Re: Nice l/room pc for media centre

["Graham Howe" <graham@xxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, Tony Butler <lists@a...> wrote:
> Quoting Graham Howe <graham@s...>:
> > It looks like there is only VGA out, so you need to think of a
way of
> > connecting to a TV. Also, if the onboard video is anything like
the
>
> Presumably that's where the "optional tuner" comes into
it....

Not necessarily, but even if the tuner does have an s-video out
connection for example, how does that help in sending dvd video out
to the TV, or even displaying your desktop on the TV?

I have used cards in the past where you have a lead passing from the
VGA connectr to the video in and then a video out to the TV screen,
but it is messy. Far better in my opinion to have a TV out on the
graphics card and this motherboard does not seem to include that,
unlike the Shuttles.

> > Shuttles, then it will probably not be enough for full DVD
payback.
>
> Which one?  The P4 based ones should be okay - they are certainly
good enough
> for DV editing, so DVD playback should be okay...
>

I have 4 Shuttles, three of them are SB51G boxes with P4 2.4GHz and
on-board intel graphics. The other is the SN41G2 which has XP2600+ in
it and on-board GF4. The intel based on-board graphics certainly
gives jumps in DVD playback and the SN41G2 did on a couple of
occasions. I think they included AGP slots on these boards for good
reason ;-)

> > Another problem I had with the Shuttles was the noise so beware
of
> > that for living room use. As for price, it is comparable with
others,
>
> Definitely a problem with the older SV24/25 boards, but the newer
XPC P4 based
> boards are pretty quiet......
>

They are very quiet for a PC, but still very noisy for a piece of AV
gear! The SN41G2 which is the best multimedia Shuttle is very noisy
indeed and failed WAF in less than a week :-( The only truly
acceptable HCPC out in the open in the lounge is going to be
something fanless like the via boards. Unfortunately those do not
quite have the muscle yet. I have gone for a large HCPC box that
looks good with quiet components (PSU, Hard disk enclosure, Fan) but
only because it will eventually be hidden in a cupboard! I reckon
my 'quiet' pc is about the same volume as a LCD projector so I am
living with it at the moment.

> > but the front facia looks pretty good with that big lcd display.
>
> Yeah, shame it's not a nice blue VFD :)
>
> Wouldn't mind one of these myself - shame I just fixed my broken
shuttle a few
> weeks back ("fixed" as in "bought new barebones and
stuffed all the
components
> from the old one into the new one...)
>

Blue VFD would be cool but only if dimmable as it would be very off
putting near the screen.

> If someone gets one, can you report on the noise levels and quality
of the LCD
> please?
>

I would also be interested in noise levels of this box, but I suspect
they will be on a par with the shuttle.