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Assassin's Simple/Beginner HTPC Buying Guide - Page 437

post #13081 of 15483
5/13/12 at 6:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by werd View Post

Hey assassin - I saw you got an HDHR prime -- are you using WMC/MB for livetv/movies mostly. Or have you ventured into the XBMC pvr/liveTV build? Just curious if you have, how they are? Thanks .

I have the HD Homerun (not the prime).

I value my time too much to mess with the XBMC pvr in its current state. Seems like a bit of a mess when WMC just works.

Will revisit it once it is easier to use.
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post #13082 of 15483
5/13/12 at 7:03pm
Just ordered a HDHomerun Prime. I was debating between that and the Ceton, almost went with the Ceton, but it seemed like the HDHomerun was less buggy so I went with it. Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to set it up until next week.
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post #13083 of 15483
5/13/12 at 7:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin View Post

I have the HD Homerun (not the prime).

I value my time too much to mess with the XBMC pvr in its current state. Seems like a bit of a mess when WMC just works.

Will revisit it once it is easier to use.

Ok i'm confused... not the 1st time !
whaat hardware do I need now? I have DirecTv not cable & have NO OTA at all , I do now have TMT5
the HTPC's are all up & running but the software end ===> WMC or XBMC
I read some of/if not all the guides but some of that kinda went over my head on which frontend I should use .. any guidance from you guys PM if Ya want .. I do want to load everything myself & learn how to, so I don't want anyone to hold my cause it's dark outside
.. but which direction should I go ...
just gimme a quick simple reason ..
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post #13084 of 15483
5/13/12 at 7:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xzener View Post

Assassin, I need a hand...

My old HTPC is in need of an upgrade. I just bought another Intel i3 2100 and Asus P8Z68-M Pro Absolutely love this combo. But have never upgraded a computer before like this. I usually build them from scratch and install an OS.

So my question is Can I upgrade my HTPC with a new mobo and CPU without loosing all my programs?? Basically using the same C drive.

Thanks,

Xzener

I have to admit, the Assassin guide made my update after a drive crash was nearly painless. Recommend you follow the guides to save much pain later.
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post #13085 of 15483
5/13/12 at 8:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastslappy View Post


Ok i'm confused... not the 1st time !
whaat hardware do I need now? I have DirecTv not cable & have NO OTA at all , I do now have TMT5
the HTPC's are all up & running but the software end ===> WMC or XBMC
I read some of/if not all the guides but some of that kinda went over my head on which frontend I should use .. any guidance from you guys PM if Ya want .. I do want to load everything myself & learn how to, so I don't want anyone to hold my cause it's dark outside
.. but which direction should I go ...
just gimme a quick simple reason ..

You need a card or device capable of showing OTA channels (similar to the HDHOMERUN ) this will only provide local channels and no premiums but requires a antenna connected to the device. There are no devices iirc that allow DTV/satellite reception via a HTPC. There are capture cards but they require having a SAT box connected and dedicated to each PC. Here is one I think does a decent job.
http://www.amazon.com/AVERMEDIA-AVER...6965236&sr=8-9
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post #13086 of 15483
5/14/12 at 6:57am
The Crucial M4 128GB SATAIII SSD is on sale today for a very good price for those interested.
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post #13087 of 15483
5/14/12 at 8:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by badgerpilot View Post

The Crucial M4 128GB SATAIII SSD is on sale today for a very good price for those interested.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227706

$99 Newegg shell shocker today too.

nice to see the average 120GB pricepoint coming down to the $100 mark at several places and several brand/models.

I think soon this will be the new price point normally.
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post #13088 of 15483
5/14/12 at 10:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bomberjim View Post

Yep, had the same thing with the cursor. For me, I could exit to the desktop and then back to WMC. There are 3 things you could do:

1. Use HDMI Detective to resolve any handshake issues. I've never tried it, probably works, but it's another thing in the video chain, isn't cheap, and in my case not necessary.

2. When I shutdown my system (macro on the remote) I exit to the desktop on my HTPC. When I turn on the system, I program a delay (about 8 seconds) to let the AVR and projector be fully operational, and then execute a command (in the macro) for the green button. Not really a problem with the 8 second delay since the projector takes longer than that to warm up anyway.

3. You could also try varying what gets turned on 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. It didn't work for me however.

Hey Jim,
I asked this a few dozen pages ago but i don't think you saw the question. How are you exiting to the desktop from WMC? If you are using a keyboard to do it i understand how to do that, but i'm hoping you are doing this somehow with a function on a remote or you've mapped a keyboard shortcut to the remote somehow. Can you tell me exactly how your doing this?
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post #13089 of 15483
5/14/12 at 10:19am
that Crucial has the Marvel controller IMO is the better buy ! I'm getting one ..
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post #13090 of 15483
5/14/12 at 10:36am
that same Crucial is now on Amazon for $109.99 shipped prime , Buy.com is 99.99 plus tax that's comes out as $107.99 shipped to me .. I'll go the Amazon prime shipped free 2 day delivery PLUS the added feeling that Amazon has way better return policies than does Buy.com for all of $2.oo more ..
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post #13091 of 15483
5/14/12 at 11:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpeisher View Post

Hey Jim,
I asked this a few dozen pages ago but i don't think you saw the question. How are you exiting to the desktop from WMC? If you are using a keyboard to do it i understand how to do that, but i'm hoping you are doing this somehow with a function on a remote or you've mapped a keyboard shortcut to the remote somehow. Can you tell me exactly how your doing this?

Yeah I did miss it. I'm using the "close" button on my WMC remote (Adesso variety). I learned it into a macro on my Pronto universal remote. Seems to work from anywhere inside WMC including inside Media Browser, Live/Recorded TV etc.
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post #13092 of 15483
5/14/12 at 11:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bomberjim View Post


Yeah I did miss it. I'm using the "close" button on my WMC remote (Adesso variety). I learned it into a macro on my Pronto universal remote. Seems to work from anywhere inside WMC including inside Media Browser, Live/Recorded TV etc.

h...that's the fist remote i got when i built this htpc...but i don't remember seeing a a"Close" button on it. I'll check it out again when i get back. I would love to have that feature programed into my URC
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post #13093 of 15483
5/14/12 at 12:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mariob33 View Post

There are no devices iirc that allow DTV/satellite reception via a HTPC. There are capture cards but they require having a SAT box connected and dedicated to each PC. Here is one I think does a decent job.
http://www.amazon.com/AVERMEDIA-AVER...6965236&sr=8-9

First, you do NOT have to dedicate the box to the PC. At least in the case of DirecTV, you can use the HDMI connection to use your DirecTV as normal, while using the component video and optical audio outputs to connect to your capture device.

Second, the Avermedia doesn't do digital audio, as I understand it. The devices of choice are the Hauppauge Colossus or HDPVR. (major difference is internal card vs external usb device).

The Colossus works well for capturing DirecTV output. But you can't eliminate the DirecTV receiver like you can the cable box with a cablecard tuner. There's a long thread here both both the Colossus and the HDPVR.
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post #13094 of 15483
5/14/12 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zon2020 View Post


First, you do NOT have to dedicate the box to the PC. At least in the case of DirecTV, you can use the HDMI connection to use your DirecTV as normal, while using the component video and optical audio outputs to connect to your capture device.

Second, the Avermedia doesn't do digital audio, as I understand it. The devices of choice are the Hauppauge Colossus or HDPVR. (major difference is internal card vs external usb device).

The Colossus works well for capturing DirecTV output. But you can't eliminate the DirecTV receiver like you can the cable box with a cablecard tuner. There's a long thread here both both the Colossus and the HDPVR.

The OP had 3 HTPC builds so he would need 3 separate boxes, no? Unless all HTPC's were set to record watch same channel.
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post #13095 of 15483
5/14/12 at 2:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpeisher View Post


h...that's the fist remote i got when i built this htpc...but i don't remember seeing a a"Close" button on it. I'll check it out again when i get back. I would love to have that feature programed into my URC

Program a macro of "Alt+ F4" right before you power down. That will close WMC. Then to open it when you power up, pin WMC to your task bar ( lets say it is the forth one), and program a macro of "Winkey + 4" that will open WMC ( or whatever is in the fourth spot on your task bar). I also have Media Browser pinned to my 5th spot. So I have a macro on my remote called "Movies" which is mapped to "Winkey+5".
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post #13096 of 15483
5/14/12 at 2:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastslappy View Post


Ok i'm confused... not the 1st time !
whaat hardware do I need now? I have DirecTv not cable & have NO OTA at all , I do now have TMT5
the HTPC's are all up & running but the software end ===> WMC or XBMC
I read some of/if not all the guides but some of that kinda went over my head on which frontend I should use .. any guidance from you guys PM if Ya want .. I do want to load everything myself & learn how to, so I don't want anyone to hold my cause it's dark outside
.. but which direction should I go ...
just gimme a quick simple reason ..

Get cable.... I know it sucks, I had Dish network, but all the capture devices were expensive, sucked, and were not even HD.

I have a Ceton InfiniTV 4 with a M cable card from Comcast and it works flawlessly and the picture is beautiful on my integrated i3, and I can record 4 different streams at one time and watch those recordings, or live tv, or my DVD/bluray rips on my HTPC or either of my 2 Xbox 360 extenders. All the while I get a $7 credit and no dvr fee from Comcast. It costs half of what it used to cost me on Dish for the same HD programming.
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post #13097 of 15483
5/14/12 at 2:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mariob33 View Post

The OP had 3 HTPC builds so he would need 3 separate boxes, no? Unless all HTPC's were set to record watch same channel.

Yeah there would have to a capture device for each DirecTV box , I can deal with that I'm not trying to side-step the D*TV box just want to capture & store certain shows & not be dependent on the D*TV DVR to hold the show(not looking to rip & burn either )
what I find is that with D*TV you will save a show,movie & it stays on the DVR but if there is ever a failure of the DVR &/or it is replaced then all that saving is lost, it can not be backed up in any way . i'm looking to be able to back-up my favorite concert movies is what I'm saving . I currently have a HR-22 DVR that is showing signs of failure & i have a "White Strpes" Concert movie that I really want to save .
I'll take this to the other threads .. sorry for the long winded post .
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post #13098 of 15483
5/14/12 at 2:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilky13 View Post

Get cable.... I know it sucks, I had Dish network, but all the capture devices were expensive, sucked, and were not even HD.

I have a Ceton InfiniTV 4 with a M cable card from Comcast and it works flawlessly and the picture is beautiful on my integrated i3, and I can record 4 different streams at one time and watch those recordings, or live tv, or my DVD/bluray rips on my HTPC or either of my 2 Xbox 360 extenders. All the while I get a $7 credit and no dvr fee from Comcast. It costs half of what it used to cost me on Dish for the same HD programming.

Not an option for me Comcast here in my town Sucks Big Time , old infrastructure they bought from Charter cable & refuse to up-grade . My town is covered with D*TV Dishes because of that.
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post #13099 of 15483
5/14/12 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastslappy View Post


Yeah there would have to a capture device for each DirecTV box , I can deal with that I'm not trying to side-step the D*TV box just want to capture & store certain shows & not be dependent on the D*TV DVR to hold the show(not looking to rip & burn either )
what I find is that with D*TV you will save a show,movie & it stays on the DVR but if there is ever a failure of the DVR &/or it is replaced then all that saving is lost, it can not be backed up in any way . i'm looking to be able to back-up my favorite concert movies is what I'm saving . I currently have a HR-22 DVR that is showing signs of failure & i have a "White Strpes" Concert movie that I really want to save .
I'll take this to the other threads .. sorry for the long winded post .

You will not be able to get anything already recorded off the DTV box directly. You could play the stream and record/capture the content. However, if I recall most of the component outs for DTV are 480/I/p. could be wrong on the latter. Good luck.
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post #13100 of 15483
5/14/12 at 3:00pm
Assassin, just a heads up. Link for media browser download in the Maelstrom Appearance Guide (WMC appearance tab) leads to older version than the initial link to download media browswer.
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post #13101 of 15483
5/14/12 at 3:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mariob33 View Post

You will not be able to get anything already recorded off the DTV box directly. You could play the stream and record/capture the content. However, if I recall most of the component outs for DTV are 480/I/p. could be wrong on the latter. Good luck.

Yeah I figured I was already outta luck there on already recorded stuff ..

on a side Note both the SSD's noted earlier today the Crucial 128 gb @ Buy.Com is sold out & the newegg OCZ120 Gb are sold out as a shell shocker but you can still get one for $109.99.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227706 there is a rebate as well on this one ,so it near what the shell shocker was if you include the rebate ...

Amazon still has the Crucial M4 128 Gb @ 109.oo i got one from them as it was just about the same price & free 2 day shipping , no taxes Plus the Crucial has the Marvel controller
http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-2-5-In.../dp/B004W2JKZI

both buy,com & newegg charge me sales tax ..,.
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post #13102 of 15483
5/14/12 at 4:21pm
I hooked up the new 3TB SATA III Barracuda. I already had a 2TB SATA III Barracuda Green. Transfers from one to the other (either way) run at 70 to 90 MB/sec. Am I too optimistic about SATA III to be expecting dramatically faster speeds? Is my G530 to blame? Did I screw something up?
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post #13103 of 15483
5/14/12 at 4:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LastButNotLeast View Post

I hooked up the new 3TB SATA III Barracuda. I already had a 2TB SATA III Barracuda Green. Transfers from one to the other (either way) run at 70 to 90 MB/sec. Am I too optimistic about SATA III to be expecting dramatically faster speeds? Is my G530 to blame? Did I screw something up?

Mechanical hard drives can't saturate SATAII speeds --- let alone SATAIII. There is really no such thing as a "SATAIII" mechanical drive.
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post #13104 of 15483
5/14/12 at 5:32pm
Ranks right up there with that " Ocean Front Property In Arizona "

I have a bunch of sata 3 / 6 G hard drives ... What a waste of money
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post #13105 of 15483
5/14/12 at 5:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wilky13 View Post


Program a macro of "Alt+ F4" right before you power down. That will close WMC. Then to open it when you power up, pin WMC to your task bar ( lets say it is the forth one), and program a macro of "Winkey + 4" that will open WMC ( or whatever is in the fourth spot on your task bar). I also have Media Browser pinned to my 5th spot. So I have a macro on my remote called "Movies" which is mapped to "Winkey+5".

What are you using to program keyboard inputs?
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post #13106 of 15483
5/14/12 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by flocko View Post

Ranks right up there with that " Ocean Front Property In Arizona "

I have a bunch of sata 3 / 6 G hard drives ... What a waste of money

Hardly. Stuff's gotta go somewhere, and I'm sure not going to get 3TB of SSD! I'm happy knowing nothing's messed up. Thanks.
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post #13107 of 15483
5/14/12 at 6:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastslappy View Post


Not an option for me Comcast here in my town Sucks Big Time , old infrastructure they bought from Charter cable & refuse to up-grade . My town is covered with D*TV Dishes because of that.

That blows. Do they not even offer HD programming? They will also try and tell you that they do not offer cable cards, but by law they are required to.
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post #13108 of 15483
5/14/12 at 6:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by flocko View Post

Ranks right up there with that " Ocean Front Property In Arizona "

I have a bunch of sata 3 / 6 G hard drives ... What a waste of money

Spinning discs can only spin so fast!!
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post #13109 of 15483
5/14/12 at 6:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpeisher View Post


What are you using to program keyboard inputs?

An old Harmony 880 remote I had laying around. It is the RF version because my HTPC is hidden a cabinet. You can get the IR version for probably under $80 used or a Monster remote which are a cheaper clone of the Harmony's.

I have the $10 eBay USB IR receiver as the input device.
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post #13110 of 15483
5/14/12 at 8:29pm
Thread Starter 
Just wanted to let the thread know that I am going to start a second blog (due to popular demand) dedicated to just servers and specifically how I setup and use servers as they relate to HTPC.

http://www.assassinserver.com/

I will be adding content in the next few weeks as I have completed my server project and am eager to get started and help people get into servers for HTPC.
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