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Home Theater PC (HTPC)

Home Theater Home Theater PC (HTPC)

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #533: Amazon, Dishtenna and Google Chromebox

Samsung's Chromebox, priced at $329, runs Google ChromeOS and targets home and office use as a compact desktop, but its lack of a native HDMI port and absence of 5.1/7.1 audio output make it a poor fit for home theater setups. The device relies on DisplayPort++ adapters for HDMI connectivity and offers only a front headphone jack for audio, limiting its appeal as an HTPC alternative. For niche use cases such as SaaS-heavy business environments or a managed kids' computer, the reduced IT overhead of Google-handled updates could offer practical value.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater PC (HTPC)

HDTV Almanac - PC to HDTV via USB

Gefen's USB DVI Adapter connects a computer to an HDTV using only a standard USB port, with the device drawing power directly from the port and supporting resolutions up to 1920x1200 (1080p and beyond). Up to six units can be daisy-chained to a single Windows PC (four on Mac), enabling multi-display setups without dedicated graphics hardware. At $149 per unit from Gefen, the convenience of a bus-powered, DVI-to-HDMI-compatible adapter comes at a premium worth weighing against traditional graphics solutions.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Mvix HDHome Converges Home Theater, Gaming and Home Computing Into a Single Device
Home Theater PC (HTPC) HD Media Centers

Mvix HDHome Converges Home Theater, Gaming and Home Computing Into a Single Device

The Mvix HDHome is a Windows 7 Media Center-based HTPC that integrates a slot-load Blu-ray player with PowerDVD, an embedded TV tuner, Wireless-N networking, and RAID-enabled hot-swappable HDD bays into a compact living room unit. Available in two configurations - the 2-bay HDHome S2 at $999 and the 4-bay HDHome S4 at $1599 - both models support true 1080p playback, HDMI output, optical audio, and Gigabit Ethernet. For buyers seeking a single device to replace a media player, BD player, NAS, and gaming PC, the HDHome presents a densely featured but premium-priced option worth examining closely.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
Home Theater PC (HTPC) Blu-ray Home Theater

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast - Podcast #419: Dell Inspiron Zino HD

The Dell Inspiron Zino HD, configured with an AMD Athlon 3250e, ATI Radeon HD 4330 512MB GPU, and a Blu-ray combo drive at $747, is evaluated as a compact HTPC alternative to the Mac Mini. Blu-ray playback via PowerDVD suffers from stuttering frames and lacks Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio passthrough over HDMI, pointing to hardware and software limitations that undercut its premium configuration. For basic HTPC tasks like OTA TV via HD Homerun, ripped DVD libraries, and Netflix streaming it performs adequately, but a dedicated Blu-ray player delivers noticeably better picture quality.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater PC (HTPC)

HDTV Almanac - The Ultimate Living Room PC

Jeffrey Stephenson's 'Mission' PC, winner of the Intel Core Custom Challenge 'Best for Digital Lifestyle' category, conceals a full tower computer inside a mission-style furniture piece, complete with air filtration and a slide-out chassis for servicing. As PCs increasingly serve living rooms as DVRs, internet video gateways, and Skype-enabled video calling platforms, the case for furniture-integrated designs becomes compelling. Stephenson's work raises a practical question for consumers and manufacturers: why should a living room PC look like a computer at all?

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Home Theater PC (HTPC)

Allio Announces Second Generation HDTV-PC

Silicon Mountain Holdings has announced the Allio 2.0, a second-generation all-in-one LCD HDTV-PC available in 42-inch and 32-inch form factors, featuring configurations ranging from an Intel Atom-based Allio Lite to a Core2Quad Q8400-powered Media Center with nVidia GeForce 9300/9400 graphics and Blu-ray support. The updated display specs include a 3000:1 contrast ratio and 450 cd/m2 brightness, while a new side-access panel adds a third HDMI port, four USB ports, and additional AV inputs. Pricing spans $1,299 to $2,999, giving buyers a single-unit solution that merges full Windows PC functionality with a large-screen HDTV.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
HDMI Home Theater Home Theater PC (HTPC)

IOGEAR Launches HDMI Control Center Offering Users Complete Convergence Between Home Electronics and Their PCs

IOGEAR's HDMI Control Center is a plug-and-play switching and control hub that consolidates HDMI-connected devices, including Blu-ray players, game consoles, set-top boxes, and PCs, onto a single HDTV display. The system ships with a wireless keyboard featuring a built-in laser trackball, eliminating the need for a separate monitor in a converged home office and media center setup. Users can seamlessly switch between HD video sources and a connected computer without leaving the couch, reducing both equipment clutter and cost.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
Streaming HD Home Theater PC (HTPC) HD Media Centers

HDTV Almanac - Windows Media Center Gets Netflix

Netflix streaming integration with Windows Media Center gives subscribers direct access to over 12,000 movies and videos through the TV and Movies section, bypassing the need for a separate browser and Windows Media Player setup. This consolidation of streaming content into a living-room interface represents a practical shift for home theater PC users who can now navigate their Netflix queue alongside traditional media. The move signals a broader trend toward electronic video delivery that threatens both broadcast television and physical disc distribution.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Home Theater PC (HTPC) HD Media Centers Home Theater

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast #364 - Mac Mini Video Server Update

The updated 2009 Mac Mini ($799, 2GB RAM, 320GB hard drive) is evaluated as a home theater video server handling 1080i and 1080p content, with the new model resolving choppy playback issues that plagued older Minis on overly compressed 1080i broadcasts and downloaded 1080p clips. The setup pairs the Mini with a Yamaha receiver via HDMI-to-DVI cable and mini TOSLINK audio, supplemented by an HD Homerun network tuner and El Gato EyeTV for OTA DVR functionality. Buyers on a budget can opt for the lower-end model and invest savings in a NAS or Drobo for expanded storage.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Home Theater PC (HTPC)

HDTV and Home Theater Podcast #354 - HP TouchSmart PC

The HP TouchSmart PC, priced from $1,200 to $1,900, integrates a 22-inch touchscreen display with an Intel Core 2 Duo T8400 (2.26GHz), 1TB HDD, 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GS, and a built-in ATSC/NTSC tuner, making it a functional all-in-one multimedia hub. The unit supports Blu-ray playback, Wireless N, and HD Homerun compatibility, though Dolby True HD output is absent and the Blu-ray player required multiple disc-load attempts. Buyers considering this for a kitchen, bathroom, or den will find the remote-controlled Media Center experience genuinely TV-like, but should expect to keep a wireless mouse handy for precise touch-screen navigation.

The HT Guys •
Podcasts
Standards HD DVR Home Theater PC (HTPC)

HDTV Almanac - Reader Question: DVRs after the Transition

With the U.S. transition to digital broadcasts, VCR users face a recording gap since basic converter boxes lack timer functionality. TV tuner cards from ATI and Hauppauge, paired with Windows XP Media Center Edition or Vista Ultimate, offer a PC-based DVR solution that can record scheduled programming and even fit living-room setups using VCR-style computer cases. A small number of dedicated DVRs with built-in digital tuners also exist as a standalone alternative for those who prefer to avoid a full PC setup.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Shuttle Introduces a New Media Centre Mini-PC Platform to Meet High Definition Requirements
Home Theater PC (HTPC) Home Theater HD Media Centers

Shuttle Introduces a New Media Centre Mini-PC Platform to Meet High Definition Requirements

The Shuttle XPC Barebone SG45H7 is a Mini-PC platform built on the Intel G45 Express chipset, featuring the integrated GMA X4500HD graphics engine with Intel Clear-Video technology for smooth 1080p HD playback. It supports up to 16GB of DDR2 memory across four banks, a PCI-E 2.0 slot for dual-slot discrete graphics cards, and a full connectivity suite including HDMI, eSATA, optical SPDIF, and Gigabit LAN. Powered by an 80 PLUS-certified 300W supply, this compact system targets home theater and media center builds where quiet, efficient operation matters.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
Blu-ray Home Theater PC (HTPC)

Lite-On Introduces 6X Blu-ray Disc Reader With DVD Writer Combo

Lite-On's iHES206 is an internal Blu-ray Disc combo drive that reads BD-R/RE/ROM at 6X while supporting DVD+/-R writing at up to 16X and DVD-RAM at 12X via a Serial ATA interface. The drive also integrates LightScribe technology, enabling users to laser-etch custom labels directly onto compatible disc surfaces without printers or adhesive labels. For PC enthusiasts seeking Blu-ray playback without sacrificing DVD/CD authoring flexibility, the iHES206 offers a cost-effective single-drive solution.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins
HD DVR Home Theater PC (HTPC)

HDTV Almanac - TiVo HD DVR on Your PC

Nero LiquidTV paired with TiVo software brings the TiVo interface to home theater PCs, bundled with a TV tuner, remote control, and IR Blaster for cable or satellite box control at a $199 launch price including a one-year TiVo subscription. The software-only option runs $99 as a download, matching the annual renewal cost, and requires a broadband connection for TiVo's guide data and Internet video access. For viewers facing the February 2009 analog-to-digital broadcast cutoff with DVRs lacking digital tuners, this PC-based solution offers a practical path to programmable recording without replacing existing hardware.

Alfred Poor •
Columns
Gaming Home Theater PC (HTPC)

High Performance AMD Phenom™ X4 Processors Lead the Charge to HD Desktop Gaming and Video

AMD launched four Phenom X4 quad-core desktop processors in 2008, ranging from the 9550 at 2.2GHz to the flagship 9850 Black Edition at 2.5GHz, all featuring HyperTransport 3.0 and Cool'n'Quiet 2.0 technology. Paired with AMD 790 series chipsets on the 'Spider' enthusiast platform, these CPUs support up to four ATI Radeon HD 3800 series graphics cards simultaneously. For users targeting HD video playback and multi-threaded gaming workloads, the Black Edition's unlocked Clock Multiplier Control offers additional headroom for performance tuning.

Shane Sturgeon •
Bulletins