Best way for a complete HTPC setup for multiple TVs?

Talonrazor

I am helping my father-in-law build his new house and he is wanting to setup a completely computerized house. Every room in the house has Cat5 plug-ins and he has a total of four TVs he wants to establish with HDMI. Two of the TVs have built in surround sound speakers in the ceilings.

What we want to do is have a central home server that holds all the movies and music, with the ability to connect to the home security system and stream netflix and pandora. Through that central server we want all the TVs connected, as well as speakers, with the ability to control everything via a tablet or laptop. So some kind of server-based software we can log on to.

I figured I will build an HTPC with a hard drive array but I am not sure what I should do for each TV. Should we have some kind of remote box for each TV? I don't want to do an HTPC for each TV but will that be the easiest route?

What do you guys recommend?

soxbox

If you're looking at DIY, myth-tv is pretty much designed for this situation, with the setup of a myth-backend server and then multiple myth-frontend clients connecting to it (which can also act as slave backends if they have tv cards in them).

You'd be building a HTPC for each tv, but you can use a fairly low-end, possibly even diskless box for each tv and each box will be fully featured.

Mythtv might be a little more work, and might need a little more hand-holding than what you're after though.

Talonrazor

Yea, for this setup I am picturing four HTPCs, one for each TV, with a server acting as a central storage/brain for the house. We want the ability to tie in future house automation as well. What would make a good server PC and what would make a good front-end box for each TV? What are the bare requirements for each?

I was thinking of running Boxee but this MythTV might work for what we need. These front-end clients are exactly what I am looking for. Is there a good tutorial for how to set up a MythTV establishment?

Improvolone

MythTV is great, but how does it handle Netflix streaming? It is Linux based after all.

vonPoonBurGer

Apparently you have to run XP in a virtual machine to handle Netflix streaming under MythTV (link). Sounds like a lot of overhead to me.

meeker

One server running Windows 7. Get a Ceton Cablecard Tuner. Will allow you to record 4 cable shows at once.

4 of these:

WD Live TV Plus

Netflix, streaming, easy interface.

badpoet

Has he bought the TVs already? Otherwise, you could just media stream from a central system to the TVs. My Samsung can read the Play On server that I have running and you can stream Netflix, Pandora, watch shows on CBS, ESPN3, and several other networks.

mts

man if that wd live thing acted liek a dvr i would be all over that

Talonrazor

The fact that MythTV can't do Netflix is a no-go. Plus the UI needs to be fairly navigable. I'd like each HTPC box to be able to hook into A/V receivers to meter out sound to surround sound systems we have built into the house. If we went the WD TV Live Plus route, could we send files from our windows 7 server via remote access? Or would it be better just to run HTPCs? Ultimately we want to be able to log onto the home network and send various media files to each TV separately, all from one access point.

Yes, he already has the TVs. Vivizos, Apexs, etc. None internet TV capable.

If I went the Windows 7 Server route, what would you guys recommend, specs-wise, for a server? I have an old gaming machine I plan to convert to a home server that will connect to an expanding hard drive array.

Improvolone

I'd get a server and a little nettop box for each TV with everything networked together. Its easy (no building of several machines), they're small, and can handle hi-def content.

Talonrazor

Yea, I am currently thinking about just buying two HTPCs, as two of the TVs will be in bedrooms and desktops can be built in those rooms to work the TVs. Now I just need to find which are the best HTPCs.

I've heard the Acer Revo's are good, is this true?

useless4

Ok... here are some hard fast rules when designing home video systems:

1. Pick h.264 as your file format. XVID/MKV containers are only supported on fringe and hacked devices for the most part due to their connection to bit torrent pirate bay type sources... Almost everything chews up and plays nice with h.264. If someone suggest WMV say hi to your Windows7 PC and 360 because your limiting yourself badly.

2. Once you have more then one room you are watching video in you're going to want a centralized storage server. You don't have enough storage. What ever you get you will fill up in a year or less. I suggest RAID 0 main storage with a properly RAID'd back up. Once you exceed like 500gb or so you are past the point of re-ripping or reaquiring your video library easily... my dad just lost 2tb of his videos , I can still hear my server in the other room chugging as he FTP's his favorite movies back to his replacement drive.

3. Try to keep the whole thing universal, don't mix and match clients if you can help it. Different front end/clients require different tagging or file naming etc. It's best if you go just one vendor or program.

Honestly, the best thing I can suggest is a simple server serving up to Boxee boxes (be it the actual box or pcs running it)

If you have any tvs capable of 24fps and have true 24fps source files make sure you take that into account.

Eventually I am going to end up with Boxee running on computers outputting 24hz for straight movie watching I think. They need to fix the tagging in it though. For the back end I have a Mac Pro running OSX server with internal RAID for movies and external RAID for back up.

For "serving" I am running iTunes (with Appletvs as front ends) and AirVideo for iPad on the go viewing. I have Plex running but hate it at the moment - they need to fix their playback engine for the clients.