Media Centre Computers are otherwise known as Home Theatre PC's (HTPC).
Think of them as being devices that sit under your television and lets you:
Think of them as being devices that sit under your television and lets you:
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If you and your computer are in or around London, we
could help!
Media Centre Computer Store
1.
2.
Almost Free. This is the DIY, almost free option. You'll need to be a bit of a tech to complete this.
Free
If you haven't investigated Windows Media Center, this is software that is included on most versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Start it up. You'll be able to do many of the things described above except watch and record live television. But unless your computer can connect to your TV, you'll have to watch anything on the computer's screen.
Almost Free
Put some stuff into your computer to take it up to a HTPC spec. You'll firstly need to install a freeview card into your computer.
You'll need either a terrestial version if you use, or plan to use an aerial to get to your Freeview. Or a satellite version if you want to use your Sky satellite dish. Versions of these come with a remote control. You'll likely want to install a new graphics card that does HDMI. That way you can then connect your computer to your TV.
And that's about it. Plug your computer into your TV, and scan for all your channels...
Free
If you haven't investigated Windows Media Center, this is software that is included on most versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Start it up. You'll be able to do many of the things described above except watch and record live television. But unless your computer can connect to your TV, you'll have to watch anything on the computer's screen.
Almost Free
Put some stuff into your computer to take it up to a HTPC spec. You'll firstly need to install a freeview card into your computer.
You'll need either a terrestial version if you use, or plan to use an aerial to get to your Freeview. Or a satellite version if you want to use your Sky satellite dish. Versions of these come with a remote control. You'll likely want to install a new graphics card that does HDMI. That way you can then connect your computer to your TV.
And that's about it. Plug your computer into your TV, and scan for all your channels...
Provide a Donor PC. So, you like the idea of using your spare computer, but you don't want it to look like a
computer in your front room. Well, we'll take your computer and pimp it up so that it looks like it belongs
under your television.
Any computer that's around three years old or thereabout should do the trick. We should say that we can only do this service if you live in London or nearby. Here's roughly what we'll do:
1. We connect to your PC and check the specifications out. If it's good and your computer is running Windows 7 or Windows Vista then we will prepare a quote for you.
2. If you are happy with the quote, then we will collect your donor computer. We'll discuss with you where you would like to install your HTPC and discuss any cabling or wireless options.
3. We remove the following parts from your computer's casing: motherboard, memory, processor, hard disk, DVD drive and graphics card.
4. Install your computer parts in a sleek new HTPC case of your choosing.
5. Install the following additional parts - replacement or additional graphics card with HDMI connector, Freeview card of your choice. Stylish remote control. Additional hard disk if required.
6. Set up your HTPC as you'd like it. Test and then deliver and install it for you.
Your 'pimped-up' HTPC could look like the choice model below. The cost for building your HTPC, not including any additional hard disks, but as described above is £180.00 plus delivery. Delivery, installation and setup at £30.
Any computer that's around three years old or thereabout should do the trick. We should say that we can only do this service if you live in London or nearby. Here's roughly what we'll do:
1. We connect to your PC and check the specifications out. If it's good and your computer is running Windows 7 or Windows Vista then we will prepare a quote for you.
2. If you are happy with the quote, then we will collect your donor computer. We'll discuss with you where you would like to install your HTPC and discuss any cabling or wireless options.
3. We remove the following parts from your computer's casing: motherboard, memory, processor, hard disk, DVD drive and graphics card.
4. Install your computer parts in a sleek new HTPC case of your choosing.
5. Install the following additional parts - replacement or additional graphics card with HDMI connector, Freeview card of your choice. Stylish remote control. Additional hard disk if required.
6. Set up your HTPC as you'd like it. Test and then deliver and install it for you.
Your 'pimped-up' HTPC could look like the choice model below. The cost for building your HTPC, not including any additional hard disks, but as described above is £180.00 plus delivery. Delivery, installation and setup at £30.
Copyright 2010 Cairos Computing Limited
Help Computing is a trading style of Cairos Computing Ltd.
Help Computing is a trading style of Cairos Computing Ltd.
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Store all your DVDs on the HTPC - we'll show you how! Or have the HTPC access any movies on your
other computers. You'll be able to play any of your movies - wherever they are on your network - to your
TV at a click of a remote!
Swap out your Sky box for a HTPC. You'll pay no more monthly rentals but you'll still have access to many
channels including HD channels via Freeview. You'll be able to record any programmes to the HTPC.
Oh, and if you simply must have some Sky channels, you can still subscribe to them via the HTPC...
Add all your music and CDs to the HTPC. Get the HTPC to find all your music on your network. And then
play all your music through any speakers you have attached to the HTPC.
Get another HTPC for your bedroom. Because it'll connect to your network, it knows about the HTPC in
the front room. And now, you can watch that film or TV programme you have recorded in the front room,
on your bedroom TV. Or vice versa.
You can even remotely control your HTPC both in your house and anywhere else, and remotely set up
programmes to be recorded. As long as you have an iPhone, we've found an app for that!
Call up any TV programme or movie that you have stored on your HTPC, on your laptop! Allow your
children to watch a recorded program on the computer in their room! Now you can watch a movie or a
recorded programme anywhere in the house.
Stop using Freeview via your TV or via a box and get a HTPC up and running. There'll still be no monthly
rentals but now you'll have so many new features that Freeview and Sky can't do for you, like...
Tempted? Well, have a look at our options! You might know what we're like - let's see what we can do for almost free
firstly! After that, you can take a look at some of the HTPC's that we can supply for you, including an option where we
upgrade your 'spare' PC and turn it into a HTPC...
3.
A new HTPC. We can build one to your specifications, but we are currently building three Media Servers.
The HTPC1 arrives in the case as pictured above and comes with a high quality remote control, an Intel Celeron 1.8GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. It'll come with Windows 7 Home Premium, a DVD recordable drive so you can backup your media to disk and a 250GB hard disk. £377 plus delivery.
The HTPC1 arrives in the case as pictured above and comes with a high quality remote control, an Intel Celeron 1.8GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. It'll come with Windows 7 Home Premium, a DVD recordable drive so you can backup your media to disk and a 250GB hard disk. £377 plus delivery.
The HTPC2 arrives in the case below and also comes with a high quality remote control. It has a more
powerful Intel Celeron 2.6GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. It'll come with Windows 7 Home Premium, a
Blu-ray Player that also reads and writes DVDs and a 1TB hard disk for a massive amount of music and
video storage. £499 plus delivery.
The HTPC3 arrives in the high quality case below and also comes with a deluxe remote control. Not that you
should need to browse the underlying Windows 7 operating system, but if you had to, this remote makes it
easier to do. It has a more powerful Intel Celeron 2.6GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. It'll come with
Windows 7 Home Premium, a Blu-ray Player that also reads and writes DVDs and a 2TB hard disk for a
massive amount of music and video storage. The HTPC3 has the space to even backup data from other
computers on your network.
£550 plus delivery.
£550 plus delivery.
The Small Print.
Most people will be able to get good coverage of Terrestial Freeview, and if you've got a satellite dish that was set up for Sky, then your dish will also pick up Freeview via Satellite. If you plan to use Terrestial, you should get a good aerial installed from the outside of your house. We've seen boosted indoor aerials work fine, and even ordinary aerials but to see if you stand a good chance with an indoor aerial you should check here for coverage...
Most people will be able to get good coverage of Terrestial Freeview, and if you've got a satellite dish that was set up for Sky, then your dish will also pick up Freeview via Satellite. If you plan to use Terrestial, you should get a good aerial installed from the outside of your house. We've seen boosted indoor aerials work fine, and even ordinary aerials but to see if you stand a good chance with an indoor aerial you should check here for coverage...