Build the Ultimate Home Theater PC (Paperback)

~ (Author), Mike Chin (Author) "Before you can build a PC properly, it's important to understand the pieces and parts that go into creating a working personal computer..." (more)
Key Phrases: heat sink retention bracket, motherboard temperatures, everything that hits, Media Center, Dolby Digital, Gigabit Ethernet (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The best of both worlds-now THIS is entertainment

You love tinkering with technology. The digital lifestyle is your lifestyle. So building your own Home Theater PC just might be as entertaining as using it. In these pages, a couple of fellow tinkerers explain the components and subsystems of a Home Theater PC and help you choose and pur- chase parts, assemble and test the PC, install Windows(r) Media Center Edition, and get the whole thing up and running. Then, invite your friends over and watch 'em turn green.

All you need to know

Clear, step-by-step instructions, complete with parts lists, pictures, and diagrams
* What makes it an HTPC
* Choosing the CPU and memory
* Graphics, video, and HTPC audio
* Monitors and displays
* Networking your HTPC
* Remotes-and how many you can lose
* Installing MCE 2005
* Your choice-P4, Pentium M, or Athlon 64
* Maximizing your multimedia experience
* . . . and more!

From the Back Cover

The best of both worlds—now THIS is entertainment

You love tinkering with technology. The digital lifestyle is your lifestyle. So building your own Home Theater PC just might be as entertaining as using it. In these pages, a couple of fellow tinkerers explain the components and subsystems of a Home Theater PC and help you choose and pur- chase parts, assemble and test the PC, install Windows® Media Center Edition, and get the whole thing up and running. Then, invite your friends over and watch 'em turn green.

All you need to know

Clear, step-by-step instructions, complete with parts lists, pictures, and diagrams

• What makes it an HTPC
• Choosing the CPU and memory
• Graphics, video, and HTPC audio
• Monitors and displays
• Networking your HTPC
• Remotes—and how many you can lose
• Installing MCE 2005
• Your choice—P4, Pentium M, or Athlon 64
• Maximizing your multimedia experience
• . . . and more!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (December 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471755494
• ISBN-13: 978-0471755494
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #378,999 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Meh......., April 14, 2006

By	ZippyFuzzy "childofthe80s" (USA) - See all my reviews

I had high expectations for this book but I guess I should have researched it more. As it turns out this book is really two books in one. The first describes how to build your own PC. The second describes how to use Windows MCE.

The only difference between an HTPC and a regular PC hardware is the form factor and the inclusion of a capture card. Essentially any decent book on building your own PC can help you out on the hardware side. It looks like this book did a decent job with it, even though I simply went to newegg and picked out my pieces since I had built a PC before.

What I was hoping for was coverage of all HTPC software out there today and a comparison of options. This book unfortunately only covers MCE. BeyondTV, MythTV(and Linux), Meedio and Mediaplay are all ignored. This is a huge oversite on the part of the author. Hence my 3 stars.

In summary if you are new to building a PC and intend on using MCE this is the book for you. Experienced PC builders and those that wish to use other software options should avoid it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Build the Ultimate Home Theater PC, January 24, 2006

By	David G. Crandell - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this book in December. I have wanted to build my own computer for some time. I never had a reason for one until I read about Microsoft's Media Center Edition. This prompted me to hit the Internet for info. I came across 5 or 6 sites with good info, but they were outdated. I came upon this book on ExtremeTech.com. The book is "hot off the presses." It give 3 great examples from start to finish, which include 3 different platforms. Each one of the components are assigned a chapter which included recommendations.

If you are able to partition a hard drive and use hand tools you will be able to build your own HTPC. The process is very rewarding. By the way I am 55 years old and this is my first computer.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone planning on building or customizing their Home Theater PC, February 24, 2006

By	Andy (San Francisco, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

I uncovered this book just after I finished building my own HTPC (Media Center). In process, I did extensive online research, leveraging ExtremeTech.com, AVSforum.com, TheGreenButton.com and other resources. Finding simple answers was such a tedious task, that I decided to create my own knowldege base online at BuildMediaCenter.com to help others. If I had had this book earlier I would have saved a lot of time in finding those answers and money on buying uncompatible parts. This book is simply an enciclopedia for all Media Center technology enthusiasts and PC builders!