Switching on your HTPC/TV

Kirth Gersen · 13 Mar 2009 at 14:46

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but I just can't envisage it...

So I've got my HTPC set up and running, something like:

Dual Freeview tuners. Poss Terratec Cinergy 2400i
Sound output to a Receiver via Coax, feeding a sub and 5 Kef Eggs
HDMI to a new 46" 1080p Panny
Wireless card for file sharing with the main PC
OS - Vista using Media Centre

Presumably the internet is always on. Come in from a hard day's work, switch on the telly... and what then? How do you navigate to media centre, or is that the first thing you see? Is it a big faff or as simple as a bespoke home theatre setup?

I haven't a clue, and something as fundamental as this could be a deal breaker with SWMBO.

Please help

wolvers · 13 Mar 2009 at 14:52

There is an option in media center for it to start when windows starts, or just press that big green button.

Is that what you meant?

rpstewart · 13 Mar 2009 at 14:54

I'm running XP with Media Portal on mine but the concept's the same. MP is set to run on startup so when the PC boots you get to the MP main screen then all the navigation is done from an MCE remote.

The XP power options are set so that the power button puts the PC into hibernate, this works from the remote too. Powering on can be done via the remote - hit the button and the PC comes back out of hibernation wherever I was in the MP menus.

EDIT: This got me thinking - why am I still using the TV remote for turning that on and off. Seems the MCE remote can be programmed to do that too.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/hard-drives-memory-ram-cards-sticks/196980-mce2005-programmable-remote.html

monkeyspank · 13 Mar 2009 at 15:02

S3 standby

press power button on my MCE remote and the PC powers up into media center within seconds. press it again, it goes back into standby

GSXRMovistar · 13 Mar 2009 at 15:07

monkeyspank said:
S3 standby
press power button on my MCE remote and the PC powers up into media center within seconds. press it again, it goes back into standby

This.

Kirth Gersen · 13 Mar 2009 at 15:15

monkeyspank said:
S3 standby
press power button on my MCE remote and the PC powers up into media center within seconds. press it again, it goes back into standby

OK - slowly getting my head round this. The press the media centre remote and that fires up the PC from a hibernated state presumably directly into media centre.

You switch on the TV (could this be done by the media centre remote?), and what shows on the screen? A Freeview TV picture (the Panny comes with Freeview), the media centre menu, something else?

Apologies again, I know this sounds thick, but I don't have and have never used this kit.

rOAdeh · 13 Mar 2009 at 15:18

My Panny (PZ80) always defaulted to the HDMI input when turning the TV on if I had the display enabled (TV was secondary display for me). Otherwise it defaulted to the Freeview

ScarySquirrel · 13 Mar 2009 at 15:20

Kirth Gersen said:
You switch on the TV (could this be done by the media centre remote?), and what shows on the screen? A Freeview TV picture (the Panny comes with Freeview), the media centre menu, something else?

It depends what input the TV is set to. If you always leave it on the input that your HTPC is connect via then it will display the Media Centre menu when you turn it on.

My Samsung remains on the last input you used when you turned it off.

monkeyspank · 13 Mar 2009 at 15:23

Kirth Gersen said:
OK - slowly getting my head round this. The press the media centre remote and that fires up the PC from a hibernated state presumably directly into media centre.

You switch on the TV (could this be done by the media centre remote?), and what shows on the screen? A Freeview TV picture (the Panny comes with Freeview), the media centre menu, something else?

Apologies again, I know this sounds thick, but I don't have and have never used this kit.

try it on your PC now, it's exactly the same. It restarts how you left it, so if you leave it in media center, thats where it will be when you turn it back on.

It's not hibernate, it's standby. slightly different take on a similar theme.

You can program your remote to power your tv on and off (seperate button from PC on and off) and control the volume - exactly the same as as sky remote can do

Kirth Gersen · 13 Mar 2009 at 16:07

Got it. Set it up right, and one button can fire everything up. Takes as long as booting from standby on a PC.

Thanks all. I think I'll take the plunge. Watch this space for my spec check

monkeyspank · 13 Mar 2009 at 16:08

well, 2 buttons in most cases, but yeah. both buttons are on the MCE remote.
btw, you ARE booting from standby on a PC

it's just running the MCE front end, thats all.