My Media Center PC Review...(long)

avelanchefan

I had posted about three weeks ago about my wife buying me a new PC. (It comes loaded with Windows Media Center/XP Professional)

So today i finally had some time to learn how to rip DVD's, and watch T.V. on my PC.

First the DVD/RW. My wife had rented the Good Girl DVD. We have not been able to watch it, and it is due back tomorrow. So I thought this would be a good time to test the DVD-RW. I first had to transfer the DVD to my hard drive. What I thought would be an easy task turned a little tougher than expected. I had to download a DVD ripper to get past the encoded DVD software.(DVD will skip continuosly without encryption) With that done (an easy search through google) I ripped the DVD to my hard drive. No problems. Had to upgrade my WinDVD (19.95) software to watch it, but it was just fine.

So now onto ripping it back to a DVD-RW. I had to go to BB to get some DVD's. Bought 8 DVD-R's and two DVD-RW's. I ripped the DVD to the RW disk. Considering that it burns at 2.5x it recorded the dvd to disk in 23 minutes. Not to shabby IMO. Slapped the DVD-RW into my toshiba dvd player. No go. The player is too old to read the DVD-RW's. (4 years old) Put it in my sons cheapo Apex dvd...played no problem. So it looks like a new DVD player is in order. Overall a three hour process to figure it out. Will turn into a 45 minute process to Rip the DVD to my HD, and burn it to DVD now that I know what I am doing.

Now on to the Media Center. MS has actually done something right. The media center is a program to watch TV through your computer, and record shows on a one time, weekly, daily, or series basis. Basically its a TIVO, but no programming fee.

I started the Media Center program after hooking up the remote control and plugging Comcast Cable into the computer. The program then tested my remote to see if it works...it did. Then it asked for my internet connection. Set that up with ease. It then asked for my area code, I put that in, and then was asked to pick what cable service I had. I selected Comcast (duh) and it proceeded to download Comcast's channels and programming for my area. It did this process in about 20 seconds. The TV immediatly popped up and off I went. (Currently watching the Masters while I type this.)

The Recording is also very easy. It has multiple settings for you to pick how large or small of a file you want to record. (Best setting is about 3gb per hour, fair setting is about 1gb per hour) I picked a show to record tomorrow, after I put in the time and how many hours, the shows programming notes came up and that was it.(NHL Hockey game, who was playing etc...)

For the best feature of the media center, after i record the show or shows I want, I have the option of burning it to DVD so I can view it on a stand alone DVD player. Just a great option to have. Have yet to try that, but i will update when I do.

TonyPTX

Good review. Got some points to make while you may still have a choice to send the PC back. DVD-RW is IMHO, a dying technology. If you can swap over to DVD+RW, its a better choice. I make this claim because I just bought a new 4x DVD+RW drive after waiting almost 2 years. The recent upcrop of DVD writers only support DVD+RW (the Sony DVD+/-RW drive is an exception), thus I made the choice to go to DVD+RW. As for copying DVD's, it's illegal, blah blah blah.....but if you want to backup copies of movies you own because your dog eats your stuff or the kids are a menace, pick up a copy of DVDxCopy by 321 Studios. It's an excellent DVD copying program. I can make copies of every DVD I own. Downside is that most DVD's are double layer and thus they are 8+ GB and DVD writer technology is only up to single-sided and limited to 4.7 GB. Roxio Easy CD & DVD creater v6.0 is sweet too to help you author those recorded TV shows. I've got a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR card in my PC and I too make DVD's of stuff from TV. Who needs TiVo?

avelanchefan

Tony thanks for the reply. My burner is actually a DVD+ not DVD-. I was using the - to seperate the RW. Stupid but anal. I totally forgot about DVD-RW though.

I also have Roxio 6.0. I was at Costco last month and saw it there for 69.99. 30 bucks off BB, and CC prices.

TonyPTX

Cool deal. Glad you do have the DVD+RW drive. It's going to be the next new "DVD" standards champ. As for the DVDXCOPY, the 8GB DVD's are no sweat as the program is smart enough to break the movie up into two halves between two chapters and burn equal portions to two DVD+R discs. You get the typical "Insert Disc Two" screen and then you're good to go. Reminds me a bit of the LaserDisc era.

avelanchefan

Here is a picture of my desktop with the T.V. on.

SPEAKER7

AV,

just curious if your using the ATi graphics card for your tv tuner?


Aways, GO CANAUCKS GO!!!!!!!!!!! no more shut out like the last horrible defeat!


dc.:D

avelanchefan

No its an nVidia GeForce MX440, with 128 DDR

Shizelbs

Av-fan,

Thats a great snapshot of your desktop. The image quality for the TV feed is great. I bought an ATI TV Tuner card for my computer, but the dang thing doesn't work for Windows Xp, cause ATI is terrible with their drivers and support. So, that being said.....

Anyone want to buy an ATI TV Tuner card off me?

Shizelbs

I am waiting on the format war to determine a winner before I go out and buy a DVD burner. It would be very nice to have one, but not until they pick a format and stay with it. Prices are likely to drop quite a bit too, as they are already on their way. The drives just keep getting cheaper and cheaper. The killer is also the blank media. Anyways, thats a very nice setup, I hope you really enjoy it.

avelanchefan

Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed the picture.

Hey just so you guys know there is a very easy way to take a snapshot of your desktop....or any other thing you are looking at on your computer. All you do is hit the "print screen" button on your keyboard. Then go to MS Word or a photo editor and paste it. Bingo....a picture of you desktop....or whatever...

Shizelbs

Hey, you're right! Thanks for the last post AvFan. I wanted to know, but felt like it was a dumb question. I can build a computer, but I can't figure out how to capture a screen image. Now I know.

avelanchefan

No prob Shizelbs...I just learned it a few months ago. Very cool tool/shortcut to know.

DAlba

Use DVD XCopy to copy dvd's. It does all the work for you.

goingganzo

so if you want to back up your dvd if they are dula layered you need at least 2 disks for each dvd?

do any one know if they are comeing out with a dvd burner that duse dual layers?

i just got a msi g-force 4 4200. the cool thing it has vid in so i am thinking of adding my comp to my ht. but i have so many fans it might be loud.

Shizelbs

Ganzo,

I am just now about to move out my computer from my HT. I thought it was going to work great, but I was wrong. Even bought the Audigy 2 card for it all. Let me know if you want it. You may for HT use. It was good for a while, but I think I can do better with a more traditional approach. I don't, however, have a video in on my vid card. That would be nice, and would likely change everything. What OS are you running also? I have several really loud fans in my computer too, but I keep it in my audio tower rack, so that minimizes the noise. You can't tell when playing movies or music anyways.
Also, how much RAM on that GF 4 4200 of yours?

avelanchefan

There is a company out there that compresses some DVD data to get all the info on one disk. What it does is compresses the Menus to smaller files and leaves the original movie in tact.

You can also do what they call an "IFO edit" and take out the extras, directors commentary, or if the disk comes with both wide and full screen, you can take out one of those versions. A lot of different things you can mess with. If interested in the DVD2one software head to http://www.dvd2one.com/

Also this is another great site ( http://www.doom9.org/ ) to find out how to "manipulate" dvd files, burn dvd's to your hd, etc... Very good resource center. A place I am frequenting more and more to get the hang of it.

avelanchefan

Ok UPDATE....

Just recorded Crank Yankers last night. Got home from work...burned it to DVD, worked just fine (again) on the APEX DVD player. Toshiba was a no go.(I need a new one!)

10/10 Quality was set at the highest. Excellent transfer. I am going to record next week at the lowest quality and see how that works out.

10/10 Audio...Again excellent for standard TV. Could not be any better. Clear with no distortion at all.

Overall it was a success. In fact this just blows the VHS out of the water. What I really need to do is record at the lowest settings, and see the difference. The make whatever...if any adjustments necessary.

goingganzo

breakdown of my curent comp.

amd 1800xp
1 gig of ram
windows xp pro
1-80gig hd 1-120gig hd and1-40gig hd
msi g-force 4 4200 with 128 meg ram dula vid and tv in/out
usb 2.0 plextor burner 48-24-48
on bord lan
oem soundblaster cheap
2 neons and 5 try color led fans
antec full tower case with side pannel and 400 watt ps

next month i will be upgradeing the bord and prossor to a a sus with the n-force chipset and a amd 2800xp

Shizelbs

Ganzo, buy my Audigy 2 off me!

goingganzo

is it a Audigy 2 or a Audigy 2 platunum? i just dont know if i need to upgrade the sound.

Shizelbs

Not platinum. You know you want to