Want to buy a media center PC, any suggestions? (connect, system, program)

[Anika1010]

Thinking to buy a media center PC, anyone know anything about it? I saw accer, apple, ARCTC, zotec make mini PC but still looking around, anyone know anything about this or is using one at home?

cheer!
Anika

[Peregrine]

What exactly do you want from your Media Center?
Live TV?
Basically, imo, you just need a powerful computer with a Tuner Card. That's it. Windows Media Center is really good. If you don't HAVE to have TV, XBMC is really good. XBMC does support TV buts it's a PITA to setup.
If TV isn't important it is WAY prettier and more customizable then Windows Media Center.

XBMC

I've tried them all and always come back to Windows Media Center.

Basically you just need a somewhat powerful computer. Dual Core Minimum.
4GB RAM minimum.
Then you can get something like this: Hauppauge Computer Works : WinTV-HVR-950Q Product Description

I have an older version of that and it works really well.
I run WMC (Windows Media Center) on my powerful laptop. I just plug in the Tuner USB stick when I want TV and I am off to the races. Works really well.

What exactly is it for?

For media storage/playback, I use an HP Microserver (cheapest model they have. I upgraded the memory, added 6TB of storage, and put in the cheapest half height graphics card I could find so I could have HDMI out. It's running XBMC on Windows Server 2008 R2 without any issues.

[Anika1010]

yea, I wanted to have a mini computer next to my massive TV in my living room, so that I can watch live TV, download and watch movie, download listen music anytime and browse internet. Also, play computer game too, so need one fast with good graphic... The media center PC must have window, so that I can use WMC which I agree is brilliant! Thanks guys... still need more comment on any suggestion on which media center PC to buy ?

[Steel Man]

You might try the Dell XPS 15 laptop ($800-$1000). Has I7 processor, USB 3.0 and HDMI output, and video card.

[southgeorgia]

Originally Posted by Anika1010

so that I can watch live TV, download and watch movie, download listen music anytime and browse internet. . . . .

Can you please tell me what your source of programming is? Cable, satellite, antenna?

Originally Posted by Anika1010

Also, play computer game too, so need one fast with good graphic . . .

Can you please tell me what type of games you would like to play?





I can give you some suggestions with the two above questions answered.

Something to consider for the time being would be an xbox 360; You can do everything listed with it (except browsing the internet, but Microsoft announced this week that Internet Explorer is about to be added to the xbox 360).

I have Windows Media Center running on an xbox 360 at every TV in my house; I previously had the HTPC connected directly to my TV, but found the xbox to be so much easier to manage.

Anyhow, if you could answer those questions above I can make a recommendation for you.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by Anika1010

Thinking to buy a media center PC, anyone know anything about it?

I have owned a few "media center PC"... I do a lot of video editing and have been buying HP computers off the shelf. Some of the "media center PC"'s have the meory requirements and CPU which I wanted. That is the only reason, and I use all my own software for video editing...

But we don't know what you want to do and more importantly what your budget is.

I usually buy a new system every three years, my old system gets passed down the line to family and sometimes friends...

[eric3781]

Wait for the Ceton Q and the Echo. *salivates*

[southgeorgia]

Originally Posted by eric3781

Wait for the Ceton Q and the Echo. *salivates*

if they have cable, sure.

i was waiting for the OP to respond with their content source before making that recommendation.

won't do them any good if they have OTA or SAT.


they haven't given us any more info in the beta forum either. tried to get one of them to slip up in the live chat, but it didn't work.