Need help in HTPC audiophile

[Sanju C]

I signed up yesterday after reading a few pages of the forum. Congratulations to all those who post and respond with such expertise. Given my lack of knowledge of the matter I realized that I would not have dug the legs without having asked for help with this post. I would like to set up a HTPC on a budget up to 1000 - 1200 euros to listen to music and watch video in full HD. I'm not interested in games, not because I do not like them but because I know then that I would spend all my free time to play.. Right now I'm the owner of a Panasonic TV 50vt20e connected to a Blu-ray Panasonic BDT-300 and an amplifier with an excellent PeachTree Decco2 integrated DAC. With this I should be able to manage the audio directly from the PC with no sound card or decoder connected directly optical amplifier and then deals with the processing Digital Analog. I am also the owner of a Sony HD camcorder with which I'm having to do some video. The management and editing of these videos you should do it with this project HTPC or complexity video processing can go to compromise a balance of low noise and power? In other words, better than traditional machine and another separate to do this? Web browsing and Bit Torrent or Emule? they could also push two separate machines, or you can combine things? In any case I would have two computers, a room for "work" and this project table. I would not "compromise" with two different machines if I get better results. I hope that I have explained my scenario to you very clearly. So please help me as soon as possible.

[Aienstaien]

Meanwhile, there are some things to point out before proceeding with the selection of components. The first thing I tell you now that I see use 2 PC is perfect, not so much for the sake of silence, and for consumers and especially for the convenience. For me it does not compromise on this point, it is essential that the htpc is comparable to a DVD as easy to use. In addition, a PC that is in the living room should always be checked and only the remote control (except for the first phase of installation) and finally, I find no conceivable use that computer to do some work, since in this case that television is usually used by children, wives, parents, or do not know who, would be monopolized for the duration of the work itself. Not to mention that the htpc once installed, it must be updated only when needed and should always be functional. In a working machine is always working hard to keep it unless you have a hyper-orderly management thereof.

[Mentos]

Coming to the PC itself, for the films also are interested in multi-channel audio 5.1 or higher then? The music plays mainly in liquid form or on CD and in the first case with which codec you do backups? The bluray, rip them and you make a backup in general and in this case that process do you use? Or you look at them from the disk? You would also want to keep your player or prefer to do everything on htpc? This last question deserves a little digression on its own. My advice is to keep a stand-alone player for the discs and the computer for files ripped. This is because you are bound for bluray using commercial software and have limitations on the remote, now seem absurd, but going forward.

[Sanju C]

I really like the beginning and are much in agreement with the premises. When I bought the TV, my idea was to create a 5.1 audio system. Then I discovered that the quality of a receiver's 5.1 to equality of expenditure is much lower than a stereo amp I decided to give up the multi-channel. So I bought a stereo amp and they told me it would not be a problem combining a tuner amp which to entrust the management of the other channels. For the moment, so I'm not interested in 5.1 but can not be excluded for the future. What changes the configuration of this aspect? If you forget it is complex, or even prepare them. The music at the moment I'm listening to the cd but simply because I have a PC attached to the amp. The bluray player is brand new so I intend to keep it and use it. I ripped them manage files from PC. Thanks for replying soon. I am waiting for some more help.

[Mentos]

Perfect, I see that in a similar way, an excellent thing. At this point there is little to ask, I write to the configuration I had in mind for me (we use the same file formats including audio), seeing the same needs and I'll give you a couple of tricks on how accept software and a remote touch screen that allows you to control everything without even turning on the TV. Counting then you keep the reader (optimism thing in my opinion) allows you to save on the CPU (as heat and power consumption). And this is a very simple reason. Use a processor pumped optical htpc only makes sense if you intend to use the filters ffdshow to get the most out of video and such a thing beyond the splash of the configuration has the drawback that it is more uncomfortable than a cinescaler + external bluray player.

[Zeverto]

So even on the video front, we will aim for a good quality, especially the possibility of adding 5.1 and immediacy. Personally I think the fundamental htpc because many movies and CDs that I have a sentimental value and I happened to having to throw away someone because damaged by use. With PC we avoid this problem while preserving our collections. According to me, first components you should take a ride on the site of Silverstone and Lian Li's website to choose the case, then by what we finish the configuration. It would also be handy to know at a guess how many you have audio cd, dvd and bluray, to realize how to size the drives, motherboard, fans etc.