- Joined
- Sep 21, 2010
- Messages
- 13,414
- Motherboard
- HP 17" 17-by3053cl
- CPU
- i5-1035G1
- Graphics
- Intel UHD Graphics, 1920x1080
- Mac
- Classic Mac
- Mobile Phone
I recently moved most of the components of my original Hackintosh into a HTPC case to create a HacHTPC: Stork's HTPC Old School P55M-UD2 But Cool HTPC. But enough about hardware...here's how I use it.
Media Center App
I use Plex as my media center app. Several years ago, I tested all the Mac compatible media center apps on a Mac Mini HTPC and Plex was the winner. Turns out it was a good choice. There's not much to tell you about using Plex as their documentation is very thorough, and, thus, I don't need to add any more to their documentation.
I use a Samsung F4 2TB hard drive for my media. I have the hard drive, Media, structured following folders:
Movies
TV Shows
Converting Media to Digital FormatMovie Names
MusicArtist
___Albums
______Songs
Photos___Albums
______Songs
TV Shows
Show Name
___Season #
______Show Name - SxyEab (exampel: Cheers - S01E01)
To Convert___Season #
______Show Name - SxyEab (exampel: Cheers - S01E01)
Note: the tonymacx86 Forum Policy prohibits the discussion of piracy (See the Forum Rules & Policies). Consequently, there will be no discussion of such programs as TV Shows, Transmission, Episode Linker, Hazel and Automatic in this thread or any other on the Forum. The Plex and other forums are full of threads that cover this illegal practice.
Since I have a sizable movie and TV show DVD collection and too many music CDs and LPs, I'm in the process of finishing converting all my media to digital format. I'm retired, so I have the time.
For DVDs, I use RipIt which has work flawlessly so far. RipIt is shareware ($25 USB) but comes up every once in a while in the MacUpdate and other semi annual bundles. RipIt is too easy to use:
- launch RipIt;
- For first time use, go into the Preference and set up the destination folder;
- Insert the DVD;
- Rip away!
Apple's DVD Player app will automatically launch when you insert the DVD. Just quit the DVD Player and press on with RipIt. However, I got tired of exiting out of DVD Player every time I inserted a video DVD to rip. So, in Snow Leopard, open up the System Preferences > CDs & DVDs pane. In the last option, "When you insert a video DVD:" choose "ignore" in the drop down window.- For first time use, go into the Preference and set up the destination folder;
- Insert the DVD;
- Rip away!
Once the DVD has been ripped, I use HandBrake to convert the DVD files to .m4v files that are compatible with Plex, Apple TV (I have a 1st generation ATV) and/or iPhone/iPad. For Plex, I use HandBrake's High Profile conversion which is one the default setting choices. More settings for the discriminating viewer can be found on the HandBrake forum. (See you there!)
I also use one of the HandBrake's developers codes for my ATV1G which you can read about here.
Music
CDs. Nothing surprising here. I rip my audio CDs with iTunes. Plex uses my iTunes library as part of it's music collection. I also download music from the iTunes store and Amazon. I have lots of iTunes playlists which help avoid the boredom of listening to a consecutive songs by the same artist or groups.
LPs. LPs are a lot tougher. I've used several approaches - all of them work, but take lots of time:
- Canopus AVVC 100 interface to my turntable and Mac was my 1st approach;
- Griffin Technologies' iMic and Final Vinyl was my 2nd approach; and
- An inexpensive USB turntable and Audicity was my last approach.
(This description is a work in progress. More details real soon now.)- Griffin Technologies' iMic and Final Vinyl was my 2nd approach; and
- An inexpensive USB turntable and Audicity was my last approach.
FaceTime
Now that the tonymacx86 gurus have incorporated the FaceTime code into Chimera, I've hooked up my Apple iSight camera to the HacHTPC and am awaiting a FaceTime "experience" with our family members and friends. A quick try says it works. If I have any problems with it, I'll post it here with solutions.
Well, that's it, so far. I'm still exploring the ability of a HacHTPC running Plex.
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