Talk:Home theater PC

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The problem of storage in an HTPC can be reduced by using a seperate home media server PC in another room (or the loft or cupboard under stairs) connected to the lounge / home theatre room via wireless LAN.

Contents 1 Apple TV? 2 Copyright violation 3 "Television connectivity" an absolute? 4 Hardware? 5 Console Emulation 6 Merged in Media PC 7 Advantage/disadvantage

[edit] Apple TV?

Is an Apple TV really an HTPC? If it is then so is a all of those media center extenders, TiVos, ReplayTVs, and probably most cable boxes. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.113.229.45 (talk) 15:08, 10 March 2008 (UTC)

I had this question with regards to Front Row, as it has no recording capabilities. It seems that inclusion of such is contradictory to the article. BubbaStrangelove (talk) 07:54, 2 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Copyright violation

I think that the top section of the page should be rewritten. 75.74.112.76 19:46, 24 November 2006 (UTC)

I couldn't find an offer of license, or any substantial meta-information for that matter, on the wiki. Did the author of the text intend to publish it only under all-rights-reserved terms? --Damian Yerrick (☎) 21:25, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

Either way, I've started a rewrite. --Damian Yerrick (☎) 21:33, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

Do you have to lock the whole damn article for a top section rewrite? Some of us would like to read the article!

[edit] "Television connectivity" an absolute?

Why is this presented as an absolute? Any sort of monitor may be used with an HTPC, not just a television. A large CRT or LCD computer monitor, or more notably a projector, requires no "television connectivity".75.64.178.63 11:45, 5 June 2007 (UTC)

agreed, I use a 1920x1200 24 inch LCD monitor which is enough to show full HD and gives the fast response times for games etc. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.92.62.165 (talk) 15:02, August 30, 2007 (UTC)

Then your monitor is as big as a TV (but is probably more expensive than a TV). This touches on a deeper question: what is a TV? --Damian Yerrick (talk | stalk) 00:42, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

In my opinion, a TV is any self contained specialized video screen which does nothing other than display input, with an interface designed around that purpose. In other words, a computer monitor is not a TV because it cannot do anything useful by itself. A TV is more than a screen because it lets you change channels/adjust volume, etc. A TV/VCR combo is exactly what it sounds like, but it is not solely a TV. In a more classic definition, a TV is anything that accepts analog input (AV, coaxial, RF, etc) and displays it. This line is blurred by digital broadcasts or HDMI inputs. I think there's a difference in the way TVs and monitors display pixels, but I don't know enough details. In my opinion, television connectivity is not required, only output of some sort. Prgrmr@wrk 19:39, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

I think a TV should be considered a screen with a tv-tuner built in. You clearly do not need to have a tv-tuner in your screen to use a HTPC, rather the opposite since you'll probably be using a computer tv-tuner. 81.226.215.82 13:17, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Hardware?

The hardware section is very sparse and should probably be extended to a true paragraph or removed all together.

[edit] Console Emulation

Recently I mentioned in the article that HTPCs are also good for emulation. One of the edits was removed, and the other was qualified with "as long as they own a license". I understand the idea behind those changes, but just because it's copyright infringement (or a crime) to download roms doesn't mean an encyclopedia shouldn't mention it, or should say that it requires a license, when it isn't true. Emulation is often a major reason people want to build any sort of media PC, and not mentioning that in an encyclopedia seems like censorship to me. If possible, I'd like to hear if there's a policy that limits which articles can mention criminal or improper actions. I imagine that simply mentioning roms are usually not public domain should be enough to prevent accusations of inducement. Afterall, mentioning roms is hardly the same as providing them for download, or telling people how to get them. Prgrmr@wrk 13:46, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

Why should wikipedia be on the corporate side of all of this? You do not need a license to be able play roms on a computer. It's as simple as it can get. This wikipedia article isn't about the law system in different countries, it's about the functionality of a HTPC. Just because something is illegal doesn't mean it's not possible. Saying that something is "good" or "bad" in an article only because it's illegal would be very POV. You could add that some companies dislike the spreading of rom files, but you can't say that you physically can't use roms on a computer just because it's illegal, since that obviously would be false. Ran4 13:28, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

Of course emulation is not illegal. That's why I mentioned official emulators such as Midway Arcade Treasures. It's specific methods of copying programs to the PC, such as copying through the Internet, that violate copyright. But details about emulation are for the article console emulator, not here. --Damian Yerrick (talk | stalk) 15:31, 25 October 2007 (UTC)

And most importantly - if it wasn't for the underground emulation movement - there would BE NO REVIVAL of these old titles, and NO LEGITIMATE emulation of older titles - like the old titles you can pick up on Wii. Discounting the entire emulation field because *SOME* people might be using it illegitimately, is narrow minded. And here's some shameless opinion for you: I do not believe Wikipedia should be a place where narrow-mindedness is fostered, or welcomed. My opinion on that is so shameless, that I think EVERYONE should have the same opinion as I do. --Kyanwan (talk) 03:24, 23 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Merged in Media PC

I have merged in the content from Media PC as was discussed on Talk:Media_PC#Merge_proposal. It still needs some cleanup though - esp the external links section. Also just spotted media center and media server which also seem similar. johnSLADE (talk) 18:45, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Advantage/disadvantage

this section is a giant pile of opinion and original research without citation. If none are provided within the week I'll axe the entire thing.--Crossmr (talk) 00:03, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

I doubt it will be possible to find citations for information like that. At best, we could find a review or tutorial on building an HTPC, and we could then cite somebody else's opinion. If there is anything in that section that anybody actually thinks is wrong, it can be removed, but otherwise it probably falls under the "too basic to require everything is cited" category (EG: "Cars are more comfortable in snowstorms than bikes"). It could probably use some trimming though, if I get time, I'll clean it up a little. Prgrmr@wrk (talk) 15:51, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

You're using uncited opinion to build a case favoured by one or more editors. Its the very definition of original research and has no place on the encyclopedia. If any opinion can't be sourced, it doesn't belong here. There have been a lot of articles written about home theatres and the various components. As long as the review/etc comes from a reliable source it can be used to source this as being an advantage/disadvantage. Otherwise its got serious neutral point of view issues created by original research.--Crossmr (talk) 03:09, 16 December 2007 (UTC)