HTPC experts: is it feasible to replace a pre-pro with a HTPC?

In short, yes with a few caveats.

1)This is a matter of licensing to get access to the encryption keys to decrypt the content for playback. The AACS license compels the implementer to keep the stream protected at all times.

Assuming the first item is dealt with ...

2) The easiest would be the LAV filters, it saves the hassle of registering the codecs with windows manually. LAV needs have Arcsoft Total Media installed for the DTS-HD MA decoder.

3)Most modern PC video cards will auto detect the connected port. The only thing to check is to make sure the PC is putting the black levels you are expecting there is a choice between 0-255 (PC Video) and 16-235 (Consumer)

4)On the software side get Reclock from Slysoft and put it in WASAPI mode for unprocessed LPCM. Either USB or the Lynx are fine, If you are using the Lynx, keep an eye on the word clock, for best quality do not leave word clock unslaved.

The simplest "weed out" answer: Not if you've got other sources.

Room correction mostly, but also the others are all decades ahead in terms of functionality and refinement in pre/pros from where they are in a PC. There really needs to be driver/OS support for these things but there isn't. Room correction for example is only supported in a few apps (or maybe expensive add-on software) but it's all do-it-yourself, as in, capture the room response, generate an impulse response, etc.

Easy (well not as easy as a standalone but not too hard)

From external soures? Impossible.

FWIW, there's no good way to get unprocessed video out of an HTPC, for feeding something like a Lumagen.

What it really comes down to is this. An HTPC cannot replace a pre-pro/AVR. It's as simple as that. What is possible, is if you have no other sources you may be able to eliminate the need for a pre-pro, but that's about as far as it goes.

Well said. That's the bottom line.

1) MakeMKV will do for the purpose.

2)Yes plus more, it is also the video and audio decoder

3)Yes.
If you watch movies mainly, the player you choose must be able to set output to the correct resolution of the video stream, namely 480p and 1080p. Jriver can do this as can MPC-HC another popular player here.
The Lumagen can take the output and scale it up.
You also have a choice of RGB or YCbCr, choose the latter for Lumagen so that it can do the correct chroma upsampling to full 4:4:4.
HDMI 1.x will not allow 4:2:0 output so the PC does some of the chroma upsampling. There is a very high quality renderer, MadVR that you could use on the PC side for the initial 4:2:0 -> 4:2:2 conversion.

4)Windows can mess with and resample the audio, reclock enables the exclusive audio device mode to stop this from happening.
You will need this for almost all players except JRiver which has the WASAPI mode built in as an option. Stop by Slysoft's website, it might be worth your while.

I use JRiver MC16. If you are interested in PC based room correction, JRiver will work with Dirac Live, quality is on par with Audyssey, if not better.

I suggest taking a close look at MadVR, its features such as scaling with suppression of ringing is similar to what you get on the Radiance. Its creator, madshi had the Radiance (I think he still does). If you plan on checking out its advanced features you would need a decent video card like a GTX460/560/660 or the AMD 7850, for 4:2:0 -> 4:2:2 conversion, you can use it with any recent video card or integrated video made in the last 18months.
Edited by Tong Chia - 12/27/12 at 9:47pm

Many of us on this board have gone receiverless... Audio card in our HTPCs -> Amplification

Although there are many software players out there that offer good video, the audio portion is still somewhat primitive. JRiver is the only software that has full featured audio too.

I've been running JRiver's MC18 in my HTPC for over a month now. I was using XBMC before, and MPC-HC before that.

Pros:
Great video
Slick user interface in "theater view"
Works with BluRay, MKV's, MP4's, etc.
Fantastic audio engine
Very flexible in configuration
JRemote works awesome from my iPad... Remote control over IP!
There's actual support for the product; from users and JRiver on their forum

Cons:
Initial setup can be confusing
Many many many configuration options
A few qol issues that have been easily fixed in other software, have no such simple solution in JRiver (or if there is a solution, it's burried in mountains of forum posts)

The proposed config is reasonable.
If you plan on adding the video card
1)Power supply should be upgraded to 500W
2)Check the PC case can house a dual slot 10" long card and keep it adequately cool
3)Optionally consider 128Mb SSD as they are the sweet spot price wise and you get some room for future expansion.

As for a video card the Nvidia GTX660 or AMD7850 if you plan on using the MadVR anti-ring filters.

If realtime DSD->PCM conversion is useful, the i7 processor something like an i7-3750 should be considered

If you plan on getting the Orpheus, check for and/or add a Firewire interface to the build, preferably something with a Texas Instruments (TI) chipset .

I build my PCs from partially constructed setups with the motherboard and case such as the ones from Shuttle. Assassin's offering looks like a good starting point.

USB audio is a great idea but the market for high quality USB multichannel DACS is still quite immature, I suggest taking the time and moving one step at a time.
The guys at Jriver reviewed the Exasound e18 and it works reasonably well, this is a 8channel USB DAC.

When adding proaudio gear, you will need a mapper, typically with an ASIO interface to aggregate, route and map the output channels, this is the biggest stumbling block to HT use in the home. RME has the most widely used with Jriver's ASIO mapper. Lynx (AES-16) is another option. USB is not the best route with the proaudio gear, right now. Firewire is more mature and is viable provided the ASIO interface supports it, this is relevant for the Orpheus.

I am looking at the Lynx Aurora8, Mytek 8x192 and the Orpheus.

You mentioned in another response about interest in merging the 2ch and Multichannel setup, JRiver has a lot of good features here and is one of the few frontends that can playback DSD and convert to PCM.
The latter is important as room correction only works on PCM.

Direc Live RCS is nicely integrated into windows, it shows up as an audio interface, just pick it in Jriver. If you go down this route, i would be interested to know how it compares to the other options in the market namely an outboard Dirac Live processor, Tact/Lyngdorf and Trinnov.

Both Jriver MC18 and Dirac Live RCS are new, but they offer try-before-you-buy options. This is the preferred method to see if it will work for you. The later is a $650 package.
Edited by Tong Chia - 12/28/12 at 2:48pm