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HTPC addon to my RIG

post #1 of 11
9/22/12 at 9:54pm
Thread Starter 
I have high-end Gaming Desktop that I build around 3 years ago only thing I upgraded from original Build is SSD for OS and Updates Graphics card to HD6970. If possible few questions. I have Pioneer 1022 AVR that I want to connect my computer to so I can watch my MKV collection. So 2 questions. 1 Right now I use 2 monitor setup for my primary work and games and my Graphics card allows you to connect few things at once, so how exaxctly I will make it to work so I use my 2 monitors as is yet my HDMI to AVR will be used by computer to send video/audio signal ? (Do I use catalyst or some special configuration software). And second question what do I run on computer, I mean some software that will have my library in and will know to send picture to my 2 main monitors but via HDMI to AVR.

Thanks guys you understand what I am sying cause it's too many things in my head right now biggrin.gif. Here is card I have installed in my computer right now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150517

Thank you !
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post #2 of 11
9/23/12 at 2:24pm
Not sure about the connections, but take a look at mediabrowser. It is a great add on to Windows Media Center, and really makes your collection pop.
Heres a shot of my setup using it:

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post #3 of 11
9/24/12 at 3:23pm
Check out XBMC too. It's awesome for media files, plus it does a ton more too.
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post #4 of 11
9/24/12 at 5:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by divxclub View Post

I have high-end Gaming Desktop that I build around 3 years ago only thing I upgraded from original Build is SSD for OS and Updates Graphics card to HD6970. If possible few questions. I have Pioneer 1022 AVR that I want to connect my computer to so I can watch my MKV collection. So 2 questions. 1 Right now I use 2 monitor setup for my primary work and games and my Graphics card allows you to connect few things at once, so how exaxctly I will make it to work so I use my 2 monitors as is yet my HDMI to AVR will be used by computer to send video/audio signal ? (Do I use catalyst or some special configuration software). And second question what do I run on computer, I mean some software that will have my library in and will know to send picture to my 2 main monitors but via HDMI to AVR.
Thanks guys you understand what I am sying cause it's too many things in my head right now biggrin.gif. Here is card I have installed in my computer right now.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150517
Thank you !

You have to use the AMD configuration software, but I'm not sure if you need to add the optional Hydravision component to accomplish your goal. Others with an ATI card will hopefully chime in, but according to the AMD Eyefinity faq page here you are going to have use the (2) Displayport outputs for the monitors and just use the HDMI output to your AVR. It seems silly that the DVI outputs cannot be used with a 3+ monitor/display setup, but that's what the documentation says.

Of course the question remains, do you need mkvs playing while working on multiple monitors? biggrin.gif
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post #5 of 11
9/28/12 at 3:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark_Slayer View Post

You have to use the AMD configuration software, but I'm not sure if you need to add the optional Hydravision component to accomplish your goal. Others with an ATI card will hopefully chime in, but according to the AMD Eyefinity faq page here you are going to have use the (2) Displayport outputs for the monitors and just use the HDMI output to your AVR. It seems silly that the DVI outputs cannot be used with a 3+ monitor/display setup, but that's what the documentation says.
Of course the question remains, do you need mkvs playing while working on multiple monitors? biggrin.gif

Thank you for your answers.

I guess when I play movie, I do not need my computer, But it is nice to have 3rd TV monitor that I can play movie or if I wish just use TV as monitor for ..... can't really think of any reasons now. Now about DisplayPorts , are you saying only way to do 2 monitors + hdmi is to use Display Port ? Cause if this is indeed the case I am in trouble because my monitors are DVI ... I wonder if there are DVI-Display port adapters. I ordered 30ft HDMI 1.4 cable. So is there a consensus on what to use on computer ? Cause my main goal is to get that 7.1 audio with mkv 3D to my AVR and let it do the job rest of the way.
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post #6 of 11
10/2/12 at 12:30pm
Thread Starter 
I am getting cable today, so any advice one going 2 DVI monitors + HDMI to AVR setup for my HD6970 Card. And from what I understand most HTPC users use XBMC is there at alternative or that's pretty much what I need. And also is there a guide to setup software properly send signal passtrough and not decode anything on PC so my AVR will do the job on Audio and video.

Thanks !
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post #7 of 11
10/2/12 at 12:53pm
Most people either use WMC with mediabrowser or xbmc. Some use media portal. There's no reason you can't set up both mediabrowser and xbmc and play with them until you find which one you prefer. For metadata (to make your collection look all pretty) many use media center master.

Assassin has a guide for mediabrowser that would probably help a lot in setting things up. So unless you've either set this type of thing up before or really know what you're doing, his guide will make setup much easier and less frustrating.

I prefer xbmc only because I like the look of it more (aeon nox skin), and there are some good plugins for it. I used to use mediabrowser but wasn't in love with the themes/skins that are available for free. Some of the paid ones look pretty good though, but IMO I didn't like any of them as much as aeon nox or neon skin for xbmc.

I may move back to mediabrowser when Red finishes up gamebrowser 2 addon. IMO mediabrowser is a bit easier and more intuitive to setup than xbmc but there are good guides here for both.

My main issue with mediabrowser is you have to use it through WMC, which to me just looks hideous. There are ways to edit it but until someone makes an editor with gui so you can see the changes instead of constantly editing text and then checking, I feel it's cumbersome. (much like my sentence structure for this post....sheesh, you'd think I never graduated 3rd grade)
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post #8 of 11
10/2/12 at 2:48pm
Thread Starter 
Aha ! I guess easy road for me right now is to use guide by Assassin and setup mediabrowser for now. It support passtrough for people with AVR correct ?
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post #9 of 11
10/2/12 at 4:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by divxclub View Post

Aha ! I guess easy road for me right now is to use guide by Assassin and setup mediabrowser for now. It support passtrough for people with AVR correct ?

Mediabrowser uses WMC as the media "player"

You've got a couple of options to enable audio bitstreaming in WMC (and by consequence Mediabrowser) and they are all covered in Assassin's guides.

The WMC sticky here could also get you going, but it uses less detail whereas Assassin's is heavy on the screencaps (which makes it easier for a lot of us)

Your graphics card is capable of sending audio/video to the receiver without decoding the audio first (referred to as bitstreaming rather than passthrough)
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post #10 of 11
10/3/12 at 12:51pm
Thread Starter 
Okay guys I finally got HDMI cable today and results are not that good. My problem begun when I tried to install Media Browser on my Windows 8 Machine and it does not support it so I decided to go with XBMC and I did. I also Installed and configures first part of Assassin's guide where he explain on how to install Win7Codec from Shark007. Now here is my Major problem. I can't get to show My 2 regular monitors (M1 and M2) and TV (M3) at same time. I also can't create M1 + M3 (M3 is TV) . Now If I disable M1 and M2 my TV (M3) works just fine I can see desktop and using XBMC I can play movie, only 1 issue is I have a Movie in 7.1 DTS-MA but on XBMC I see it as just DTS 6.1 and on AVR I see DTS DISCRETE ES .... I saw same message on AVR if I'd play it using optical cable from TV using HDD directly with TV or using ARC directly to AVR from TV without optical cable. I guess first thing first. I need to get to my 2 main monitors M1 and M2 work and when needed my TV pick up video signal. Without this it's very difficult to go back and forward to look at TV and control computer. So anyone have any idea what is best option on AMD based cards and similar setup, because it's it's just 1 HDMI ...no problem but because this is my everyday PC I need my regular monitors as well.

Now one more thing, I have DELL Studio 15 laptop with HDMI output, how proboble is to use it as HTPC ? I mean I'll need it just for a movie time rest I'll put it away, and because my all library is on USB external drive storage is not issue, also I have some networked files. So laptop as HTPC anyone ? ....say 1080p 3D mkv ....will it work biggrin.gif ? I'd put dedicated server on it .... XBMCbuntu or something if needed ...just a thought.

Thank you guys.

P.S.

Actually now I am thinking about this I actually would prefer to use Laptop if I can cause It'll add this portability and features I need.
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post #11 of 11
10/13/12 at 9:08pm
Thread Starter 
OOOOOOOkay because noone answered me I decided to just stay up till I get all my answers in order and may be now I can help someone ! Here are my original goals and setup.

I have AMD HD6970 GPU (1x HDMI, 2xDVI and 2xDisplayPort version) I have 2 Monitors connected to computer VIA DVI ports, Pioneer AVR 1022 and finally Samsung 55' HDTV (UN55C7000)

My goal was to add Home Theater function to my Personal Computer so I can work on my 2 monitors and as needed watch HD and HD3D mkv movies on my 55' Samsung.

Here are problems I came up with.

1. I could not get my TV to be shown as 3rd active monitor
2. I have MKV files with HD Master Audfo 7.1 track and my AVR could see only Core DTS (5.1) and not full DTS-HD

Here are solutions.

1. 3rd Display.

You simply can't do this with DVI + HDMI. You can get DisplyPort to DVI adaptor but all this will do for you is you'll be able to attach 3rd Monitor and as we all know DVI does not carry audio signal. So at this point there is a way to get 3 monitors yet without audio so my best advice is this. When you have movie night simply have your AVR connected to you GPU via HDMI and when you do need to watch movie disable one of your monitors and do mirror image you TV and you other monitor. So by the end you'll have 1 disabled monitor, 1 working monitor where you can control PC and TV that showing exactly what if going on on your monitor including movie you wish to watch,

2. No HD 7.1 Master Audio sound on my AVR.

This was simple and very very annoying. I installed XBMC and I WISH someone told me right away that "Hey buddy in order for you to get HD audio you first need to intall this little file that will enable HD audio in settings" but anyhow beside XBMC you need to install HDAudio + Eden RC2 file that can be founf here: https://github.com/DDDamian/xbmc/downloads it's the last file in there

Quit XBMC and install XBMC-RC2-HDAudio.exe that is located inside XBMC-RC2-HDAudio.zip file. Now once it's installed go to Audio settings and BOOM you'll see options for HD Audio ...... damn I wish someone just told me this thing ....anyhow I hope I helped.
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