# Lets talk Media Center PC (or not PC) **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [February 26, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142 "2007-02-26T16:27:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/1 "2007-02-26T16:27:15Z")
I have been looking at the AppleTV for a while, but it still is not released yet… Looks really sweet but am concerned about limitations with it, mainly no video input to capture directly from my TV box. Def needs to be HD capable, and preferrably dumb amounts of storage like 500gb+ Was thinking of a combo idea of something like AppleTV and a NAS device but not sure how clean that would be. I really like how the GUI looks on it though :hitit: I’ve been looking to find some decent Media Center PC forums, haven’t found anything great. I really don’t want to just run a regular window’s PC with XP Media Center it is pretty blah. That and I really want it to function purely on a remote control I think. Dunno maybe I am trying to ask too much, but anyone running a good Media Center computer setup? I have run plenty of PC’s hooked up to the TV but I hate fucking around with the keyboard and mouse, it becomes impractical and I end up not really using it :gotme: ---
**Author:** ![neonglh](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/neonglh/32/4951_2.png) [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/2 "2007-02-26T16:32:16Z")
The problem with the apple TV is the formats supported. It only plays a select few file formats. No doubt it will play those formats well though. I am still a big fan of the modded xbox connected to remote server solution for HD viewing. Its worked great for me, for years now! –mark ---
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/3 "2007-02-26T16:37:16Z")
[quote=“neonglh,post:2,topic:25142"”] The problem with the apple TV is the formats supported. It only plays a select few file formats. No doubt it will play those formats well though. I am still a big fan of the modded xbox connected to remote server solution for HD viewing. Its worked great for me, for years now! –mark [/quote] Ok, I also have thought about this, and I have an Xbox 360… but what formats will that play?? I found that it was very limited on what it would play, unless there is some sort of mod to have it play other formats? I could only really get it to play music. Only other thing is I don’t want to stress the Xbox, as it already seems to be finicky (i.e. crashes lol) I don’t want to kill my remaining gaming life by running it 24/7 as a media pc ---
**Author:** ![neonglh](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/neonglh/32/4951_2.png) [@neonglh](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neonglh)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/4 "2007-02-26T16:46:22Z")
Not Xbox 360, but the original Xbox with a mod chip in it. There are homebrew applications such as Xbox Media Center that play every known video and audio format, and very well. It supports HD playback, and can connecct to remote servers, as well as control a large internal hard drive. I have a 200 gig in it, that I used to store games, emulators, and video, and then connect to servers that host other videos. The downside, it does not record tv, like a myth box, or like apple TV will. —mark ---
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/5 "2007-02-26T16:55:32Z")
AFAIK AppleTV does not record TV either… but I am not 100% certain. I think it is solely for playing “purchased” itunes media Been looking at SageTV that looks kind of nice ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/6 "2007-02-26T17:39:26Z")
wait wait wait im confused. are you trying to capture tv onto your computer and store it? or are u trying to stream vids from ur computer to a tv elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Joe](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/joe/32/7219_2.png) [@Joe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Joe)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/7 "2007-02-26T18:08:00Z")
Run Vista Home Premium or Ultimate…the media cetnter features are much better and it looks so much cooler. ---
**Author:** ![chino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bcef8e/32.png) [@chino](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/chino)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/8 "2007-02-26T18:26:52Z")
[quote=“boardjnky4,post:6,topic:25142"”] wait wait wait im confused. are you trying to capture tv onto your computer and store it? or are u trying to stream vids from ur computer to a tv elsewhere? [/quote] All of the above… Basically I am thinking about setting it up in my bedroom with like a 22" or 24" widescreen monitor hooked up with TV in to use as a TV/DVR in the bedroom, but also to download and store tons of videos/music and stream it to my living room on the HDTV. Hopefully would just use RDC or something from my laptop to control it when in the living room, don’t know, trying to think of the options but this setup sounds best so far 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BuickGN](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/buickgn/32/7200_2.png) [@BuickGN](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BuickGN)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2007, 6:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/lets-talk-media-center-pc-or-not-pc/25142/9 "2007-02-26T18:36:40Z")
[avsforums.com](http://avsforums.com) huge htpc section.