Hi everyone,
Im thinking about building a new PC and would like to run my current plan past you guys
If possible it would be used as a desktop (surfing/email/ maybe gaming) and also as an HTPC (PVR/music library). The desktop part would get the majority of the use over the HTPC part. My TV area and computer desk are in the same room so having 1 pc to do the lot would be preferable more acceptable to my other half.
I would like it to be able to do both of these things at the same time. Eg output Vista/XP MCE to the TV and a normal windows desktop on the LCD at the computer desk. The PC desk is about 5m from where the TV is so I would need some long cables to get the output to the TV and a receiver for the MCE remote. Having the PC itself away from the TV area means that noise is less of a problem too.
The thing Im not too sure about is how I can display different things on 2 different displays. Do graphics cards allow me to do this kind of dual displaying and would it be easy to configure? The TV is a 32 CRT widescreen so it wont need to handle HD at the moment and I have a 5.1 amp under the TV for audio.
It doesnt need to be based on MCE, Ive used GBPVR in the past with an Hauppage MVP. This worked well, but the interface was not very responsive due to the client/server design. Are there any other applications I should consider?
Does this all sound too complex? And would I be better off building 2 dedicated PCs? Im would rather have 1 high spec PC than 2 low spec ones. Id love to hear your thoughts on this and if you have done anything similar.
Many thanks
Alan
Im thinking about building a new PC and would like to run my current plan past you guys
If possible it would be used as a desktop (surfing/email/ maybe gaming) and also as an HTPC (PVR/music library). The desktop part would get the majority of the use over the HTPC part. My TV area and computer desk are in the same room so having 1 pc to do the lot would be preferable more acceptable to my other half.
I would like it to be able to do both of these things at the same time. Eg output Vista/XP MCE to the TV and a normal windows desktop on the LCD at the computer desk. The PC desk is about 5m from where the TV is so I would need some long cables to get the output to the TV and a receiver for the MCE remote. Having the PC itself away from the TV area means that noise is less of a problem too.
The thing Im not too sure about is how I can display different things on 2 different displays. Do graphics cards allow me to do this kind of dual displaying and would it be easy to configure? The TV is a 32 CRT widescreen so it wont need to handle HD at the moment and I have a 5.1 amp under the TV for audio.
It doesnt need to be based on MCE, Ive used GBPVR in the past with an Hauppage MVP. This worked well, but the interface was not very responsive due to the client/server design. Are there any other applications I should consider?
Does this all sound too complex? And would I be better off building 2 dedicated PCs? Im would rather have 1 high spec PC than 2 low spec ones. Id love to hear your thoughts on this and if you have done anything similar.
Many thanks
Alan
