Hi,

I've been noticing that a lot of home theater capabilities are becoming available on PCs. I'd like to solicit an suggestions on components for a nice home theater with the following requirements:

- Dolby digital audio
- DVD
- S-video out
- PC capabilities: internet browsing, 3D games, LAN, fast processor
- Quiet (Opinions on kits from www.silentsystems.com needed, and quiet DVD-ROM drives)
- Doesn't look like a PC (or iMac) ;-P (black desktop case)
- Easy to use: single remote to do most everything, RF capabilities preferred. Decent wireless keyboard

I'm comfortable with PC hardware, so piecing together a system is not a problem. I have an existing speaker system, but would like a new Dolby digital (and possibly DTS) receiver that will work nicely with this PC setup.

Here's what I've picked out so far:
Black ATX desktop case: www.antic-inc.com
Noise reduction (SilentPower, SilentDrive): www.silentsystems.com
CPU+motherboard: AMD Athlon 500 + motherboard
128 MB memory
10 Gig harddrive
Toshiba DVD-ROM
Diamond MX300+MX25 sound card
TNT2 Ultra video card
network card
---
total about $1500 so far

remote?
keyboard+mouse?
Receiver?

I'd like to keep the whole setup between $2000 and $2500 or so.

Thanks!

Chickles,

I have the PC Cinema which came from TigerDirect. The whole outfit cost $1300 including IR mouse and keyboard (which are from Airboard. ) I have seen these at computer shows for $20 and $40 respectively.

They work well and have the added benefit of being comaptible with my Pronto.

The have since stopped carrying it. You can search the web and find the original manufacturer Base Technologies.

I bought a Denon AVR 3600 at Ubid for $700 which has worked flawlessly. I have since replaced the MB so that I could get more speed. The original came with AMD 233 and I now have a Celeron overclocked to 374.

Definitely get the Pronto as a remote, it kicks. I have since replaced the keyboard with the Logitech RF modle which works great. So I have RF keyboard and IR mouse and IR universal touch screen remote.

Recently have been thinking of upgrading the video card to the ATI Rage Fury 128. When they have good digital VCR software, I probably will. That way a big hard disk and new card could subsititue for a Replay or TiVo.

Good Luck!
Carl

I like BaseTechnologies' case design. Nice and compact with all the inputs and outputs on the base.

You have any comments on the noise that the thing makes? Are the CPU and case fans noticeable?

Does any ATX motherboard fit in it, or do you have use one that has a riser card?

Thanks!

I have a creative labs "dvd encore" system on my pc in my bedroom working with the ceative 'live' sound card. ii've found it to be un unbeatable combo. they intergreat well with each other. The dvd has what they call a "Drx2" video passthrough card. it does a nexxelent job of makeing ntsc video look like svga. as for remotes& keyboards: Phiilps makes most of the proprietary ir keyboards on the market. its just a suggestion...the remote has to be a pronto or marantz rc-5000(they're the same thing,one's blue one's gold) the remote has a "mouse" screen which would eliminate the need for a seperate mouse. it does retail for $500 unles you know sombody. P.S phillips will have an rf adapter by next summer for the pronto!!!sidebar-I'm not so shure that i'd recomend actually setting up a Theatre with my computer. yes the technology is the same on paper but..
1.dolby5.1 or dts isn't accessable unless you send digital coaxial out to a processor. I haven't seen a sound card yet that does true 5.1. they're all a pc version of pro-logic. the center is derived from the front stereo pair.
2.computer speakers...ok cambridge sound works and bose(don't get me started)and a few others i'm shure have stepped up the quality. but let's face it, if you want theater, you have to take it to the next level. no little "woofer"in a 6"x6" plastic box can reproduce the feel of the star ship Enterprise's warp core. they barely can handle the shot gun blast on quake3.
3. dvd in computers is for the next wave in soft ware, just like the cd was for music. next sommer all the hot games (and windows2000 if they decide to go through with it) will be released on dvd media.
so my advise. go ahead and build that kicka$$ system. like i said. it works great in my bedroom.
but if you want a rewarding home theater, check out the next issue of home theater magazine and read up on some stuff. your system will be some bastardized version of one anyway.

Klipsch has a new pc home theater/gaming powered speaker combo(four sats and a sub for about $250) I have heard them and for $250 they are amazing. www.klipsch.com/

I've been exploring the possibility of using a Laptop with my home theater setup. Quiet. Can fit nicely on a slide out tray in my system rack. Some come with TV out built in. Some come with DVD built in. All have a serial port that can run an X10 macro recorder, and many have IR ports that have the potential for remote operation. I don't intend to use it as a game machine (OK, maybe some freecell and winmine on the TV) so I can use an older (cheaper) Pentium 200 or such. I don't need the tiny lightweight skinny (expensive) ones.

Any comments?

Dave

Chickles -

You have some tough, but fun choices. We're in the same boat. Here's my PC/HT setup (pc built by yours, truly):

PC:
Asus P2b, Intel PIII 450, 128MB PC100
10 G WD Caviar
USR 56k modem w/Symantec TalkWorks (serving as internet access, and answering / fax machines)
Creative Labs Encore 6x w/DXR3 board
Creative Labs SB Live
Creative Labs TNT Ultra 2 32MB
CompUSA IR keyboard (see my thread on "Control a PC with Pronto and $40) in the Pronto forum.

I'm running coax AC3 out from the DXR3 board to:

AUDIO:
Yamaha RXV 495 (same as 795, but with 2 less environment modes, and $100 less expensive)
Klipsch Quintets (go for it...)
KLH SW (not happy with it, but it was a cheapo quick fix for $80 until I found a SW I liked)

VIDEO:
InFocus LP750 (if you're economizing, this isn't REALLY the way to go...)
JVC HRD-530U (practically vintage... about 13 years old, now!)

Remote control? What else? Pronto. Period. Forget all the other nonsense, forget everything else. Just suck it in, take the plunge, and get it over with. The water's great once you're in! Yes, it's a bit pricey, but the bottom line is that dollar for dollar, it does much more, with so many, that it winds up being more, for less.

Does that make ANY sense at all? Probably not, but I'm sure you get the gist of it.

Noise cancellation? Easy. My PC goes into a living room wall unit behind the cabinet doors, and I have 15' VGA and USB cables to my office, where I connect my NEC monitor and a USB hub, so that I can work from my desk. That eliminates both noise, and clutter. All interconnects are MonsterCable.

Hope this helps give you some ideas, and might even either save you some money, or redirect funds toward the Pronto that you REALLY want... you're getting sleeeepyyyyy...

Good luck!