home theater with comp

[trunksu]

I have a dell dimension 2400 and want to set up a home theater. I just want to be able to play my movies (avi, real,etc) and watch it on my tv. I don't want to record or play games. So this will elimate a good video card right? I have an integrated Intel 3D APG and integrated ADI 1885 Audio. I am unsure exactly what I 'll need. Some1 recommend I should use m$ media center but I don't really want to spend more money if winxp can handle it. What exactly do i need? equipment wise i mean. do you guys think that this comp can handle it?

[redwudz]

You need a video card with SVHS out (If you have a SVHS TV) or a video composite out. (If your TV has a composite in) It depends on your TV and what inputs it has. If you have cable in on your TV, you can use a modulator for video.

XP and your computer should do fine. Sound you can run to a stereo amplifier (A surround sound setup would be better.)

The rest of it is software and setup.

[trunksu]

I can't get it to work. These are my exact steps.
1.install my Radeon 7000 64MB PCI to a PCI slot.
2.hit the power button
3.went into bios and found that it only have 2 option for the video. One was auto and onboard. I left it as auto.
4.Exit
5.The window xp screen popup.
6.After a min the screen was blank and remain blank.

[redwudz]

It looks like the major problem is the BIOS. Unless it has an option in BIOS for a PCI graphics card or disabling of the built in card, I'm not sure what the answer would be.

You may be able to dig around in some forums specific to Dell PCs and find an answer. Possibly a BIOs mod of some sort. Doesn't look good for a graphics alternative.

[trunksu]

I finally got it to work.

I still have 1 problem though. I connect my pc to my tv and the only thing I can see on my tv is my wallpaper from my comp. There are no icon and mouse cursor. The sound work great though.

[snafu099]

It has been awhile and I am not a techie

bought agp vidcard with tv out (used rca composite)
left bios set to onboard vid
in windows I had to go to some setting and check a box that something to the effect "theater mode"

until then, it showed desktop on tv but black where vid was playing
something to do with overlay I think

new sys does not have agp slot and have not bought new pci to try again