HTPC connected to 2003 Vintage Philips Rear Projection

mbhangui

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Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and this is my first post. I came across this forum when I was searching for a good AVR to replace my Sony MHC MG310 AV system. This system had 5.1 RCA inputs. Last year I built an HTPC using MSI 790GX-G65 motherboard, which I connected to this system. I also connected the HTPC to my Philips rear projection TV HD input using a ATI proprietary component video cable connected to ATI HD 4350 card.

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Building the HTPC was fun and surprisingly quite simple. Currently I have connected optical SPDIF out on the HTPC motherboard to AV4 input of Yamaha RX-V667 SPDIF input. I control the HTPC using a Remote (Antec Veris Multimedia Station Premier). The remote allows me to reboot, shutdown, change channels, volume, mouse, etc. I have connected my Tata Sky set top box to a Aver TV tuner card on the HTPC. Have connected an IR blaster to the Tata Sky set top box to control changing channels from the HTPC remote itself. For the keyboard I am currently using a Logitech wireless keyboard but soon I am looking at replacing it with a tiny keyboard specifically meant for a HTPC kind of device.

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Currently it runs Windows 7, but I am sick and tired of this OS. Have just configured Media portal and am on the way to configure XBMC to use the media portal live tv server. This hopefully will allow me to use xbmc for all my media entertainment. Once I do that, I will migrate to FC 15 (my favourite) or to ubuntu.


The only problem is linux does not have any good itunes alternative. My default device is ipod. I have around 12,000 songs right from 1932 (mostly hindi). I depend on the smart playlist feature of itunes to ensure that I don't listen to the same song twice in a 6 months period (on my HTPC as well as my IPOD). Itunes also hooks up with my Airport Express Wi-Fi router to provide wireless streaming of music to my upstair bedroom speakers (connected to another airport express adaptor). Unfortunately apple does not think linux is important :sad:

I use the itunes visualizer especially when listening to talat/kishore/buddha bar along with few pegs of scotch :D. However, the visualizer is too much for windows 7 :mad: to handle and it freezes. Force reboot is the only option for the HTPC to come back to its senses.

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The xbmc music interface is good, but it does not update itunes play counts.

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For playing Videos, I use xbmc. The SQ is much better compared to WMC

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Building this HTPC was fun. If anyone could get something useful from my experience, I have put all the details at this place

The cost for building this came to around RS 62,000/-. The full BOM with cost can be accessed here
 

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Hi mbhangui,

This is a nice setup you have.

Where did you get the IR blaster from? I also need one in Delhi.

Thanks,
Alok
 
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