2009-01-24, 10:46 PM
I am a new convert to HTPC, and was surprised at how hard it is to get a HTPC up and working. I have been at it for weeks and I still do not have a working system!
I actually bought a HTPC case on a whim while I was buying my main PC. It looked pretty cool (a Thermaltake DH-101), it came with a remote and all required software. Or at least - that is what I thought and what the salesman said! Suffice to say the included Medialab software verged on useless.
I initially put on MediaPortal (purely by chance). That looked good, saw my TV card ok, saw all my videos, etc. But it is very hard to control with a keyboard and/or remote control. Also the menus stuffed up all the time, and it locked up so many times I gave up. The TV stuff worked, the EPG stuff was just here (nothing to setup), the Movie Database was there.
I gave up because of the menus, in the end. I then tried GB-PVR and I was sold on the menus. They just worked - and every time. ie I could navigate through my media library and find stuff to play! Sounds like a simple thing, but that is all I really want.
Having said that - now I would like a few other things (perhaps even a few things that I saw I could have when I was using MediaPortal).
TV - I use a Dvico FusionHD Dual Pro. It was the best card my local supplier could give me. Works ok with it's own software, and with MediaPortal, not too good with GB-PVR. I am not too fussed - I rarely watch TV anyway, but nice to get fixed one day.
EPG - seems a big deal in GB-PVR. No problem in MediaPortal. I do not know how they do it, but I had nothing to setup, nothing to update, etc. It was just here. Not even an issue I had to consider. You might like to see how they do it?
Movie DB - seamless in MediaPortal. Nothing in GB-PVR. I have run up the MovieWhiz plugin, but that is limited. It works just fine - even better than the one in MediaPortal - but it is separate from the Movie player. What use is that? I want to open up the Movie player as now - navigate through my movie list - and see at that point, the Movie DB. Actually, all I would like to see is the movie cover graphic. If the MoveWhiz (or other) plugin could do that, then no problem.
These are only small things - other than that I have to say you have done a TOP job. At least now I can view my TV Shows and movies with ease.
I actually bought a HTPC case on a whim while I was buying my main PC. It looked pretty cool (a Thermaltake DH-101), it came with a remote and all required software. Or at least - that is what I thought and what the salesman said! Suffice to say the included Medialab software verged on useless.
I initially put on MediaPortal (purely by chance). That looked good, saw my TV card ok, saw all my videos, etc. But it is very hard to control with a keyboard and/or remote control. Also the menus stuffed up all the time, and it locked up so many times I gave up. The TV stuff worked, the EPG stuff was just here (nothing to setup), the Movie Database was there.
I gave up because of the menus, in the end. I then tried GB-PVR and I was sold on the menus. They just worked - and every time. ie I could navigate through my media library and find stuff to play! Sounds like a simple thing, but that is all I really want.
Having said that - now I would like a few other things (perhaps even a few things that I saw I could have when I was using MediaPortal).
TV - I use a Dvico FusionHD Dual Pro. It was the best card my local supplier could give me. Works ok with it's own software, and with MediaPortal, not too good with GB-PVR. I am not too fussed - I rarely watch TV anyway, but nice to get fixed one day.
EPG - seems a big deal in GB-PVR. No problem in MediaPortal. I do not know how they do it, but I had nothing to setup, nothing to update, etc. It was just here. Not even an issue I had to consider. You might like to see how they do it?
Movie DB - seamless in MediaPortal. Nothing in GB-PVR. I have run up the MovieWhiz plugin, but that is limited. It works just fine - even better than the one in MediaPortal - but it is separate from the Movie player. What use is that? I want to open up the Movie player as now - navigate through my movie list - and see at that point, the Movie DB. Actually, all I would like to see is the movie cover graphic. If the MoveWhiz (or other) plugin could do that, then no problem.
These are only small things - other than that I have to say you have done a TOP job. At least now I can view my TV Shows and movies with ease.