Expanding my vista media center....

[ClownMajik]

I'm going to be purchasing an HD TV and tuner card to expand my media center capability. I'm still pondering on what TV yet but I noticed it's really hard to find a good quality TV that has PC inputs on the back. I'm looking for someone who has experience with TV tuners and Media Centers. I need the ability to use the TV as both a standard monitor and for cable through Vista MCE.

Another little addition will include one of these once they hit the market.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keybo ... ps|4167|hp
It's the baby version of the original Logitec Edge.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/keybo ... 2&cl=us,en

Combining an HDTV, the Logitec keyboard and my Vista/RF remote I can amost have a full media experience.
http://www.gyration.com/p-68-media-center-universal-remote-control-windows-media-center-compatible.aspx
I'd simply be missing the HTIB. From my couch, I should be able to use all functions of Windows Vista as an OS and Media Center with two hand-held devices.

I don't need a DVD player. Vista MCE can playback uncompressed DVD VOB files directly off the hard drive. (After editing the registry ). It's 4-10gb per DVD so I also need another hard drive. Each movie has uncompressed quality, full dolby digital 5.1 sound (supported with AC3) and dvd menu/chapter capability. Basiclaly It's a full DVD without the actual disc.

[Duffy]

How big of a TV and what type of interface on your pc HDMi, DVI, VGA or what and then I can get you the best info.

[ClownMajik]

I have an nVidia 8600. It has DVI, VGA and Svid inputs. I'm currently using COAX and a digital set-top box for my TV provider. I'm most likely looking at a 42 or 46" TV.

[Rom]

If you need a vga input in the back of the tv in acl go for toshiba 42hl167 good choice and if you go for plama panasonic th42pz700

Both have a vga input and are great product and good quality picture

[Duffy]

While we talked some last night like i said Sony Samsung LG in that order and then just depends on how much you want to pay. Would stay away from plasme for gaming feature just because possibilty of burn in. We play the same shit every day at work and I have seen some of them get that way.

[Porkinator]

I know enough to say stay away from LG . Thier tech support and products are shit.
Sony has gone to hell as far as quality is concerned.

[Sideous Prime]

watch out clown. sony may try to put a rootkit in that tv of theirs.

[Houdini]

I actually have had good luck with LG's tech support but I consider their products to be really flimsy and seem to run loud with a buzz and hum. Out of what you listed clown I would look at Samsung then sony.

[Rom]

Seriously try to avoid korea brand .Samsung,Lg,and all the others are cheap products compared to japaness one.Japaness products are more expensive but thats not for nothing they have a longer life and the quality of the pictures are always betters.

Like Duffy have said,plasma are not very good for gaming ,but if you give them the time to burn the screen around 500 hours then you'll be ok.

I will sugjets you to looks in brand like Jvc,Toshiba,Panasonic,Hitachi are the best acl i've never seen cuz there screen are not tn but ips much brighter and better view angle and oi was forgeting Sharp.

I sell those products for more than 15 years and i dont really have problem whit them for the service and for the quality exept sharp they are very long for the service on warranty

Hope that helps

[Duffy]

On a note on Rom's post I had forgotten about Toshiba they are really good also. Like I said the other night i have an XBR4 but expensive little suckers. I still think a good Samsung LCD would be the better way to go but depends on money because they tend to be bit higher.

[Porkinator]

On a note on Rom's post I had forgotten about Toshiba they are really good also. Like I said the other night i have an XBR4 but expensive little suckers. I still think a good Samsung LCD would be the better way to go but depends on money because they tend to be bit higher.

I have a Toshiba Tv nf love it. My Sony died after a year.
I think Clown's Vibarator is a Toshiba.

[law.of.averages]

I think Clown's Vibarator is a Toshiba.

you can tell the brand name by the way it feels?

[pewterdragn]

I think Clown's Vibarator is a Toshiba.

you can tell the brand name by the way it feels?

Law: 1
Pork: 0

[Ace]

I'm definitely no expert, but I'd do your research on what you want / expect to happen.

Image quality constraints are only active when required by the policy associated with the content being played, and then only apply to that specific content -- not to any other content on the user's desktop. As a practical matter, image constraint will typically result in content being played at no worse than standard definition television resolution. In the case of HD optical media formats such as HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, the constraint requirement is 520K pixels per frame (i.e., roughly 960x540), which is still higher than the native resolution of content distributed in the DVD-Video format. We feel that this is still yields a great user experience, even when using a high definition screen.

Above Article

The way I understand it, anything that is flagged as protected content is only going to escape a Vista machine at 960x540 which is hardly better then standard def.

HD Cable to Box to HD TV = HD content
HD Cable to Vista to HD TV = very possible that your HD TV gets under utilized

I'd guess that the HD signal coming from Cable is not flagged as protected (but will at some point), but there's zero change of ever running a HD DVD in your computer and kicking it out to your TV at HD. I'd expect the tuner card able to display HD to your monitor, but the second you go to kick it to your TV, then you are screwed.