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PCWorld's Article: "Build the ultimate Windows 8 home-theater PC for under $500"

4K views 82 replies 17 participants last post by  Mfusick 
#1 ·

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048863/build-the-ultimate-windows-8-home-theater-pc-for-under-500.html

 

It's funny...if I where to have read this PCWorld post a couple of years ago, long before I delved into the HTPC world, I would be amazed that you could do everything mentioned in the article with a PC connected to your TV.

 

Nowadays, with the wisdom and awesomeness of Assasin, Renethx, Mfusick, greeneyez,and a ton of others here on AVS, the article is kinda passé (not knocking the author or anything...).

 

When I was reading the post, I was thinking to myself "cool, he covered the basics, but what about LAV & MadVR, what about streaming to extenders, what about SVP, can you bitstream with that setup, what about this and that..."

 

Then I remembered how far most hardcore HTPC hobbyists have come, and this kind of article is not really geared to us, which I guess is a good thing!
 
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#77 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by staknhalo  /t/1491339/pcworlds-article-build-t...-theater-pc-for-under-500/0_100#post_23767776


Being able to map a remote's buttons to keyboard shortcuts is not the same as an app/interface being remote friendly. Being remote friendly means it is completely usable with what you would find on a non-programmable MS WMC remote - everything could be done with the Up, Down, Left, Right, Enter keys - or any additional keys that would come standard on a regular WMC remote. Using a programmable remote with keyboard shortcuts is in essence the same as just using a keyboard instead of a remote - just a weird form factor keyboard.

Maybe, but the mappings I mentioned aren't totally necessary for usage. They just help the remote out greatly. I consider it remote-"unfriendly" when you literally cannot complete an action without a mouse - i.e. web browsing, mediabrowser config, etc. People have been overriding standard WMC remote keys since there were standard WMC remotes
 
#78 ·
I haven't tried it but I *think* proper interaction with the Metro/Modern UI is going to require more than even a keyboard can provide -- gestures like swiping for instance. With the way it's done via a scrollbar when using the mouse it's super-awkward. I wish they'd done more like Google Maps does -- let you hold the mouse down and swipe that way instead of needing to use the scrollbar to swipe when not using touch. I thought I read the new Logitech K400 keyboard touchpad lets you swipe. Hopefully, the interactions needed for each app will gel better in the future. It seems each app has its own rules for now. There's not much consistency.


I could imagine a remote would have an accelerometer built-in that lets you swipe by swinging the remote in your hand (like you'd swing a paddle). Or, something like a Wii remote where it shows a little hand on the screen.
 
#79 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark_Slayer  /t/1491339/pcworlds-article-build-t...ome-theater-pc-for-under-500/60#post_23767831


Maybe, but the mappings I mentioned aren't totally necessary for usage. They just help the remote out greatly. I consider it remote-"unfriendly" when you literally cannot complete an action without a mouse - i.e. web browsing, mediabrowser config, etc. People have been overriding standard WMC remote keys since there were standard WMC remotes

But the Metro interface is just not usable with only Up, Down, Left, Right + Enter - or any of the other default keys on a standard non programmable WMC keyboard is my point. Thus, that is why it is considered non-remote friendly. And if you override the default WMC keys - then it's no longer a standard WMC remote. The Average Joe, or mom and pop, are not going to - or even know how/that you can - reprogram default WMC remote keys.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StardogChampion  /t/1491339/pcworlds-article-build-t...ome-theater-pc-for-under-500/60#post_23767851


I haven't tried it but I *think* proper interaction with the Metro/Modern UI is going to require more than even a keyboard can provide -- gestures like swiping for instance. With the way it's done via a scrollbar when using the mouse it's super-awkward. I wish they'd done more like Google Maps does -- let you hold the mouse down and swipe that way instead of needing to use the scrollbar to swipe when not using touch. I thought I read the new Logitech K400 keyboard touchpad lets you swipe. Hopefully, the interactions needed for each app will gel better in the future. It seems each app has its own rules for now. There's not much consistency.


I could imagine a remote would have an accelerometer built-in that lets you swipe by swinging the remote in your hand (like you'd swing a paddle). Or, something like a Wii remote where it shows a little hand on the screen.

Yeah, some Metro apps you need a mouse/trackpad or touch interface no matter what.
 
#80 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark_Slayer  /t/1491339/pcworlds-article-build-t...ome-theater-pc-for-under-500/60#post_23767359


P.S. - I think you mean start screen? When you press the window key in W8 you are taken to the start screen. The charms bar is for settings and shutdown
It's actually the Start Menu and not a screen. The comparison between the Start button/menu and the Charm Bar is mostly for the Shutdown option. The way it's implemented in Windows 8 is seriously lame. I can never seem to find the right place to wave the mouse cursor to get the Charm Bar displayed and it makes me feel like an idiot waving the mouse around.
 
#81 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by captain_video  /t/1491339/pcworlds-article-build-t...ome-theater-pc-for-under-500/60#post_23769342


It's actually the Start Menu and not a screen. The comparison between the Start button/menu and the Charm Bar is mostly for the Shutdown option. The way it's implemented in Windows 8 is seriously lame. I can never seem to find the right place to wave the mouse cursor to get the Charm Bar displayed and it makes me feel like an idiot waving the mouse around.

The top or bottom right corners.
 
#82 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by captain_video  /t/1491339/pcworlds-article-build-t...-theater-pc-for-under-500/0_100#post_23769342


It's actually the Start Menu and not a screen. The comparison between the Start button/menu and the Charm Bar is mostly for the Shutdown option. The way it's implemented in Windows 8 is seriously lame. I can never seem to find the right place to wave the mouse cursor to get the Charm Bar displayed and it makes me feel like an idiot waving the mouse around.

I don't think that shutdown was remote friendly before


I also rarely shutdown, but for an easy workaround you can hit "Alt+F4" (the same as exit on a WMC remote??) until all apps are closed and once more from the desktop to bring up the shutdown menu (from which arrow keys and enter work)
 
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