The Benefits of Owning an HTPC

Last time, I addressed why anyone would consider owning an HTPC. HTPCs have come a long way in a short amount of time. Today I want to share a little more info about the features offered by an HTPC and include some pretty screen shots. This is Part I of a two part post. Look for Part II in the coming days. Most of what I am sharing here is based upon my own, personal experience and most of the screen captures in this series are from my own system at home.

What I’m describing today is based on the Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate operating system which includes an application called Windows Media Center. While not the only solution, I am limiting this particular blog to the Windows Media Center functions along with a few “plug-in” applications due to some inherent advantages offered by Windows Media Center along with its support for digital cable tuners. I do want to note that what I am describing here is controlled with your HTPC remote control for ease of use.

Access Music, Recorded TV, Live TV, Play Blu-ray discs, and more with a touch of a remote.

Movies and Videos
HTPCs provide a great way for you to enjoy DVDs and Blu-ray discs. With the appropriate playback software you can use your HTPC to play back all your favorite DVDs and Blu-ray discs without ever touching a keyboard or mouse. It behaves just like a traditional DVD player.

Access various online content including Internet Radio, movie services, news and shopping.

With applications like Cinemanow (pictured above, lower right corner icon), you can even rent or buy the latest movies online and stream them over the Internet without leaving your living room.

HTPCs also give you an easy way to store and playback your personal video library. Those vacation videos that you took last summer? Your kid’s school play? Whatever the content, now you can access it anytime with a simple click of your remote. Heck, you might even embarrass your kids by breaking out that video of them dressed like an talking tree in the 2^nd grade school play and showing it to their dates years later.

Broadcast and Cable TV
If you add a TV tuner to your HTPC, you can receive your local broadcast television transmissions (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc.) in full, high-definition, free of charge. I find myself using my HTPC for TV viewing quite regularly. Even my wife is using our HTPC for TV viewing more often than our satellite set top box.

Guide data for scheduling recordings, tuning stations, etc.

Add a digital cable tuner (a.k.a. OCUR) and you can access many of your favorite premium cable channels like HBO, The Movie Channel, etc. right on your HTPC. A digital cable tuner and a cable card from your cable provider can turn your HTPC into a cable-like set top box thereby eliminating the need of renting one from your cable company.

Digital cable tuners and/or OCUR solutions are only available from OEM vendors and system integrators and not available to the Do-It-Yourself community at this point in time. We will be posting a list of system integrators that are selling AMD technology-based Home Cinema PCs on our website.

DVR/PVR (a.k.a. Time Shifting)
Along with live TV viewing, with your HTPC, you can watch TV on your terms. An HTPC can be used just like a digital video recorder (DVR) or personal video recorder (PVR). Record your favorite shows and watch them when you are ready. You can pause and rewind live TV, and skip commercials. Depending on the amount of storage space on your HTPC, you can store hundreds of hours of HD TV content. This is one I find myself using quite frequently as well.
 

DVR/Recorded TV – Watch TV on your terms

Remote Viewing (a.k.a. Place Shifting)
Typically known as “place shifting,” your HTPC can also serve content from remote locations (i.e. traveling, etc.) Similar to devices like a Slingbox, your HTPC can serve media to you while you are outside the home from just about any Internet-enabled system. Perhaps you are on vacation overseas and want to catch the local news. If your HTPC is set up to record the news, you can access that programming from a local device connected to the Internet.

Pictures
Millions of people own digital cameras. In fact, more pictures are taken now than any other time since the invention of the camera. However, people rarely go back to view them more than once. They might share them via an online service or email a few pics around to family and friends, but the majority of digital photos sit on the computer or your camera and rarely get viewed. With an HTPC, you have an easy way to access those pictures from the comfort of your couch. You can easily play them back in a slide show, set to your favorite music while friends are over. It really is a great way to share your memories.
 

Store all your pictures in one, easy to access location and enjoy them on your big screen TV.

 Some of these functions may be limited at times due to copy protection mechanisms, but this does show the power and versatility of an HTPC. Stay tuned for Part II of this two part series where we will next discuss amplified audio, music, Internet TV and more!

Till next time, happy trails!
Jay Taylor is a Senior Developer Relations Engineer at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such linked sites and no endorsement is implied.