So I will start things off in here - My HTPC Rig

[Joe]

I have been running an MCE box for about the last 9 months or so, and its VERY addictive.

my MCE box specs are:
OS: Windows MCE 2005 Update 2
Case : Cheap 20$ extra case I had from a LAN server from the MWL stuff I did.
Motherboard: Epox 8RDA+ w/ SoundStorm
CPU: Barton 2500+ clocked at 3200+
Memory: 512MB PC3200
CPU Cooler: some CoolerMaster silent thingy with a pretty blue LED fan It keeps the CPU hot and silent. Not hot enough for it to become unstable though.
HD's: 80GB WD JB 8MB Cache 7200 RPM for the system, 300GB Seagate 7200.8 for the video stuff.
DVD/CD: Sony 500u DVD-/+RW
PSU: Enermax 530watt (extra one that I had laying around).
PVR Card(s): Hauppauge 150MCE (soon to be another one)
Sound: Onboard Soundstorm w/ Optical out going to the home theater DD5.1 encoded.
Video: Gigabyte Nvidia 6600 AGP 128MB - Outputting in SVIDEO to the Home Theater.
Remote Control: MCE IR Blaster as the reciever, using a Harmony 768 programmable remote to control all the home theater items including the HTPC.


It really is a great machine, its always fast, and never misses a beat. 300GB I dont think is enough space though, I am looking at buying a few 300's and a RAID controller for them and have a 1TB stripe, otherwise I fill it up too fast. (it has like 110 hours of recording space at the current settings)

[Joe]

heres a pic (taken with my cell phone my camera is still packed up from when I was in Jamaica last week). you can see the el-cheapo case rocking it with the CF633 :)

on the CF633 I have it telling me disk space left, CPU use, etc... so I know how hard its working or if I am running low on disk.

oh and next to the center speaker is a R/C car worth about $1500.00, and a Humidor, that has a handful of Cuban cigars in it :)

[Joe]

Nice, yeh many friends have Mod'd Xboxes, and a few have mod'd Tivo's, only a handful have MCE or other PC based PVR systems.

[skeeteroplagus]

Case: Silverstone LC10
OS: Windows Media Center 2005
Additional software: Theatertek 2.2 w/ FFDShow
Motherboard: Asus K8VSE Deluxe
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Memory: 1GB PC3200 Corsair XMS
HDD: 2x 74GB Raptors
Optical: NEC 16x +/- DVDRW
Video: EVGA 6800GT w/ Nvsilencer
Sound 1: X-Mystique (for DDL with games...)
Sound 2: USB Creative (for bit perfect streaming within media center...)
Audio: Yamaha RX-V1400 Receiver, Definitive Technology C/L/R 2002 center, BP2006TL mains, BP1.2x surrounds, SVS PB10ISD subwoofer.
Display: Samsung HLR5668W 1080P DLP

Picture:
http://www.voidyourwarranty.net/sammy.jpg
http://www.voidyourwarranty.net/text.jpg

[Aronj66]

Case: el-cheapo Tan and black plastic covered steel mid tower
OS: Windows Media Center 2005
Motherboard: Abit th7 Raid
CPU: Intel P4 1.3ghz socket 423
CPU Cooler: Swiftech MCX
Memory: 648mb Rambus
HDD: 4x 120GB WD Striped
Optical: Plextor DVDRW DL
Video: ATI 9500 NP
PVR: ATI Theatre 550 Pro w/remote
Sound: Onboard
PSU: Antec True Blue 480

They really are great uses for old hardware! I just wish I was home more to watch what I record.

[Joe]

Wow nice use of the Rambus! ;)

[Chew_Toy]

my HTPC box specs are:
OS: Windows XP pro sp2 with BeyondTV as main app
Case : Antec 635
Motherboard: Abit IC7 Max3
CPU: P4 2.4c
Memory: 512MB PC4200
CPU Cooler: Custom water cooling
HD's: 250GB WD JB 8MB Cache 7200 RPM for the system, 2 x 200GB Diamondmax9 sata for recording
DVD/CD: Plextor 708A DVD-/+RW, Pioneer slot load DVD
PSU: Antec 550watt Tru Control
PVR Cards): 2 x Hauppauge 250PVR, 1 FusionHDTV 5 Gold and 9800AIW
Sound: Sound plaster 2ZS
Video: ATI 9800AIW - Outputting in SVIDEO to the Home Theater.
Remote Control: ATI remote wonder and Logitech Bluetooth KYB and moouse setup.

pic of the puter (had a pvr350 in it instead of the fusion in this pic)

http://webpages.charter.net/chew_toy/1/WB6l.jpg

and one of the TV it is setup with in my bedroom

http://webpages.charter.net/chew_toy/TVFM.jpg

here is a shot of 3 of the recordings being done by BTV while a 4th was being done seperatly in HD on the fusion.

http://webpages.charter.net/chew_toy/BTV.png


BTW Joe I was wondering if you would like to have a couple beers one of theese days?

I archive most of what I record but edit out the comercials and convert the hour shows to xvid (342megs per hour show) and eventually burn to DVD (@ 342 megs 13 will fit on a SL dvd)

The shows that I recod off analog take about 2hrs per show to recode but the HD recordings take about 4hrs with 720p and over 5 if recorded in 1080i.