HTPC

My Home theater PC build this is one of my older (2004) builds to be sure, it’s also probably my favorite (I just wish I documented the build). This project came about because the Sci-Fi channel started Airing Pro wrestling (and still do as far as I know). Feeling completely disenfranchised, and not knowing where to go for my entertainment, I cobbled together some pc parts and hooked it up to my TV; I started downloading programs that I liked, and watching them on the pc. Along with my modestly small DVD/VHS collection, I had found my new source of entertainment!

However, as it was the media pc that I had built was wholly underpowered, severely lacking in space (3 hard drives, only 240gb of space) and overly complicated to use, not to mention that you had to be sitting right in front of the old 20' TV for the text to even be legible. So I got to work doing research, and found that Microsoft had just released software for using computers connected to televisions!

Windows Media Center Edition 2004 had recently been released, and was garnering a following; however it was really expensive back then to build a media center pc. I started by obtaining "a copy of" Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 but just the media center program "ehome" which I installed "shoehorned into" my existing Windows XP install on the media computer. After a few months of playing around with the media center interface, I was convinced that this was the software I was looking for, and during the course of those 2 months I compiled a list of requirements that I wanted to add to my media pc. For example, I happened to have on hand; an infrared wireless keyboard. I used a universal remote to learn the signals from the keyboard; which gave the remote rudimentary control over the interface "I felt that this was a major area to be improved upon".

Now about this time my friend Doyle offered me one of his old Dell Optiplex gx110 computers, which was a desktop and its factory spec was slightly faster than what I had been using (800mhz p3 vs. 500mhz) he didn’t need it anymore and hack at least it would fit in my AV cabinet now. I used the dell for about a year, until I had saved up enough money to build the media center that I wanted. So I drew up plans to build a system, I had certain requirements in hardware as well as ascetics. I wanted the media center to look "at home" in my AV cabinet. I wanted the ability to record TV, play radio, and play DVD's. I also wanted to include MAME (but never got around to buying the wireless arcade controllers).

The machine was relatively easy to design; I just went for (2005) overkill!

• P4 3Ghz
• 80GB HD
• 1GB RAM
• Sony DVD burner
• Nvidia FX 5500 (since upgraded to 7500) video card
• Avermedia Dual tvTuner / Radio tuner
• SPDIF optical out
• Asus Mini-ATX motherboard w/ SPDIF header
• 250w Enermax powersupply
• Windows XP MCE 2005 (first non OEM release)
• Some sort of VFD IR reciever combination.
  

Now the case was the hardest part of this project, for some reason back when the formfactor was called "desktop" they were cheap as hell, however you add the terms "Media Center, HTPC, or any combination of media and computer you can think of" and the price jumps up at least $200. Even after setting a $150 price limit for myself I couldn’t find anything I was satisfied with. One day I came home and I don’t remember what when through my head, but I looked at gx110 and thought "why not" it had about the right form factor, and it was free. However there was all of that DELL OEM CASE BS inside to contend with. When I opened up the dell, I was shocked at how easy this might actually be. From what I saw initially all I would have to do is remove the factory motherboard, the PCI riser, the power supply, remove a mount plate for the motherboard, and cutout a place for the back plate of the new motherboard.

I didn’t have the tools required to do this, (I missed my garage & tools back home) so I went to home depot and I picked up a few tools and supplies. Among them was a Black & Decker dremmel tool, and allot of cutting accessories, some goop (silicone based glue), Vices, ECT.

Once I received all of the parts for my HTPC (Home Theater Personal Computer) as well as a case of Jolt Cola I ordered inorder to fuel this endevor, I disassembled the Dell, and began marking out where I would need to cut the metal frame, and the plastic case. Then I went onto my balcony and began first cutting into the plastic case; I made a 5.25" bay cutout on the left side of the case for the VFD / IR Receiver. Then I cut out the space for the back plate of the new motherboard. Once that was finished, I looked into how I was going to put the power supply into this case; since the new enermax (which was very small to begin with) was too large to fit in the space where the dell power supply was. Upon opening the dell power supply and the enermax I found that I could mount the enermax board in the dell case if it were at a 45 degree angle, I wrapped the inside of the dell powersupply case in thick plastic, and soldered up the power connectors. This allowed it to fit flawlessly into the dell case. Once the power supply was finished I placed the new motherboard down and marked with a sharpie where the riser pegs would need to go. I drilled the holes out and glued the pegs in place. Then I put in the back plate and mounted the board in. Next the DVD-burner, and then hard drive

Now it was time for the external case I had a floppy drive slot to fill, so I used dynatron flexible bumper repair kit, which has the same properties as plastic, so it won’t crack out of the sounding plastic like bondo will overtime. I then gave the whole case a once over with some 1200 grit sandpaper and a few coats of semi-gloss black. Then I placed in the VFD and I was ready to put the whole computer together when I realized that the TV/radio tuner card would not fit standing up. So the next day I ordered right facing PCI riser card, this also meant that I had to use a PCI video card (oh well, I'm not gaming on this computer), so I bought a card in town and popped it in. then I installed windows and mapped the shares from my media server in the hallway closet.

One case of Jolt Cola Later, it was love at first boot! From that day in 2005 on, as far as I'm concerned tangible media is a dead format and I am awaiting someone to produce a video download service similar to the iTunes store but built into WMC. Until then I have Netflix on-demand viewer, cable, and my entire media library of 1.8 terabytes, I can wait!

A few months after building the Media Center I decommissioned everything in my AV cabinet, except for my old Onkio amp. A year later, I purchased a new 37" LCD TV (connected through DVI) and a year later a new Sony amp (finally connected through SPDIF optical) I’m all digital now!

P.S. upon writing this (2009) I am awaiting windows 7 to see how the new Media Center performs, I am hoping ALLOT better than it did in the beta where legacy hardware (my tuner card) caused the machine to blue screen.