Bought a new home PC

Hi Haisaikat,

Thek hi bole cho (You said right).

I am really confused and feel that I appear to be a dodo in front of you guys in terms of knowledge about PC/HTPC/graphic cards.

Hopefully I have not bought a total lemon!

I will definitely start using it more frequently and within a period of time put in my problems in this thread and hopefully you guys can solve it.

Anyways while trying to install XMBC the system said 32 bit XMBC is not supported. What to do?

Vinod

Check the solution in this url on compatibility mode. Also ensure that it is xbmc v12 frodo
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/7734-63-installing-programs-windows
 
It works!!! Got it into compatibility mode and it works!

Now what to do with it:D?

How does one utilise XMBC software....

Vinod
 
It works!!! Got it into compatibility mode and it works!

Now what to do with it:D?

How does one utilise XMBC software....

Vinod

connect the Pc to TV (may be via HDMI) and then your TV now has a new media player browser. Just add sources under Video / Photo / Music and you are good to go. XBMC can fetch metadata (Movie info, plot, etc) of your added media. Possibilities are more if you do have a networked PC with your router and there are other wireless or wired PCs with more media. But for now try playing around with XBMC. What more if you can get a HP MCE Remote (look in ebay.in) it can allow you to control XBMC using a remote so that you get that entire Tv experiance (remote instead of keyboard) and PC performance.
 
connect the Pc to TV (may be via HDMI) and then your TV now has a new media player browser. Just add sources under Video / Photo / Music and you are good to go. XBMC can fetch metadata (Movie info, plot, etc) of your added media. Possibilities are more if you do have a networked PC with your router and there are other wireless or wired PCs with more media. But for now try playing around with XBMC. What more if you can get a HP MCE Remote (look in ebay.in) it can allow you to control XBMC using a remote so that you get that entire Tv experiance (remote instead of keyboard) and PC performance.

I will do that. Adding sources mean that you must have already have the video/photo/music on your computer is it not? I mean you cannot download it directly thru the XBMC software? I saw the settings and it is pretty cool that you can set the Audio outs to analogue, HDMI etc.

Like you said I will discover the possibilities and share my experience thru this thread.
 
You are right about the sources, It can also be USB drives connected to the pc. I think XBMC also supports plugins to enable you to browse online content like Youtube, etc but that requires internet connection on the PC.
 
I will do that. Adding sources mean that you must have already have the video/photo/music on your computer is it not? I mean you cannot download it directly thru the XBMC software? I saw the settings and it is pretty cool that you can set the Audio outs to analogue, HDMI etc.

Like you said I will discover the possibilities and share my experience thru this thread.

Set a dedicated drive or folder for your movies. Put your movies inside this master folder/drive in a folder with name like movie name (year). For instance:

F:\Movies\Avatar(2009)\Avatar.mkv
F:\Movies\Jurassic Park (1993)\Jurassic Park.avi

Then in xbmc videos file menu, select source as F:\Movies. Set the content as 'movies' and xbmc will prompt to select a video scraper. A scraper fetches all details about the movie like thumbnails, fan art, rating etc. The default is TMDb, but Universal Scraper is recommended and you can install it from 'get more' option. Select the option 'Movies are in individual folders that match the movie titles'. Now xbmc will scan and add the movies to the library. You should be connected to the internet for this. If you don't have internet for htpc, you can do it in any pc with internet access and export the data and import it in your htpc using a pendrive.

Similarly add your music and TV show collections.

There are xbmc plugins and tools to monitor and control downloads.
 
Set a dedicated drive or folder for your movies. Put your movies inside this master folder/drive in a folder with name like movie name (year). For instance:

F:\Movies\Avatar(2009)\Avatar.mkv
F:\Movies\Jurassic Park (1993)\Jurassic Park.avi

Then in xbmc videos file menu, select source as F:\Movies. Set the content as 'movies' and xbmc will prompt to select a video scraper. A scraper fetches all details about the movie like thumbnails, fan art, rating etc. The default is TMDb, but Universal Scraper is recommended and you can install it from 'get more' option. Select the option 'Movies are in individual folders that match the movie titles'. Now xbmc will scan and add the movies to the library. You should be connected to the internet for this. If you don't have internet for htpc, you can do it in any pc with internet access and export the data and import it in your htpc using a pendrive.

Similarly add your music and TV show collections.

There are xbmc plugins and tools to monitor and control downloads.

I am trying that but not succeeding as the source selection is not available. I am potting around and will try it much later.

For the now how do I connect the PC which is in a different room to my TV and HT system? (Other than physically taking the PC and connecting it?)

Vinod
 
For the now how do I connect the PC which is in a different room to my TV and HT system? (Other than physically taking the PC and connecting it?)

Vinod

If you are planning to keep your PC/HTPC in one room and TV and HT system in another, then there is a no way to connect them directly
You either have to set up a DLNA server (free) on the PC and hope either your DVD/TV/Receiver is DLNA compliant
Or you have to invest in something like a WD Live or Xtreamer to access the content on your PC from the TV
 
If you are planning to keep your PC/HTPC in one room and TV and HT system in another, then there is a no way to connect them directly
You either have to set up a DLNA server (free) on the PC and hope either your DVD/TV/Receiver is DLNA compliant
Or you have to invest in something like a WD Live or Xtreamer to access the content on your PC from the TV

this way the graphics card, processor and 8 GB ram will be underutilized.

I suggest better to keep the PC with the TV physically or draw a long inter room hdmi cable from PC to TV. However controlling the PC from TV room in that case will have to be over wifi (via a tablet or android phone) and again increases the cost of setup.
 
Thanks Grunthos and Haisaikat,

I am just now beginning to realize the possibilities after changing my PC setup.

Maybe my old PC burning out was good after all! :D

I had been to SP Road here in Bangalore and they have a HDMI to component, Audio splitter which does the job (at least for now until I upgrade my TV) by MX. Dont know if it will work.

The DLNA thing will certainly not work because neither my TV, DVD or Receiver understand such new fangled things!!!

I have a Panasonic TV Tau Giga series up to 720p/1080i about 11 years old, DVD Pioneer 686 and AVR Denon 3803 supported by KEF q7, q5 and centre q9c and I am pretty happy with the existing system, except for the fact that certain unusual formats dont play on player which is why I cant burn and play movies.

Is there any other way not too expensive?
 
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How much is the cost of the HDMI to component , audio splitter?
If this is your TV Panasonic Tau Giga Quintrix TX29P150X 100Hrtz Progressive Scanning television - Bangalore - Electronics - olx do then I see that it has a PC input which I assume may be a VGA input, something which your Graphics Card also has as Output. So you can try utilizing that.

Regarding Audio, your PC has 3.5 stereo jack output which you can connect to TV using a 3.5 to RCA splitter cable.

Also who not connect the HDMI out to Denon for direct audio playback via AVR and the picture you can enjoy on your TV directly.
 
How much is the cost of the HDMI to component , audio splitter?
If this is your TV Panasonic Tau Giga Quintrix TX29P150X 100Hrtz Progressive Scanning television - Bangalore - Electronics - olx do then I see that it has a PC input which I assume may be a VGA input, something which your Graphics Card also has as Output. So you can try utilizing that.

Regarding Audio, your PC has 3.5 stereo jack output which you can connect to TV using a 3.5 to RCA splitter cable.

Also who not connect the HDMI out to Denon for direct audio playback via AVR and the picture you can enjoy on your TV directly.

Hi Haisaikat,

You are right it is my TV. Does not look like much but believe me when I say it is an amazing TV. You are right it does have a RGB input in the front and can accept the cable from the graphics card.

My denon is a non HDMI unit so no joy there. I was thinking why not connect the optical out from my mobo to my AVR so that at least I can get up to DTS till I upgrade the TV/receiver in the future.

But it would involve me taking the PC near the system every time I want watch a movie on my system.

Vinod
 
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the sooner you understand that placing things in the proximity works best, the better for you.:)

Nevertheless, For you to carry audio and video from another room,
1. connect using the VGA cable (long cable across rooms)
2. conecting optical cable over such a long distance may be problem in terms of signal loss (errors in digital) and considering the cost of optical cables think thoroughly before you go via this route aloing with market availability of such cables.
3. If your pc is not connected to Wifi router then either connect using wire (LAN cable) or install a wifi pci card / USB wifi dongle in the PC to make it accessible over wifi.
4. Install XBMC remote on your android (or even apple) cell phone / tab and control xbmc in the other room via phone / tab.

Alternat to point 3 would be a long 3.5 to 2 RCA cable to connect PC Audio to AVR directly.
 
Hi Haisaikat,

This weekend I am going to try to move the PC and connect it to my HT thru the optical and use the DVI to RGB connection in my TV and see how the picture and sound is.

Will let you know once I have done it and how it looks and sounds.

Vinod
 
1) I have seen many people buying the HD 5450 silent edition for HTPC purpose
2) Zebronics are not very renowned for their rated SMPS's , go get urself a seasonic 430 watt supply or Corsair CX-430
3) I would recomment corsair RAM sticks anyday , they might cost you a 100-200 more than the transcend counterparts but their quality of service is unquestionable. I had a 2gb defunct Corsair RAM out for RMA and i got it back just in 5 days flat excluding the shipping interval.
 
Hi all,

Since shifting to Thrissur, there has been a change in my PC location. It is now next to my AVR (Yahoo!!!), which means that I can route both audio and video thru to my AVR and TV.

Now, the problem, there is no Audio thru XBMC to my AVR after connecting my optical cable to the MoBo and using the input of the AVR. Here I am using the optical out from MoBo to the AVR. Checked the AVR. It is fine and playing normally as a stereo and HT. I have selected the input on the AVR as OPTICAL and on settings of XBMC as optical, even then NO AUDIO.

What could be the problem? Any setting to be changed in the PC?
 
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Hi all,

Since shifting to Thrissur, there has been a change in my PC location. It is now next to my AVR (Yahoo!!!), which means that I can route both audio and video thru to my AVR and TV.

Now, the problem, there is no Audio thru XBMC to my AVR after connecting my optical cable to the MoBo and using the input of the AVR. Here I am using the optical out from MoBo to the AVR. Checked the AVR. It is fine and playing normally as a stereo and HT. I have selected the input on the AVR as OPTICAL and on settings of XBMC as optical, even when then NO AUDIO.

What could be the problem? Any setting to be changed in the PC?

Do you get audio via any other media player (windows media player, VLC etc) when PC to AVR is connected via optical cable?
 
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