Posts tagged with HDTV
Change is in the air!
Posted by Jay Taylor in 9:12 AM
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Loading ...So what is the industry doing to meet the needs of the HTPC consumer?
In previous segments we have discussed some of the functions and features of the HTPC. We have shown you the very cool MSI Media Live Diva platform. We have even shown you where you can buy your own system. This time let’s spend a little time on how the hardware industry as a whole is addressing the needs of the HTPC.
Until recently, the HTPC space has been dominated by the “Garage Shop Guy”. By this I mean, the technically skilled enthusiast type person that thrives on building and tweaking their own computer hardware. Building an HTPC required patience and time along with core knowledge of PC hardware. There has been a fair amount of fine tuning the hardware and software to get just the right functionality and performance out of the system. This put the HTPC outside the realm of the mainstream consumer. However, with advancements in technology and greater levels of integration, it is much easier to build a compelling system without the time commitments and tuning previously required. In future segments, I will do a deeper dive on many of the individual topics in this blog, but for now I want to provide a little overview on technology changes.
Improved Video Processing
Prior to HDTV, PCs displayed on standard definition televisions (SDTV) were never that compelling. Resolution capabilities of SD sets were just too low to properly display digital content. However, with the growth of HD TV sets and advances in video processing technology, chipsets are offering better performance and more functionality than previous generation products. Things like hardware acceleration to improve video playback, improved connectivity options via HDMI outputs, and Microsoft’s DirectX® 10 support for better 3D processing have all come together to make the HTPC not only easier to build, but also cheaper since a discrete GPU card is no longer required for many HTPC applications. What this can mean to the consumer is a lower overall cost, low heat, low noise, but with full, Hi-Def playback of your favorite content on your HD TV or monitor. However, many of these chipsets also support a hybrid mode that allows for a discrete card to be used in conjunction with the integrated GPU. This provides more horsepower for more GPU intensive applications like gaming and more.
Improved Audio Processing
Along with improved video performance, vendors are trying to address the audio performance requirements. Watching a beautiful, high definition movie with flat or distorted audio tracks is just not all that interesting. Listening to it through your TV speakers is not all that exciting either. To address this, vendors are moving to support more advanced audio features. This in turn will lead to a much more compelling experience when watching movies or listening to music. One platform that really targets this experience is the MSI Media Live Diva platform covered earlier. As mentioned, AMD, MSI and D2Audio got together to try and deliver a platform that uniquely targets the HTPC market needs.
Improved Chassis Designs
Early HTPC chassis were based upon standard desktop PC chassis designs. They were very big and frequently very loud. They had high RPM fans spinning at full speed that often exceeded 34+dBs. This created very loud system level noise and was very annoying when one could not hear the subtle dialog over the loud fan noise. Furthermore, they still looked very much like a black painted PC chassis that had just fallen over. Aesthetically, these PCs just did not fit into the look/feel of the rest of the Audio/Video components. Today, you can find numerous chassis from different vendors like Antec, nMedia PC, Lian Li, Silverstone, Thermaltake and others making chassis in different shapes, sizes and looks. The chassis are designed to look/feel much more like audio/video equipment than a traditional PC look/feel. Chassis vendors have spent a great deal of time trying to improve the overall design and airflow of these chassis solutions while improving the functionality. Many have LCD displays or VFD (vacuum fluorescent displays) to show information much like a DVD player or AVR. Some have volume knobs and front panel controls. Others are more simplistic in design for a very Spartan feel. The benefit to the consumer is that they now have much more choice and price points when selecting a unit. I have a future blog planned to discuss this further, stay tuned for that one.
Improved Thermal Designs
As stated earlier, many of the older technologies were just adaptations from the traditional desktop PC. Noise levels in the desktop context were never a big issue since most desktops sat underneath a desk and quiet systems were merely an afterthought. However, in a living room, you want to hear the dialog when watching movie, hear the subtle details of your music. Audio is fairly important in this space. You really don’t want to hear the loud CPU fan whirring away while trying to enjoy your content. Therefore, cooler manufacturers have worked hard to find more effective ways to properly cool the components in the system without spinning fans at 5K RPMs. There are many innovators working on improving technology in this area. For example, Noiselimit Noiselimit has developed a cooling technology that uses a “bubble pump” technology that allows the use of a low spinning fan (1900 RPMs), yet keeps the process very cool. There are many others that offer solutions for this space as well.
Improved HDD technology.
Hard Disc Drive (HDD) vendors are also addressing the needs of this market segment. Vendors such as Seagate, Hitachi, and Western Digital offer a line of drives that specifically target the HTPC segment and incorporate technology like fluid bearings, improved streaming, low noise operation, and more, to bring lower power and quieter operating drives for the system. The HTPC does not need super fast drives that are constantly grinding away crunching data. This type of computer setup requires drives that are quiet and have spin rates designed to handle the streaming needs of entertainment content. They also need to operate efficiently in smaller enclosures with less airflow. Therefore, these industry giants have been working on technology to address these operating parameters. As such, these hard drive vendors have launched new products in the recent past that target the set-top box and HTPC markets.
The list of hardware changes can go on and on — graphics cards, optical drives, improved drivers and endless variety of software applications. One could blog endlessly on any one of these industry changes, let alone rambling on in a single post. Therefore, I will try to focus upcoming blogs on some of these pieces of technology, show you various options for components, and explain how it all comes together.
So, what are future hardware topics you would like to see covered?
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.
What Can A Home Cinema/Home Theater PC Do? Part 2
Posted by Jay Taylor in 9:18 AM
The Benefits of Owning an HTPC
In Part 1, we discussed much of what an HTPC can do. As mentioned, this was a two part series so I want to continue that discussion on some additional features and experience that an HTPC can provide.
Amplified Audio
Now, you can even turn your HTPC into a high quality stereo amplifier. With the inclusion 5.1 amplifier card, you can enjoy the complete home theater experience in glorious, booming surround sound. Having a great video experience on your HTPC is one thing, but when you combine great video with a high performance, integrated amplifier, movies explode off the screen and music rattles the walls. I have a specific post coming up on this topic shortly…this one is pretty neat!
Music
Another of my favorite things about an HTPC is the easy access to my music. An HTPC can store some or all of your music library onto the Hard Disk with a simple click of a remote control. No more fumbling around with CDs, just store it to the Hard Drive and then put the CD away as a back up. Sure, this depends on how much music you have vs. how much storage space is available on your system, but it’s a great feature. Imagine, every song you own on one HTPC that can be easily accessed anytime you want.
Store your music library for quick, easy access. Set up playlists, play slideshows, etc. Image courtesy of Microsoft
You can sort/search by artist, album, year and more. In many cases, it will provide the album cover art and album details for you as well. As mentioned previously, you can even have music playing in the background while you are viewing photos from your picture library. It’s a great way to share and re-live your memories.
Internet TV
Now, here is a cool feature that Microsoft has added, Internet TV. Internet TV lets you see trailers for the latest movies playing at the theater or coming out on DVD. It can stream the trailers directly from the web, and it looks great! It will also provide access to some of the top Viral Videos. You can even find news, lifestyle video clips and more. It’s all just a few remote clicks away.
Movie trailers, cast interviews, viral videos, etc. are all available via Internet TV
You want HD content?
There is a great deal of HD content out on the internet. Applications like Hulu, TV MSN TV, Brightcove TV, Joost, etc provide some great, professional level and even broadcast content over the internet. Likewise, the major broadcasts networks make much of their content available online as well. You can find both trailers as well as full length episodes online. You can also find cooking shows, woodworking shows, technology review shows, travel shows, etc. much of it in beautiful Hi-Def. – and best of all, much of it is FREE! Many of these programs are ad based (like regular TV) while other sources of internet content are subscription based.
At this point it time, some 3rd party content does require the use of a keyboard/mouse, but the variety of content out there is amazing. With some of the small thumb size QWERTY keyboards out there, it is very easy to use to get to all of this, rich internet content online. It is also recommended that you have a broadband internet connection to enjoy the best experience with this content.
Note that an HD monitor is required for the full HD viewing experience.
Internet Radio
With an HTPC, you can access thousands of internet radio stations. You can find just about any type of music and genre you could possibly imagine. Programs like Windows Vista® Media Center give you access to thousands of internet radio stations and again, most of it is free with your HTPC.
Thousands of internet radio stations are available at the touch of a button
Extend that Experience
With an HTPC and an extender (like the Microsoft Xbox 360 or other DMA device) you can even access the content on your HTPC on a second or more screens in your home. An extender provides remote access of the content on the HTPC over your home network. Similarly, with the right home network setup, you can access much of the content on an HTPC from your other PCs in the home.
Sports Fan
Stay up to date with all the latest score and stats of favorite team. With an HTPC, you can get quick access to all the latest happenings. Track players and stats for your fantasy sports team, find out the latest scores, find out what teams are playing and even schedule TV recordings.
Syncing to Personal Media Players
Take your content with you. Sync your PMP to your HTPC and you can transcode your favorite content on the HTPC (including recorded TV, etc) to your media player and take it with you when you travel. Cell phones, Personal Media players, handheld game devices are all adding functionality that targets entertainment content. With an HTPC, not only do you have a central box that aggregates your entertainment content, but can easily synch that content to your preferred player device so you can enjoy that content while mobile.
Home Control/Automation
With an HTPC, you can even set it up for Home Automation and Control. There are few competing technologies that enable this type of functionality, but by adding Zigbee, Z-Wave, UPB, etc type devices, you can control heating/air conditioning (HVAC), Alarm Systems, lighting, and more all right from your HTPC. Typically, these devices require some software application support in addition to hardware, however it is rather impressive the type of advanced things you can do with an HTPC.
Control lighting, security, heating/air conditioning, etc. with your HTPC. Image courtesy of Aspen Media Products.
View security cameras from your HTPC. Image courtesy of Aspen Media Products
Some of the things mentioned in this write up require a more advanced type set up and are often better left to a professional installer, however all of it can be done on an HTPC when properly configured, equipped, and installed. In a future segment, we will discuss in more detail the advantages of purchasing a pre-configured system and where you can buy one.
Add a keyboard and mouse and guess what? You have a fully operational PC that can do all the typical PC functions as well.
HTPCs a great way to access and enjoy digital entertainment content and the technology is now much more mature, making these solutions available at an affordable price. All of it controlled with a single remote. There are numerous Plug In type applications available that extend the functionality even further. You can add Weather plug ins to get the local and national weather, Movie Database plug ins to manage your movie/video content, Movie Streaming plug ins to access even more movie content online and much, much more. I will be sharing more on this in an upcoming blog.
Imagine, one HTPC that is your STB, Amplifier, DVD or Blu-ray player, music jukebox, video jukebox, internet TV box that can hold all your vacation videos, photos, music. All-in-one box that is simple to use, remote control operated to meet all your entertainment needs!
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.
Who wants a Home Theater PC anyway?
Posted by Jay Taylor in 11:22 AM
It’s All Digital!
As an industry veteran that helps to design and develop solutions, I am often asked, “Why would anyone want an HTPC?” After spending some time on this topic with various people, I thought I would provide a little write up. For the sake of simplicity, the terms “Home Theater PC” (HTPC) and “Home Cinema PC” are used interchangeably.
There have been many attempts at putting a Home Theater PC into the living room over the years, but these systems have never enjoyed the success they have strived to achieve. One can’t help but wonder why? Life is stored digitally, everything from vacation videos and photographs to music and movies are all stored in digital formats and easily accessible by the PC. In addition to this, there is a wealth of high quality content on the Internet. Why not marry the PC to the TV where you can enjoy all this wonderful digital content from your living room couch on your high definition, big screen TV?
There isn’t one single reason why these types of systems have never achieved glory. For some it may be price, others may not like the idea of a PC in their living room. For most, they were just too big, ugly, hot and loud. The short answer is that the technology was just not mature enough to handle the tasks required…until now.
So what has changed? Over the past few years, technology vendors have looked at this market and tried to understand how they can develop technology that addresses the shortcomings of previous generations of systems. Improvements in chipset technology, chassis designs, HDD designs, Blu-Ray optical players, cooling technology and software are all coming to fruition to meet the demands of high definition content.
Furthermore, the growth of professional and high quality content on the Internet is changing the way people consume content. You can find everything from old, re-run classics to the latest broadcast television shows online. You can also find a wealth of professionally developed content in broadcast and HD quality through various IPTV providers.
This combination of improved hardware and the growth of online audio and video content is rapidly making the HTPC a very viable solution for the masses. Whether you are a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) individual or just looking for a turn-key solution, there are ways that you can enjoy the HD experience in your own home with an HTPC.
Did you know that with an HTPC you can store and playback your favorite video and movie content, including Blu-Ray? Did you know an HTPC can act as a DVR/PVR for TV and Cable content? Did you know that you can make your HTPC a music and video jukebox? How about pictures? An HTPC can store all your photographic memories so you can enjoy them anytime you like. Of course, all of the above functionality may sometimes be limited due to copy protection mechanisms, but still the Home Cinema PC can be a very powerful device in your entertainment stack and deliver an exceptional HD experience, all at an affordable price.
Stay tuned for updates to this blog where we will discuss in more detail, the functions and features offered by the HTPCs of today. We will talk more in depth on the hardware changes and how they are contributing to a better HTPC experience. We will also talk more about where you can get your own, or if you are up to it, build one yourself.
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.