Kirth's First HTPC Build

an extention cable for the dongle would be ideal, you could even put it under the unit out of sight - it would probably benefit from being a little further away from those two lumps of metal lol.
 
Concentrating on the start up issue. It looks like a key limitation of HTPCs is that even from standby, it takes a long time to resume. I had hoped it would be like switching on a normal TV.

I'm thinking of a workaround, and would appreciate your thoughts.

My Plasma comes with Freeview, so the solution could be buy an aerial splitter and have one go to the TV and the other to the HTPC. Then buy a Harmony One, and set it up so that one activity is to switch on all the kit, setting the video input to "TV".

If I switch on the TV as the first action, I should in theory have TV channels up immediately. The HTPC is firing up in backgound, and should SWMBO wish at some point to leave the stone age, she can switch to HTPC later on (presumably with another Harmony activity button).

Questions: Will this work? What is the signal degradation like with a splitter?

Also, I am about to take the plunge with the Harmony 1. I've seen a few people with issues getting it to work with the Antec Remote internal IR Receiver. Thoughts?
 
re the Harmony and the Antec case. Set the Imon software to use an MCE remote. Then set the Harmony One to emulate the MCE remote. This works well.

The Harmony finds it difficult to emulate the standard imon remote because of the way it handles IR (look in the Harmony support forums for more details).
 
cram said:
re the Harmony and the Antec case. Set the Imon software to use an MCE remote. Then set the Harmony One to emulate the MCE remote. This works well.

The Harmony finds it difficult to emulate the standard imon remote because of the way it handles IR (look in the Harmony support forums for more details).
Click to expand...

Have you had/seen issues with range? I've read elsewhere that it only works up to 6'
 
no I've not had any issues. The IR sensor on the front of the case is not the best there is but my PC is situated in a separate room then I use Powermids to beem the IR signal
 
Update on Issues and a great new find...

Latest update in Green

- The HTPC regularly reboots by itself. I had noted that the GPU temps were ridiculously high. Now in a catch 22. I've got the fans going and it seems stable, but too much noise. Seriously considering replacing the Antec Tricools with something quiet like Sythe S-Flex Ultra Quiets.
Solved. Moved one of my Tricools right next to the chipset, set to blow air across the chipset, and the CPU. GPU temps have now come down from the 90s to the 50s. No more rebooting. A bit Heath Robinson, but it works

- Remotes. The Antec case has a somewhat confusing IR power cabling set up which I have not quite figured out. Once sorted, I have yet to decide on the remote situation. Fixed the IR Cables, but the Veris remote is still poor and am researching a good learning remote like the harmony 1.
Solved. Got the Harmony One :D:

harmonyone.jpg


Lovely remote, but it's been a bit of a trial setting it up. I've really had to think about how the activities will work. Started off with 6 and now reduced to just 2. Watch TV and Media Center. Watch TV helps solve the problem below. Media Center does just that: fire up the TV, Receiver and HTPC and dumps me in Media Center. Efficient, but still 20 seconds. To get the Harmony to work as an MCE remote with the Antec case, there are not one but 2 steps:

1. Using the IMON software, change the remote to "MCE remote".
2. Using the Harmony web based software, when selecting the HTPC device, do NOT select "Antec", then type in "Remote Fusion", but go to "Microsoft", then type in "Vista Media Center".

2 new problems:

1. When navigating with the remote in Media Center, it occasionally does a double move. ie you move one step in a direction and it will move 2, missing out where you want to go. I've read about the Antec IR receiving 2 instructions from the Harmony - any pointers?
2. I want a quick way to reach the Vista desktop and not Media Center on start up (it takes quite a few clicks to get out of Media Center). Either of 2 solutions would work, but I can't figure either out:
a) program a button on the Harmony to exit Media Center (presumably Alt F4). How do I do that?
b) set up a 3rd activity - "Windows", which gets me there. However, it seems that when setting up the Harmony as an MCE remote, you are forced to start up into Media Center. Anyone figure out how to bypass that?

- Start up from sleep seems slow to me. I thought it would be a few seconds, but it feels like more than 30 seconds. Have installed MST, and that seems to have reduced time to 20 secs. When I say 20 secs, I mean time to get sufficeintly booted and tuner ready to do anything. Still too slow. This is my major issue. What are other people's time from resume to viewing?
OK, my solution to this is a compromise. I've bought a mains based, aerial splitter/amplifier, specifically an SLx2P, which, if you shop around, you can get for £12, and a couple more TV cables, and now have 1 cable attached to the HTPC and 1 to the TV direct, with no signal degradation. I then programed the Harmony with "Watch TV", which simply turns on the TV and assigns the "TV" input. Bingo. When SWMBO, wants to just watch TV, she gets what it says on the tin, with no 20 second wait.

Only problem is that, I can't figure out how to set up the Harmony to fire up the HTPC in background, so we can switch to it at a later point. When I've tried, the instructions for firing up the HTPC always seem to take precedence, and I'm back to square 1.

Here is a pic of the SLx2P - hmmm, more cables.

splitterv.jpg


- I can’t figure out how to resume from sleep back into the freeview channel that I was viewing before sleep. Still unsolved, but no major issue.

- No firewire on the mobo. Does anyone know of a PCIE 1x firewire card (I’ve used up the PCI slots), with some sort of internal connection that I connect to from the front? Still looking

- Having problems getting the CPU fan to slow down from startup with Speedfan. Anyone know of a better solution or an idiot proof speedfan guide? Solved

- I bought the Bluetooth version of the Keysonic remote keyboard as I had heard that the IR was version was pants. Well the Bluetooth version is pants also. I have to situate the Bluetooth dongle in a USB port at the front of the case. Looking into suggestion of a USB extension cable from rear to front hidden under the PC
Solved. Bought an extension.

Finally, a new problem, and a very good solution, which I don't see touted about much on the forums.

Problem: You can't easily switch audio devices in Vista, When I am watching the news, I don't really want to hear it in glorious 5.1 surround sound. However, there is no easy way to switch the audio from the receiver to the tuner. The steps are:

1. Exit of Media Center
2. Pick up the keyboard
3. Right click the sound icon in the bottom right hand corner
4. Click on Playback devices
5. Click on the new playback device
6. Click "Set default", and OK
7. Restart Media Center

What a pain!!!! Hopefully it will be fixed with Win 7.

Here is the solution: Vista Audio Changer: http://www.vistaaudiochanger.com/. Get the 2.11 beta. It's pretty stable, and v1.04 is not integrated with Media Center. Once installed, you get a new menu in Media Center, which allows you to switch audio with one click. It's not totally seamless: you see the switch as it is not done in background. Also, you still have to exit the application and fire it up again in order to hear the new audio feed. Still a great interim solution.


vistaaudiochanger.jpg


Summary. I'm almost there with this project. I knew it would be a bit of a journey, and I suspect getting the final 10% right will take a lot more research.

Apart from achieving the objectives of an HTPC, the surprise pros are:

1. It's just great hearing my music collection with my quality home cinema kit, rather than the PC speakers, and in the comfort of my lounge. Getting into the habit of doing this while surfing.
2. With a 50" TV, you can sensibly surf AND watch TV at the same time.
3. Elimination of all the remotes for the Harmony :).
4. Pause Live TV. I just love seeing the confusion on SWMBOs face :)
5. Media Center is a quality piece of software. It's been hiding away in windows all this time, and didn't know...

Surprise cons:

1. That 20 second start up time.
2. The Harmony web software. It looks good, does the basics, but is quite restrictive in what it allows you to do.
3. At the moment, it's just a bit too flaky as a system. Too many workarounds, too many odd things happening. Why does the system sometimes think the TV is a Samsung and reset the resolution? Why does it mute occasionally, when I haven't pressed a button? Why does the keysonic keyboard eat AAA batteries like they are going out of fashion? I'll get there.
4. Sprogs have started using the lounge much more. Will hopefully pass once the excitement has abated :p
 
Your build is very similar to mine.
I have the same 50" TV and the same HTPC case ;)
I'm however using an E2140 which i have overclocked to 2.6Ghz which is being cooled by a Scythe Mini Ninja running at 800rpm (silent!). I'm also using a single Noctua case fan which is running at 1000rpm. The motherboard is a Abit Fatality F-190HD (sadly discontinued) which has X1250 on-board 1080p graphics.

Its virtually silent and even with the fans running at lowest settings the temps idle at 40*C and under load reach no more than 55*C.

I've also got a harmony remote to control the HTPC.

Your speakers are a little low placed. Have you considered gettings some stands?
I would move the centre speaker to the shelf above.
 
zealot said:
belkinfirewire3portpcie.jpg


Belkin 3 port firewire card with one internal port don't know if you can buy it in the uk though.
Click to expand...

Yep - thinking on the same lines. Also will need to fork out for a internal connection cable as well. This cards are quite dear - £30 or so. When I get time, I'm going to check out the firewire capability on my study PC, and see if that functions. Do my upload there and copy across to the HTPC may be the more pragmatic option.
 
photoshop said:
Your build is very similar to mine.
I have the same 50" TV and the same HTPC case ;)
I'm however using an E2140 which i have overclocked to 2.6Ghz which is being cooled by a Scythe Mini Ninja running at 800rpm (silent!). I'm also using a single Noctua case fan which is running at 1000rpm. The motherboard is a Abit Fatality F-190HD (sadly discontinued) which has X1250 on-board 1080p graphics.

Its virtually silent and even with the fans running at lowest settings the temps idle at 40*C and under load reach no more than 55*C.

I've also got a harmony remote to control the HTPC.

Your speakers are a little low placed. Have you considered gettings some stands?
I would move the centre speaker to the shelf above.
Click to expand...

Great minds think alike :)

Happy with your setup? Any ideas for doing things better?

What issues have you had with the Harmony? Any similar to mine?

Yep, you're not the first to spot the speakers. See earlier reply.
 
Kirth Gersen said:
Great minds think alike :)

Happy with your setup? Any ideas for doing things better?

What issues have you had with the Harmony? Any similar to mine?

Yep, you're not the first to spot the speakers. See earlier reply.
Click to expand...


Yes i am very happy with my setup ;)
I've had no issues with my Harmony 1000. It works great. I have customised the keys and use Windows Media Player inside MediaPortal and all works great!

My HTPC build thread: http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-cinema-pcs/782874-my-htpc-journey-thus-far.html

My Home Cinema: http://www.avforums.com/forums/members-home-cinema-gallery/917523-maxs-new-5-1-set-up.html
 
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