More Player than HTPC....

[Evildead666]

First time in this forum i think, but here goes.

I want a machine or a simple player that can play HD content like mkv and x264 and wmv, Divx and all the usual files...
I would also like Bluray or something, but then i'm probably better off just building a simple pc with a Ati 4xxx with hdmi....and just make it as quiet as possible...

What are my options ?
There will be NO recording of tv or such...bloody TV tuners...just playback.

cheers for any input.

[Mehen]

I think the 2600XT will do fine for you. You won't get it super quiet with a ATI 4xxx series - those suckers run hot (and I assume loud to compensate).
Maybe a low wattage AMD cpu?
Don't try to make it mATX or Small Form Factor, you will end up with tiny high pitched fans. Get something big than you can run passively. I'm sure a TRUE could run a lot of cpu's out there passively.
Well, mATX might work.

[Evildead666]

The only problem i seem to be having with respect to a standalone player is the mkv, which is a container...
apparently, vdub will allow the separating of the video and the audio from the file.
and putting them back together as well (i bet...), probably with lag...

a PC in the lounge would be overkill...
i'm just gonna have to hope that HD avi files will be accepted on the not-cheap dvd player i've already got...
I would hope 720p will pass, but in x264, i'm not at all confident..., well, there's nothing like giving it a try

[Evildead666]

well, vdub doesn't do mkv, and vdubmod does, but crashes...

I wonder how long an hdmi cable can be...

[High_Jumbllama]

8 meters at least.

[Evildead666]

He he, i suppose where its marked "8 In" they mean feet

I still haven't gotten round to testing the DVD player and the HD TV box, mainly because there is no network cable where the TV is, and I haven't got any blank DVD's left.,..

Oh well, just gonna have to erase a DVDRW...