Media Computer - Basic, Basic Questions

I'm hoping someone can point me to an FAQ or other site which covers the
very basic questions below, but here goes.



I have a large CD collection, which I now play manually using an old Sony CD
player , an old Sony amplifier, and a set of hard wired speakers. I also
have my TV wired into the amplifier so I can use the sound system to play
audio from my TV and DVD player. I can digitize my CD collection without any
difficulty/.



Now here's what I'd like (having seen this at friends' houses).



1. The ability to organize the digitized collection on a hard drive



2. The ability to use my TV screen to display and select the various CD's
and tracks



3, A connection linking the media computer to the amplifier. What
terminals are needed on the computer, the TV or the amplifier?



4. A remote, with the ability to select, and control the computer holding
the collection. Does this come with the computer?



I assume a new "media" computer with Vista Home Premium will take care of 1.
and 2. Is this correct?



I see computes being advertised as Media computers with prices anywhere from
$400 to $2,000. Other than having a large hard drive and a DVD drive, is
there anything else required or recommended (cards, RAM size, speed,
processor)?


--

PT

Fuzzy
Thu Jun 05 13:45:01 PDT 2008

"PT" <xyz@xyz.com> wrote in news:eumSwW0xIHA.4892@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

> I'm hoping someone can point me to an FAQ or other site which covers the
> very basic questions below, but here goes.
>
> I have a large CD collection, which I now play manually using an old
> Sony CD player , an old Sony amplifier, and a set of hard wired
> speakers. I also have my TV wired into the amplifier so I can use the
> sound system to play audio from my TV and DVD player. I can digitize my
> CD collection without any difficulty/.
>
> Now here's what I'd like (having seen this at friends' houses).
>
> 1. The ability to organize the digitized collection on a hard drive

You can do this with Windows Media player and doesn't require Media Center.

> 2. The ability to use my TV screen to display and select the various
> CD's and tracks

Yes...again you don't need Media Center for this.

> 3, A connection linking the media computer to the amplifier. What
> terminals are needed on the computer, the TV or the amplifier?

Depends. There are various ways to do this. I personally use an optical
connection from my Media Center PC to my amplifier.

> 4. A remote, with the ability to select, and control the computer
> holding the collection. Does this come with the computer?

Depends...If it's sold as a Media Center PC it MAY have one.

> I assume a new "media" computer with Vista Home Premium will take care
> of 1. and 2. Is this correct?

It will but you can do 1 and 2 with Windows Media Player as well as many
other programs such as Winamp.

> I see computes being advertised as Media computers with prices anywhere
> from $400 to $2,000. Other than having a large hard drive and a DVD
> drive, is there anything else required or recommended (cards, RAM size,
> speed, processor)?

TV tuner card(s) to watch/record TV. If you are building a computer confirm
that the components are certified to work with Vista. That still won't
guarantee that things will work 100% as there may be driver issues as well.

PT
Thu Jun 05 14:34:14 PDT 2008

Thanks for the clarification about WMP!!

I have about 450 CD's which should require only about 25GB storage. I have
more than enough room for this on my regular WinXP desktop. So assume that
I decided to use my existing PC to run the music, I'm still unclear about
these points:

The PC is in one room. The amplifier and TV in another. So, it seems to me
that I need

1. A video connection from the computer to the TV to enable the
computer to drive the TV as a display of the various CD's, tracks, etc..

2. A remote to control the computer's WMP to select and display the
desired tracks.

3. An audio connection from the computer to the input of the external
amplifier to drive the speakers.

Questions:

1. Which output on the computer, and which input on the TV. What sort
of cabling or other connection?

2. Where do I find the appropriate remote?

3. Which output on the computer, and which input on the amplifier.
What sort of cabling or other connection?
--

PT

>> 1. The ability to organize the digitized collection on a hard drive
> You can do this with Windows Media player and doesn't require Media
> Center.

>> 2. The ability to use my TV screen to display and select the various
>> CD's and tracks
> Yes...again you don't need Media Center for this.

>> 3, A connection linking the media computer to the amplifier. What
>> terminals are needed on the computer, the TV or the amplifier?
> Depends. There are various ways to do this. I personally use an optical
> connection from my Media Center PC to my amplifier.

>> 4. A remote, with the ability to select, and control the computer
>> holding the collection. Does this come with the computer?
> Depends...If it's sold as a Media Center PC it MAY have one.

>> I assume a new "media" computer with Vista Home Premium will take care
>> of 1. and 2. Is this correct?
> It will but you can do 1 and 2 with Windows Media Player as well as many
> other programs such as Winamp.

>> I see computes being advertised as Media computers with prices anywhere
>> from $400 to $2,000. Other than having a large hard drive and a DVD
>> drive, is there anything else required or recommended (cards, RAM size,
>> speed, processor)?
> TV tuner card(s) to watch/record TV. If you are building a computer
> confirm
> that the components are certified to work with Vista. That still won't
> guarantee that things will work 100% as there may be driver issues as
> well.
>

Fuzzy
Mon Jun 09 14:41:31 PDT 2008

"PT" <xyz@xyz.com> wrote in news:utPdqP1xIHA.4876@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

> Thanks for the clarification about WMP!!
>
> I have about 450 CD's which should require only about 25GB storage. I
> have more than enough room for this on my regular WinXP desktop. So
> assume that I decided to use my existing PC to run the music, I'm still
> unclear about these points:
>
> The PC is in one room. The amplifier and TV in another. So, it seems
> to me that I need
>
> 1. A video connection from the computer to the TV to enable the
> computer to drive the TV as a display of the various CD's, tracks, etc..
>
> 2. A remote to control the computer's WMP to select and display the
> desired tracks.
>
> 3. An audio connection from the computer to the input of the
> external
> amplifier to drive the speakers.
>
> Questions:
>
> 1. Which output on the computer, and which input on the TV. What
> sort
> of cabling or other connection?
>
> 2. Where do I find the appropriate remote?
>
> 3. Which output on the computer, and which input on the amplifier.
> What sort of cabling or other connection?

Ideally you would have the computer in the same room as the TV. I personally
have a s-video connection between my PC and the TV for video and a S/PDIF
connection for audio between my PC and my reciever.

Soundgraph makes iMon which could be used as a remote.