Hi guys i need some help please. Here's the situation atm we have 1 computer that is being used for both watching movies on the tv and also as our main computer for study etc. As i have needed to upgrade it due to old one dieing its quite adequate for doing more. Also we have a flat panel that just isnt being used well, its just running from its in built analogue tuner, we arent to unhappy with it but i really would like to run HDtv to it.

What i want to do is this: have the computer hooked upto the PC via the onboard HDMI, as well as run my little lcd monitor at the same time. The tv have some sort of HTPC software running (need help picking this) and have it controlled by a remote, but still be able to use normal functions on the lcd. is this possible? i have a tinyusb2 hdtv tuner, but the remote is crap and doesnt even change the channels properly. is this an ok tuner, or should i get an pci tuner? I have MCE2005 which i mate gave to me, should i install this when i reformat and fresh install this weekend>?

here are the PC specs.
cac-t05, e6600, 2gb 667, F-I90HD, pioneer dvd burner, 1x320gb sata, 1x250gb IDE, and 1x320gb external sata enclosure.

any more info needed please ask away, i hope u guys can help, i just dont have the time to do loads of research, i look after a 1yo which is a full time job 24/7 and im also organising a wedding and studying as well. so if u guys who are in the know could please leave the "go look here" and "use the search button" out that would be great. Im totally open to all helpful hints tips and suggestions and greatly appreciate the help.

edit: also is the mce remote any good? i cant really afford to go and buy an expensive remote like the harmony ones. can the mce be used as a universal remote to control more then 1 thing? i would like the remote to control the tv, the pc and the amp/reciever. cheers guys

ps i did have alook at this thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=795171 but it just didnt answer the questions i need answered. I need to know if u can have the tv running as well as using web and word on the other monitor. what OS and programs to use and where i need a new tuner etc. also there were some suggestions for alternative remote options but nothing about one that can run more then pc. cheers c=guys

A computer is a computer... There's nothing to a HTPC that prevents it from being used for anything else. However you cannot set it up to run to separate things on two different monitors simultaneously and have them work perfectly all the time... They are sharing resources and windows isn't designed to run multiple virtual desktops that are separate, so that each has it's own keyboard and mouse etc. If you press stop on your keyboard (if it has multimedia keys) it will stop playback of media on the TV and vice versa.
Also things will change foreground and background focus and there are other minor issues with the keyboard and keys being pressed.

So the answer is yes, and no, and yes and no.

Plan on really only doing one thing at a time successfully, but you can try to stretch that limit. YMMV

Front ends there are hundreds I think. There are fewer common ones. MCE2005, Vista MCE, Sage, BeyondTV, MythTV (linux), Meedios come to mind off the top of my head but there are many more if those aren't what you are looking for.
Sage and beyond are more flexible I feel than the restrictive nature of Microsoft and having to strictly follow DRM. (Even they wish DRM were gone now according to Bill Gates own words.)

I like the MCE remote a lot actually. It works great and feels like it's of decent quality too, not all taiwanish (new word) and light weight. It works in all the common front ends too, so no trouble getting that for just about anything you end up liking.

Sure you can run multiple monitors at the same time, it's fighting for control back and forth if someone is using both at the same time that's the hard part, especially if you have a wise ass in your house who wants to play with you.

Troy