Htpc

[Electro]

Use Windows 98 or Windows ME. Manufactures has problems with their drivers on both Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Memory Zipper Plus from SysTweak is a good program to decrease any memory leaks within windows.

Haugpauge's WinTV from Haugpauge is a good TV tuner add on for a HTPC. There are other TV tuner cards that can recieve HD channels too. Haugpauge uses some code from DSaler.org.

Cyberlink is great on extracting audio from video files (vob, mpeg, avi,etc.) but the video is not as good as WinDVD.

TIP: Insert cards in this order 1, 3, 5, 7, etc.. In this order it seems to increase system performance.

[eebasist]

Definitly shy away from the NT based operating systems. The driver support isnt all that. But one thing to consider is that most people on avs forum reccommend the intel based systems because of the chipset reliability. the via/sis/amd chipsets aren't tested as much as intel's and the amount of data bandwidth we put throughout the system sometimes causes the AMD boards to flake out when different components are used. Whereas the intel chipsets really work with any hardware you have

[icculus]

the pc i'm currently using as DVD player is a simple Duron 800 with onboaord SIS graphics. i use Power DVD software -got it free with drive) sound is lacking so far--only stereo, but for now i'm looking more into getting the projector itself done. picture quality is great.

[Electro]

icculus, under PowerDVD there are audio settings to choose from two channels, four channels, six channels, and SPDIF. If you bought or have PowerDVD XP 4 with the dolby digital package, then you should play DVD movies in full 5.1 dolby digital sound with out any problems. Most sound cards can not output more than four analog channels. Other sound cards use Direct Sound to handle the rear channels. Try buying either Audigy or LIVE! 5.1 from creative labs. Audigy sound cards has some problems.

I have used a AMD 800 MHz (Slot A) on a ABIT KA7-100 with PowerDVD XP 4 and I had no problems. The only problem that I had is ATI's drivers. Their drivers kept on halting while starting Windows 98. I had no problems using LINUX radeon drivers from X86free. Since my motherboard quit working from the lack of filtering, I had to get another motherboard. Yes, capacitors leaked orange oze (paste).

To make using an AMD based computer easier to setup. Many motherboard manufactures are including Winbond (system diagnostic chip). If a part has a conflict, the Winbond will show a BIOS code. Then the user looks up the code in the motherboard manual to see whats the problem. The only motherboard manufacture that I know that has winbond on an AMD board is EPOX. Many other manufactures are following EPOX.

BTW, computers that come with DVD software players does not always have the latest version. I suggest you upgrade to PowerDVD XP 4 with Dolby Digital package.

[icculus]

somehow, I forgot about all the games i had on my machine. today it dawned on me that i have over 700 classic games using MAME, pj64, snes, and genesis emulators. they are amazing on the big screen. i'll post some pics when i get my new pc up and running.