Welcome to the IHoP

[///M5 2,833]

If you want an "all-inclusive" I'd have no idea, not my sort of thing. On our honeymoon we were gone 15 nights and stayed in 13 different places.

[vladd 26]

good morning hop.

went kayaking over the weekend, my arms are just now returning back to brown. 5+ hours on the water.

was very fun except the whole drinking tons of river water thing. next time, we start rolling!

[dem beats 1,223]

My needs are really simple though.

1) Music server

2) Internet connection

3) Quiet, real quiet

4) If possible TiVO

5) Home automation control, but pretty much any old pc can do this

Will be "eventually" connected to a 52" 1080p LCD. At the moment I don't have anything to connect it to other than a monitor but once a 52, 1080p, 120hz Mitsu (I like the little frame) is under $2k I will buy it. The day I do that I want the pc on order as well.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...;ci_sku=8500801

If something with a thinner bezel comes along I can easily be swayed.

How many rooms will you serve music to, do you want it to be that each room can play different tunes, or just one song the whole house? If you want different tunes in different rooms, what is the maximum amount of rooms that will have tunes piped at the same time?

Do you need a temprary monitor? My 28" was only 550. So sickly cheep it was amazing and makes for a great controll pannell to operate it from.

I'm not sure about TIVO, I never was interested but I am thinking about it now, but would you like to use the unit to serve video as well as music?

As for quiet, well, mine is frigging graveyard silent. I can get an SPL meter sometime I suppose and measure it in the basement, but it's quieter than my living room, I haven't pushed mine to full tilt, but silent is no problem, you will just need to come to tems with a tower style rather than the cute small HTPC styles.

Finaly, do you have any requirement for external stuff, either ports in the front or otherwise? Will it sit in a closet and run the show, or do you want it on display? Pretty LEDs or stealth package?

Single room is fine, the distribution will be handled by a whole house pre-amplifier.

I have an extra monitor already, but 28 for 550 is pretty sweet. Does that happen to have a TV tuner? My dad needs a new TV/monitor.

Video, yes as I won't have any other sort of media player next to the TV.

Hadn't thought about the ports. I'd prefer a laydown style case, but it doesn't have to be HTPC specific. It will be on display under the TV, but subtle is always better in my book.

How important is the laydown style? It will impede quite a bit, or rather, can be done, but the cases get really really expencive. They have some cool options, some with touch LCD's. I think it's insanity, but it's great if it's a closet machine, and you won't have a display on it. I desperately wanted it to fit in my custom entertainment center, but in the end I opted for a 60 dollar case that comes with acoustif foam deadened and rubber mount gaskets for super quiet, vs a law down that didn't have half the features and was 200+. The lay down size limits you allot.

What disk drives? DVD, blue ray, do you want to write blue ray?

I'm thinking about getting a blue ray re-writer. ~400 bucks, and I can read and write. Sounds good to me.

[///M5 2,833]

Drives depend on the cost. I am not one to jump into something that is $400 for a drive when in a year or two they will be $35. Eventually of course I'd go that route....I'd rather spend the money on the case to get something that isn't obtrusive in the living room.

[///M5 2,833]

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/artic...es-to-Live-2008

Plymouth #1, pretty much where my bro, sis, and parents live. I used to be barely out of it and am now 10 miles away in a much nicer spot.

[///M5 2,833]

what case do you have?"

[///M5 2,833]

tOp

[dem beats 1,223]

This is mine

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811146035

I had Sean take out the LED's though as one of them is Lazer beam bright. I may mod it with more dull LED's later. It is the same case he uses for gaming. I think it's the perfect case for the price especialy with all the little extras. If I did it again I would get a server tower and put un my own acousting treatments as my GFX card nearly hits the currently empty extra drive bays. I would get something huge and just replace the regular fans with liquid bearing fans. I just didn't want to spend the cash and loved that this thing came in near graveyard silent. But my machine is made for performance, and multi room streaming audio, maybe video some day, and the newer raid configuration. It fits, but it's daaaaaaamn snug. I'm going to stop talking about it now as I definately sound like a fan boy. Something in this nature would definately meet your needs, it just would have to stand up and not lay down.... unless you wanted NO disk drives.

About the cheepest kit you can have for a decent HTPS is this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16811163055

But you will usualy run into huge problems with the cheeper ones. Such a terrible design.

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

iPhone 3G has hit 1 million sold

App Store hits 10 million downloads

so many idiots

[ramos 2]

ssssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired

[///M5 2,833]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article781-page1.html

I like the Antec and of course being able to use the Nexus 120mm fans. I have two in my current case and they are nice and quiet. I am sure that case will cost a penny or two and need to be acoustically treated, but I am willing to do that myself if I have to. The pc will be networked, so I don't need a lot of drive storage as it can be on the "server" which will be in the basement. A small laptop drive will be fine.

[///M5 2,833]

You made me think about using an external drive. In the past I had seen some that would work on their side as well. Hmmm.

I am also curious as to your multi-room streaming. What can you do?

[dem beats 1,223]

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/artic...es-to-Live-2008

Plymouth #1, pretty much where my bro, sis, and parents live. I used to be barely out of it and am now 10 miles away in a much nicer spot.

I desperately tried to be over there...

Happy wife and happy mom in law>me being on the west side.

[Acidburn 10]

Watched 30 Days of Night, quality vampire flick.

<-- currently reading Dracula

For fun? Not a bad book...must read for those of us who love vampires.

nah, for a class I'm taking, but this is probably the most enjoyable book I've read in a loooong time

[vladd 26]

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/artic...es-to-Live-2008

Plymouth #1, pretty much where my bro, sis, and parents live. I used to be barely out of it and am now 10 miles away in a much nicer spot.

wow i think i just found the next place i want to live, though it isn't #1...way too cold

[Acidburn 10]

Watched 30 Days of Night, quality vampire flick.

<-- currently reading Dracula

PFFFF, you should come and meet him live. Much more entertaining.

haha, I'm sure

is that what the D really stands for?

Count Adrian Dracula?

[Penguin4x4 1,761]

<--- doesn't care where he lives so long as no HOA is involved

[dem beats 1,223]

You made me think about using an external drive. In the past I had seen some that would work on their side as well. Hmmm.

I am also curious as to your multi-room streaming. What can you do?

Eventualy... heh... depends. I want to put 2.1 in every room, and outside. I would keep all the music on my server in the basement with the entertainment center, HT, and billiards room. Basicaly a man cave. I now have 2 options. I will probably, eventualy make tiny slave computers in each room. Just run cat 6 to every room and have a touch screan on the wall. Use a low cost amp and DIY speakers. ATM however we have... 4 laptops between us all in the house, so we can just use those as slave computers untill I upgrade. Realistacly I will only pipe it to the masterbedroom for the time being and outside/garage etc. I may do the kitchen, but who knows. When our friends move out , I will then wire into what will be the dining room.

There are other options but I like the option of having simple slave machines in the room so I can upgrade/troubleshoot and have max controll of the audio. I'm only worried about outside, as touchscrean and -45 degress wouldn't work so good. I'll figure that out though.

I am hoping to get A TON of amazing classic big machine wood tools soon. So I can DIY away.

[///M5 2,833]

What are you going to use for a volume control?

[dem beats 1,223]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article781-page1.html

I like the Antec and of course being able to use the Nexus 120mm fans. I have two in my current case and they are nice and quiet. I am sure that case will cost a penny or two and need to be acoustically treated, but I am willing to do that myself if I have to. The pc will be networked, so I don't need a lot of drive storage as it can be on the "server" which will be in the basement. A small laptop drive will be fine.

I was confused, you already have a server for all of the media? This will just be a satalite to take the spot of DVD and CD and grab media from the big server?

Thats is a sweet looking box though.

[dave_Edwards 1]

I am dragging today sooo damn bad.....I feel like I could sleep for a year

[dave_Edwards 1]

____drools on keyboard_____

[dem beats 1,223]

What are you going to use for a volume control?

Well thats why I am thinking using satalite PC's. I can either make a custom player, or use an "itunes' type program and controll volume right from the touch screen. I can use one point of contact to do anything from volume to bring up a new play list. I would keep the amp somewhere servicable and I could turn the power on and off, heck maybe right next to the touch panel. Cords can run anwhere.

I really want to integrate the speakers into some of the rooms so they take only internal wall space for some of the designs too. It's going to be a sloooooow process, but should be pretty amazing.

I also love the touch screen idea in rooms so I could automate the entire home. Wanna check out the camera in the back yard, No problem, just hop out of bed and check it out. No need to run to a "command" center. lol

I'm basicaly doing my best to future proof. Touch screens are really dropping in price and refurb crap buisness PC's can be purchased for pennies on the dollar.

[///M5 2,833]

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article781-page1.html

I like the Antec and of course being able to use the Nexus 120mm fans. I have two in my current case and they are nice and quiet. I am sure that case will cost a penny or two and need to be acoustically treated, but I am willing to do that myself if I have to. The pc will be networked, so I don't need a lot of drive storage as it can be on the "server" which will be in the basement. A small laptop drive will be fine.

I was confused, you already have a server for all of the media? This will just be a satalite to take the spot of DVD and CD and grab media from the big server?

Thats is a sweet looking box though.

My old pc is plenty fast for streaming music. My plan was to keep it in the basement next to the stereo gear and just use other pc's to remotely change what it is playing.

[///M5 2,833]

I have a fundamental concern of using a soundcard/windows to control the volume. Going to WOT because of a pc glitch and blowing every driver in the house would frustrate me to no end.

My thought was to put the PC in the basement and use a home automation network to transmit the music to different rooms.

This system for instance:

http://www.htd.com/whole-house-audio/midle...34Pa38Ta38LbN50

Allows for off-board amps, which I need since the Maggies of course won't be happy with 50w. Has the capability of controlling the volume in every room via a computer, and is actually rather cheap. The advanced system will also control the security system and allow you to connect an Ipod in any room for local input. Of course the room with the TV this won't be an Ipod, but the input flexibility and locality is nice. It is also a piece of hardware then and not software.

The media pc in the living room will really be an internet surfing device as well as a blueray/dvd player. I don't really need it to be anything else. The basement pc/music server is in the basement, but the monitor and keyboard are in the kitchen.