[John Don]

From all I've been reading here about HTPCs it seems like it is rocket science to put one of these together and keep it stable and reliable. However, the turnkey HTPCs offered by RKR look like they might be just the ticket for those of us looking for a one-box solution for DVD, HDTV, PVR, etc.


Yes, I know there expensive, but I'd rather spend an extra 2000 dollars than 2000 hours on a solution. Plus, I get to keep my soul.


I'd like to know what others think about these turn-key solutions? Will they end up requiring lots of fiddling with? I'd just let the dealer set it to the native resoultion of my projector, then use is as though it's not a computer -- just don't fiddle.


Can anyone share experience with their Callisto, or the like?


I see many advantages to this kind of set-up, over buying a myriad of components. But are they ready for the uninitiated, or are we still on "the bleeding edge"?


- John

 

[xcel]

Hi John:


___Let me put it this way … The RKR line of HTPC’s was created by one of the Pioneer’s you have read from many times if you have visited our forums for any length of time. Cliff Watson’s posts into the various threads will show you how an HTPC is supposed to be setup and you simply cannot buy any better bar the AVScience HTPC’s of course. Yeah, I had to throw that one in there


___Good Luck


___Wayne R. Gerdes

___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.

___ [email protected]

 

[Phat Phreddy]

However unless that shiny case appeals so much it become a 'I shall own you' item (I gotta say I can actually hear those words run through my head when I look at RKR pages ) then you get the same performance and possibly more upgrade room by going for the DC line of machines (made by the same people) with cost savings...


One key to stable HTPC's is don't do what everyone on here is talking about... Get one set of stable drivers and HW and don't upgrade until many many others have taken the plunge... Or have 2 partitions (this is what I do) and a quick boot manager, Then you have the tweakable one and the backup clean one... Only when an app has proven itself in the experimental part does it get transferred (with a disk image made first) to the clean part... Logical steps like this save countless hours of frustration or BSOD's during the times you show off you lovely setup to guests (that's always when they happen lets face it)...

 

[Grosse Fatigue]

Personally I always liked the Cassini case. I never care for the Marquee case, cosmetically speaking. And I like the Titan without the handles. GF.

 

[John Don]

Perhaps I'm to niave about the inherent complexities of HTPC, but it seems to me that these turn-key boxes represent an incredible value, while maintaining a high level of quality for anyone building a home theater.


Anyone planning a home theatre would spend lots more to buy components like an STB HDTV tuner, DVD player, scaler. And when it comes to PVR, it seems that HTPC is the only workable solution.


I'd love to hear from someone who's had a reliable turk-key HTPC up and running for awhile. My question still stands: If you don't fiddle with it, does it "really, really work?" (remember those old Vegamatic commercials).



- John

 

[Phat Phreddy]

Thats why we are here....


The only thing I would say is PVR is a bit of a tricky one... It is possible with SW but not what you would call user friendly, and even though some of the HW PVR cards do seem to be getting better I dont think they are in any of the RKR / DC machines as standard (though I have not checked the specs lately)...


I think ease of use may make a HTPC + TiVo (or other) a sensible proposition...

 

[Kei Clark]

Phat Phreddy's right, the Callisto is not made to be a PVR since it adds much complexity to the system. For those with digital stations, the Callisto offers the AccessDTV option for PVR, but it cannot record analog stations.


Kei Clark

Digital Connection