I need a good HTPC Client/Software

[jmc]

I recently decided to dump cable, as I never seem to watch it....... everything I watch is either streamed from the net or something I downloaded to my PC.

So i'm in the middle of building a HTPC (missing video card, then good to go) and i've started looking through various HTPC software bundles.... and all seem to offer the same thing even if its paid or open source software.

So i'm looking for recommendations from people who have actually used the clients. Support for 1080i and multiple video formats would be nice, and will do open source or paid.

Thanks

[Fisban]

Could you clarify what it is that you are trying to do?

Just out of curiosity, whats your HTPC build?

[jmc]

Could you clarify what it is that you are trying to do?

Just out of curiosity, whats your HTPC build?

Usage would be mostly Movies....... played off hard drive, but also looking to do dvd's and blue ray. (PS3 is in bedroom, HTPC is gonna be in another room) Would also like it to have a simple GUI, as my younger sisters come over alot and if they could put on a movie it would be nice.

For specs, its leftovers from my "old" gaming rig... when I upgraded to a i7 build. Just figured i'd put these parts to use.

GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard
q6600 Quad core processor
WD 500GB hard drive 7200 RPM (2 of these)

basics of it right now, undecided on what im using for video/sound support right now.

[kareface]

XBMC is the only one worth using really.

Also no HTPC software solution will play bluray disks atm. However, if you're using an HTPC you don't really need bluray disks.

[Isiolia]

There are supposed to be Radeon HD5400/5500 series cards coming down the pipe real soon that can have passive cooling n' all that (and should be cheap). The 5000 series in general are the most capable in terms of HDMI support, and those should be all you really need for an HTPC unless gaming on it.

Personally I don't bother with a frontend on my living room PC - but I could see where you might want it with some guests.

[Caiyuo]

XMBC is the big one I've always heard of, can't even think of any alternatives off the top of my head right now, though.

[Fisban]

Well if you are using a Operating System with Media Center on it, I would look into something like http://www.collectorz.com/movie/wind...center-mce.php

That is just the first one I found that looked nice and works with Windows Media Center. A bonus for using Windows Media Center would be that all you would have to do is add a media center extender in another room. In addition you would be able to stream videos with a nice interface, not like the ps3 one...

Also look into PlayOn for streaming from your HTPC to your ps3.

I suggest you look through this list of links http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=399319

Kare - I believe there are several apps that allow for Blu-Ray playback on PC, for instance http://www.cyberlink.com/products/po...iew_en_US.html

I personally have a HTPC Gaming Rig
Case: Silverstone LC17-B
Power Supply: Cosair 750TX
CPU: Q9550 (Overclocked to 3.4ghz)
CPU Heatsink & Fan: Scythe Mini-Ninja
RAM: OCZ Gold 8GB SDRAM DDR2 1066
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P
Videocard: PNY GTX-275 896MB
ROM: Pioneer DVD R/W + Blu Ray
HDD: 400GB (OS + Software) (3) 1TB Drives set up in a RAID 5 (1.8TB media storage)
Additional Fans: 2 90mm

With this rig i can play Crysis at max setting with only one or two laggy parts and only a few seconds at that.

As for Sound Cards... well for HTPC they will be a thing of the past, for the most part, very soon check out this tread about the ATI Radeon HD 5600 - 5800 Series and their HD Bitstreaming Capabilities. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1179134

[kareface]

There are supposed to be Radeon HD5400/5500 series cards coming down the pipe real soon that can have passive cooling n' all that (and should be cheap). The 5000 series in general are the most capable in terms of HDMI support, and those should be all you really need for an HTPC unless gaming on it.

Personally I don't bother with a frontend on my living room PC - but I could see where you might want it with some guests.

I'm rebuilding my HTPC soon, I'd advise you do what I do and wait for the new generation atoms. Intel announced them at CES and they will have hardware decoding for x/h264 and they are cheap, low power and easy to cool. You really don't need a powerhouse to run a HTPC, you just need enough gusto to playback 1080 x/h264 files.

XMBC is the big one I've always heard of, can't even think of any alternatives off the top of my head right now, though.

Media portal is the other big one, but XBMC is much better in my opinion.

[Fisban]

Agree with Kare - if you are not interested in gaming at all go with Atom, they are slowly coming out. I am personally pretty excited about the Atom although we were suppose to see a lot of it 2009, i hoping we will in 2010.

YAMJ is a good one too http://code.google.com/p/moviejukebox/
Thats what I used on my Popcorn Hour A-110 http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/

[Isiolia]

I'm rebuilding my HTPC soon, I'd advise you do what I do and wait for the new generation atoms. Intel announced them at CES and they will have hardware decoding for x/h264 and they are cheap, low power and easy to cool. You really don't need a powerhouse to run a HTPC, you just need enough gusto to playback 1080 x/h264 files.

Well, I'm talking more from the standpoint of his reusing his old setup, 'cause cheap is good, "free" from already owning it, also good.

Using low power stuff is definitely nice though. I'm running an Athlon x2 4850e, and reverted back to the integrated HD3200 on my 780G board (has built-in HDMI). Pretty low power, and easily enough for HTPC needs.

I'd recommend an SSD too, since the boot drive doesn't need to be large, and mostly you're looking at network-stored or streamed files. Very zippy, cool, and dead silent. I've got a 30GB OCZ in mine, and there are several 30-40GB options around the $100 price point now.

[Weeks]

I just built an HTPC (Which I'm a little unsatisfied with--the 2-band network adapter won't work in 2-band mode with my router, the LCD won't work when plugged directly into my motherboard, and the remote won't work at all) and the onboard Radeon HD4200 is plenty to play 1080p. I've only got 2 GB of RAM, an underpowered $80 AMD CPU, and am running Win7 too.

I've got XBMC downloaded but haven't bothered with it since I just got the thing running over the weekend when my CPU arrived. Definitely seems like the prettiest and most popular choice, but for now I've decided it isn't worth the bother to get everything looking pretty, at least until I get the remote figured out.

[Isiolia]

I just built an HTPC (Which I'm a little unsatisfied with--the 2-band network adapter won't work in 2-band mode with my router, the LCD won't work when plugged directly into my motherboard, and the remote won't work at all) and the onboard Radeon HD4200 is plenty to play 1080p. I've only got 2 GB of RAM, an underpowered $80 AMD CPU, and am running Win7 too.

I've got XBMC downloaded but haven't bothered with it since I just got the thing running over the weekend when my CPU arrived. Definitely seems like the prettiest and most popular choice, but for now I've decided it isn't worth the bother to get everything looking pretty, at least until I get the remote figured out.

Are you trying to use HDMI from the motherboard? If so, have you checked the BIOS options? I know my board has an option in there to toggle DVI or HDMI. Unless you're using VGA or something, in which case I dunno >_>

[Weeks]

HDMI works fine. I mean the LCD display. It connects via standard USB port, but also came with an adapter to plug directly into the USB header on the motherboard. Unfortunately, it doesn't work unless I run it out the back of the case and plug it in a USB port there.

[kareface]

HDMI works fine. I mean the LCD display. It connects via standard USB port, but also came with an adapter to plug directly into the USB header on the motherboard. Unfortunately, it doesn't work unless I run it out the back of the case and plug it in a USB port there.

It just means the pin out is different on the on board adapter. You should be able to look up the pin out for the on board one and rewire the adapter that came with the case. They are pretty easy to work with, you just have to push them down and press in a small piece of plastic.

[jmc]

Thanks guys, gonna check out XBMC shortly.