From: nyyki@gypsyheir.com   
      
   "whosbest54"  wrote in message   
   news:20130617-175801.31.0@whosbest54.news.shared-secrets.com...   
   > In article , nyyki@gypsyheir.com says...   
   >>I have a Yamaha receiver that regularly annoys me. It doesn't do any input   
   >>conversion, so if I want to run either component, S-video, or digital   
   >>sound   
   >>(like AC3) I'll have to run everything that way, and of course my gear   
   >>doesn't support all that. I also can't replace all my gear, as some of it,   
   >>especially the Laserdisc player, aren't made anymore.   
   >>Volume is a problem with some of the components. My Boston Acoustics   
   >>speakers require a higher input power rating than I consider a comfortable   
   >>listening level. I discovered the problem wasn't a blown driver when I   
   >>hooked up my laptop to the receiver and dropped its volume and cranked up   
   >>the power amp. I need more wattage and the ability to  lower independent   
   >>volumes for each component.   
   >>   
   >>And I'd like to go Blue Ray so I can start taking advantage of the Blue   
   >>Ray   
   >>discs with descriptive video on them. I already have a computer in there,   
   >>(to play my ripped CD's and downloaded files, as it was easier to just rip   
   >>everything and then access it through the computers instead of trying to   
   >>find something on a shelf) and with Jaws it'll be fully accessible,   
   >>assuming   
   >>I find the right applications. Plus I could take advantage of Amazon Prime   
   >>and Netflix content, which will have to have descriptive video fairly soon   
   >>as an option.   
   >>So here's what I'm thinking. I want to get rid of the receiver, pick up a   
   >>few power amps to feed the Boston Acoustics speakers, Grab three more   
   >>speakers for a 7.1 setup, and then set up the Stereo Computer (A dual core   
   >>Dell) as the nexus of my home stereo system.   
   >>The Dell has PCI Express slots. I'll swap out the internal DVD-R drive for   
   >>a   
   >>Blue Ray drive. I'll need inputs for a VCR, (until I get all my VHS tapes   
   >>converted -- I have some rare things there that will need custom   
   >>conversion,   
   >>and I have a friend who's good at this) and the AC3 and video inputs from   
   >>the Laserdisc player. A turntable and cassette deck are always nice but   
   >>not   
   >>mandatory. I'll also want to put a tuner card in the computer in case I   
   >>decide to get cable again.   
   >>So this is 2-4 inputs, One of which (the VCR, just in case) also needs an   
   >>output, and a 7.1 PCI Express card out. I'll need at least two video   
   >>inputs   
   >>in for the Laserdisc player and the VCR, and AC3 in there somewhere, again   
   >>for the Laserdisc player. Four inputs could mean an 8 port audio   
   >>interface,   
   >>and I'd also need an output card that will support 7.1.   
   >>Then I'll need to source some way to get HDMI video into a regular   
   >>composite   
   >>TV signal for now until I get one of my two projection units troubleshot   
   >>and   
   >>hung.   
   >>After that it's a matter of locating seven channels of power   
   >>amplification,   
   >>some way to use a remote with the computer, and some applications that I   
   >>can   
   >>control all of this. I'll probably use IBlink or Winamp for radio   
   >>stations,   
   >>too.   
   >>   
   >>So:   
   >>Anyone know of any good PCI Express 7.1 cards for a reasonable price?   
   >>24/96   
   >>or better would be a plus.   
   >>Anyone know of anything that will let you control a computer with a   
   >>remote?   
   >>Anyone got any good suggestions on multi-channel power amps at a   
   >>reasonable   
   >>price? I don't need pro-audio stuff for this, and the room is about   
   >>fourteen   
   >>feet wide and eighteen feet long for the living room portion of it.   
   >>What PCI Express interfaces are good enough to do home audio at a   
   >>reasonable   
   >>price with at least 8 inputs?   
   >>How can I get at least two composite video inputs into the computer? What   
   >>about an AC3 input?   
   >>How about something that will output video? I probably need only one   
   >>additional video output for the VCR.   
   >>Anyone have any suggestions for control software for home audio systems? I   
   >>want this to be user friendly enough that a roommate or visitor doesn't   
   >>need   
   >>a thirty minute teaching session to be able to do something to watch a   
   >>movie   
   >>or listen to music. And being able to control the additional outputs would   
   >>also be nice, as my plans are to eventually wire the whole house for   
   >>sound,   
   >>so I can do a stereo feed to the rest of the house for music in the   
   >>bedrooms, kitchen, game room Zen room, and back patio. But the software   
   >>also   
   >>has to use standard navigation commands so I can navigate without a mouse.   
   >>General suggestions on this procedure and all will also be appreciated.   
   >>I'm   
   >>not in a hurry right now -- I'm in the initial stages of all of this, so   
   >>there's a lot of thinking that will happen long before any real serious   
   >>purchasing happens. And suggestions of who I might contact for more   
   >>information would also be nice.   
   >>   
   >>Thanks for any assistance y'all can provide.   
   >>   
   > I'm fairly knowledgeable of PCs and home theater (HT) and I don't think   
   > your   
   > plan is very practical.  It might be possible to make it work, but by the   
   > time you find everything you need and get software that does it all to   
   > work   
   > the way you want, you may be out a lot of time and money that would be   
   > better   
   > put into a more standard HT setup.   
   >   
   > The 2 most significant gaps in the info you provided are:   
   >   
   > What inputs does your TV have?   
   > What outputs does your PC have?   
   >   
   > Once I have that info, I might provide more recommendations, but for   
   > starters, assuming your TV has HDMI inputs:   
   >   
   > - Get a decent 7.1 A/V receiver with enough power for your speakers as   
   > proposed that converts all video to HDMI and does HDMI switching.  It will   
   > need the necessary audio inputs for all your components as well.  Most   
   > decent   
   > A/V receivers will meet your needs, including multi-room audio.   
   >   
   > - If your PC has only VGA video and a 2 channel analog output, then you   
   > could   
   > hook the vid out to the TV if it has a RGB/VGA input and the analog audio   
   > to   
   > the new receiver.   
   >   
   > A plus would be an HDMI output from the PC you could hook up directly to   
   > the   
   > receiver.  It might be worth getting the hardware to do that on the PC,   
   > but   
   > it really depends on what you want to use the PC for.  If you are serious   
   > about internet sources being your main form of entertainment, then   
   > consider   
   > it.  A new PC with a Blu-Ray drive and HDMI output might not be   
   > tremendously   
   > more expensive than adding the hardware for HDMI and Blu-Ray to your   
   > existing   
      
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