High Definition PVR HTPC Box

[wolfie]

Just came across this today: http://www.dpanda.com.au/dpanda/htpc.html

Been looking for something like this for ages but this is the first I've
seen. Seems to have a lot going for it.
Anyone had any experience with it?

Cheers
Wolfie

[Warmingup]

Well I have that box (Its a Zen from
http://www.shuttle.com/hq/product/barebone/default.asp?B_id=29)

with a different HD card (http://www.digitalnow.com.au/DVICO.html)

Works very well...nice and quiet but not totally silent regrettably, I have
only just set it up (the HD card part) last weekend and I think I may need a
bit more RAM (I only have 256MB)as I get very occasional glitches... HD
chews Hard Disk space like you cannot believe.


I love the picture (17" LCD) , sound is very good (Sound Sticks) and it is
really handy being able to have it all in one nice'n'neat package that
serves mainly as the bedroom PC.

Value for money?...not sure about that but it does my job.



Warmingup

[Byron Forbes]

Firstly, it has no right calling itself a high end machine with a
graphics card like that. WinDVD4 is disappointing considering WinDVD5 has
been around for a while now. It also needs a dual layer burner.

Purely for a HTPC it is very good though. With WinDVD5 and a dual layer
burner it would deserve a 5 Star rating. It needs dedicated Graphics and
Sound cards to call itself a high end PC though.

"wolfie @hotmail.com>" <wolf_t_flywheel<nospam> wrote in message
news:40c0196c$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Just came across this today: http://www.dpanda.com.au/dpanda/htpc.html
>
> Been looking for something like this for ages but this is the first I've
> seen. Seems to have a lot going for it.
> Anyone had any experience with it?
>
> Cheers
> Wolfie
>
>

[mclaren]

Hey Wolfie .

You dont work at QV do you .

Sorry to ask but its not a common name but a huge coincedence if its u .

[Ozviewer]

Firstly, it has no right calling itself a high end machine with a
graphics card like that. WinDVD4 is disappointing considering WinDVD5 has
been around for a while now. It also needs a dual layer burner.

Purely for a HTPC it is very good though. With WinDVD5 and a dual layer
burner it would deserve a 5 Star rating. It needs dedicated Graphics and
Sound cards to call itself a high end PC though.

"wolfie @hotmail.com>" <wolf_t_flywheel<nospam> wrote in message
news:40c0196c$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> Just came across this today: http://www.dpanda.com.au/dpanda/htpc.html
>
> Been looking for something like this for ages but this is the first I've
> seen. Seems to have a lot going for it.
> Anyone had any experience with it?
>
> Cheers
> Wolfie
>
>


High end but no DVI out?? I would call it hind end.

Ozviewer

[Joe]

It needs a dual layer burner??. They have only just been released...and
wheres the media to burn on it, it will be many months before you see any
media below $10ea . A dual layer burner offers zero advantage until cheap
media is available.



"Byron Forbes" <Chocolate@caramel.com.au> wrote in message
news:40c099b7$0$3035$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au ...
> Firstly, it has no right calling itself a high end machine with a
> graphics card like that. WinDVD4 is disappointing considering WinDVD5 has
> been around for a while now. It also needs a dual layer burner.
>
> Purely for a HTPC it is very good though. With WinDVD5 and a dual
layer
> burner it would deserve a 5 Star rating. It needs dedicated Graphics and
> Sound cards to call itself a high end PC though.
>
> "wolfie @hotmail.com>" <wolf_t_flywheel<nospam> wrote in message
> news:40c0196c$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> > Just came across this today: http://www.dpanda.com.au/dpanda/htpc.html
> >
> > Been looking for something like this for ages but this is the first I've
> > seen. Seems to have a lot going for it.
> > Anyone had any experience with it?
> >
> > Cheers
> > Wolfie
> >
> >
>
>

[Byron Forbes]

"Joe" <jetpilot@sky.com> wrote in message
news:119wc.6370$rz4.5680@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> It needs a dual layer burner??. They have only just been released...and
> wheres the media to burn on it, it will be many months before you see any
> media below $10ea . A dual layer burner offers zero advantage until cheap
> media is available.
>

A single layer burner is even more ridiculous since it can't fit a long
movie on it - and it NEVER will. Dual layer burner is certainly worth the
bit extra.

[John]

"Byron Forbes" <Chocolate@caramel.com.au> wrote in message
news:40c2536f$0$3036$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au ...
>
> "Joe" <jetpilot@sky.com> wrote in message
> news:119wc.6370$rz4.5680@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> > It needs a dual layer burner??. They have only just been released...and
> > wheres the media to burn on it, it will be many months before you see
any
> > media below $10ea . A dual layer burner offers zero advantage until
cheap
> > media is available.
> >
>
> A single layer burner is even more ridiculous since it can't fit a
long
> movie on it - and it NEVER will. Dual layer burner is certainly worth the
> bit extra.

If you can't fit a long movie on a single layer DVD then you aren't using
the right compression algorithm.

Regards
John

[Joe]

You obviously dont know about compression programs like DVD Shrink and like
I said show me CHEAP DUAL LAYER MEDIA right now.


"Byron Forbes" <Chocolate@caramel.com.au> wrote in message
news:40c2536f$0$3036$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au ...
>
> "Joe" <jetpilot@sky.com> wrote in message
> news:119wc.6370$rz4.5680@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> > It needs a dual layer burner??. They have only just been released...and
> > wheres the media to burn on it, it will be many months before you see
any
> > media below $10ea . A dual layer burner offers zero advantage until
cheap
> > media is available.
> >
>
> A single layer burner is even more ridiculous since it can't fit a
long
> movie on it - and it NEVER will. Dual layer burner is certainly worth the
> bit extra.
>
>

[Mr Walker]

Byron Forbes wrote:
> A single layer burner is even more ridiculous since it can't fit
> a long movie on it - and it NEVER will.

DVD Shrink? http://www.dvdshrink.org/

Cheers, Dom.

[Byron Forbes]

"Mr Walker" <domph@n0g0bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:M_vwc.8047$rz4.2075@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> Byron Forbes wrote:
> > A single layer burner is even more ridiculous since it can't fit
> > a long movie on it - and it NEVER will.
>
> DVD Shrink? http://www.dvdshrink.org/
>
> Cheers, Dom.
>
>

Why bother with DVD at all then. This is no better than a VCR! In fact,
now that I'm accustomed to well transfered DVDs even they aren't always good
enough. Depends on how easily pleased you are I suppose. I have no time for
MP3s either.

[Byron Forbes]

"Joe" <jetpilot@sky.com> wrote in message
news:hYvwc.8039$rz4.5877@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> You obviously dont know about compression programs like DVD Shrink and
like
> I said show me CHEAP DUAL LAYER MEDIA right now.
>

Moral to story - don't buy a DVD burner yet. And if you do, get a dual
layer one.

[Byron Forbes]

"John" <nospam@afp.gov.au> wrote in message
news:40c268b2$1@mail.netspeed.com.au...

> If you can't fit a long movie on a single layer DVD then you aren't using
> the right compression algorithm.
>

Yes I am - none at all! :)

[Trevor S]

"Byron Forbes" <Chocolate@caramel.com.au> wrote in
news:40c329fc$0$13783$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u:

<snip>

> Yes I am - none at all! :)

No compression ? Even loss less encoders uses _some_ compression, no
compression would mean many GBs of data a minute, can I ask what you store
this on ? Terrabyte style RAID servers ? and what stream of data you are
bothering to store that isn't compressed

--
Trevor S


"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
-Albert Einstein

[Byron Forbes]

"Trevor S" <bill@gates.com> wrote in message
news:Xns95018B0D7370Ebillgatescom@130.133.1.4...
> "Byron Forbes" <Chocolate@caramel.com.au> wrote in
> news:40c329fc$0$13783$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u:
>
> <snip>
>
> > Yes I am - none at all! :)
>
> No compression ? Even loss less encoders uses _some_ compression, no
> compression would mean many GBs of data a minute, can I ask what you store
> this on ? Terrabyte style RAID servers ? and what stream of data you are
> bothering to store that isn't compressed
>
> --

Are you saying that DVD shrink only compresses data, not throws it away?
I just zipped a small VOB file and got 6% compression. That's not going to
help very often. Any movie much over 5G is gunna suffer some serious
degradation to fit on a 4.7G disk. Like I said, it defeats the purpose of
DVD in the first place!