| Author |
Message |
    
growler
Citizen
Username: Growler
Post Number: 376
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 10:13 am: |     |
Thanks everyone for the helpful tip on migrating the emails to the new computer.
Now that I'm starting to play around with the computer a little, I realize that I can hook up the satalite dish to the tuner, buy a wireless router and an extender for the tv downstairs and watch tv,record tv (like tivo), listen to music ripped to the hd and view our digi pics. The question is, is anyone else doing this? Am I crazy to buy all the components and give this a shot? Tivo is a heck of a lot cheaper but I still have to pay for the service and the music/pic thing is really interesting. Any comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. |
woodstock
Citizen
Username: Woodstock
Post Number: 848
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 3:07 pm: | |
Just a note of caution regarding the extenders. Unless your new PC has MCE2005, you won't be able to use them.
As for the other stuff, it's really up to you as to whether you'd actually use it, or it would just be a cool toy. I personally find that when something has too high a "gee-whiz" factor, I end up getting bored with it quickly. That never stops me, though  Maybe some day I'll learn.
Which Media Center PC did you get? I'm considering going that route when we move to a new house, and I wire everything to everything else, so that my whole house can crash, rather than just my computer. |
growler
Citizen
Username: Growler
Post Number: 377
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 3:27 pm: | |
Thanks for the tip re: mce2005. Although I am not at the computer now, I bought it from Gateway in December and from what I've read, it should be 2005 with SP2.
I agree on the gee-whiz factor however recording tv without having to go through Tivo along with all the other bells and whistles almost makes me wand to pony up the $350 for everything. I'm like you in that regards. I'm a sucker for technology like this. And if you are the only one posting to this question, I can only assume that no one is doing this right now. Or maybe I'm ahead of the curve... |
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 835
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 4:14 pm: | |
growler, can you acctually hook up the Satellite Dish directly, or do you mean the satellite receiver?
I'd love to play with some of that stuff, but neither do I have the time these days, nor can I justify the expense.  |
growler
Citizen
Username: Growler
Post Number: 379
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005 - 4:46 pm: | |
I don't think that I can hook up just the satellite cable due to DirecTV having the security card in the back of the receiver. I think that I would have to hook the satellite reciever to the tuner on the computer and then to the router to the extender.
I hear you on the time/expense issue. Especially the expense. I can always make time to fiddle with equipment though. |
sbenois
Citizen
Username: Sbenois
Post Number: 12947
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 9, 2005 - 9:14 pm: | |
I built a multimedia PC that has a built in TV tuner, video recorder/player, 16x dual layer DVD burner, 5000 song music library and 400 networked gigs for loading of my digital videos. All of it is networked together and is available from any PC in the house.
It all works. But you've got to be very careful to ensure that you're buying components that are certified under MCE. I'm currently using ATI's remote wonder II to drive everything - no mouse required! If you want to go to the next level, you can consider playing around with ATIs HDtv tuner card which will let you capture HDTV broadcasts onto your hard drive. You can either use HDTV "rabbit ears" a sat dish or comcast to get the source channels. These data streams will obviously need mucho space.
It's all such a blast. |
woodstock
Citizen
Username: Woodstock
Post Number: 852
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 5:27 am: | |
How did you get WinXP MCE without buying a system? |
growler
Citizen
Username: Growler
Post Number: 381
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 1:54 pm: | |
You can't. MCE has to come pre-installed. I'm fighting with Gateway right now. On your advice, I looked into which version I have. It seems that MCE 2002 SP 2 is installed. I think that makes it MCE 2004. "New" Gateways come with MCE 2005 as an upgrade however "old" Gateways cannot be upgraded. I bought the computer in December. What a load of crap that I cannot upgrade and that I now have to buy another one. At least that is what they say and we are going back and forth.
|
Earlster
Supporter
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 842
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 2:20 pm: | |
Even developers can't get MCE. That's so apple.  |
growler
Citizen
Username: Growler
Post Number: 382
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 10, 2005 - 2:36 pm: | |
My bad. After talking to someone on a chat board in Microsoft, they pointed me to where to actually look for the correct version of MCE. I have 2005 and the grand experiment will begin soon. |
woodstock
Citizen
Username: Woodstock
Post Number: 855
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 - 6:50 am: | |
Aparently you CAN buy MCE 2005 (not that you need it now), but you'll have to buy another piece of hardware with it (could be a ribbon cable, from what I understand). Check out Newegg, my latest favorite online PC store...
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=32-102-311&depa=6 |
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