Automation Tool for HTPC

[timeToy]

Hi folks,

I currently building a “connected HTPC” based on a mini-ITX C3-800Mhz, it will have no moving part (no fan, external power supply, and a 256Mb compact flash as a boot hard drive) and will grab the files to be played trough the network on a server I’ll set up for it (basic Windows share drive), due to storage issue I will need to run Win98se, I know a better idea will be to use Linux, but I have not the requested knowledge :-( .

So did you guys know any good automation software for HTPC, something that can basically handle remote controller input have a full screen customizable interface and be able to control softwareDVD player, WMP (or another DivX player) and WinAmp, theses are the basic I need. Actually I also need Real support, but this can go with standard controls (keyboard/mouse).

Beside Girder do you guys know other applications like that ?

[huibuh]

Check out uICE from www.mediatexx.com (http://www.mediatexx.com). It has a fullscreen menu. Not customizable yet, but I had a small chat with the developer, it's under development.

[Ughie]

did you try dvd playback with youre mini-itx motherboard. I don't have good results with it. (cpu always 100%) I'm using windows XP, SP1. I disabled almost evry service that i didn't need (after booting total memory usage is +-49MB).

I'm now trying divx playback with ffdshow and bsplayer, good results most divx will play. (mostly 80-90 % cpu) But i have one 30 fps, vorbis sound that uses 100 % cpu.

following aren't automation programs but some nice front ends that you can use :

http://www.media-box.org/modules/news/
http://www.lighttek.com/talisman.htm

Best regards

[Chu]

Whatever Purdue University is not using:D The TV channel they run had its automation software crash on saturday, and 2 days later we're still staring at a Win2K desktop.

-Chu

[timeToy]

Hi,

I have replaced the compact flash with an hard drive and I use a ATI radeon 7200 PCI with TV/out for display. With the ATI, the DVD playback is very good (30-50% CPU), and DivX playback is also good (640x352 postprocessing on 2 with noise added at 90-100% CPU, btw the DivX decoder is the faster for me). I've noticed that the Explorer is sometimes hitting 100% CPU for 20-30 sec when switching applications, when this is over the playback is fine.

timetoy