Ultimate HTPC build guide lays out your options

You could take the easy way out and just buy a pre-fabricated HTPC, but seriously, where's the joy in that? ArsTechnica has hosted up its refreshed Ultimate Home Theater PC build guide, and in addition to breaking down the pros and cons of investing in such a beast, it details a variety of builds based on your (probable) needs. Do you need a robust all-in-one system? A lightweight front-end to tap into your pre-installed home server system? Or how's about a heavy-duty back-end setup that can be utilized by lightweight clients at the TV? Whatever the case, all the information you need is just down there in the read link.

[markntravis Posted Dec 2nd 2008 8:19PM]

What good is a HTPC without CableCards?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 8:54PM]

For network shows, ATSC over the air works great in a lot of areas, and probably has less compression than what you'd get with cable anyway.

Not to mention the ability to archive discs somewhere on the network and play them back at will without digging out a disc. Or being able to play any other type of media you have in the living room environment.

I'm fairly happy with an indoor antennae combined with an HDHomeRun for a couple of OTA tuners + a 2 tuner SD card for picking up the occasional non-HD show. I've also got a Comcast DVR if I really need to record something digital off of cable that isn't available with either QAM or ATSC.

Would I like a cable card setup? Sure, but I'm not paying for a pre-built machine that I can't set up how I really want. If the satellite Windows 7 Media center combo works out to be usable for us custom builders, I'll probably gladly ditch Comcast, though.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 10:30PM]

@Andy S:
What "satellite Windows 7 Media center combo" are you referring to? I think I might have missed something in all the Win7 coverage...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 1:09AM]

"What good is a HTPC without CableCards?"
You can get the HD content without CableCard (and without CableCards restrictions) with the Hauppauge HD-PVR. So I would say it's a lot of good for me at least.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 3rd 2008 6:51AM]

Isn't DirecTV developing an add-on hardware solution for the PC to turn it into an HD DVR a la HTPC? Also, HTPC is not limited to cable/satellite/OTA, but can easily playback Blu-ray content.

In fact, DirecTV just (as reported on dbstalk) released DirecTV2PC, which allows you to stream HD DVR content across the home network to a PC.

[daaper Posted Dec 3rd 2008 8:17AM]

"In fact, DirecTV just (as reported on dbstalk) released DirecTV2PC, which allows you to stream HD DVR content across the home network to a PC."

This is in no way a dig at you, GhostDoggy, I miss articles on here all the time. Just an FYI to all those that say engadget reports late/misses things, they did cover this when it was released about a month and a half ago.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/10/21/directv2pc-actually-goes-live-for-real-this-time/