HTPC - What is it that I need?

ATI used to make a PCI card called an ALL IN WONDER... or all in one. Audio and video. There are others. If a audio video card outputs via HDMI, and possesses 1080p & 24/192 audio, you/he should be set, save for the hardware & software needed to play the discs and HDMI cable. needed to hook up to the receiver.

There are PCI cards which use coax & TOS for audio, and component video outs too.... if HDMI isn't an option. Nvidea, ATI, etc. Depending on the card being used the PC can be a TIVO too.

I'd suggest lots of disc storage space too. as video eats it up quickly.

Get the Wednesday & Thursday paper... Grab a reasonable hunk of dough... and heaed out early This Thursday evening to a local BB or CC and get on line there. When they start passing out the tickets for pc stuff, laptops, towers, network drives, etc. take 'em, as much if not all of the adv goods will be first come first served. Without the ticket (s) even when the doors open, they'll be sold out!

If you change your mind give the ticket away or sell it to another shopper.

A friend of mine last year went to get a laptop ADV'd for $399.95, and was on line at 5 AM till the doors opened... and didn't have a ticket for the deal he wanted... Luckily, another shopper had changed their minds and sold him theirs for $20, so he could get his PC.

I'd think either networking drives, or laptops for Friday. Supposedly this year great laptops fully featured, no slouches are going to be under $599. Good ones for even less.

....Just a thought.

Iomega now has some refurbished USB & firewire drives on sale at their web site.

500GB for 70.00 for ex.

As good as that is, the network drive is more recommended, yet their x2 drive isn't on sale and still is 300.00 for 1TB.

Again, check out blackfriday.com for more deals... they're already lining up around here at BB & CC.... and it's two days out!