Home theater PC

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A Mac Mini as a home theater PC

A Home Theater PC (HTPC) or Media Center is a convergence device that combines a personal computer with a software application that supports video and music playback, and sometimes digital video recorder functionality. An HTPC integrates many or all components of a home theater into a single unit co-located with a home entertainment system. An HTPC system typically has a remote control and the software interface normally has a 10-foot user interface design so that it can be comfortably viewed at typical television viewing distances. An HTPC can either be purchased pre-configured with the required hardware and software needed to add television programming to the PC, or can be cobbled together out of discrete components as is commonly done with software based HTPC setups.[1][2][3]

Contents

[edit] History

The HTPC is the product of several technology innovations including high-powered home computers, digital media, and the shift from standard resolution CRT to high definition monitors and projectors.

Integrating televisions and personal computers dates back to the early 1990s with tuner cards that could be added to PCs. This adaptation would allow a small video window to appear on the screen with broadcast or cable content. Apple Computer also developed the Macintosh TV in late 1993 that included a tuner card built into an Macintosh LC 520 chassis but quickly withdrew from the market with only 10,000 units shipped.[4][5]

In 1996 Gateway Computer unveiled the Destination computer that included a tuner card, video card. The unit cost $4,000 and mostly integrated television viewing and computer functions on one color monitor.[4]

By 2000, DVD players had become relatively ubiquitous and consumers were seeking ways to improve the picture. The value of using a computer instead of stand alone DVD player drove more usage of the PC as a home media device. In particular, the desire for progressive scanning DVD players (480p instead of 480i) with better video fidelity led some consumers to consider their computers instead of very expensive DVD players.[6]

As DVD players dropped in price, so did PCs and their related video processing and storage capabilities. In 2000, DVD decryption software using the DeCSS allowed consolidated video libraries on hard-drives.[7] Innovations like Tivo and ReplayTV allowed viewers to store and timeshift broadcast content using specialty designed computers. ReplayTV for instance ran on a VxWorks platform. Incorporating these capabilities into PCs was well within the ability of a computer hobbyist who was willing to build and program these systems. Key benefits of these DIY projects included lower cost and more features.[8] Advancements in hardware identified another weak link: the absence of media management software to make it easy to display and control the video from a distance.[6]

MythTV Home Screen

By 2002, major software developments also facilitated media management, hardware integration, and content presentation. MythTV provided an open source solution using Linux. The concept was to combine a digital tuner with digital video recording, program guides, and computer capabilities with a 10-foot user interface.[9] XBMC was another free and open software project started with re-purposing the Xbox as a home theater PC but has since been ported Windows and Macintosh operating systems in various forms including Boxee and Plex.[10] Mainstream commercial software packages included Microsoft's XP Media Center Edition (2002) that was bundled with Windows XP and Apple's Front Row (2005) software bundled with Mac OS X. By early 2006, commercial examples of this integration included the Mac mini which had the Apple Remote, 5.1 digital audio, and an updated Front Row interface that would play shared media. Because of these features and the Mini's small form factor, consumers began using the Mini as a Mac-based home theater PC.[11]

As digital cable and satellite became the norm, HTPC software became more dependent on external decoder boxes, and the subscription costs that came with them. For instance, MythTV is capable of capturing unencrypted HDTV streams, such as those broadcast over the air or on cable using a QAM tuner. However, most U.S. cable and satellite set-top boxes provide only encrypted HD streams for "non-basic" content, which can be decoded only by OpenCable-approved hardware or software.[12][13] In September 2009, OEM restrictions were officially lifted for cableCARD devices,[14] opening up the possibility for HTPC integration.[15]

The advent of the fully digital HDTV displays helped to complete the value and ease of use of a HTPC system. Digital projectors, plasma and LCD displays often came pre-configured to accept computer video outputs including VGA, DVI and Component Video. Furthermore, both the computers and the displays could include video scalers to better conform the image to the screen format and resolutions.

The simplified integration of computer and home theater displays has allowed for fully digital content distribution over the internet. For instance, by 2007 Netflix "watch instantly" subscribers could view streaming content using their HTPCs with a browser[16] or with plug-ins with applications like Boxee, Plex, and XBMC. Similar plug-in are also available for Hulu, YouTube, and broadcasters like NBC, CBS and PBS.[17]

[edit] HTPC characteristics

Antec Fusion V2 home theater PC case with VFD display, 5.25" drive bay, volume control and some ports on front and keyboard on top.
Home theater PC keyboard with additional media center buttons.

Beyond functioning as a standard PC, normally HTPCs have some additional characteristics:

[edit] Television connectivity

Standard PC units are usually connected to a CRT or LCD display, while HTPCs are designed to be connected to a television. All HTPCs should feature a TV-out option, using either a HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, Component video, VGA (for some LCD televisions), S-Video, or Composite video output.[18]

[edit] Quiet / minimal noise

See also: Quiet PC

A common user complaint with using standard PCs as HTPC units is background noise, especially in quieter film scenes. Most personal computers are designed for maximum performance, while the functions of a HTPC system may not be processor-intensive. Thus, passive cooling systems, low-speed fans, vibration-absorbing elastic mounts for fans and hard drives, and other minimal noise devices are used in place of conventional cooling systems.[18]

Putting the operating system on flash memory and keeping the media on a separate file server elsewhere in the home keeps the noise and heat generated by a hard drive in another location.

[edit] External and networked storage devices

Because of the nature of the HTPC, higher than average capacities are required for HTPC units to allow storage of pictures, music, television shows, videos, and other multimedia.[18] Designed almost as a 'permanent storage' device, space can quickly run out on these devices. Because of restrictions on internal space for hard disc drives and a desire for low noise levels, many HTPC units utilize a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device, or a other type of networked connected file server.[2]

[edit] TV tuner cards

A TV tuner card is a computer component that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard disk. Several manufacturers build combined TV tuner plus capture cards for PCs. Many such cards offer hardware MPEG encoding to reduce the computing requirements. Some cards are designed for analog TV signals such as standard definition cable or off the air television while others are designed for high definition digital TV. [18]

[edit] Remote control

Integrating a HTPC into a typical living room requires a way of controlling it from a distance. Many TV tuner/capture cards include remote controls for use with the applications included with the card. Software such as Boxee, GB-PVR, SageTV, MediaPortal and Beyond TV support the use of Windows MCE and other remote controls. Another option is an in-air mouse pointer like the Wii Remote, GlideTV Navigator, or Loop Pointer which gives cursor control from a distance. It is also possible to utilize common wireless keyboards and other peripherals to achieve the same effect (though the range may not be as long as a typical remote control).[18]

[edit] Case Design

Cases specifically designed for HTPCs are available, and are meant to look similar to other home theater equipment such as AV receivers and amplifiers. Some HTPC cases are smaller and require the use of microATX motherboards. Also, some HTPC cases have a small LCD screen on the front where a user can view music/movie information.[18]

[edit] Software

HTPC options exist for each of the major operating systems: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

[edit] Microsoft Windows

For Microsoft Windows, a common approach is to install a version that contains the Windows Media Center (Home Premium or Professional or Ultimate for 7, Home Premium or Ultimate for Vista, or the older Windows XP Media Center Edition). Windows Media Center includes additional software that covers the PVR functions of the proposed HTPC, including free program guide information and automatic program recording. However, Windows MCE does not provide an MPEG2 codec, although one can be purchased from Intel, or is alternatively included when purchasing Intervideo's WinDVD. Other MCE compatible MPEG2 decoders are Nvidia's PureVideo and Sonic's CinePlayer DVD Decoder packages. Windows 7, Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate already include an MPEG2 decoder.[1][2][3]

Alternatively, a HTPC may be built with the addition of a third party software PVR to a Windows PC. SageTV and GB-PVR have integrated placeshifting comparable to the Slingbox, allowing client PCs and the Hauppauge MediaMVP to be connected to the server over the network. Snapstream provides heuristic commercial detection and program recompression. When using a faster CPU, SageTV and Beyond TV can record content from TV capture cards which do not include hardware MPEG2 compression. For a free alternative, GB-PVR and MediaPortal provide full home theatre support and good multi-card DVR capabilities. GB-PVR also has a free client, free mediaMVP client, and free network media playback. [1][2][3]

[edit] GNU/Linux

For GNU/Linux, Mythbuntu is a special derivative of Ubuntu Desktop Edition which uses MythTV, just as XBMC Live is a special derivative of Ubuntu Mobile Edition which uses XBMC Media Center, while LinuxMCE combines MythTV and the Kubuntu distribution. KnoppMyth combines the Knoppix Linux distribution with MythTV, a Linux based software PVR. SageTV provides commercially supported Linux HTPC software that is compatible with most major Linux distributions. There is also VDR - quite popular software PVR with many available plugins, good performance and HDTV support.[1][2][3]

[edit] Mac OS X

The Mac mini with OS X has a small footprint that is well suited for HTPC applications.

For Mac OS X, some HTPC functionality is built into the operating system itself. Specifically, the programs Front Row and Cover Flow, utilized in conjunction with the Apple Remote, let users easily browse through and enjoy any multimedia content stored on their Macs.[11]

The Mac Mini is well suited for media center software for home theater applications. The small footprint, CD/DVD player, multi-format video output, digital audio output, remote control and the relatively powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processors make it easy to use the Mac Mini as part of an home entertainment system.[19] Several third-party applications provide HTPC support including Plex, [20] Boxee and XBMC.[21]

Beyond the operating system itself, add-on hardware-plus-software combinations (for adding more full-featured HTPC abilities to any Mac) include Elgato's EyeTV series PVRs,[21] AMD's "ATI Wonder" external USB 2.0 TV-tuners, and various individual devices from third-party manufacturers.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d "Ars Ultimate Home Theater PC Guide: 1080p HDMI Edition". Ars Technica. 2008-12-01. http://arstechnica.com/hardware/guides/2008/12/guide-200812-htpc.ars. Retrieved February 12, 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c d e Jason Fitzpatrick & Kevin Purdy (2010-02-02). "Which Media Center Is Right for You: Boxee, XBMC, and Windows Media Center Compared". Lifehacker. http://lifehacker.com/5462275/which-media-center-is-right-for-you-boxee-xbmc-and-windows-media-center-compared. Retrieved February 12, 2010. 
  3. ^ a b c d Adam Pash (2008-12-07). "Five Best Media Center Applications". Lifehacker. http://lifehacker.com/5103464/five-best-media-center-applications. Retrieved February 12, 2010. 
  4. ^ a b Elstrom, Peter (March 25, 1996). "Gateway's Destination: Your Living Room". Business Week. http://www.businessweek.com/1996/13/b3468128.htm. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
  5. ^ "Macintosh 500 Series". http://lowendmac.com/500/macintosh-tv.html. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
  6. ^ a b Kessler, Andrew J. (July 24, 2000). "Parameters". Forbes Magazine. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2000/0724/6603210a.html. Retrieved February 8, 2010. 
  7. ^ In a 2007 landmark ruling, a US court found this practice legal in specific applications where the CSS encryption is transferred to the copy on the hard drive in spite of the the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Bangeman, Eric (March 29, 2007). "DVD consortium loses court case over DVD copying". Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2007/03/dvd-consortium-loses-court-case-over-dvd-copying.ars. Retrieved February 12, 2010. 
  8. ^ Dang, Alan (November 28, 2007). "The Trouble with HTPCs". www.firingsquad.com. http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/trouble_with_htpc/. Retrieved February 8, 2010. 
  9. ^ Barylick, Chris (2006-03-26). "MythTV Invades Realm of Cable and TiVo". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/25/AR2006032500115.html. Retrieved 2010-02-19. 
  10. ^ Spagnolo, Giovani (July 10, 2009). "FLOSS Media Centers State of the Art Comparison Chart". Telematics Freedom Foundation. http://static.telematicsfreedom.org/flossmediacenter/EN_FLOSS_Media_Center_Comparison.pdf. Retrieved February 9, 2010. 
  11. ^ a b Breen, Christopher (May 31, 2006). "My multimedia Mac mini". Macworld. http://www.macworld.com/article/51113/2006/05/multimediamini.html. Retrieved February 8, 2010. 
  12. ^ GeekTonic: Will CableCard Support Ever Arrive for BeyondTV, Sage or MythTV?
  13. ^ OS X and Linux: CableCARD, DIRECTV, Dish, HD DVD, Blu-ray?
  14. ^ Kim, Stephen (September 9, 2009). "Media Center CableCARDs freed from OEM requirement". Engadget. http://hd.engadget.com/2009/09/09/media-center-cablecards-freed-from-oem-requirement/. Retrieved February 8, 2010. 
  15. ^ Drawbaugh, Ben (May 12, 2009). "How to install a CableCARD tuner in your DIY Media Center". Engadget. http://hd.engadget.com/2009/05/12/how-to-install-a-cablecard-tuner-in-your-diy-media-center/. Retrieved February 8, 2010. 
  16. ^ Topolsky, Joshua. "Netflix finally brings 'Watch Instantly' to Macs via Silverlight - Engadget". Engadget.com. http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/26/netflix-finally-brings-watch-instantly-to-macs-via-silverlight/. Retrieved 2008-11-21. 
  17. ^ Anderson, Nate (August, 2007). "Opinion: the HTPC is dead; long live the HTPC". Ars Technica. http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/07/opinion-the-htpc-is-dead-long-live-the-htpc.ars. Retrieved February 11, 2010. 
  18. ^ a b c d e f "HTPC vs. PC, Top 10 Differences". http://www.hometheaternetwork.com/HTN_HTPC2b.htm. Retrieved February 13, 2010. 
  19. ^ Saunders, Grover (2007), Mac mini: The original Apple TV alternative, Ars Technica, http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/03/30/mac-mini-the-original-apple-tv-alternative, retrieved February 12, 2009 
  20. ^ Vähäkainu, Matti (2008-10-12). "Plex media player hands-on". Afterdawn.com. http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/15933.cfm. Retrieved 2009-10-31. 
  21. ^ a b Breen, Christopher (April 22, 2009). "Mac mini media center: Get content". Macworld. http://www.macworld.com/article/140090/2009/04/macmini_mediacenter_content.html. Retrieved February 12, 2010. 

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Home theater PC software and related devices
Windows
Mac OS X
Linux
Cross-platform
Boxee (Apple TV, Linux, Mac OS X, Windows) · Freevo (Linux, Mac OS X, Windows) · MediaCentre (Linux, Mac OS X, Windows) · Moovida (formerly Elisa) (Linux, Windows) · MyCast Orb (Mac OS X, Windows) · SageTV (Linux, Mac OS X, Windows) · Sofa (Linux, Mac OS X) · Voddler (Mac OS X, Windows) · XBMC (Apple TV, Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, Xbox)
Related hardware
Apple TV · ATI Theater Cards · Elgato EyeTV devices · Grippity - Handheld Control Solutions · Hauppauge Computer Works WinTV PVR Cards · HDHomeRun, made by SiliconDust · iMON IR Remotes · Mac Mini · MCE IR Remotes · Nvidia TV-Tuner Cards (discontinued) · Quiet PC · TechnoTrend TV cards · Vista View Saber Cards (Analog and Combo)
System manufacturers
Related articles
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