Choosing a HTPC Operating System
There are many options when choosing an operating system for your HTPC. Each different operating system has many options, and it can be quite confusing trying to pick which one is best. Here we outline some of the features of each operating system, and why you would want to use it. Read more
How to connect a HTPC to your Audio Receiver
In this article we will be explaining how to connect your Home Theatre PC to an audio receiver. We will explain what hardware your HTPC needs, what cables you need, and how to connect it.
To be able to connect your HTPC to your audio receiver you don’t need much hardware. Most soundcards and onboard motherboard sound are able to do this, because they are just passing the output to another device, and don’t need to do any processing. Read more
HTPC vs PVR
The main benefit of a HTPC in comparison to a PVR is that it is configurable. You can configure it to work exactly how you want it, and have the exact functionality you want. However setting it up and getting it to work perfectly can sometimes be a bit fidgety. Read more
HTPC Benifits
A HTPC solution is not for everyone. If you are the sort of person that doesn’t like tinkering with things, then a HTPC is probably not for you. On the other hand if you are the type of person that enjoys fixing things, then a HTPC is for you. Even if you don’t know a lot about computers, it is not too hard to get a HTPC set up and working, and with our help you will be on your way in no time.
To help you on the decision on if a HTPC is for you, we outline some of the pros and cons of having a HTPC. Read more
What is a HTPC
HTPC stand for home theatre PC, although exactly what is a home theatre PC is debatable. Most people agree that a HTPC needs to be connected to some sort of screen, usually a television. But then there are so many wide uses for a HTPC that it is hard to outline all of them
A HTPC is a device that usually combines the functions of both a computer and a personal video recorder. Most people buy a HTPC to combine many of the features from separate components that would be in their home theatre setup into the one box. This often reduces the costs of components, as well as allowing everything to be controlled from the one location. Read more
Control for your HTPC
The way you control your Home Theatre PC can really affect your entire home theatre experience. It is important that you get a good remote to get the easiest experience and make your home theatre PC seem like a completely integrated solution. Here we outline the major ways of controlling you HTPC: Read more
HTPC Optical Drive
If you just want a standard DVD playback, a DVD rewritable drive can be had for around $25 and all do a decent job. Generally Asus
As Blu-ray is now the official standard for HD content, there is no reason to buy a HD drive. If you already have a large collection of HD DVDs, LG makes combo Blu-Ray readers and writers, that also play HD DVDs, such as the LG GGW-H20L Blu-Ray / HD Combo
If you are after a Blu-Ray DVD player, there are a few different types. Just be aware that as Blu-Ray is still new technology, Blu-Ray players are currently quite expensive, and they are constantly bringing out newer, faster and cheaper models. Read more
HTPC Case and PSU
How your case looks is important. It is going to be visible on your TV cabinet or in your rack, so it is important that you like the look of it. Most people opt for a horizontal case for their HTPCs rather than a vertical case, so it fits in nicely with the rest of the home theatre components. Read more
HTPC Case Suggestions
Here are some of the most common cases and a list of their pros and cons. This is by no means an exhaustive list of cases, nor meant to be a review comparing the different cases.
When choosing a case there are quite a few things to consider, such as looks, airflow, size and the hardware they can accommodate. There is no one best Home Theatre PC case, they are all good cases for different reasons, it is a matter of assessing your requirements and your budget, and picking the case that is right for you. Read more
HTPC Sound Card
Most motherboards these days come with excellent onboard sound. The audio is High Definition Audio, and has DTS and Dolby Digital, with multiple channels (usually 7.1 channels). Most of these come with RCA and SPDIF outputs, so can easily be connected to you audio receiver. Read more