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Thread: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

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    Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    I have a spare copy of Vista 64 Ultimate, Vista 32, and XP (32). I use Vista64 on my current PC because it's my clear favourite, but I am making an HTPC which will have 4gig of RAM but not especially great components in it.

    All it will be for, is playing MP3's, Blue Ray disks, dvd's, recorded video media, and surfing the web. Not really any games. So I would really like something that has minimum fuss, good compatibility with stuff, and is likely to run the quickest at loading up web pages and stuff.

    I would just use XP because that is pretty trusty, but I would prefer Vista because I'm used to it now and I think that would look better on a big screen. But I don't know if I would be better using 32 or 64? Or would XP just be better for a low spec HTPC?

    Thanks

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    XP/Vista x64 I'd imagine

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    I'd go for vista 32bit even though you're using 4gb, simply because getting all your codecs configured properly is seriously buggy or impossible.

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Yeah it's exactly things like that I wondered about.

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Vista 32 - it is far superior to XP32 MCE. The only regret I had is not making the move sooner.

    Don't do Vista 64bit for MCE - as above, there are codec issues. I've done some posts about it in here, have a search
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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Thanks That's exactly what I was expecting (and hoping) to hear to be honest. I've never used Vista32, but it's probably a good idea for this HTPC. I'm really glad because I didn't want to have to use XP again. Not because it's bad or anything, just cause I'd have to learn where stuff is again and stuff.. and it wouldn't look as pretty.

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Quote Originally Posted by acrobat View Post
    and it wouldn't look as pretty.
    patch the uxtheme.dll, and grab vista start menu, et voila, gleeming XP...

    vista would prolly be better tho
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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Lol I wondered about that too. And a nice desktop image. But yeah, Vista32 it'll be I think

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    defiantly vista home premium 32
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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    the HTPC in my bedroom is only running MCE2k5 atm, because its got a little flash as its HD.

    How i miss the tweaks of the vista Media Center.
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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Vista MCE is leaps and bounds ahead of MCE 2005. I use Vista 32bit in my HTPC simply because the general support is a bit better for 32bit with regards to codecs, plug-ins and my tv cards drivers.

    I wouldn't consider XP, unless the components you're using are very low end. My old HTPC ran Vista MCE on a P4 3Ghz, 1Gb DDR without an issue - I can barely tell the difference between it and the current AMDx2, 2Gb DDR2 setup.

    What is the spec of the HTPC you're putting together? I've ran a few low end HTPCs over the years (celerons, P4s, dual cores etc) so could probably give you an idea of what performance might be like. If you're running low end components then it might be an idea to buy something like an AMD 3450 card to handle blu-rays as the CPU wont be up to software decoding.

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    I started my HTPC build with Vista x86, thinking to avoid any potential problems with codecs or drivers (it also has 4GB installed and the LG BD/HD-DVD drive for playback of all current media) - after an issue with the Hauppauge card not giving Media Center a picture for TV I decided to remove the card and rebuilt with Vista x64.

    *Touch wood*
    I've had no problems with the HTPC running 64-bit - it resumes from suspend-to-RAM instantly with the IR keyboard and PowerDVD can resume the playback of any disc it was part-way through, and the system is set up to go back to sleep after 20 minutes of being idle.

    Media Center has a very nice interface for creating a catalog of photos, movies and MP3s held on my file server, and it's able to play back the movies I created from games using FRAPS which is the only important codec test for me
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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Vista 32bit as below for spec, didn't need 4gb of ram. Suspend issues plagued me (nVidia drivers at fault) so much I simply set it to turn on at 6pm and off a 2am every day. I use all sorts of codecs via ffdshow.
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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    I think I'll end up going Vista Business 32bit on my two HTPCs when i re-install them. MediaPortal and EVR is supposed to be really good, the Hauppauge Nova-T 500 works better under Vista than XP and the Catalyst drivers aren't broken as far as HD acceleration goes under Vista (they haven't worked for HD in MediaPortal since 8.5).

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Quote Originally Posted by dangel View Post
    Suspend issues plagued me (nVidia drivers at fault) so much I simply set it to turn on at 6pm and off a 2am every day.
    How did you set that up? I have the same issues with my HTPC and its annoying not being able to use the suspend feature

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    Re: Which version of Windows for a HTPC?

    Quote Originally Posted by s_kinton View Post
    How did you set that up? I have the same issues with my HTPC and its annoying not being able to use the suspend feature
    A bit of creative thinking - use the bios to get the machine to turn on a preset time each day (almost all bios' have the feature - just put a time but not a date IYKWIM) and then some software to schedule the shutdown once in Windows. The result (for me) was 100% reliability

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