HTPC Cleanout/AV Update

Now that the software is running well inside Windows Media Centre and Media Browser, it is time to clean out the inside of the HTPC and update some of the AV connections/hardware that makes the whole system work.  This involved taking all of the AV Components out, opening the guts of the HTPC and then dusting and cleaning.  Everything inside looked good and the cable management was more or less intact.

The Next Chore was to clean out the cables and wires behind the Media Components.  I got rid of an old NAD510 CD player that had been collecting dust.  It was replaced by a slightly less old Hitachi DVD Player.

Now the System runs an HDMI out from the HTPC to the Receiver with a second audio out via SPDIF.  The second audio path is required because Video is displayed on a 1080p Projector, which is not always practical to have on; when it is off, a 7 inch USB touchscreen display is used.  Unfortunately when the touchscreen is on the HDCP pathway is compromised and the HDMI shutsdown.  The DVD player is connected via a component video/coax audio feed.  We also have a phono connected.

All of this feeds the Yamaha Natural Sound HTR 6280 Home Theatre Receiver.  The Speakers are the weak spot, but everythings sounds and looks quite good. 

HTPC Specs:
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
Intel Core 2 Due E 8400 @ 3GHz
ATI All in Wonder HD with HDMI out
4 GB DDR2 Dual Channel RAM
ASUS P5QL/EPU Mother board
Server Connection via Gigabit LAN and 802.11 N wireless
BluRay ROM

HTPC UPDATE

It has been a long time since I sat down and sorted through all of the plugins and settings in the HTPC. It has been running very well, but every so often its time to go through things and make them better. Here are some of the things that have been updated

Media Browser
Mkv support
New theme
Radio Plugin

Canadian Internet Radio Content:

It has not always been easy to get a simple internet radio interface to work with Canadian radio content. There are often all sorts of IP/Geographic blocks or very complicated interfaces that require complex setups. I stumbled upon the Tunein Radio plugin and it seems to be working very well. It has several ways of searching including a geography based catalogue of stations that has all the stations I was looking for.
PLUGIN RECOMMENDATION: TuneIn Radio Time