television pc
A home theater PC (HTPC) or media PC is a convergence device that combines the functions of a personal computer and a digital video recorder. It is connected to a television or a television-sized computer display and is often used as a digital photo, music, video player, TV receiver and digital video recorder. Home theater PCs are also referred to as media center systems or media servers.
The general goal in a HTPC is usually to combine many or all components of a home theater setup into one box. They can be purchased pre-configured with the required hardware and software needed to add television programming to the PC, or can be cobbled together out of discrete components as is commonly done with Windows Media Center, GB-PVR, SageTV, Famulent or LinuxMCE.
Standard PC units are usually connected to a CRT or LCD display, while HTPCs are designed to be connected to a television. All HTPCs should feature a TV-out option, using either a HDMI, DVI, Component Video, VGA (for some LCD televisions), S-Video, or Composite Video output.
A common user complaint with using standard PCs as HTPC units is background noise, especially in quieter film scenes. Most personal computers are designed for maximum performance, while the functions of a HTPC system may not be processor-intensive. Thus, passive cooling systems, low-speed fans, vibration-absorbing elastic mounts for fans and hard drives, and other minimal noise devices are used in place of conventional cooling systems.
Putting the operating system on flash memory and keeping the media on a separate file server elsewhere in the home can eliminate the noise and heat generated by a hard drive.
Because of the nature of the HTPC, higher than average capacities are required for HTPC units to allow storage of pictures, music, television shows, videos, and other multimedia. Designed almost as a 'permanent storage' device, space can quickly run out on these devices. Because of restrictions on internal space for hard disc drives and a desire for low noise levels, many HTPC units utilise a Network Attached Storage. Some HTPC units also feature a DVD writer to help users copy and move their media.HTPCs may support high-definition television and surround sound. Upsampling DVDs to 720p, or even 1080p/1080i, for display on a connected HDTV will give a picture that rivals some dedicated home theater equipment. For DVD playback, HTPCs with mid to high end video card technology (Nvidia purevideo or Ati avivo) have defeated standalone DVD players up to the $2000 range in benchmarking testsComputer-based digital video recorder software that enables the PC to record video from the television signal generally has no monthly subscription fees. The user can schedule recordings from any computer or mobile phone on the Internet. Recording space can easily be upgraded, and/or shows can be burned to DVD or other removable media. These features are also possible with HDTV when using an HDTV tuner card & appropriate software. Premium HDTV channels, which are encrypted, can only be time-shifted with a CableLabs-certified system using an OCUR device under Windows Vista, the same way a TiVo Series 3 can record Premium Content.
HTPCs often include online storage of music and movies, usually copied from the original media or downloaded from the Internet onto the HTPC or media server. This allows more convenient access to the content, as well as searching by artist, genre, director, etc.
Advantages over video game consoles include the ability to play games produced by developers who don't get publishing licenses with the console manufacturers as well as more connectivity options and customizable input devices. A HTPC can also perform very well as an emulator of console games, allowing the user to store a large[citation needed] library of games designed for a large screenOther common features of a HTPC might include digital photo albums, weather information, news headlines, whole house lighting/appliance control (part of home automation), and the ability to use one remote for all HTPC devices.
In general, PCs sold as HTPCs tend to be more expensive than ordinary PCs or than dedicated devices as not all PCs include a TV tuner, a remote control and a flash memory card reader for loading digital photos. It's common to over engineer the hardware slightly, to keep playback and recording smooth at all times; this increases cost. A special computer case designed to sit near a TV and look like a DVD player may also increase the price, and some of these need smaller motherboards.
Because HTPCs are far from mainstream, a lot of the commonly used software is not easy for the average computer user to set up. Generally, setting up HTPC software should be done by people who are already very comfortable behind a computer. However, once properly set up, it can be easy to use.
Computer games work on HTPCs, but apart from classics compilations that use software emulators of console or arcade systems, such as Midway Arcade Treasures, few are designed specifically for television displays.
Games designed for a generic PC tend to draw text using small fonts that are difficult to read on a standard-definition TV. The majority of generic PC games also tend to allow only one player per machine, and multiplayer gaming requires more than one PC. This makes it difficult to find counterparts to popular party style console games such as Bomberman or the Super Smash Bros. series. Lastly, many HTPCs are normally not built with performance in mind. The graphic adapters equipped on HTPCs are usually not top-of-the-line, the motherboards may not have the required expansion slots for performance-enhancing expansion cards and even may not be using a chipset that is optimized for performance. As such, HTPCs do not generally perform well on games that have a very high hardware specification.
Note, however, that most disadvantages presented here apply to pre-fabricated HTPCs sold under that auspice.
Current generation computer systems have enough computing power to record and play at least one stream of HDTV content, but conservatively, a processor of at least 1 GHz will be able to play standard definition TV content even without hardware support. A 2.5 GHz Pentium 4 (roughly a 2 GHz Athlon XP) or faster CPU is needed to play back the highest resolution of HDTV content without dropped frames.
Several manufacturers build combined TV tuner plus capture cards for PCs. Many such cards offer hardware MPEG encoding to reduce the computing requirements. Some cards are designed for analog TV signals such as standard definition cable or off the air television while others are designed for high definition digital TV.
Integrating a HTPC into a typical living room requires a way of controlling it from a couch across the room. Most wireless keyboards and pointing devices are intended for close range use from a hard surface like a table, but some wireless devices are intended for longer range too. As of today, the absence of remote keyboard + mouse combos specially designed for HTPC usage is apparent.
Many TV tuner/capture cards include remote controls for use with the applications included with the card. GB-PVR, SageTV, MediaPortal and Beyond TV support the use of a Windows MCE remote control or Snapstream's Firefly remote control. The MCE receiver has 2 IR blaster ports to control set top boxes. Some DirectTV receivers can be controlled with a serial cable as well.
There are HTPC options available for Windows and Linux users. A common approach for Windows is to install a version that contains the Windows Media Center (Home Premium or Ultimate for Vista or Windows XP Media Center Edition). Windows Media Center (MCE) includes additional software that covers the PVR functions of the proposed HTPC, including free program guide information and automatic program recording. However, Windows MCE does not provide an MPEG2 codec, although one can be purchased from Intel, or is alternatively included when purchasing Intervideo's WinDVD. Other MCE compatible MPEG2 decoders are Nvidia's PureVideo and Sonic's CinePlayer DVD Decoder packages. Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate already include an MPEG2 decoder.
Alternatively, a HTPC may be built with the addition of a third party software PVR such as GB-PVR, SageTV or Snapstream's BeyondTV to a Windows PC. SageTV and GB-PVR have integrated placeshifting comparable to the Slingbox, allowing client PCs and the Hauppauge MediaMVP to be connected to the server over the network. Snapstream provides heuristic commercial detection and program recompression. When using a faster CPU, SageTV and Beyond TV can record content from TV capture cards which do not include hardware MPEG2 compression. For a free alternative, GB-PVR and MediaPortal provide full home theatre support and good multi-card DVR capabilities. GB-PVR also has a free client, free mediaMVP client, and free network media playback.
For the Linux operating system, KnoppMyth combines the Knoppix Linux distribution with MythTV, a Linux based software PVR, while LinuxMCE combines MythTV and the Kubuntu distribution. SageTV provides commercially supported Linux HTPC software that is compatible with most major Linux distributions.
A Portable Media Player (PMP) can be used for portable access to recorded programs, such as for working out at the gym, or for passenger entertainment during long drives. Some devices in this category can be automatically synchronized with a PC.
When using automatic synchronization, or batch converting a directory full of recorded programs to be placed on the PMP, it is useful if the device includes a commercial skip feature. While there have been attempts at automatically detecting commercial breaks, the reliability of those detection algorithms isn't accurate enough to rely upon when converting video content. When moving video to a device which does not include a skip feature, video editing software can be used to remove commercial breaks in the programs on an individual basis.
The Get a Mac campaign is a current (2006–present) television advertising campaign created for Apple Inc. by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the company's advertising agency. Shown in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand, the ads in the campaign have become easily recognizable because each ad follows a standard simple template: against a minimalist all-white background, a man dressed in casual clothes introduces himself as a Mac running Mac OS X ("Hello, I'm a Mac..."), while a man in a more formal suit and tie combination introduces himself as a non-Macintosh personal computer running Microsoft Windows ("... And I'm a PC."). The two then act out a brief vignette in which the capabilities and attributes of "Mac" and "PC" are compared, with PC—characterized as a formal, stuffy person overly concerned with work—often being frustrated by the more laid-back Mac's abilities. Some recent ads have shifted focus away from comparing features of the computer systems to a more general comparison. The most recent ones, however, are mainly concerning Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows Vista.
The original American ads star Justin Long as the Mac and author and humorist John Hodgman as the non-Mac PC, and are directed by Phil Morrison. The American ads also air on Canadian, Australian and New Zealand television. The recent British campaign stars comedic duo Robert Webb as Mac and David Mitchell as PC; although several of the British ads originated in the American campaign, they are generally slightly altered. The British campaign also features several original ads not seen in the American campaign.
The Get a Mac campaign is the successor to the "Switch" ads first broadcast in 2002. Arguably, the two are most similar in that actors in both campaigns were filmed against a plain white background. Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the campaign during a shareholders meeting the week before the campaign started. The campaign also coincided with a change of signage and employee apparel at Apple retail stores detailing reasons to switch to Macs.
The following is a brief summary of the different ads that appear in the various campaigns to date. All of the ads play on perceived weaknesses of standard non-Mac personal computers, especially those running Microsoft Windows, of which 'PC' is clearly intended to be a parody, and corresponding strengths possessed by the Mac OS (such as immunity to circulating viruses and spyware). Each of the ads is about 30 seconds in length and is accompanied by a song called " Having Trouble Sneezing ", composed by Mark Mothersbaugh. The advertisements are presented below in alphabetical, not chronological, order.
[edit] North American campaignThe following is an alphabetical list of the ads that appeared in the campaign shown in the United States and Canada. These ads can be viewed online at Apple's "Get A Mac" website and the Canadian equivalent.
Accident – A wheelchair-bound PC, who is wearing casts on his arms, explains that he fell off his desk when someone tripped over his power cord, thus prompting Mac to point out that the MacBook's and MacBook Pro's magnetic power cord prevents such an occurrence. Angel/Devil – Mac gives PC an iPhoto book to view. Suddenly, angel and devil versions of PC appear behind him. The angel encourages PC to compliment Mac, while the devil prods PC to destroy the book. In the end, PC says the book is good, and then turns around, feeling the air where the angel and devil versions of PC were. Better – Mac praises PC’s ability with spreadsheets, but explains that he is "better with life stuff", such as music, pictures, and movies. PC defensively asks what Mac means by "better", only to sheepishly claim a different definition when Mac tells him. Better Results – PC and Mac discuss making home movies, and show each other their efforts. Supermodel Gisele Bündchen enters, representing Mac's movie, while PC's movie is represented by a man with a hairy chest and a blonde wig wearing a dress similar to Bündchen's. PC states that there's some work in progress with his movie. Boxer - PC is introduced as if he were in a Boxing match, stating that he's not going down without a fight. Mac says back that it's not a competition, but rather people switching to a computer that's simpler and more intuitive. The ring announcer admits his brother-in-law got a Mac and loves it. Breakthrough – Mac and PC's therapist (see "Counselor" below) suggest that PC's problems are simply a result of software and hardware coming from various places, whereas Mac gets all his hardware and software from one place. "It's not my fault!" PC keeps repeating with support of Mac and the therapist. Then PC concludes, "It's Mac's fault, it's Mac's fault," with Mac and the therapist disappointed in PCs conclusion. PC ends with the comment: "What a Breakthrough!". Choose a Vista – Confused about which of the six versions of Windows Vista to get, PC spins a big game wheel. PC spins "Lose a Turn" and Mac questions why PC put that space on the wheel. Computer Cart – PC and 3 other men in suits are on a computer cart. When Mac asks why, PC says that he gets an error with a Windows Media Player DLL file (WMP.DLL), and that the others suffer from similar errors (The man in the beige suit represents error 692, the man in the grey suit represents a Syntax error, and the man in the bottom of the cart represents Fatal error in which PC whispers along with "he's a goner" after the commercial). Mac explains that Macs don't get cryptic error messages. Counselor – PC and Mac visit a counselor to resolve their differences. However, while Mac finds it easy to compliment PC ("you are a wizard with numbers and you dress like a gentleman"), PC's resentment is too deep for him to reciprocate ("I guess you are better at creating stuff, even though it's completely juvenile and a waste of time."). The counselor suggests them coming in twice a week. Flashback – Mac asks PC if he would like to see a website and home movie that he made. This prompts PC to flashback to a time when both he and Mac were children; when the younger Mac asks the younger PC if he would like to see some artwork he did, the younger PC takes out a calculator and calculates "the time you just wasted." Returning from the flashback, PC does the same thing. Genius – Mac introduces PC to one of the Apple Geniuses from the Apple Retail Store's Genius Bar. PC tests the Genius, starting with math questions and culminating in asking her, on a scale of one to ten, how much does he loathe Mac, to which she answers eleven which is correct, and PC says "She's good. Very good." Gift Exchange – Mac and PC exchange gifts for Christmas; PC, who is hoping for a C++ GUI programming guide, is disappointed to receive a photo album of previous Get a Mac ads made on iPhoto, and Mac receives from PC a C++ GUI programming guide. Goodwill – Mac and PC agree to put aside their differences because of the Christmas season. Although PC momentarily slips and states that Mac "wastes his time with frivolous pursuits like home movies and blogs," the two agree to, as Mac says, "pull it into hug harbor" and the each wish each other a good holiday. Group - PC is at a help group for "PC's living with Vista". The other PC's there tell him to take it one day at a time and that he is facing the biggest fact of all, that Vista isn't working as it should. They all wish the Vista problems will go away sooner and a lot easier. One of them says pleasingly that he has been error-free for a week and starts to repeat himself uncontrollably and the others get disappointed. iLife – PC is listening to an iPod and praises iTunes. Mac replies that the rest of iLife works just as well and comes on every Mac. PC defensively responds by listing the "cool apps" that he comes with, but can only identify "calculator" and "clock." Meant for Work – PC, looking haggard and covered in stickers, complains about the kids who use him and their activities, such as making movies and blogging, which are wearing him out and makes him "cry to sleep mode." He complains that, unlike Mac, he is meant more for office work. PC then trudges off because his user wants to listen to some Emo (represented by the Anarchy sign on his back). Misprint - PC is on the phone with PCWorld attempting to report a misprint. He explains how they said, "The fastest Windows Vista notebook we tested this year is a Mac." PC goes on to argue how impossible it is for a Mac to run Vista faster than a PC while Mac tries to explain that it is true. While arguing with PCWorld over the phone, PC says he'll put Mac on the line to set things straight. However, he instead lowers his voice and talks 'cool' in an attempt to impersonate Mac saying that PCs are faster. Network – Mac and PC, holding hands to demonstrate their ability to network with each other, are joined by a Japanese woman representing a new digital camera, who enters and takes the Mac character's hand. While Mac and the camera are perfectly compatible and speak to each other fluently, PC – who cannot speak Japanese – is utterly confused and unable to communicate, representing Windows PCs needing driver installation with virtually all new hardware. Now What — PC begins by showing off his new, long book, I Want to Buy a Computer — Now What?, to help customers deal with all the difficult computer-buying decisions, with no one out there to help. Mac then replies that buying a computer is in fact "really easy," explaining that at Apple Stores there are "personal shoppers" to help you find the perfect Mac. Mac goes on to say that there are even workshops there to teach people about using the computers. Upon hearing this, PC says that he also thought of this and brings out the companion volume, I Just Bought a Computer — Now What?. Office Stress – Macs new Microsoft Office 2008 program has just come out. In the box that PC gives him, is a stress toy for Mac to use when he gets stressed from doing lots more work, which PC begins using as he complains that Microsoft Office is too compatible with Mac and that he wants to switch his files over and he is getting less work then Mac, eventually breaking the toy. Out of the Box – Mac (in a white box) and PC (in a brown box doing some exercises) are in boxes discussing what they will do when they are unpacked. Whereas Mac says that he can get started right away, PC is held up by the numerous activities he must complete before being useful. Mac eventually leaves to get right to work, whereas PC is forced to wait for parts that are still in other boxes. Pep Rally - PC is introduced by a cheerleading squad. The plot moves to Mac's number 1 status on college campuses with his built in iSight camera and his Stable operating system. The cheerleaders cheer, "Mac's Number One!". Upon PC's disagree, they cheer, "PC's Number Two!" Party is Over – PC unhappily throws a party celebrating the release of Windows Vista. He complains to Mac that he had to upgrade his hardware, and now can't use some of his old software and peripherals. He then talks with one of the party members about throwing another in 5 years, which turns into 5 years and a day, and so on. Podium - PC, in the style of a political candidate, is standing at a podium making declarations about Windows Vista, urging those who are having compatibility problems with existing hardware to simply replace them and to ignore the new features of Mac OS X Leopard - however, he privately admits to Mac that he himself has downgraded to Windows XP three weeks ago. His key slogan is "It's not about what Vista can do for you, it's what you can buy for Vista." PR Lady - Mac and PC are joined by a public relations representative (played by Mary Chris Wall), who has been hired by PC to place a positive spin on the reaction to Windows Vista and claims that many people are even downgrading back to Windows XP, but her response to claims that more people are switching to Mac instead is a sheepish "No comment." Referee – A referee is present, according to PC, to make sure that Mac doesn't go on saying that Leopard is better and faster than Vista. When Mac defends himself saying that it was The Wall Street Journal who compared the two, PC complains, and the referee sides with Mac. Upon insulting the referee, PC gets ejected, but PC rebuts, saying that he has nowhere to go (in the ad's area). Restarting – Mac and PC explain how they both have a lot in common, but their discussion is hampered by PC's unfortunate habit of freezing and restarting. Sabotage – In this advert, PC is present, but a different actor appears in Mac's place, obviously reciting poorly memorized lines to flatter PC. The real Mac arrives soon after, and while PC sheepishly denies anything is happening, 'impostor' Mac tells 'real' Mac that he's "a big fan." Sad Song - PC sings a short country-blues style song because vista has gotten him feeling down. The song is about people 'leaving him' for Mac and that Vista's got issues. A dog then howls then Mac claims the song is touchy Sales Pitch – Although Mac introduces himself as usual, PC says "... and buy a PC." He explains that Mac's increasing popularity is forcing him to be more forward in his self-promotion, and is reduced to holding up red signs with various pitches on them. Claymation PC, Santa Claus, and Mac from the "Santa Claus" ad.Santa Claus – An animated Get a Mac commercial featuring Santa Claus and Christmas caroling by both PC and Mac. PC spoils the song by inserting "Buy a PC and not a Mac this holiday season or any other time for goodness sake". The animation style is similar to the Rankin/Bass television specials Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town. Security – In a reference to criticisms of Windows Vista's security features, PC is a joined by a tall United States Secret Service-style bodyguard representing Vista's new security feature, who intrusively demands that he "cancel or allow" every incoming or outgoing interaction he has with Mac. Self Pity – Mac, for once, is wearing a suit, and explains that he "does work stuff too" and has been running Microsoft Office for years. Upon hearing this, PC becomes despondent and collapses on the floor, begging to be left alone to depreciate. Stuffed – PC enters slowly, with a ballooned torso, explaining that all the trial software is slowing him down. Mac replies that Macs only come with the software "you want" (namely, the iLife package). As PC finally gets on his mark, Mac begins his intro again, but PC realizes that he's forgotten something and begins to slowly leave. Surgery – PC appears in the garb of a patient awaiting surgery, and explains that he is upgrading to Windows Vista but requires "surgery" to upgrade (specifically, upgrading such items as graphics cards, processors, memory, etc). In reference to perceived difficulties in upgrading, PC admits that he is worried about going through it and bequeaths his peripherals to Mac should he not survive. Tech Support – A technician is present to 'install' a webcam to PC (using masking tape to attach it to his head). PC is extremely pleased by his new upgrade, but on hearing from the technician that Mac has a built-in webcam, he storms off without waiting for the camera to be fully 'installed'. Time Machine – In the typical introduction of Mac and PC, instead of there being one Mac, there is a line of 10. PC is shocked, so the various Macs explain that it is simply "Time Machine," a feature in Leopard which makes regular backups of the hard drive. PC is forced to admit that such a feature is "pretty awesome," followed by thanks from the various Macs. Touché – Right after PC introduces himself, the Mac character replies, "And I'm a PC too". Mac explains to the confused PC that he can run both Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows, calling himself "the only computer you'll ever need." PC mutters, "Oh...touché." The Mac character, referring to the rules of fencing, explains that one only says "touché" after he or she makes a point and someone else makes a counterpoint, but the PC character continues to misuse the word. A similar conversation occurred in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, a film which Justin Long (Mac) appeared in. Trust Mac – PC, in an attempt to hide from spyware, is wearing a trench coat with dark glasses and a false mustache. PC offers Mac a disguise, but Mac declines, saying he doesn't have to worry about the normal PC spyware and viruses with Mac OS X. Viruses – PC has caught a new virus (represented as a cold) and warns Mac to stay away from him, citing the "114,000 known viruses for PCs." Mac states that the viruses that affect PCs don't affect him, and PC announces that he's going to 'crash' before collapsing onto the floor in a faint. Work vs. Home – Mac describes how he enjoys doing 'fun stuff' such as podcasts and movies, leading PC to claim that he also does "fun stuff" such as timesheets, spreadsheets and pie charts. After Mac responds that it is difficult to capture a family vacation using a pie chart, PC rebuts by showing a pie chart representing "hangout time" and "just kicking it" with different shades of gray. WSJ – Mac is reading a favourable review of himself by Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal. Jealous, PC then claims that he also received a great review, but is caught offguard when Mac asks for specific details. This ad is currently not available online. Yoga –Mac is watching PC have a yoga session where the yoga instructor (Judy Greer) is coaching PC in "expelling bad Vista energy" and forgetting Vista's problems, but when the yoga instructor goes on to complain that Vista screwed up the yoga billing, PC considers switching to pilates.
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