I will probably need to replace my aging PC using it for HTPC

[neftv]

I have my older Desktop PC which has an AOpen Motherboard Athlon XP Cpu 1256 meg ram Windows XP pro. I mainly use it for putting live Windows Media video feeds to composite video (which comes from an Radeon 7000 video card). So I use that video and Audio from the Motherboard to feed a RF modulator on channel 16 to my 3 TVs. Yea its not real HD except if the picture is squeezed and I expand the TV to wide mode then it looks like HD. Anyway the channels I watch are not hd.
I been looking a many NetTop PC's like from FoxxCon and Others even Boxee Box and none of them provide composite video out. Most do the DVI and HDMI which is all well and good but I don't want to tie this system to one Viewing TV of 3.
I would like to get a Nettop PC with either Linux or Windows which ever is better but I need to have that composite video and analog audio too. I did get a Roku XD box which is on Channel 65 on my in house cable system and I like it for the most part. I have Hulu Plus and Netflix and some other channels on it including PlayOn which is hosted on my newer PC but I like to eliminate that pc to possibly host that on the same Nettop or Micro PC mentioned above. Looking for Ideas.
Thanks in advance.

 

[diogen]

So, do you want an HTPC or a player with composite video out?

I think most of the players have the yellow/red/white RCA connectors:
all WD TV models, Roku, Patriot, all NMT players I've seen, etc.

Some motherboards include a VGA/s-video/composite adapter if you lean towards HTPC.

Diogen.

 

[neftv]

Yes I am looking for a HTPC as long as I can log in to a subscription web site to watch my Windows media feeds. I Know I can use VLC too.
I been eying an Habey its very small had HDMI for future for me and the Composite Video output as well.
If you have examples of ITC motherboards that have Composite video output please let me know. I sure can't find any it seems like there is a HDMI rage now and I just can't tie up one PC to one TV. I like to distribute the composite signal to my RF modulator to my three TVs.
Right now I use the AGP card Radeon 7000 to get my composite video and I know AGP motherboards seem to be out by the waist side. I really like the Habey's but seems like from the reviews on NewEgg they not well liked. Most ideas please?

 

[diogen]

If you have examples of ITC motherboards that have Composite video output...

You mean mini-ITX? You have definitely unique requirements...

I think it would be cheaper and more futureproof to buy a WDTV Live Plus for each of your composite TVs ($100 a-piece) and network them to the internet. They will do Netflix all by themselves.
You would get the advantage of playing different streams on each of them. And they are HD-capable when you decide to upgrade your TVs...


Diogen.

 

[neftv]

Does that WDTV have a mini browser where I can go to greekiptv.com and log into my account so that I can click on the links to get the live TV stream which are in Windows Media?

 

[diogen]

I don't think so.

Some of the NMT players (PopcornHour, HDX-1000, etc.) had such options, I think.

By Windows Media do you mean Windows Video (wmv) or Silverlight.
Netflix uses Silverlight and WDTV can handle it.

Diogen.

 

[neftv]

The site greekiptv uses WMV and Silverlight. Silverlight seems to be embedded to the web page of the site. Here is the thing I already have a Roku XD box and I have PlayOn. Those don't have any kind of provision for web site log in for the site I want.
I just went to my Local MicroCenter computer store and saw they have a Zin-5005HD box and it seems like a powerful box and has connectivity to a service called Muzee for internet Radio and TV. There is some Greek stations there. But it has no way to log into a specific subscription site to get access to WMV links.
Is there any sort of software that I can put on the PC to share web site like greekiptv.com? Since the Zin-5005HD does have UPNP connectivity, PlayOn and TVersity works on it as I am trying them out. The GreekIPTV has way to get a Media Center Key and you put a password with that key then there is a download that allows you to use Windows Media Center but I only have XP pro without Media Center 2005.
Having this site access on the Zin with the simple way of listing all the tv stations and using a simple remote is my goal.

 

[neftv]

Zin-5005HD

I been using the Zinwell Zin-5005HD box more and researching that the company has a GPL software for it. It seems to be Linux based. It be nice to get this box to do what I want precisely. I not a programmer though. I guess I will have to return it soon.