[bjustme]

I am turning a computer into a HTPC.

3.0 Ghz, 1GB ram, ATI Radeon Card, Ditigial Sound, 600GB of Harddrive.

8" LCD touchscreen to control the computer.


Here what i want to do at first:


Burn all CD's to harddrive for playback.

Use as DVD player

Store most popular movie on harddrive for playback.


Add after first part is accomplished:

PVR


I want an all-in-one approach to the front-end. What software could be used.?

I want software that i can control via the touchscreen, so i you want to change songs you can do it right there and not have to turn on the tv and look for the remote.


I looked at SageTV with The SageMC - it looked really nice and liked the program but it doesn't seem touchpad compatible?


I looked at beyondTV and was kind on thrown off by it being multiple products. and it changing programs for TV and media. I will look into it again don't know about touchsreen compatiblity.?


Is this some other software that will handle media and tv and have an interface that works with a touchscreen?


Thanks

Brian

 

[Yeorwned]

The software doesn't care whether you have a touchscreen or not...that is handled by your OS as an input device. Hence, you do not need any special software for that. As for advise as to what interface to use, search through the threads and read up. You'll find more valuable information doing so than anyone will respond with.

 

[bjustme]

True

but clicking on My Movies with a mouse or touchscreen in SageTV doesn't take you there. You either have to use the keyboard or a remote to navigate the menu system so it seems to be a limitation of media software.


Brian

 

[Micromain]

Vista has native touchscreen support for MCE.

http://www.cepro.com/news/editorial/16418.html

 

[bjustme]

Can Vista play cd's and movies burned to the HDD?


I assume that I will have to upgrade my system to get Vista compliant.

 

[Micromain]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bjustme /forum/post/0


Can Vista play cd's and movies burned to the HDD?


I assume that I will have to upgrade my system to get Vista compliant.

Possibly not. For non-DRM'd content you should be fine already for Vista. For DRM'd content you'll need an HDCP capable video card (and HDCP display too, if you don't already have one).

 

[umdivx]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bjustme /forum/post/0


I am turning a computer into a HTPC.

3.0 Ghz, 1GB ram, ATI Radeon Card, Ditigial Sound, 600GB of Harddrive.

8" LCD touchscreen to control the computer.

First off, one problem you will have is that the LCD touch screen if hooked up to the same system, meaning you have your projector, or plasma or whatever hooked up to this system the same time as the LCD touchscreen.


You won't be able to get "Clone" mode to work, meaning the same picture on both screens. The way windows works is that if you do plan on running Clone mode, both the displays need to be running the same resolution, and those 8" LCD's don't run in wide screen.


So honestly I'd say skip it.

Quote:
Here what i want to do at first:


Burn all CD's to harddrive for playback.

Use as DVD player

Store most popular movie on harddrive for playback.


Add after first part is accomplished:

PVR


I want an all-in-one approach to the front-end. What software could be used.?

I want software that i can control via the touchscreen, so i you want to change songs you can do it right there and not have to turn on the tv and look for the remote.

As far as software, Windows MCE, SageTV, BeyondTV for PVRing


For Music I highly recommend Jriver Media center, It allows you to setup multiple zones, with Jriver right now I have 4 zones going on,


1.) my main theater/media/entertainment room

2.) Kitchen/Dinning Room

3.) Bedroom and office are on the same zone

4.) My garage


All 4 zones can be playing different music at the same time, which is just awesome, that or I can be playing the same song on all 4 zones at the same time.


Jriver can be controled via wifi pda's or in my case my windows mobile Treo cell phone, as well as laptops or other pc's via a webpage interface.

Quote:
I looked at SageTV with The SageMC - it looked really nice and liked the program but it doesn't seem touchpad compatible?

In computer terms any program can be touch screen, all a touch screen does is emulate a mouse. So yes you could effectly use SageTV or MCE with a touch screen, but if you want even more advanced touch screen features, Windows Vista has native support for touch screens built into it, so it can handle it even better than most applications.

Quote:
I looked at beyondTV and was kind on thrown off by it being multiple products. and it changing programs for TV and media. I will look into it again don't know about touchsreen compatiblity.?

Yes beyondTV has two different applications, its got BeyondTV which is and only is the PVR application, then you have Beyond Media which ties in multi media into the system.

Quote:
Is this some other software that will handle media and tv and have an interface that works with a touchscreen?

I'd say look further into Vista, HP just announced a all in one desktop PC/HTPC with touch screen interface see here:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/h...a-pc-revealed/


Might be just what you looking for, but again the main problem is that you can't have two displays connected to one PC, having the same screen on both, and running two different resolutions, sucks but thats how it goes.


- Josh

 

[Micromain]



Quote:
Originally Posted by umdivx /forum/post/0


Might be just what you looking for, but again the main problem is that you can't have two displays connected to one PC, having the same screen on both, and running two different resolutions, sucks but thats how it goes.


- Josh

You can do it with an NVIDIA card using Dual View mode (not sure about ATi cards). Each display runs its own independent resolution. Works with touch screen too as we just tested out a similar configuration here at work a couple of weeks ago.

 

[umdivx]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Micromain /forum/post/0


You can do it with an NVIDIA card using Dual View mode (not sure about ATi cards). Each display runs its own independent resolution. Works with touch screen too as we just tested out a similar configuration here at work a couple of weeks ago.

Dual View isn't cloning. Dual View is extended desktop mode. Meaning your still not seeing the same thing on both screens in different resolutions.


BTW all I run is Nvidia.


This issue isn't a new issue, its been around for ever, and its not a limitation of the video card or drivers, its a windows issue.


- Josh

 

[Micromain]



Quote:
Originally Posted by umdivx /forum/post/0


Dual View isn't cloning. Dual View is extended desktop mode. Meaning your still not seeing the same thing on both screens in different resolutions.


BTW all I run is Nvidia.


This issue isn't a new issue, its been around for ever, and its not a limitation of the video card or drivers, its a windows issue.


- Josh

True. I was thinking it would be nice if he could have the navigation controls on the small LCD and the MCE output running on the TV. Unfortunately MCE doesn't allow you to undock the video display in a separate window like some other media centers do. While he could potentially use other media center alternatives to be able to use dual view, he loses the touchscreen functionality.


Rock and a hard place.

 

[bjustme]

Thanks everyone for your responses, I read your input and think I have decided on a good plan.


I am going to build the computer with the intergrated touchscreen, use vista for touchscreen support and put all my music on it. Then it will accomplish the fact that you can select music via the touchscreen.


If i want a PVR i will build a second box.


I think this will accomplish all my goals, plus i can always share folders and have the PVR be able to play the music files also.


Brian