I currently have a tangle of external drives hooked to my HTPC. Serving that stuff via UPnP is
okay, but I'd like to move my files to a separate device that would then be able to make them available to a motley assortment of devices. Thing is, I'm woefully ignorant about networking and file sharing, having never so much as set up a shared Windows folder. I need help coming up with a game plan.
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posted by DirtyOldTown
on Mar 31, 2013 -
12 answers
I have an old computer I'm thinking of turning into a home theatre PC, as well as a dedicated FTP and multiplayer game server. Can it be done, and what do I need? Tech specs and more detailed questions inside.
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posted by Effigy2000
on Jan 23, 2013 -
7 answers
How can I easily and reliably play Blu-Ray discs now and in the future? I have a HTPC, but the software bundled with the blu-ray drive is old, and a new version is around the sales price ofr a decent-looking stand-alone blu-ray player.
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posted by filthy light thief
on Nov 16, 2012 -
8 answers
I have an older Gateway PC acting as my media center/file server. I have it hooked up to a 42" 720p Samsung Plasma TV via VGA from the on-board connection on the PC. As such, the resolution is not very good: 1024x768 and the picture doesn't really fit on the screen. Can you recommend a cheap video card (under $50) that will let me connect via HDMI and show things at a decent resolution without stretching or cropping the picture? No gaming, just playing video files.
posted by nitsuj
on Aug 24, 2012 -
37 answers
If you could start your HTPC set up all over again, what would you choose? I'm gifting everything (from tv to htpc to router) to my partner and starting from scratch. Tips and suggestions are welcome!
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posted by Smegoid
on Jul 24, 2012 -
17 answers
I use Windows 7 Media Center to timeshift basketball games and it works fine, except that after a commercial break where there is a bright white commercial, the brightness is shifted down, and the subsequent footage is too dark. This happens at record time but I'm not sure exactly what is causing it or how to disable. My capture card is an ati tv wonder 600 pci.
posted by Manjusri
on Mar 25, 2012 -
2 answers
My home-made HTPC running Windows 7 shuts down without warning, first after prolonged use playing HD (720) videos with VLC. Then it stopped twenty minutes into an episode, and switching to Media Player Classic seemed to be the answer. Then the computer shut down after about 20 minutes of simply being idle. And there's never a "sudden shutdown" error message when I reboot. How do I diagnose this, or what could be wrong?
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posted by filthy light thief
on Feb 22, 2012 -
20 answers
Ideas for what to do with a (moderately fast) spare PC in 2012? (Intel C2D 3ghz E8400, 8GB RAM, etc) HTPC comes to mind, but open to more creative suggestions.
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posted by petah
on Feb 20, 2012 -
11 answers
What are the best ways to watch and record live, broadcast TV in a Windows environment without using Windows Media Center?
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posted by BobbyVan
on Jan 9, 2012 -
8 answers
Something is stealing focus on my Windows 7 HTPC. How do I figure out what application it is so that I can get rid of it?
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posted by soy_renfield
on Jan 3, 2012 -
7 answers
Boxee is leaving the PC platform (Mac / Linux / OSX) after the current release (which drops a bunch of features). What should I migrate to?
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posted by jenkinsEar
on Dec 27, 2011 -
7 answers
Is there a non-expensive way I can add system-wide EQ to my Windows 7 HTPC (Asrock ION 330)?
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posted by ManInSuit
on Dec 18, 2011 -
12 answers
My homebuilt, always-on HTPC has ground to a halt. It won't boot past the BIOS, which slowly - slowly - fills the screen like it's being downloaded by a very old dial-up modem. What's my "checklist" for zeroing in on the problem?
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posted by BobbyVan
on Nov 15, 2011 -
11 answers
I want to buy or build a home theater PC and I'm overwhelmed by the options for hardware. Mac or PC? Low-end or mid-range?
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posted by Dec One
on Aug 20, 2011 -
17 answers
Looking to build a Intel Sandy Bridge Windows 7 machine that will primarily function as a centralized repository for mp3s, movies, and photos. Anyone have any hardware recommendations?
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posted by decrescendo
on May 31, 2011 -
5 answers
I have a few questions about a home server / backup / HTPC solution and I would really appreciate some help. Details inside.
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posted by decrescendo
on May 18, 2011 -
13 answers
Looking for a mini-ITX motherboard for an HTPC that supports analog video out (s-video or composite/y-rca) or I need a cheap way to convert HDMI or DVI to one of those analog video formats.
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posted by purefusion
on Apr 8, 2011 -
4 answers
I am debating between getting a Mac Mini Vs getting having a few different appliances in the house. Am sharing a description of what I think I need and what my options are and what my initial evaluation is. Thoughts from others will be appreciated!
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posted by shalam
on Apr 6, 2011 -
20 answers
I want to build a budget low power and quiet home theater PC to replace my XBox with XBMC. I'm not looking for HD or Bluray (I don't have the TV for the HD or the interest for the Bluray).
I'm pretty out of touch with hardware these days so I don't really know what I need for a minimally viable HTPC. What do I need?
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posted by srboisvert
on Mar 14, 2011 -
21 answers
I built a Windows 7 HTPC / Media Server. It worked beautifully for a few months, but now it's f-ing up. Any ideas?
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posted by bradn
on Feb 22, 2011 -
11 answers
What is the best choice currently for a media streamer to play back ripped DVDs and other content on your network?
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posted by willnot
on Feb 14, 2011 -
8 answers
I've caught karaoke fever. What are my best options for a karaoke player setup at home? I'm looking for more of a karaoke box setup where participants are able to enter a number on a remote to add a song to the queue or to use a laptop to remotely add songs, rather than a bar-style KJ setup that needs maintenance. Would be interested in either software or hardware solutions <$200. I can figure out the audio, but the software options are vexing!
posted by VulcanMike
on Dec 30, 2010 -
2 answers
Please recommend a good wireless integrated keyboard/mouse device suitable for a home theater PC.
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posted by Burhanistan
on Dec 6, 2010 -
10 answers
I have long held a fantastic dream of what I want my home theater
setup to be. I've tried several times, in several different ways, to
realize this dream - but there is always something. There's always
something that doesn't work right - that makes my final implementation
lacking in some fundamental way. I'm starting to give up hope. So -
I'll tell you what I want and what I've tried - and I want you to tell
me if there's another way. I can't be alone here.
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posted by kbanas
on Nov 29, 2010 -
10 answers
Should I use Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 for my home theater pc? It will also function as a server.
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posted by dvrcthewrld
on Oct 18, 2010 -
8 answers
I've got an Acer Aspire Revo hooked up to an HDTV. When the Revo is powered up, the digital channels (coming in through a coax cable from an outside antenna...for free, over the air signals) do not come in. When I power the Revo off or put it to sleep, then the digital channels come in and I can watch TV. What gives?
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posted by snwod
on Sep 5, 2010 -
6 answers
What type of wirelessly accessible storage solution should I go with in my new home network? Details inside...
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posted by decrescendo
on Aug 17, 2010 -
3 answers
Windows 7 on virtual machine in/beside Ubuntu 10.04 to watch streaming Netflix - will it work? And will it work
well? Will I be able to watch Netflix streaming movies (preferably in HD) on a Windows 7 guest system running inside VirtualBox OSE on an Ubuntu 10.04 host? Google has turned up very little recent chatter, with one or two people saying that it doesn't work well. Anyone here manage to get it working?
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posted by dilettanti
on Jun 30, 2010 -
12 answers
I’m planning on buying a Mac Mini as an HTPC, but I have some questions about the best option for additional storage.
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posted by cosmic osmo
on Jun 30, 2010 -
13 answers
Help me figure out how to stop my HTPC from going into standby/sleep when I switch the HDMI source on my AVR away from my HTPC.
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posted by woolylambkin
on Jun 18, 2010 -
3 answers
HTPC aficionados, I have a question about infrared remotes. Can a USB receiver be used by any other remote or is it "locked" to the one that came with it?
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posted by ChrisLSU
on May 24, 2010 -
4 answers
What is the best external storage option for a PC running XBMC?
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posted by zcow
on May 22, 2010 -
3 answers
I'm looking to move from an XP desktop full of music to a server-based solution but I have no idea where to start! Can anyone give me a hand?
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posted by decrescendo
on Apr 19, 2010 -
13 answers
My brand new HP Pavillion Laptop, running Win7 comes with an HDMI out port. My HD LCD TV has an extra HDMI-in port. The TV's Native Resolution is 1820X1080
When I connect the two, PNP detects a generic large screen tv with a resolution 1820x1080 and sets the screen res at those dimensions. This results in very substantial (unacceotable) amount of overscan.
I can fix it (almost) by going into Win7's graphic properties dialogue and selecting a custom aspect ratio in which both Horizontal and vertical are reduced to 45% of normal.
Whats causing the over scan??
Doesn't 1820x1080 = 1820x1080?
Is there a better way to fix this than my kludge?
(The TV isn't trying to change the picture shape to letterbox etc. pix shape= normal)
posted by Fupped Duck
on Feb 11, 2010 -
8 answers
Having been humbled by a growing cable bill, and emboldened by articles like
this and
this, I've decided to return my cable box and buy a HTPC to serve up TV, movies and other content... Help me avoid some common pitfalls and make this an enjoyable and money-saving endeavor!
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posted by BobbyVan
on Feb 6, 2010 -
11 answers
