A few PC questions

[jlcrawford]

I have my PC built and working but the wife hates it and I want to make it user friendly so some help would be most appreciated.

My system is using Rad 7500, P4, H3D and Maudio sound board and I would also like the flexibility of using the PC as a player if needed.I have dvd players and also a Denon receiver also in thensystem.

MyQuestions

I wish to configure for using a Pronto to control everything and to add a digi tv card, what is the best way/software to do it via remote control-preferably using my wireless keyboard or Keyspan receiver.

I tried MyHTPC but havent got it to load the likes of H3D software- can it be done

What horizontal and vertical frequencies are recommended for 1280x720p on a 16:9 screen.

Are there other front end software packages like MY HTPC which offer system integration?

Basically how do you control your HTPC?

Cheers

 

[rhinoman]

I have my HTPC running using no frontend for dvd and sky via dscaler (or sky via H3D which I used to have) using my pronto girder and a usb uirt ir receiver.

With this combination I can, from the standard desktop, launch theatretek, control it and close it, launch dscaler (or h3d) for sky and close it again. All without needing a keyboard or mouse.

I also have it working for winamp with the album list plugin for ripped cd's and I'm working on xlobby but haven't got there yet.

If you wish to have what I've done, its simply a case of importing my girder file and pronto ir codes. The ir codes are generated from a code generator so will not conflict with any other equipement you may have. The codes are stored "for safty" in the macro sections and you can alias any existing layouts you have to the new codes.

It will completly revitalise your HTPC and without doubt make it Wife friendly (mine can now cope). The frontends look nice and for music playback the benefits of xlobby are numerous but that can come later.

 

[jlcrawford]

John S
If you are offering to send me a pronto and girder setup[ file that is very kind and I would like to try it just to see how easy it makes things.
However I have not got Theatertek or Dscaler and my usb IR receiver is the "keyspan" supplied with the H3D or the one with my wireless keyboard.
But I am in the mood for playing so would appreciate anything to improve the PC useability
Cheers

 

[rhinoman]

Jeff,

The keyspan remote reciver is unlikly to offer the same functionality with girder as the irman or usbuirt, one of these is really the first step to user friendliness. I dont think that a girder plugin exists for the keyspan one.

Get a usbuirt, you've already got the pronto, your half way there.

Combining other peoples girder files for devices is straight forward once you've been told how. Your welcome to mine if you PM me an email address.

This thread http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=224077 has a great explanation at the beginning for getting started with girder.

This place http://www.myhtpcresource.net/modules.php?name=NukeWrap&page=irlibrary has files for combining some gmls with an irman. (Id you buy a usbuirt instead you just relearn the commands for the new receiver, tedious but easy.

 

[jlcrawford]

I have now bought an Irman and am starting the learning curve. Is it just a case of importing other peoples girder files and reconfiguring for my PC,sort of like I did with the pronto?
If so I can probably manage that but when I open someone girder file how do I get the codes into my pronto?

 

[rhinoman]

Hi Jeff,

The myhtpc link I posted above has some girder pronto files that are irman compatible. The problem that I had was that the usbuirt wouldn't see the ir codes in the same way so I had to relearn everything. Equally if you now use my stuff you will have to relearn it for the irman.

The files at the above place eg h3d has both a .gml to import into girder and a ccf to merge with your existing one. Just makes sure that the irman plugin is enabled in girder and save it to be the default file that is opened when girder is launched. The avs thread had detailed instructions for this bit at the beginning of it so I wont go on too much here.

If you then want to include a different device, you just import that one too and it will appear as another branch in the gider tree.

The ccf's are normally split into 2 bits, the raw ir codes which are saved in the macro section for safe keeping and the device controls which just contain alias's to the raw ir. If you want to create your own then just alias your own buttons to the existing ir.

I suggest to keep it simple to start with and start with the h3d one before going to far.

While your welocome to mine they wont work with the irman, only the usbuirt but you can still have them to have a look.

LMK how you get on and if you need any more help.