Setting up old pc as HTPC

Discussion in 'Home Theater PC' started by jbmcgee, Feb 20, 2009.

  1. jbmcgee

    jbmcgee Member

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    Hi, I want to use my desktop running XP Home, AMD Athlon 64 219 Ghz, as a HTPC (as PVR, playback on plasma tv). I wanted to make sure that I have an idea of all that I need to do so. I know that I will need a tv tuner card (I was looking into a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150, is this a good one?), and a dvi to hdmi cable. Will I need to get something to setup the audio, if so, what? And then all I need is PVR software, correct?

    Thanks
     
    jbmcgee, Feb 20, 2009
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  2. tubbsey88

    tubbsey88 Member

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    Dvi does not carry sound through the hdmi so you will need to use the soundcard on the pc. I would suggest a 3.5mm to RCA, and then use any kind of stereo system or even a car amplifier.
     
    tubbsey88, Mar 9, 2009
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  3. BigDK

    BigDK Regular member

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    DVI will carry audio on newer ATI and Nvidia cards, you will also need a DVI to HDMI converter, and then select sound output driver as the HD port.

    Best option long run is to get an HDMI 1.3 capable soundcard with input and output.
    Send the video out via HDMI into the soundcard where the audio is added from that devices driver, and then send out to either the TV or better still an HDMI surround amp. Here you use the audio to play from the amp and then split the video off to play to the TV.
     
    BigDK, Mar 14, 2009
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