Theatre system in many useful ways. Here are a number of options you could consider:
Stand-alone low cost multi-purpose Home Theatre system – use it as a Blu-Ray player, digital TV receiver and Personal Video Recorder (PVR) feeding HDMI combined video and audio to your TV for it to decode. Home Theatre system and Digital Signal Processor/Receiver – use a built in multi-channel sound card in the HTPC as your sound processor feeding out over analogue or digital interconnects to a Hi-fi system or amplifier and speakers. As a High definition receiver and player in an existing high end system – with a DVB TV tuner card and good quality soundcard you can feed HDMI1.3 High Definition digital output to your dedicated external Digital Signal Processor/Receiver. The receiver then feeds analogue to your systems amplifier(s) and speakers.
The systems to fulfil your objectives here can cost anything from US00 at the low end up to US00 at the high end. As with all Home Theatre and Hi-fi kit they come in varying degrees of aesthetics and functionality that add to the cost. The best cases can cost US00 on their own with built-in touch screens, motorised front covers and displays, card readers and solid cast brushed aluminium chassis. The limit is only your budget…
Chief Technologist at Cryo Performance Computers. Leading the development of innovative PC design. Cryo PC supply high performance specialist PC’s including professional home theatre pc‘s and HTPC‘s.