Help with my HTPC please?

stu_69 · 16-03-2005, 10:10

I am setting up a HTPC with my shuttle sn45g, xp2500+, 1gb ram, 160gb hd - no optical drive. I have managed to make it almost quiet by removing the stock ice fan and replacing it with a decent fan. I also got rid of all cables I don't need and put in some acoustic material which seems to have worked. Even with the fan running at 70% the sys temps never go above 35c - even the wife is impressed with how quiet it is.

Anyway I will using this machine for mame, to play mp3 through my amp, stream TV and Movies (xvid) through the TV. I realise I could have just got a streaming media device or setup my xbox to do all this but I had a shuttle sitting round doing nothing and I fancied the challange. I am not bothered about setting up a pvr as I have sky+ but I would like to be able to capture so of the recorded programs from the sky+ box and I need some advice on this. At the moment the pc has a crappy radeon graphics cards with video out which seems to work fine and I have a haupage analogue pci tv card (which cost me about �30) but I don't think this card can capture from the sky+. Would I be able to pick up a decent vivo card for �100 or under? or should I just get a pvr-250? Also with a VIVO card feeding it with the s-video from the sky+ box what software would I use to capture the feed?

Edit - I forgot to mention that I am using Meedio as my front end but it's a dog to setup. I have a copy of mce2005 which I got with my msdn sub but I thought this would be over kill but meedio is a pain and I can't get any of the add on's to work.

Guest 7193 · 16-03-2005, 10:20

No idea but could you give details of which fan, what material etc ?

I need to quieten my Shuttle (although I've got a DVD drive in there as well).

Anthony.S · 16-03-2005, 10:27

I have a similar setup to you and use the pvr-250 to capture sky+ using s-vid. The quality is v.good.

hookbeak · 16-03-2005, 10:28

My HTPC uses a wintv pvr 250 and the results are excellent. Svideo connection from the sky+ to the svid in on the PVR card and a dual RCA - 3.5mm jack tfrom the sky RCA sockets to the line in on the PVR card.

Great capture in stereo.

Software wise i use meedio too, which i find very simple to set up - but i use christv as my tv app (google it).

Originally i had a radeon 8500DV but it was appalling, dumped it for a radeon 9200 which gives a superb TV out signal.

stu_69 · 16-03-2005, 10:31

I just used an akasa 80mm fan (with blue leds as this is the only one that was available when I was ordering and it looks cool) and the small form factor from Quiet PC I had to cut it the fit it in the case and it would not fit on one side of the case as there was no room. It works though and it does not seem to have made any difference to the temps.

There is a guide on the bit-tech forums for replacing the stock fan in the shuttle.

Now at most there is a low humming noise from the shuttle and HD read noises.

stu_69 · 16-03-2005, 10:33

My tv does not have s-video so would an s-video to composite work with the radeon 9200?

Q · 16-03-2005, 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by stu_69

My tv does not have s-video so would an s-video to composite work with the radeon 9200?

Yeah that would work as Ive had one of those �19.99 PS1 LCD Monitors connected to my Radeon 9200 TV Out and it worked fine.Ive got 9200's in 2 Mini Pc's and the TV Out works great.Ive had both connected to my 27WL46 Tosh LCD and the picture quality is excellent for watching Video.

Ive also got a 8500DV in another pc but never used it to its full ability but wouldnt buy one again though and would go for 2 cards.