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Thread: Need hardware help for PC Media Center

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    Need hardware help for PC Media Center

    Hi I've tried searching the forums and seen some posts about PC Media centre's but think I need some help.

    I'm use to building gaming pc's but never thought of doing one for watching iplayer and digital tv and would like a little help with suggested hardware.

    I have a topfield PVR box currently but have had nothing but issues with it and it's software so I think this maybe a good way to go so all suggestions and set up's would be appreciated.

    I apologise if I've placed this in the wrong place but it seemed as good of place as any.

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    Re: Need hardware help for PC Media Center

    Well one place to start would be read the HTPC bit of these buying guide at Anandtech
    http://www.anandtech.com/guides/showdoc.aspx?i=3563&p=6
    http://www.anandtech.com/guides/showdoc.aspx?i=3563&p=7
    and go from there (a lot of stuff is simple not available in Europe).

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    Re: Need hardware help for PC Media Center

    The AMD 785G chipset is coming out soon and unlike the 780G and 790GX has improved video acceleration in the form of UV2:

    http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3599

    You can also get away with using a cheaper and lower power consumption Athlon II dual core instead of a triple core:

    http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/AMD-A...MHz-65W-Retail

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    Re: Need hardware help for PC Media Center

    Quote Originally Posted by CAT-THE-FIFTH View Post
    The AMD 785G chipset is coming out soon and unlike the 780G and 790GX has improved video acceleration in the form of UV2:

    http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=3599
    The video acceperation enhancements sound good, I do particularly like the 6 channel LPCM output over HDMI too

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    Re: Need hardware help for PC Media Center

    If it is purely for iplayer and digital tv then amd/ati is the best way to go. Also maybe something like the Asrock 330 ION which is about £250.

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    Re: Need hardware help for PC Media Center

    Quote Originally Posted by crazyfool View Post
    If it is purely for iplayer and digital tv then amd/ati is the best way to go. Also maybe something like the Asrock 330 ION which is about £250.
    The thing that originally confused me was weather the TV tuner card needed a graphics card but from what I've been looking at that this is a yes it does.

    I'm still a little new to the idea of HTPC give me a gaming pc and I know what I want lol so you will have to excuse me if some of the things I come out is a little daft but that's the only way to learn.

    Thanks for all the reply's I got a lot of research still to do it seems.
    Regards
    x2o

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    Re: Need hardware help for PC Media Center

    Yes, a TV tuner is just that, a tuner. You do get hardware TV cards that can output a signal as well, but they are very, very rare these days.

    With Digital TV, or Freeview cards (also known as DVB-T - Digital Video Broadcast Terrestrial) they really do only tune, they don't do anything else. It's the drivers and the TV sortware on the PC that does all the work. Channel selection, MPEG decoding, recording etc.

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