It's official, I now use a computer entertainment center

[888888]

Last week, I gave or stored away my TV, stereo, speakers, and standalone DVD player. I have decided to consolidate my various forms of audio and video entertainment into one computer entertainment center.

I will now watch DVDs using my Optorite burner and PowerDVD. I will watch TV using my Kworld TV card and remote. I will listen to music with Winamp media library. And I will watch divx movies directly from my hard drive.

I will view it all on my new Mag 19 inch monitor and listen with my EV SonicXS speakers I got for $40 at Office Depot.




Sorry about no real pictures but I don't feel like taking them; use your imagination. Now all I need is a remote for watching DVDs and music. Have any of you taken this approach. It has it's pros and cons but I like it.

[ChrisX]

I'd rather still have the usual AV center of the TV, the DVD player, the DVD HDD recorder, the VHS VCR with the 5.1 AV receiver.

The computer AV system would be too small and not as good as watching on a large TV screen.

[DVD_Ripper]

I hope you have a very comfortable chair for those nice long 3 hour movies...

I would still wanna have my 42" TV for good movies and sports vs a 17" or 19" hooked into my computer... what about having friends over to catch a game or watch a good flick.... would be tough

[gshelley61]

Yeah, I gotta have my 46" widescreen HD television... nice setup, though!

[tekkieman]

Yep, for movies, gotta go with the 52" with the surround.

[Doramius]

Get a ATI AIW 9600. It has a remote that'll control most everything you need it to.

I gotta have a main A/V room too. If I have problems with my comp, I don't want it to hinder my ability to vegetate on the couch.

[Skital]

Nice setup, but I prefer my 9ft diagonal 16:9 theater screen with surround sound. I'm hoping to move to 12ft soon.

[Jester700]

Nice setup, but I prefer my 9ft diagonal 16:9 theater screen with surround sound. I'm hoping to move to 12ft soon.

Yeah, that 9 footer is pretty small; must cramp your style. I'd upsize too....

[Treebeard]

Nice setup, but I prefer my 9ft diagonal 16:9 theater screen with surround sound. I'm hoping to move to 12ft soon.

Lame post, go away.

[stiltman]

Nice setup, but I prefer my 9ft diagonal 16:9 theater screen with surround sound. I'm hoping to move to 12ft soon.

Lame post, go away.

You mean only lame post don't you?

[Treebeard]

Nice setup, but I prefer my 9ft diagonal 16:9 theater screen with surround sound. I'm hoping to move to 12ft soon.

Lame post, go away.

You mean only lame post don't you?

The emphasis is the 'GO AWAY' part. he sounds too self righteous and snotty, we dont need that.

[makntraks]

Nice setup, but I prefer my 9ft diagonal 16:9 theater screen with surround sound. I'm hoping to move to 12ft soon.

Lame post, go away.

You mean only lame post don't you?

The emphasis is the 'GO AWAY' part. he sounds too self righteous and snotty, we dont need that.

Hahahahahahahahaha.....
did you expect anything less from people in this forum????? He is by far not the only self righteous and snotty one here or in some of the other forums at this site..

makntraks

[stiltman]

Nice setup, but I prefer my 9ft diagonal 16:9 theater screen with surround sound. I'm hoping to move to 12ft soon.

Lame post, go away.

You mean only lame post don't you?

The emphasis is the 'GO AWAY' part. he sounds too self righteous and snotty, we dont need that.

I thought he sounded very rich
12' theater screen
My ceilings aren't even that tall (well they are but I would have to put the projector outside in order to fill the screen)

[Doramius]

I'd watch it outside on my back wall. Just need to get a Cali. King bedsheet.

[gshelley61]

Maybe he's got an old CRT projector from eBay and an empty white wall.... that doesn't cost very much to do.

I guess he did specify "16x9" screen, though. Dumbass, either way. :P

[gshelley61]

BTW, I just realized I have a set of those same computer speakers as 888888 does... EV Sonic XS. This is one of those things where I fell in to a lucky deal.

I bought a set of SonicXJr's (which are a smaller, much cheaper version of the Sonic XS speakers) for like $15 open box at CompUSA. When I got them home, I discovered the subwoofer amp had a bad 60 cycle hum. I couldn't return them to CompUSA, so I called EV. They offered to replace the whole set, and instructed me to cut off the control cable from the system and just send that so I wouldn't have to pay for shipping all the speakers. A couple of weeks later, I get a brand new set of $250 Sonic XS computer speakers. For $15! Awesome.

I have them hooked up to my computer at work...

Every now and then I crank them up for the folks I work with. They are very powerful, with lots of deep bass and a real nice sound, too. Overkill for a computer, really...

888888 says he got a set of these for only $40.... I can tell you that's a hell of a deal - if you've ever seen and heard them you know what I'm talking about!

[stiltman]

I'd watch it outside on my back wall. Just need to get a Cali. King bedsheet.

wonder how star wars would look on black satin sheets


BTW, there's a big difference in viewability between a white wall/sheet and a good profession projection screen

[offline]

a big difference in viewability between a white wall/sheet and a good profession projection screen

..and less stains

[stiltman]

a big difference in viewability between a white wall/sheet and a good profession projection screen

..and less stains

You're sick capmaster!

Wait a second......offline?


That was sick offline

[Doramius]

a big difference in viewability between a white wall/sheet and a good profession projection screen

..and less stains

You're sick capmaster!

Wait a second......offline?


That was sick offline

Yeah, that comment had me confused for a second too.

We borrow my work projector once in a while and play it on a nice White Cotton sheet. I know REAL projection screens are better for viewing, but when I'm "borrowing" equipment from work, i don't plan on spending the money for the REAL deal screen. The white sheet works fine. I almost bid on an old 12'X8' projection screen on eBay. Some person had picked it up at a school surplus sale, the thing was made in 1978.

[888888]

BTW, I just realized I have a set of those same computer speakers as 888888 does... EV Sonic XS. This is one of those things where I fell in to a lucky deal.

I bought a set of SonicXJr's (which are a smaller, much cheaper version of the Sonic XS speakers) for like $15 open box at CompUSA. When I got them home, I discovered the subwoofer amp had a bad 60 cycle hum. I couldn't return them to CompUSA, so I called EV. They offered to replace the whole set, and instructed me to cut off the control cable from the system and just send that so I wouldn't have to pay for shipping all the speakers. A couple of weeks later, I get a brand new set of $250 Sonic XS computer speakers. For $15! Awesome.

I have them hooked up to my computer at work...

Every now and then I crank them up for the folks I work with. They are very powerful, with lots of deep bass and a real nice sound, too. Overkill for a computer, really...

888888 says he got a set of these for only $40.... I can tell you that's a hell of a deal - if you've ever seen and heard them you know what I'm talking about!

They had a deal at Office Depot that day. Buy one set of speakers, get the second for $20! That's $30 per set of MSRP $250 speakers. Unfortunatly, I could hardly carry the one set home and in the subway, never mind two.

[gshelley61]

BTW, I just realized I have a set of those same computer speakers as 888888 does... EV Sonic XS. This is one of those things where I fell in to a lucky deal.

I bought a set of SonicXJr's (which are a smaller, much cheaper version of the Sonic XS speakers) for like $15 open box at CompUSA. When I got them home, I discovered the subwoofer amp had a bad 60 cycle hum. I couldn't return them to CompUSA, so I called EV. They offered to replace the whole set, and instructed me to cut off the control cable from the system and just send that so I wouldn't have to pay for shipping all the speakers. A couple of weeks later, I get a brand new set of $250 Sonic XS computer speakers. For $15! Awesome.

I have them hooked up to my computer at work...

Every now and then I crank them up for the folks I work with. They are very powerful, with lots of deep bass and a real nice sound, too. Overkill for a computer, really...

888888 says he got a set of these for only $40.... I can tell you that's a hell of a deal - if you've ever seen and heard them you know what I'm talking about!

They had a deal at Office Depot that day. Buy one set of speakers, get the second for $20! That's $30 per set of MSRP $250 speakers. Unfortunatly, I could hardly carry the one set home and in the subway, never mind two.

Yeah, for those who are unfamiliar with these EV Sonic XS computer speakers... they are, errr, rather large.

I mean they stick out like a (large) sore thumb on my desk - but they look intimidating in an office setting. I like 'em! :P

[shelbyGT]

I'd still prefer the usual TV way. I have the exact same monitor as you (with just a slightly better audio setup). I could not fathom not laying down on the couch to watch tv or movies. Maybe you can see the computer from your couch, I dunno. But I would only say that is a good setup if your biggest TV is 19" or smaller. If it's bigger, than watch the tv. Better picture and more cozy.

[Madz]

I took an alternative route. I built one of those Mini-ITX systems. The mobo is 6¾"² & the matching case is about the size of a vcr. Put it right in the entertainment center so it's rather hard to tell, at first glance, that it's a computer & not another piece of A/V gear. Equipped w/ a wireless keyboard/mouse, Bluetooth card & hooked to my 32" Wega (s-video, analog sound) & DD5.1 receiver (sp/dif). Makes a great divx/xvid player, mp3 player, you name it (can netsurf, too ).

[888888]

I took an alternative route. I built one of those Mini-ITX systems. The mobo is 6¾"² & the matching case is about the size of a vcr. Put it right in the entertainment center so it's rather hard to tell, at first glance, that it's a computer & not another piece of A/V gear. Equipped w/ a wireless keyboard/mouse, Bluetooth card & hooked to my 32" Wega (s-video, analog sound) & DD5.1 receiver (sp/dif). Makes a great divx/xvid player, mp3 player, you name it (can netsurf, too ).

Yep, well that would be the ideal.

[Skital]

The post was just a joke. Although, it is true that I do have a 9ft screen (actually it's slightly larger, more like 110", but I round down), but stiil, I was only making a light hearted dig. Don't cry about it or take it too seriously.

I have a front projector and a 9ft diagonal 16:9 silver screen. Actually 2 front projectors. A CRT and a DLP. I wasn't insulting the guy who started the thread or bragging, if that's what you all thought. Again I was just playing and don't take it serioiusly. Chill out.

Also, GShelley61, yes, one of my front projectors is an old CRT. A Sony G90 w/9" guns. Look it up. It's pretty much the best projector you can buy. It beats virtually any digital. Even the ones costing $20,000+. It's cheaper than super high end digitals (although still pretty expensive used. Mine had 532 tube hours so I had to pay a lot more than if it had 5,000 tube hours), but well worth the money.

It blows my X1 DLP out of the water and the X1 is a nice little machine for the price. With CRT I can go bigger because it doesn't have a fixed pixel resolution, which is why I mentioned moving to 12ft. diagonal. I was basically just saying that after spending time with a 9ft screen it no longer seems "big enough" TO ME.


You CAN get a nice CRT front projector that will beat LCD/DLP projectors (that cost upto $4,500) for under a grand. So, no reason to poke fun at the cheaper CRT models. They may not be as good or expensive as a G90, but those cheap little bastards still beat most digitals. So, if you have a cheap low end CRT you got something great at a great price! Most people aren't even aware you can have a kick ass home theater so cheap.

Sorry if anyone took my first post the wrong way.

[flaninacupboard]

Yeah, for those who are unfamiliar with these EV Sonic XS computer speakers... they are, errr, rather large.

I mean they stick out like a (large) sore thumb on my desk - but they look intimidating in an office setting. I like 'em! :P

They look like tiny ripped off jamos.
Much prefer my 1.2 metre high floorstanders, no need for a subwoofer there....

[888888]

I have bumped my wonderful entertainment center thread to help Capmaster save the OT forum.

Anyway, an update, my cable is still not working for some reason and I am to lazy to uncover the wires deep under the carpet, so I haven't been watching much TV on the monitor anyway.

[Faustus]

I tried out on of those Windows XP Media Center Edition computers for PVR usage. Sadly I was not impressed with the quality of the video in the least, I kept trying to tell myself it was fine but eventually I just couldn't take it anymore. I was giving about a gillion tips to fix it over on greenbutton but nothing worked. Persoanlly I think the capture cards they are using may be a bit weak for the job.

The one I had had a special special edition hauppauge in it... so maybe some of the other OEMs have a better product but I'm unwilling to take the one grand chance.

[Capmaster]

I have bumped my wonderful entertainment center thread to help Capmaster save the OT forum.

Anyway, an update, my cable is still not working for some reason and I am to lazy to uncover the wires deep under the carpet, so I haven't been watching much TV on the monitor anyway.

Thanks but I'm not alone in trying to save it

Looks like a nice system. I've been wanting to add a nice sound system to the 53" Sony in the living room, but ...damn it has nice speakers already