This is a consolation write-up. You may consider this for a guide and/or individual contributions to various things members consider when buying computer peripherals for home entertainment. We talk the software part as and when needed.
Hardware used
MSI
Processor AMD dual core AM2+ 3600+ 4000
Motherboard MSI KN9GM 4000
Graphic Card Quadro FX 570 12500
Sound Card ASUS XONAR HDAV 1.3 11500
Firewire Card TECH-COM simple firewire card 300
Monitor BENQ v2400w 23000
Game Console SONY PS3 + BD remote 24990 +1799 = 26799
A/V Receiver YAMAHA RX V 663
Speakers Logitech z 5500 or Wharfdale 9.6 series OR Monitor audio RS6 series
Keyboard Sidewinder X6 + Microsoft wireless entertainment desktop 7000 or Saitek Eclipse 3 or Logitech illuminated keyboard or logitech cordless media pro solution or Razer Lycosa or Dinovomini 4100 + 6600 = 10700
Printer Brother DC 7030 8750
Ram Zion RAM or Corsair Twin Razer 2 X2GB 2450
Webcam Frontech or Logitech cam 700
Mouse Logitech MX 18 or G9 or G5 NA
UPS APC SMART UPS 750A
PSU CORSAIR VX 450 3600
Cabinet Zebronics Peace 2750
Surge Protector BELKIN or MX (at least 20000 joules) 899x2= 1798
Headphones Iball i860MV or Phillips SHP2700 550
Cooling systems + Fans Buy a small A/C NA
Stands for speakers DIY or nearby blacksmith for not more than Rs. 500 500x4 = 2000
Accessories Cables from MX or Bandridge /Profigold etc; wire for speaker from DAC – 16-14 AWG 2300
Camera Canon Powershot A540 16500
There have been umpteen talks about resolution – both sound and picture. Hell! It takes time to acquaint with the faster than fast technology. We love movies, be any lingua, genre or type. Mast PICTURE QUALITY or SOUND QUALITY is needed. Over the last 3 years, companies have brought an innumerable innovation that has changed the way we decide and depend on our choice for entertainment. As said before, we guys love movies don’t we? I surmise 3 years is optimum because I started building a HT back in mid 2006 and am pretty much done with leaving the suggested speakers that are going to be pending for sometime. The system was pretty ok (not great configuration), then in 2006 but had all the bells and whistles for a good HT. The following configuration was closed upon:
 AMD AM@+ Dual Core 3600+
 MSI K9NGM 2 Motherboard
 Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Sound Card with Remote
 Nvidia Quadro FX 570
 2 X 1GB Stick Transcend 533mhz
 Microsoft Mouse – Basic
 250GB Sata HD Seagate
 Priya SMPS
 Zebronics Peace Cabinet
 Old INTEX Keyboard
 Logitech Z 5500D
 APC 800VA UPS
 DELL 793 17†Monitor
As usual VLC for movies, Winamp and/or Foobar2000 for music, this PC was even good for games. The last one played was Crysis/Gears of War and completed. Maya installed with 3dsmax etc which worked well too, only my creativity belittling my efforts.
So connected Audigy to Logitech z 5500d, thru the analog port (orange + black + green) to output ports that are similar color in the Logitech. Awesome sound for movies, games but bad for music. The way you hear good music – vocals extenuated at right places, bass well handled and the mids handled subtly. I am a big torrent user and downloaded virtually all movies I could get. They were stereo mostly in xvid file. Audigy did a good job but the essence of sound one hears/craves was missing in the card though. There was a mismatch in the data flowing seamlessly to the receiver in Logitech z 5500D. That went for 2 years when in year end 2008 ASUS announced ASUS XONAR HDAV 1.3. Now this card was better, infact, best equipped to fully utilize the power of Logitech z 5500D. The card has a HDMI INPUT and OUTPUT, SPDIF OUT (a dongle to use it as OPTICAL OUT) and standard STEREO IN & OUT. This is my opinion is the advanced till date for a HT. Auzentech HDMI card is the new entrant but SUS I am sure will beat it hand a down.
Let’s talk a bit about the ASUS card
It has a built in video processor that does some changes to vibrancy of the picture quality. Well, the picture on my monitor gets too bright and it is supposedly fixed in the S/N 9 version of the card. Mine is S/N 8. In India we do cannot exercise the option of RMA mainly cost prohibiting) and the mode we opt when buying products. That is not much issue though; no great changes to the video file except for some extra vibrancy and depth in colors rendered. Think! The monitor needs to be good as well. The trick is to fully utilize the latest sound technologies barring any (so many) obstacles to good entertainment value for the money invested. True, it’s like that. You invest and you keep on doing the rounds again.
• The card fully supports sound resolution from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz touched and/or untouched, which depends on the way you opt in HDAV control panel.
• It supports all technologies made for movie from Dolby digital, Dolby digital plus, DTS to DOLBY TRUE HD and DTS HD MASTER.
• Live encoding which means take any piece of audio stream – 2.0 to 7.1 and change to Dolby Digital or DTS thru it inbuilt chip. I find it really good, just that the source need to be good. I mean to say that the resolution of sound, if good, then superb results.
• The card is stable but the associated software TMT (is on updating all time) though excellent and very easy to use has conflicts with the card and keeps showing error messages. The card works excellent though. It reads ripped dual layer DVD file from HDD and excellent playback of .mkv files too. BD discs are a breeze and of course the sound and picture resolution is outstanding. We do not want the AV 200 processor altering any of it. It reads flawlessly from external HDD too.
• Since all standard accessories are bundled in the package the setup is a breeze. Connect the graphic card to HDMI IN to ASUS; connect HDMI OUT from ASUS to monitor HDMI IN or an A/V receiver through the supplied cable. The cable is 1M long and can be extended. In general use lengthier cord may affect performance but stick to till 1.5M and be safe.
• One can choose from exact 2.0 to 5.1 to 7.1. The corresponding changes have to be initiated in TMT. ASUS supplies excellent docs for point to point reference.
A/V Receiver
The choices for receivers are many in the market but I choose YAMAHA RX v663 for movies in particular. The latest generation is in 5’, say YAMAHA RX v365, 465, 565, 665 etc The RX series are the ones we get in India. They are overly priced compared to what people get in US counterparts but hell warranty helps if you think, but they never go bad at all. This is the best built receiver from their stable that is balanced on all counts – power, features; solid sounding DSP’s, looks and file compatibility etc. Detailed picture is pretty hard and can easily be accessed at Yamaha’s website.
PS3
The PS3 is the ultimate console with the release of KILLZONE 2 & MGS4 and COD: WAR if you take shooter games but this console packs so much for movies, I bought it just for that. It upscale movie formats (see PS3 website) it supports to full blown 1080P.
The connections
The ASUS card handles all the output and my PC is the ultimate source. Four software players are used - FOOBAR 2000 for music, TMT/ KMPLAYER/SMPLAYER for movies. This suffices with all the required plug-in (CORE AVC or FOOBAR plug-in etc) for changing necessities for different file formats and versions etc.
The entire spectrums of files are handled well and you need no other hardware.
• The input from the Nvidia Quadro FX 570 goes into ASUS HDAV HDMI IN. Another bundles cable from ASUS HDMI OUT to the receiver or monitor etc.
• The AV200 processor in my opinion is just for enhancing the brightness, sharpness of image/video output to the screen. It makes images seem vibrant though.
• The stereo output goes to the receiver again r to any amplifier etc. Excellent output again.
• All the speakers wired in DAC 16 AWG for the Logitech speakers as follows:
Fronts: 3 metres each
Centre: 3 metre
Rear: 10 metres each
• The Tannoy MX 1m’s are connected to Yamaha RX v663 and just for the sweet stereo out put from ASUS HDAV. DAC 14 AWG: 3 metres each for the pair.
• The bunch of connector from RCA /SPDIF /Optical is of no use when HDMI is there but nevertheless the SPDIF and Optical could occasionally help in streamlining the sound parameters.
The moot point is that the combination of the above hardware, ensures the flow of sound at the highest digital quality at its best, as of today, and is seamless with video playback. Except for Blu-Ray games I ran nothing for a movie experience but BENQ v2400 24†is awesome with its touch buttons and stylish frame. It takes in 3 –HDMI, dual DVI and a VGA (not needed anyways). Excellent controls for brightness, contrast and other OSD controls. Feather touch button add more value and exquisiteness to already good display. No scaler here and dependant entirely on your graphic card, which anyways we buy for games on PC. Maybe not good for CAD work but for starters and budget conscious buyers, this is an excellent model. Supports only 16:10 format, not true hi-definition but one gets more real estate on screen.
Bundle a Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Keyboard 7000/8000; forget about every other board, as this is the true model for completing the HTPC. The 8000 board adds extra ambient light sensing, rechargeable board including mouse too. The 7000 series which I own has everything else this has and costs 5000rs less. A sidewinder X6, not for HTPC but good for night typing in dark and gaming on the PC.
Pls refer to this lin afor all the images.
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Hardware used
MSI
Processor AMD dual core AM2+ 3600+ 4000
Motherboard MSI KN9GM 4000
Graphic Card Quadro FX 570 12500
Sound Card ASUS XONAR HDAV 1.3 11500
Firewire Card TECH-COM simple firewire card 300
Monitor BENQ v2400w 23000
Game Console SONY PS3 + BD remote 24990 +1799 = 26799
A/V Receiver YAMAHA RX V 663
Speakers Logitech z 5500 or Wharfdale 9.6 series OR Monitor audio RS6 series
Keyboard Sidewinder X6 + Microsoft wireless entertainment desktop 7000 or Saitek Eclipse 3 or Logitech illuminated keyboard or logitech cordless media pro solution or Razer Lycosa or Dinovomini 4100 + 6600 = 10700
Printer Brother DC 7030 8750
Ram Zion RAM or Corsair Twin Razer 2 X2GB 2450
Webcam Frontech or Logitech cam 700
Mouse Logitech MX 18 or G9 or G5 NA
UPS APC SMART UPS 750A
PSU CORSAIR VX 450 3600
Cabinet Zebronics Peace 2750
Surge Protector BELKIN or MX (at least 20000 joules) 899x2= 1798
Headphones Iball i860MV or Phillips SHP2700 550
Cooling systems + Fans Buy a small A/C NA
Stands for speakers DIY or nearby blacksmith for not more than Rs. 500 500x4 = 2000
Accessories Cables from MX or Bandridge /Profigold etc; wire for speaker from DAC – 16-14 AWG 2300
Camera Canon Powershot A540 16500
There have been umpteen talks about resolution – both sound and picture. Hell! It takes time to acquaint with the faster than fast technology. We love movies, be any lingua, genre or type. Mast PICTURE QUALITY or SOUND QUALITY is needed. Over the last 3 years, companies have brought an innumerable innovation that has changed the way we decide and depend on our choice for entertainment. As said before, we guys love movies don’t we? I surmise 3 years is optimum because I started building a HT back in mid 2006 and am pretty much done with leaving the suggested speakers that are going to be pending for sometime. The system was pretty ok (not great configuration), then in 2006 but had all the bells and whistles for a good HT. The following configuration was closed upon:
 AMD AM@+ Dual Core 3600+
 MSI K9NGM 2 Motherboard
 Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Sound Card with Remote
 Nvidia Quadro FX 570
 2 X 1GB Stick Transcend 533mhz
 Microsoft Mouse – Basic
 250GB Sata HD Seagate
 Priya SMPS
 Zebronics Peace Cabinet
 Old INTEX Keyboard
 Logitech Z 5500D
 APC 800VA UPS
 DELL 793 17†Monitor
As usual VLC for movies, Winamp and/or Foobar2000 for music, this PC was even good for games. The last one played was Crysis/Gears of War and completed. Maya installed with 3dsmax etc which worked well too, only my creativity belittling my efforts.
So connected Audigy to Logitech z 5500d, thru the analog port (orange + black + green) to output ports that are similar color in the Logitech. Awesome sound for movies, games but bad for music. The way you hear good music – vocals extenuated at right places, bass well handled and the mids handled subtly. I am a big torrent user and downloaded virtually all movies I could get. They were stereo mostly in xvid file. Audigy did a good job but the essence of sound one hears/craves was missing in the card though. There was a mismatch in the data flowing seamlessly to the receiver in Logitech z 5500D. That went for 2 years when in year end 2008 ASUS announced ASUS XONAR HDAV 1.3. Now this card was better, infact, best equipped to fully utilize the power of Logitech z 5500D. The card has a HDMI INPUT and OUTPUT, SPDIF OUT (a dongle to use it as OPTICAL OUT) and standard STEREO IN & OUT. This is my opinion is the advanced till date for a HT. Auzentech HDMI card is the new entrant but SUS I am sure will beat it hand a down.
Let’s talk a bit about the ASUS card
It has a built in video processor that does some changes to vibrancy of the picture quality. Well, the picture on my monitor gets too bright and it is supposedly fixed in the S/N 9 version of the card. Mine is S/N 8. In India we do cannot exercise the option of RMA mainly cost prohibiting) and the mode we opt when buying products. That is not much issue though; no great changes to the video file except for some extra vibrancy and depth in colors rendered. Think! The monitor needs to be good as well. The trick is to fully utilize the latest sound technologies barring any (so many) obstacles to good entertainment value for the money invested. True, it’s like that. You invest and you keep on doing the rounds again.
• The card fully supports sound resolution from 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz touched and/or untouched, which depends on the way you opt in HDAV control panel.
• It supports all technologies made for movie from Dolby digital, Dolby digital plus, DTS to DOLBY TRUE HD and DTS HD MASTER.
• Live encoding which means take any piece of audio stream – 2.0 to 7.1 and change to Dolby Digital or DTS thru it inbuilt chip. I find it really good, just that the source need to be good. I mean to say that the resolution of sound, if good, then superb results.
• The card is stable but the associated software TMT (is on updating all time) though excellent and very easy to use has conflicts with the card and keeps showing error messages. The card works excellent though. It reads ripped dual layer DVD file from HDD and excellent playback of .mkv files too. BD discs are a breeze and of course the sound and picture resolution is outstanding. We do not want the AV 200 processor altering any of it. It reads flawlessly from external HDD too.
• Since all standard accessories are bundled in the package the setup is a breeze. Connect the graphic card to HDMI IN to ASUS; connect HDMI OUT from ASUS to monitor HDMI IN or an A/V receiver through the supplied cable. The cable is 1M long and can be extended. In general use lengthier cord may affect performance but stick to till 1.5M and be safe.
• One can choose from exact 2.0 to 5.1 to 7.1. The corresponding changes have to be initiated in TMT. ASUS supplies excellent docs for point to point reference.
A/V Receiver
The choices for receivers are many in the market but I choose YAMAHA RX v663 for movies in particular. The latest generation is in 5’, say YAMAHA RX v365, 465, 565, 665 etc The RX series are the ones we get in India. They are overly priced compared to what people get in US counterparts but hell warranty helps if you think, but they never go bad at all. This is the best built receiver from their stable that is balanced on all counts – power, features; solid sounding DSP’s, looks and file compatibility etc. Detailed picture is pretty hard and can easily be accessed at Yamaha’s website.
PS3
The PS3 is the ultimate console with the release of KILLZONE 2 & MGS4 and COD: WAR if you take shooter games but this console packs so much for movies, I bought it just for that. It upscale movie formats (see PS3 website) it supports to full blown 1080P.
The connections
The ASUS card handles all the output and my PC is the ultimate source. Four software players are used - FOOBAR 2000 for music, TMT/ KMPLAYER/SMPLAYER for movies. This suffices with all the required plug-in (CORE AVC or FOOBAR plug-in etc) for changing necessities for different file formats and versions etc.
The entire spectrums of files are handled well and you need no other hardware.
• The input from the Nvidia Quadro FX 570 goes into ASUS HDAV HDMI IN. Another bundles cable from ASUS HDMI OUT to the receiver or monitor etc.
• The AV200 processor in my opinion is just for enhancing the brightness, sharpness of image/video output to the screen. It makes images seem vibrant though.
• The stereo output goes to the receiver again r to any amplifier etc. Excellent output again.
• All the speakers wired in DAC 16 AWG for the Logitech speakers as follows:
Fronts: 3 metres each
Centre: 3 metre
Rear: 10 metres each
• The Tannoy MX 1m’s are connected to Yamaha RX v663 and just for the sweet stereo out put from ASUS HDAV. DAC 14 AWG: 3 metres each for the pair.
• The bunch of connector from RCA /SPDIF /Optical is of no use when HDMI is there but nevertheless the SPDIF and Optical could occasionally help in streamlining the sound parameters.
The moot point is that the combination of the above hardware, ensures the flow of sound at the highest digital quality at its best, as of today, and is seamless with video playback. Except for Blu-Ray games I ran nothing for a movie experience but BENQ v2400 24†is awesome with its touch buttons and stylish frame. It takes in 3 –HDMI, dual DVI and a VGA (not needed anyways). Excellent controls for brightness, contrast and other OSD controls. Feather touch button add more value and exquisiteness to already good display. No scaler here and dependant entirely on your graphic card, which anyways we buy for games on PC. Maybe not good for CAD work but for starters and budget conscious buyers, this is an excellent model. Supports only 16:10 format, not true hi-definition but one gets more real estate on screen.
Bundle a Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Keyboard 7000/8000; forget about every other board, as this is the true model for completing the HTPC. The 8000 board adds extra ambient light sensing, rechargeable board including mouse too. The 7000 series which I own has everything else this has and costs 5000rs less. A sidewinder X6, not for HTPC but good for night typing in dark and gaming on the PC.
Pls refer to this lin afor all the images.
Home - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting