Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
More info?)
I use the Dell 4100MP. It's 1024x768 and HDTV compatible. I run a 10 foot
diagnonal.
Honestly, it's good, not great. To get great, it's $5000-7000. The 4100MP
is under $1900, so I got a good value.
It does generate some heat and the darker the room the better.
Tom
"Jack Carter" <jcarter10@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:jNqdnUTc9v59x2vcRVn-gA@comcast.com...
> Hi Tom: Thanx for the encouragement. Just curious: what kind of projector
> are you using? I've got a couple of rear-projection TVs (Hitachi
> Ultravision
> and Toshiba). The Hitachi is going on 18 years old (gulp!) and has been
> flawless. I'm considering a projector but haven't looked yet. I'm assuming
> they're noisy and run hot. I have a friend who's been running a commercial
> 3-tube front projector Zenith for many years. And he's telling me that's
> the
> only way to go. He's got his set up for a size of 12 feet diagonal !!
>
>
> "Tom Scales" <tomtoo@softhome.net> wrote in message
> news:mKfJd.4443$ky2.2812@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
>> Let me throw in another suggestion.
>>
>> I have the Hauppauge card (both the PVR-250 and TV PVR USB2) and I run
> them
>> with Snapstream (www.snapstream.com) using their Firefly remote.
>>
>> The quality is outstanding and you can burn the DVD directly from the
>> application (It's a bone stock MPG). Any computer with DVD Player
> software
>> can play the files. It will also compress the files to smaller WMV files
> in
>> the background (great for my portable player).
>>
>> Programming couldn't be easier -- pick the show from the guide, choose
> ALL,
>> NEW EPISODES or ONE TIME. No monthly fees.
>>
>> The output on my TV (S-VHS) from my video card is very good. Output to
>> my
>> projector at full VGA is stunning.
>>
>> Tom
>> "Jack Carter" <jcarter10@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:bcadnWYtMvvX7mjcRVn-pQ@comcast.com...
>> > Just about what I expected. Can I assume that your recorded DVD shows
> look
>> > similar to standard VHS tapes on playback thru your TV set? (I'd be
>> > pleasantly surprised if they looked any better!) Also, do you know what
>> > motherboard and chipset it's got? I figured it might have Intel's
> built-in
>> > High Definition audio. Probably doesn't have any front audio jacks,
>> > does
>> > it? I'm having a hard time choosing between the Dell and an HP 1050y
> which
>> > has some amenities that are apparently missing on the Dell. But my old
>> > Dell has been chugging along trouble-free since I got it, despite all
>> > of
>> > its propriatary parts. So I'm leaning toward the 8400.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > "HillBillyBuddhist" <hillbillybuddhistshoes@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> > news:_h5Jd.51921$re1.19850@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>> >> "Jack Carter" <jcarter10@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> >> news:9oSdne-RfMzgbm7cRVn-gA@comcast.com...
>> >> | Anyone bought one yet? If so, whatchathink? My 8100's getting a
> little
>> >> | antiquated so I've been eyeballing the Dell and the HP media
> centers.)
>> >>
>> >> Yes. I got mine 03-JAN-2005.
>> >>
>> >> So far it's been a peach. It's quieter than My previous DIM 8200
>> >> (which
>> >> is
>> >> pretty quiet) and as one would expect is a good deal faster at tasks
> like
>> >> video en/transcoding editing etc... Looks great on the Ultrasharp
> 1900FP.
>> >> (I
>> >> handed down my DIM8200 to my Wife along with the 173FP that came with
> the
>> >> 8400) Surround sound from the Sound Blaster® Live! 24-bit is crisper
> than
>> >> what came from the Santa Cruz card on the DIM8200.
>> >>
>> >> It has no built in Media Card slots like some of the other OEM MCE
>> >> computers. I already had readers for most card types so it was not an
>> >> issue
>> >> for me but something to consider.
>> >>
>> >> I haven't had a crash or lockup of any sort yet I have installed and
> used
>> >> most of my usual applications.
>> >>
>> >> I'm happily watching and recording my shows (at the same time
and
>> >> putting
>> >> them on DVD minus the commercials. (for which BTW I'm using Nero 6
> which
>> >> works a good deal faster than the included Sonic programs)
>> >>
>> >> I would say that if your primary goal is the "Tivo like" aspects of
>> >> MCE
>> >> you'll be disappointed. In that respect MCE isn't (IMO) ready for
>> >> prime
>> >> time
>> >> and you'd be better off investing in a Tivo or some other "set top"
> PVR.
>> >> The
>> >> recorded shows are in a Microsoft specific format, *.dvr-ms, (try to
>> >> contain
>> >> your shock) that so far only a few video editing programs can handle.
>> >> They
>> >> have to be transcoded and burned to DVD manually with third party
>> >> software.
>> >> While that's not an issue for most here anyone that has to ask "what's
> a
>> >> file extension?" would have some learning to do.
>> >>
>> >> As a general purpose computer capable of some fairly advanced video
>> >> handling
>> >> I'm very pleased. Dell did omit the "Drivers and Utilities" disc from
> my
>> >> original shipment. I emailed them and had the disc in hand in 5
> business
>> >> days.
>> >>
>> >> If there's some particular aspect you're interested in I didn't cover
>> >> please
>> >> post back.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Memory 1GB Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 400MHz (2x512M)
>> >> Monitor 17 in E173FP Flat Panel Display
>> >> Video Card 128MB PCI ExpressT x16 (DVI/VGA/TV-out) ATI RadeonT X300 SE
>> >> Hard Drive 160GB Serial ATA Hard Drive (7200RPM) w/ Native Command
>> >> Queuing
>> >> Operating System Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center 2005 Edition
>> >> Network Interface Integrated Gigabit Ethernet
>> >> Modem 56K PCI Data/Fax Modem
>> >> CD ROM/DVD ROM Dual Drives: 16x DVD + 16x DVD+/-RW w/dbl layer write
>> >> Sound Card Sound Blaster® Live! 24-bit ADVANCED HDT Audio
>> >> Speakers Dell 5650 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System with Subwoofer
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> D
>> >>
>> >> I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
>> >> I was just trying to help.
>> >> Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions
> or
>> >> advice herein.
>> >> No warranty is expressed or implied.
>> >> Your mileage may vary.
>> >> See store for details.
>> >>
>> >> Remove shoes to E-mail.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
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