Media Center Case

zom247

zom247

zom247

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Joined
29 Sep 2004
Posts
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Wilt of the Shire
Are there any media center cases that have LEDs on the front? I want to be able to listen to music while the Mrs watches telly. Is this even possible with a media center?
 
LED's are light emitting diodes. How exactly would you control your music via LED's? Surely you mean a LCD screen?

Anyway you would need some kind of visual device to choose your music without interrupting the TV (htpc is used for TV tuner as well?) ie a front panel VFD. I'm not sure if you can playback two audio streams indepant of each other to seperate audio outputs (TV tuner to one, winamp to anohter) Or you could use a Squeezebox 3 on your LAN to listen to your music without any need to use the HTPC (has remote control, VFD, audio decoding and headphone output) The HTPC will just have slimserver, and you just use Squeezebox seperatly, the music is stored on your HTPC and the Squeezebox streams it over your LAN.

I really don't understand what you're talking about. :confused:
 
I believe it's possible if you use a surround soundcard; you should be able to route the sound from the music player to the front outputs and have the TV card sound sent to the rear outputs. Not sure exactly how you'd do it though. Alternatively use two soundcards or run onboard and a PCI card simultaneously, but this can cause problems.

Not sure I understand the significance of the LED's? A twin monitor setup would help with what your proposing though, to have TV on one and your music application on the other. Or I've read you completely wrong :confused:
 
squiffy said:
LED's are light emitting diodes. How exactly would you control your music via LED's? Surely you mean a LCD screen?
Click to expand...

If I want sarcasm I'll speak to the wife :D

All I'm after is a case that has something on the front that would show what track etc is playing without having to use the telly (just like the squeezebox display really). I already have a squeezebox but never use it hence going the media center route, I can put all my avi's and music on the media center.
 
Right, you want a VFD like Squiffy mentioned. It won't come cheap unfortunately, Silverstone make some cases with them, LC18 is one.
 
Dr.EM said:
Right, you want a VFD like Squiffy mentioned. It won't come cheap unfortunately, Silverstone make some cases with them, LC18 is one.
Click to expand...

The LC18 looks very nice but it is a tad expensive (over £400!). I suppose I could always send the Mrs upstairs to watch the telly while I listen to my music!
 
U could get a sugo and mod it with a vfd :)

img1731ox7.jpg


or get something like a imon and stick it in a drive bay

Imon_VFD.jpg
 
With a VFD you'll still have the problem of getting multi-streams to different output sources. More hassle than it's worth- you'll also want to output music to normal outputs, so you'll need to sort out macros or configuration in the soundcard software, via remote control. Major hassle! I you already have a squeezebox it'll do what you're asking, no different to a VFD except it's standalone unit. Squeezebox has a much larger VFD than majority of PC VFD's, and is more readable from a distance than a 5" case mounted TFT, it's cheaper too (£165 for SB, £400 for a new case with TFT) plus the aforementioned software workarounds.

Just use the SB IMO.

Kezmo, I very much doubt you can read that VFD from 8'-10' away, either your Sugo or the imon.
 
Kezmo said:
U could get a sugo and mod it with a vfd :)

img1731ox7.jpg


or get something like a imon and stick it in a drive bay

Imon_VFD.jpg
Click to expand...

I like your vfd, and although I would maybe not use this as a media centre, would be nice on mydesk.

Do OC sell These?
 
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