Re: Solid, Stable HDTV MCE Computer?

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry


"Joe Horton" <joe@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uSTruYAeFHA.2556@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> My store built Gateway has performed terrific and I use it heavily. I see
> many people building their own and struggling with display drivers and
> things not working - although I know how to do much of that stuff - I
> didn't
> have the time to mess with it.

Certainly we "struggle" with drivers -just as the englineers who put your
system together did. However, if you start with good hardware, chances are
that you will find the correct combination. Certainly everyone doesn't
enjoy doing this type of thing. That's why I've been able to sell a few
systems that I have built. People like what they see, but they don't want
to mess with drivers. Many of us here actually *like* doing this kind of
thing.

>
> My biggest issue has been the picture quality as compared to my Tivo.
> Tivo
> has digital stream and when piped through media center it loses quality -
> so
> everyone on this board reports. Also; my extender doesn't even come close
> to what my Tivo can display for quality. But overall - I'm pretty happy.

I don't have a problem with picture quality, but then again, I primarily
watch OTA HDTV. The picture absolutely *rocks*. Standard DirecTV is good,
but nowhere near what the HD content looks like.

>
> I see someone else already told you to build one - but I highly recommend
> just buying one. I spent $800 for the Gateway - but it only had one tuner
> card - it cost me another $99 for that - then I upgraded the memory to 2
> GB.

My system has a 3.0GHZ HT P4 with 2GB of memory and over 1TB of hard drive
space and 1 DVDRW and a CDRW. It has two analog tuners and one HD tuner and
an HD capable video card. It cost me less than yours did after I put it all
together and it has been rock solid since I got all of the driver issues
worked out.

Certainly my time is worth money, but the knowledge that I have gained as a
result of putting together the systems that I have has some value as well.
Especially if something were to ever go wrong with the systems as I would
likely be able to fix it!

-Pete


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