much bigger issue in a desktop case because the heat doesn't rise to the power supply fan to be exhausted. As long as you have good ventilation, it should be all right.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: XMan

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: XMan
Are you using Windows Media Center? You need a couple of things. The MCE remote control, with 5VSB enabled on your motherboard, and MCE Update Rollup 2. You may have to make some registry edits as well if it doesn't work straight out of the box. The Logitech (Harmony?) remote will work with the MCE remote control receiver pod if you get a Media Center version like the 628 or 880.

Edit - also, you really didn't get the best hardware for an HTPC. The Pressler chips run pretty warm; AMD Venice chips are the hardware of choice for HTPC's.

Actually the D 900's are built on .65 and run cooler than previous Pentium chips.

They still put out about 50% more heat than Venice core while being used.

XBit

Yup. He'd been better off waiting until the X2 price cuts developed. But I assume at the time he made the purchase, the 930 was a good deal at 175 shipped compared to the 300 X2 3800.

 

[Varun]

I think a key difference you need to do here is have the computer go into Standby, and not power off. When MCE is in Standby, it will wake itself and record shows as needed. If it is powered off, of course it will not.

Your motherboard should be set for Standby level S3 (not S1). If you did not do this before you installed MCE you may have to reinstall.

The Microsoft MCE remote has a standby button on it which will put the computer into standby, which is pretty much off.

To wake the computer, your motherboard has to support wake on USB.

My motherboard doesn't have wake on USB since it is a bit older so I just wake on PS2 with the mouse if required.

edit - fixed for iamaelephant!

 

[iamaelephant]

Originally posted by: Varun
...for all intensive purposes....

:|:| For all intents and purposes. :|:|

 

[Slugbait]

Originally posted by: iamaelephant

Originally posted by: Varun
...for all intensive purposes....

:|:| For all intents and purposes. :|:|

We are talking about a Windows operating system...I believe "intensive purposes" was an apt statement