Other HTPC Advice

[csbond2]

I am trying to set up a HTPC for the first time and i need some help. I have a dell inspiron 530 with an intel core duo e4500 @ 2.20GH. and 2gh of ram. I just upgraded the video card to a 1024mb ddr3 nvidia GeForce 210. i have tried using VCL player to play the movies but on the larger blu-ray files the picture will stop or hang up and the catch up. I dont think there is any thing running in the back ground. The picture is great other than the sticking. I know the files are ok because i can stream them through my blu-ray player. Is there any settings in VCL player that i dont know about. or is there a better player for the configuration that i have. Any help will be appreciated. what i mean by larger files is 25gh main movie, it will play bd5 or bd9 with out no problem

[GregiBoy]

Sounds like you have a throughput bottleneck in your PC.

These are the things I would be looking at in order:-

Throughput from disk - If using external, try internal
Read ahead caching of disk (Buffering)
Adding extra memory
Upgrade your processor

Your video card looks OK.

[csbond2]

Sounds like you have a throughput bottleneck in your PC.

These are the things I would be looking at in order:-

Throughput from disk - If using external, try internal
Read ahead caching of disk (Buffering)
Adding extra memory
Upgrade your processor

Your video card looks OK.

How do you set up internal read ahead caching.

[GregiBoy]

You'll have to look for 3rd party software to do this. Plenty available on the net.

Is it an internal or external drive you are playing from coz that could be the prob?

[csbond2]

You'll have to look for 3rd party software to do this. Plenty available on the net.

Is it an internal or external drive you are playing from coz that could be the prob?

External, but like i said i have a network blu-ray player and i can hook my harddrive to it and stream the files fine.

[GregiBoy]

CacheMaster comes to mind but I haven't had to use that sorta stuff for ages since I built myself a decent machine.

[csbond2]

CacheMaster comes to mind but I haven't had to use that sorta stuff for ages since I built myself a decent machine.

will give it a try , being on a limited budget building a new machine is 6 months away. thank you for the advice.

[GregiBoy]

BTW: Why the hell try to build a HTPC out of that clunker when your player streams them fine?

[csbond2]

BTW: Why the hell try to build a HTPC out of that clunker when your player streams them fine?

Can only hook up one drive at a time, and i have 3.

[GregiBoy]

You are not really describing your current setup and what you want to achieve properly.

I am sure that there are better ways around what you want to do.

Eg: I have a media player connected into my network with 2 x 2Tb & 1 x 1Tb connected and this acts as a NAS/Streamer to all other devices on my network and the player/NAS only cost about $100 (Excluding drives).

Some of the US guys on this forum are doing this with the PIVOS Aios and reckon it works fine.

[csbond2]

You are not really describing your current setup and what you want to achieve properly.

I am sure that there are better ways around what you want to do.

Eg: I have a media player connected into my network with 2 x 2Tb & 1 x 1Tb connected and this acts as a NAS/Streamer to all other devices on my network and the player/NAS only cost about $100 (Excluding drives).

Some of the US guys on this forum are doing this with the PIVOS Aios and reckon it works fine.

My blu-ray player allows me to hook up a hard drive with a usb connection , I cannot stream wireless to it that i know of. What i am wanting to do is hook all my drives to one source. I intend to build a new machine in the near future. I know that a media player works well to but because i plan to build later i went in another direction. I know that what i cam do with this machine is limited but some of what i put in it now i can use later.

[GregiBoy]

What about a little powered USB hub connected to your player and then plug the drives into that?

That's worked for me in the past on players that only have one USB connection.

[csbond2]

What about a little powered USB hub connected to your player and then plug the drives into that?

That's worked for me in the past on players that only have one USB connection.

Will look into that. Thank you for all the advice.

[CBR929]

Hi csbond2
This is may or may not be the problem, but make sure that you monitor the temps of your card.
This card is prone to getting very Hot and this may be your problem.

Also make sure that you have the latest drivers for your card and not just the ones that came with the disc.

CBR929

[csbond2]

Just to let every one know i seem to have solved the problem. i downloded powerdvd 10.0 and no skipping or pixilation. my guess is that i didn't have the settings on vlc set right or it dosen't handle a full blu-ray file as well with my setup. Thank you for all the suggestions.