buddymd wrote:Initially, I’d

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November 4, 2011 at 1:33 am #6407
umdivx

    [quote=buddymd]
    Initially, I’d like to build an HTPC on which I can stream netflix; play cool games; watch the occasional movie (I have a large library of ISO and VIDEO_TS movies); and hook FIOS into so that I can watch/record the occasional show; maybe play music occasionally.[/quote]

    Neflix is easy, however multiple screens in the scenario you are talking about isn’t easy. Same with gaming. Movies are a no brainer there.

    Fios is bascially the same technology as cable tv, so pick up a cable card tuner (Ceton quad tuner, Silicon Dust HD home run prime, and Happauge). Run windows media center and you’ll have a multi tuner, virtually unlimited storage DVR solution.

    [quote]
    I’ve shopped a bit on-line for a large case and found the huge range in prices, higher-priced cases coming with an LCD, controls on the front, etc. I think I’ve settled on the Antec Fusion Remote Max, largely because of looks and large (quiet) fans. I looked at the really high-end cases, but I don’t see a compelling reason to spend the extra $300+ to get the 7″ touchscreen LCD on the front. The $500+ cases don’t seem to offer that much more functionality. What does the touchscreen LCD do that I need, or am I missing something with those cases? I just read that the touchscreen LCD is nice to control playing music so that you don’t have to have the big screen powered on. Anything else?[/quote]

    Honestly all of the cases with built in LCD screen cause nothing but trouble and headaches. Don’t bother. You can control music and all that without your tv on with an ipad, andriod tablet, smartphone, ect… just all depends on the software you run.

    [quote]

    I’ve also been wondering about the two flat-screen TV hook-up. Is it even possible to watch two shows at once (football games) with a Ceton card and whatever app I use to watch FIOS TV?[/quote]

    1.) PC running windows media center

    2.) Cable card tv tuner

    3.) one or two xbox 360’s

    http://www.hdhomesportsbar.com/2011/01/windows-media-center-controller-for-hd.html

    go there, watch the video, see his setup. He takes multiple TV’s connects Windows Media Center Extenders to each tv (Xbox 360 is a Media Center Extender).

    What you can do is connect your HTPC to one TV, and the 360 to the other tv, and this will allow you to watch two different things at the same time on each tv.

    Setup media center with an IR receiver to only accept media center IR commands, and setup the Xbox to only accept Xbox IR commands, and you can control them separately without the IR commands interfering with each other. This is by far the easiest and pretty much the most straight forward option.

    -Josh