[antemon]

So I'm thinking of making an pseudo HTPC/media server/computer with all my videos and just want to watch it in a bigger screen.... I won't be playing any blu ray discs, heck I don't even know if I'll be playing any DVDs but will be installing a drive anyways just to be safe. Pretty much just downloaded videos.

Will be reusing some old parts here and there and just have a few questions.

an old socket 478 Celeron D 2.26 GHz. Will this be good enough? It should meet XBMC for Linux minimum requirements


more importantly, I'm concerned about the graphics card and the output. I may buy a used nvidia 8xxx or 9xxx card for better linux driver support, but one that doesn't need a 6-pin power connection. I'm not going to play crysis on this thing or anything, so something that will just work 'ok' is what I'll need

tv I'll be using though will only have RCA and coax connection.

would something like this be all that I need?
*pic*
or would I need something fancier like this one?
*pic*

or would all I need is a video card with a tv out? what exactly is the type of connector for the tv out? s-video? can that be just passively converted to rca or coax?

edit
what's the deal with tv tuners? can the connections at the back there be used to send signal to my tube tv?



Or would all of this be too much trouble and why don't I just buy a cheapo media player.
I'm not too fond of this idea since I'll be watching fansubbed anime so codecs and subtitling may be an issue. and I'm thinking of leaving this thing on as a torrent server too or something...

something in the 50USD price range is what I'm willing to spend in this project...

[xbmcg]

There are some older nVidia cards having tv-out with something similar to your pic1, but with a special connector instead of the VGA plug, looks similar to the s-Video plug, but with some more pins. Some allows to connect to all of this: s-Video, composit video (chinch) and RGB / Component Out (YCbCr). Best of this is component out - if your tv has this inputs (older HD-Ready plasmas). You can than even play back up to 1080i / 720p e.g on a old sony 42" Plasma with 1024x1024 pixel display, that looks far better than SD content. There are also hdmi to component converter on the (chinese) market, that can be used to connect recent hdmi/hdcp sources to old plasmas using component in / vga connector. Unfortunately newer graphic cards no longer support tv-out, some older have the connector, but do not ship the adapter - so be carefull when buying. The reason for this is because the manufacturer want to / have to support hdcp copy protection for hi-res content (bluray) and the analogue hd outputs have no protection protocols, so one could easyly plug a grabber to the output signal and circumvent the copy protection - (LOL).

[nokdim]

I would suggest an ATV V1 (Apple TV) box from ebay or craigslist it might cost you upwards of $100 if you have no patience to wait but with the HDMI output and ability to get a broad-com crystalhd upgrade to support 1080p and built in IR receiver with remote you would be much better off and save $$$ in the long run plus it looks nicer than a PC sitting next to your TV and is almost silent compared to a PC with fans. it also has other outputs besides HDMI like component and analog/optical audio.
This would be a media player box only so it wouldn't be used as the media server which sounds like you already have one for downloads so leave that server in the closet somewhere and connect the patched ATV to your big screen and stream all your downloaded files.
The only draw back is there is no build in DVD/BlueRay tray but it sounds like all you watch is downloaded content anyways why waste the money on something that you will not use.

[xbmcg]

http://www.amazon.com/7-Pin-S-Video-Comp...574&sr=1-8

[antemon]

There are some older nVidia cards having tv-out with something similar to your pic1, but with a special connector instead of the VGA plug, looks similar to the s-Video plug, but with some more pins.

so getting a card with a TV OUT really isn't going to help then?

Some allows to connect to all of this: s-Video, composit video (chinch) and RGB / Component Out (YCbCr). Best of this is component out - if your tv has this inputs (older HD-Ready plasmas). You can than even play back up to 1080i / 720p e.g on a old sony 42" Plasma with 1024x1024 pixel display, that looks far better than SD content.

old tube tv is what I've got so hi-res videos isn't really going to be an issue

a friend recommended getting a tv tuner in this thing as well. i thought the point of getting a tv tuner is to get signal INTO the computer and not OUT OF the computer...

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I would suggest an ATV V1 (Apple TV) box from ebay or craigslist it might cost you upwards of $100 if you have no patience to wait but with the HDMI output and ability to get a broad-com crystalhd upgrade to support 1080p and built in IR receiver with remote you would be much better off and save $$$ in the long run plus it looks nicer than a PC sitting next to your TV and is almost silent compared to a PC with fans. it also has other outputs besides HDMI like component and analog/optical audio.
This would be a media player box only so it wouldn't be used as the media server which sounds like you already have one for downloads so leave that server in the closet somewhere and connect the patched ATV to your big screen and stream all your downloaded files.
The only draw back is there is no build in DVD/BlueRay tray but it sounds like all you watch is downloaded content anyways why waste the money on something that you will not use.

a little too much money I'm willing to spend on. though you're right I'm only going to use it as a media player box and not a sever (plus torrent box heh)

[xbmcg]

You are talking about a video card with tv-out. You have not mentioned a tuner card to watch live-tv. There are various out there, analogue tv tuner, digital terrestrial (dvb-t) tuner cards, cable tv cards (dvb-c) or satelite tuner (dvb-s or more recent dvb-s2 for hd). All this receive signals (INPUT) and decode them in opposite to the video card, that creates video signals for a display (OUTPUT only). The tuner cards have coax-cable jacks, while the output cards usually use rca, chinch, scart, hdmi, VGA, DVI, s-video, composite video, display port, tv-out... RGB / Component out can be used on old tubes too, best video results - similar to using RGB/Scart inputs

[antemon]

oh, no... i apologize if i confused there, i got them mixed up. i was under the impression that tv tuners can also send signal out after the video card has processed it or something.

i will not be needing a tv tuner since the htpc will be connected to a tv already...

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You are talking about a video card with tv-out. You have not mentioned a tuner card to watch live-tv. There are various out there, analogue tv tuner, digital terrestrial (dvb-t) tuner cards, cable tv cards (dvb-c) or satelite tuner (dvb-s or more recent dvb-s2 for hd). All this receive signals (INPUT) and decode them in opposite to the video card, that creates video signals for a display (OUTPUT only). The tuner cards have coax-cable jacks, while the output cards usually use rca, chinch, scart, hdmi, VGA, DVI, s-video, composite video, display port, tv-out... RGB / Component out can be used on old tubes too, best video results - similar to using RGB/Scart inputs

I can't seem to find an internal version of this, perhaps a PCI version.
Does that kind of thing exist?