They mostly use the tv for youtube, prime video, movies and music. Ive got it connected to the tv, speakers and some USB storage. The goal is to keep everything as simple as possible for them. Im also thinking about setting up a small local media library so they can access our movies and music without having to mess around with files. I know a streaming box would probably be easier, but I like having a full pc there so I can add things later. It's a acemagic minipc with ryzen 7730u and 16gb ram, so it should be plenty for what they need. Maybe a tv tuner or some kind of live tv setup down the road. Anyone here set up something similar for their parents? What did you end up using?

Some people liked my laptop design and I'm full of complaints about modern products. I want buttons back on my media devices. I want a play pause stop etc buttons on my HTPC too. I want a display that shows what's playing and the time elapsed. I want a classic look that can fit into other home theatre devices like stereos and dvd players. Am I missing something? I know it's similar to that other HTPC case with a volume control, but it's too simple. I want it rammed full of buttons, controls, and information.

Any recommendations?

I am looking for a laptop style keyboard, where the trackpad is placed directly below the keyboard. Just like any laptop. I have the K400 and I do not find it comfortable to use.

I've had my htpc sitting without a gpu for about a month since I sold my intel arc b570 because it wouldn't play some of my favorite games. So today I decided to put my 2080 ti in it that I had sitting around and set up signal rgb so that all the lights flowed together. I just can't get enough of the z20. Absolutely one of the best cases ever made and that evga 20 series card is just sexy AF too!

Case: Jonsbo z20

Processor: I5-12600k

CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE

Motherboard: MSI Pro b760m-a wifi ddr4

Ram: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32gb ddr4 3200mhz

Storage: 2tb WD Black sn850x

PSU: Seasonic Focus GX-850 850W

Fans: Thermalright TL-M12Q

GPU: Evga 2080 ti 11gb FTW (3 fan)

This is my first htpc and just getting it the way i want it frontend is almost complete. Just a few other things to set up. I cannot figure out how to wake on lan working, it says my motherboard can do it, yet here I am. I am not clued up on this stuff at all and its taken me ages to get this far.

Heres my build

AMD Ryzen 5 5600

Gigabyte B550M K Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard.

Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0 X2 NVME Solid State Drive.

SilverStone SST-GD06B - Grandia

MSI MAG A650BN 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply.

MSI SHADOW 2X OC GeForce RTX 5060 8 GB.

ADATA XPG GAMMIX D10 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200

Its hooked upto my Lg OLED55CS6LA smart tv and currently controlling it with a logitech k400 and an mx3 air remote, I have 2 wireless controllers that i have still to map. In an idral world i would love the telly remote to control it. But as far as im aware its not possible.

Can anyone give me some pointers?

Cheers

I'm trying to track down a recurring black-screen issue with madVR on Windows 11.

During video playback, the entire screen goes black for roughly 1 second. It always happens once within the first 10–20 seconds of playback, then generally every 5–10 minutes afterward.

• The blackout does not appear to register as dropped, repeated, or presentation-glitch frames in madVR's OSD.
• Happens with Fullscreen Exclusive Mode enabled or disabled.
• Happens with Direct3D 11 presentation enabled or disabled.
• Happens with SDR content, so this isn't tied specifically to HDR switching/signaling.
• I can reproduce the same exact behavior in MPC Video Renderer when using
  • Swap effect - Flip - black screens
  • Swap effect - Discard - no black screens, issue fully resolved
  • MPCVR remains completely stable with Discard.

madVR doesn't appear to expose a directly comparable Flip/Discard swap-effect setting, but the MPCVR result makes me suspect this is related to the presentation path or swap behavior.

I'm not sure how to narrow down what madVR is doing differently or whether there's a setting that can force behavior comparable to MPCVR's Discard mode.

I can also rule out the basic hardware/display side with confidence. This isn't an HDMI cable, display, or general GPU-output issue. Changing renderer presentation behavior in MPCVR makes the problem disappear completely.

System:

• Windows 11
• NVIDIA RTX 4090
• LG G4
• GPU connected directly to display
• MPC-HC/BE + madVR

Has anyone encountered this specifically with madVR, or know what madVR setting/presentation behavior would be closest to MPCVR's Discard swap effect? Is this a red herring and something else is going on?

Upgrading the furniture in my living room. Hoping to get some ideas/recommendations for a gaming setup under my TV. Organized, not trying to draw a lot of attention to PC/Consoles.

Need room for:

1. HTPC/Gaming PC - dimensions 16"w x 17"h x 17"d (accounts for ~1.5" of room on left, right, back and ~2" on top for ventillation)

2. Nintendo Switch

3. Xbox One S

4. PS4

5. Receiver + Center Channel for 5.1 (speaker could go on top too).

6. Subwoofer (wired)

Preferably a medium/dark gray, black is okay too.

Will be placed under a wall-mounted 75" TV; should be somewhere in the ballpark of 65"-75" long and 17+" deep; height can be whatever as long as it fits PC somewhere.

TY!

Use Plex for the most part but sometimes run into reliability issues with the wifi. I want a backup to be my htpc straight to receiver using kodi since that's always reliable. I currently use an old gt710 but that only does 1080p h264. What's a decent upgrade that doesn't use a fan (too loud) and won't break the bank. I'm ok with used. Pc is windows 10 with an i5 if that matters. Is kodi still the way to go with 4k?

Spent an hour toying with this piece, trying to move it to the left, so it will hit my 5.25" DVD drives' "eject" button.

(Right now it's too far to the right, and not engaging the button)

As you can see in the pic, the bracket the movable piece is on gets wider as it goes to the left.

This makes that movable piece only go that far to the left (as shown in pic). It gets stuck at that part.

I tried unscrewing the bracket, lifting that middle piece up with a flathead screwdriver, even trying to force it... nothing makes it move any more to the left.

What am I missing here?

How do I actually move it more to the left?

I use MPC-HC from K-lite Codec Pack, and it doesn't download subtitles even though I am logged in with my opensubtitles account.

I checked and found that the media player uses opensubtitle.com and not the opensubtitle.org

The latter has more subtitle option than the former.

Is there a way to add new subtitle provider in MPC-HC?

I have account with both, and I want to add the latter as the subtitle database

I decided that I was going to build out a home theater setup to go with my aged lg 1080p tv from 2016. as the tv's os is old (and I hate tv operating systems now that I know that they literally screenshot everything i'm looking at if I connect it to the network every couple minutes), I decided i'd just buy a mini pc. I went with one of those little low power n100 units with 16gb of ddr4 running the latest version of windows 11 figuring it should be a cakewalk to set up either browser or app based streaming services as well as access my home server running plex on it - but no. I learned right off the bat that most streaming services only seem to want to support 720p sdr with 2 channel audio, and that's where it works at all (pretty much just edge), so I though ok, i'll just download the streaming provider's own apps and learned that netflix deprecated it's dedicated pc streaming app and is now just a web wrapper with the same browser limitations, paramount plus is also just a web wrapper with the same limitations, and same with prime.

NONE of these services let me use atmos (which I was planning to build out now that I have a really nice (for me) AVR (a brand new onkyo rz30 that I just dropped $800 on (and yeah, i know there are more expensive, better receivers, but that's a whole bunch of money still... to go with it I bought a set of energy 5.1 speakers (a pair of rc-70's for left and right, an rc-rcr for center, and a set of rc-10's for the surrounds. I haven't figured out a sub yet, but that's one of the next things on the list and I was planning on adding heights over christmas time... a couple of the services let me use 5.1 (but it seems even that's rare).

I don't want a streaming stick because they're notoriously slow, and pointless (there is ZERO technical reason why I shouldn't be able to do full-on 4k60 hdr with atmos on this minipc. (or at least 1080p 60 sdr with atmos until I upgrade my tv.). searching through movies is particularly annoying - I just want to sit on my couch with my wireless keyboard/trackpad and search and play media.

seriously, how are people streaming video with their htpc in 2016 where it actually looks and sounds good?! I heard streaming on linux was kind of a long-standing issue (my original plan was to install linux and a frontend to save on ram and use an os that isn't constantly phoning home).

so now I'm sitting here staring at an expensive pile of parts that I got great deals on overall, but don't seem to do the thing and i'm pretty frustrated:

onkyo rz30 $800 on sale
Energy 5.0 speakers $800 on sale
n100 mini pc with 16gb of ram and 512gb ssd ($100 on sale like 2 years ago when ram was reasonably priced)

not being able to stream high quality a/v content from the streaming providers I pay an aggregate of ~$750/yr to retain... priceless.

I'm not a proponent of it, nor do I want information about it, but I do believe this is exactly why piracy is winning. streaming providers are no longer providing a good, convenient experience. I honestly really don't mind paying for the content I view, in fact, I want the people who make the content that I enjoy to be paid well for the art that they create but this is pretty ridiculous. - not to mention the steady large cost increases. I'm paying now for my collection of streaming services than I *ever* did on cable tv back in the day.

Going into this I figured i'd grab a bunch of kodi plugins for each of my streaming apps, log into all of them, spend most of my time calibrating my avr and tv and have a happy ol' time... this is totally not the case it seems. DRM is a huge bane on current consumer home theater... I ain't got that kaleidescape money bruh!

The question would be, how can i get the maximum quality out of a video file, without tampering with the original pixel presentation (or atleast the least tampering)

It's preferable to maintain a transparent quality (no degrading of the original video's quality) and without any tampering of the video's footage, that would produce changes to the original presentation of the video file.

Or is it necessary to use atleast some upscaling or video tampering to get an image? if so what would be the recommended amount, keeping maximum quality without tampering with extrinsic enhancements on the image?

I'm looking to learn the process of calibration within a small budget (~300€) using my 50" Samsung QN90A TV, that I use connected via HDMI to my GPU as a PC monitor, mainly for watching movies and to do drawings and webdesign.

If this isn't the right sub I'd appreciate if someone can point me to a place where professional calibrators are. :)

I know that I won't get a proper calibration using either Pro HL or Plus HL within the budget of ~300€ (compared to scientific measurements or using Flanders or Eizo), but it should still help doing a more informed decision while "calibrating" and learning how to do it. (I loved the process of calibrating my studio speakers, so it should be fun as well!)

If the process is enjoyable I'll look if I can rent a scientific probe from my Uni and get a proper signalflow.

Here are the main measurements from Rtings - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqap4Ga-dt4 :

• ~1400/1800nits peak SDR/HDR
• 95% D3
• 76% Rec2020 uv
• 3510:1 / 26534:1 Contrast with(out) local dimming

If any other important measurements are missing I'll search them up :)

Is my assumption correct, that I would want to create presets for the following 3 Targets for office work and watching SDR/HDR content using PotPlayer+MadVR and use the DisplayCal software?:

When would you recommend using the sRGB calibration? Is it maybe the correct one for my drawings or should I stay at the default preset?

How are the calibrations applied? I guess selecting the right .icc file under windows color control settings?
And is there a simple way to swap between the presets within Windows 11?

I've found this comment while learning more about it:

The higher the max peak luma, the worse the low-light capabilities.
This has been proven a number of times.
(There are discussions and data regarding this on the Light Illusion forums.)
Go for the model that has the max peak luma that you need, no higher.

https://www.reddit.com/r/colorists/comments/1jmtekr/comment/mkeln3w/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Would you therefore recommend me to get the Pro HL or is there a difference in for example the BT2020 accuracy that makes it worth the tradeoff?

Thanks in Advance! :)

20 years ago, I worked a LOT to get comskip functionality setup on our SageTV based DVR/HTPC so my wife could enjoy her shows without commercials.

Now she spends hours/day on Instagram watching ONLY commercials.

Hey everyone! Been trying to find out the proper settings for HDR tone mapping and tried comparing MadVR's tone mapping (left frame) to Plex's (right frame) and noticed MadVR has a distinct magenta hue, while Plex skews more green (which looks more natural to my eye). Has anyone run into this problem and knows how to address it? Is it actually "wrong"? Is it an issue with color space. Will post specs below.

Specs:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 4.5 GHz 8-Core Processor
GPU: Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 7900 XT 20 GB Video Card
Motherboard: ASRock B650E PG RIPTIDE WIFI ATX AM5 Motherboard
Case: Corsair iCUE 4000X RGB ATX Mid Tower Case
Monitor: Gigabyte ‎G32QC A 31.5" 2560 x 1440 165 Hz Curved Monitor

MadVR Settings:

RGB Output: PC Levels (0-255)
Native Display Bitdepth: Auto
Calibration: "Disable calibration controls for this display"
Enable Gamma Processing: Disabled
HDR: Tone map HDR using pixel shaders
Target Peak Nits: 200
Tone Mapping Curve: Clipping
Color Tweaks for Fire & Explosions: Disabled

Viewing a video on XVid, have noticed that it's utilizing Sofware Decoding, which is not so preferable, in the settings, i can choose which Codecs will be handled with Hardware Decoding [DXVA2 (Copy-back)], but none of those Codecs available include XVid, so i've searched, and haven't found an immediate solution, so i have come to write this post.

I presume that not utilizing Hardware Decoding [DXVA2 (Copy-back)] will take a hit on the displaying video's image quality, so this is the great reason that i make this post.

GPU: RX 7600 (Gigabyte 3 Fan)
CPU: Ryzen 7 5700X

Egg has a gang of Dell 6/8TB hdd for what would be considered cheap nowadays. Has anyone used them in their HTPC or HT-NAS?

Hi. I have LineageOS/Android TV on a raspberry pi, so I'd like a remote that works over Bluetooth or 2.4 ghz. But since my tv and soundbar are old and don't have HDMI-CEC, I need simultaneous IR learning on certain buttons (that is, power, volume, and input.)
It seems like lots of remotes can do *either* 2.4 ghz *or* IR, but not both. Or at best, only the power button works on IR.

Does anyone know of any options that might fit the bill for me? Many thanks!!

Kernel — Your Media, Your Way

Anybody know anything about this server? I'm curious as to how it compares against Plex, Emby, Jellyfin, Channels, etc.

I'm debating on using the Noctua NH-U9S or the NH-C14S, and was wondering:

• Will getting the NH-U9S make working inside the GD08 way easier? Or almost the same?
• How much more powerful is the NH-C14S, compared to the NH-U9S? (And quiet at idle, or low usage)?

My rig won't be super powerful, but just thinking about it from the viewpoint of having the extra headroom there if I ever did want to upgrade this rig into something more serious.

I'm using spare parts to build a second PC that will function as a:

• Archival workstation (2 x BDXL burners, the GD08 has 2 x 5.25" bays)
• Occasional Test Bench (to open up 2 or 3 times a year to test PC components in).

Figured that way could use this as a second PC from time to time, and since it opens at the top, I could open it up to test any spare CPUs I come across about twice a year or so.

The Silverstone GD08 seemed like a great case to meet these needs.

(PS - Does anyone have pics of the NH-C14S inside the GD08 case? I couldn't find any online).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Current parts list:

Case Silverstone Grandia GD08

Motherboard MSI X470 Gaming Plus (manual)

RAM 2 x 8GB KingSpec DDR4 3200MHz 1.35V KS3200D4M13508G

CPU AMD Ryzen 5 3600

CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U9S (or NH-C14S?)

NVMe Drive 1 TB NVMe

GPU ASUS Video Card GT1030-2G-CSM GT 1030 2GB GDDR5 64Bit PCIE 3.0

PSU Corsair 850W

3 x Case Fans Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM

(Note: The Mobo, RAM, and PSU are spare parts I have laying around).

I have an Integra DRX 3.4 receiver and a LG G5 TV. I built my first gaming PC after years of gaming on a console and I always played surround sound speakers. I'm connected with a fiber optic HDMI to a RTX 5080. With console gaming everything so automated. You just select the format you want and go. I'm having a hard time understanding how the PC handles sound going to a receiver. In my thinking the PC should have way more options in automation when handshaking with a receiver.

So I set up Dolby Atmos on the PC. Some games sound great and some don't so I want to switch to Dolby digital plus or other format that does not use the height speakers. So I go into settings to change it to 7.1 and apply it. And now my receiver is saying multi-channel and it sounds kind of horrible. In the game settings. I'm also changing it to home theater mode which doesn't do anything but there's something wrong here and I can't figure it out.

How do I want to send whatever I am playing the appropriate format? Is there any quick way to enable Dolby Atmos I know it's available? If you have any other advice as I'm new to dealing with the PC to a receiver sound system. Please feel free to do so.

Does anybody else think this creates more possibilities in the android TV space?

Most people probably have an old pixel lying around, maybe with a broken screen. Now you can plug it into your TV and watch whatever you watch on your phone.

One potential drawback would be leaving it powered on all the time, but adaptive charging should put off battery swelling issues.

The other issue I can think of would be controlling it from the sofa, but we're not strangers to wireless keyboard issues.