家里的局域网和电脑们
作者:黄敏 日期:2010-06-24
我的HTPC 6 新篇： 升级至基于客户机服务器架构的电视网络
作者:黄敏 日期:2010-06-23
在我的HTPC 4 Media Portal的安装和使用一章中我已经提到过，MediaPortal使用了客户/服务器 (Client/Server)架构。这使得将电视服务器和客户端分别安装在不同的电脑上成为可能。但大多数用户包括我自己之前都是将服务器和客户端安装在同一台电脑上。
家里其实有一台Pentium4的旧电脑，安装了很多硬盘，一直以来用作24x7运行的文件服务器和下载机。本来是可以考虑做电视服务器使用的，但是由于我的电视卡是PCI-E接口的，而服务器上的主板非常老，只有AGP接口，所以无法实现这个想法。最近，由于硬盘数量的不断增加（现在已经接了8个硬盘了，快6TB的容量了），不得不给这台电脑做了一次小小的升级：把主板和CPU从旧的P4主板（连SATA接口都没有）和Pentium 4 2.0(还是单核的）换成了Intel E2160和GA-P35C-DS3R。两者都是从overclockers.com.au淘来的旧货，耗费$105。当然CPU并不强大，但对于文件服务器和下载而言已经是绰绰有余，且省电。而主板则和我的工作机上的GA-EP35-DS3是同一系列，但这款可以说更强大，自带8个SATA2接口，做文件服务器正好。
如此升级后，这台电脑的性能和容量都得到相当大的提高，更重要的是这款主板带有电视卡所需的PCI-E接口，终于可以把电视网络的方案付诸实施了。
家里其实有一台Pentium4的旧电脑，安装了很多硬盘，一直以来用作24x7运行的文件服务器和下载机。本来是可以考虑做电视服务器使用的，但是由于我的电视卡是PCI-E接口的，而服务器上的主板非常老，只有AGP接口，所以无法实现这个想法。最近，由于硬盘数量的不断增加（现在已经接了8个硬盘了，快6TB的容量了），不得不给这台电脑做了一次小小的升级：把主板和CPU从旧的P4主板（连SATA接口都没有）和Pentium 4 2.0(还是单核的）换成了Intel E2160和GA-P35C-DS3R。两者都是从overclockers.com.au淘来的旧货，耗费$105。当然CPU并不强大，但对于文件服务器和下载而言已经是绰绰有余，且省电。而主板则和我的工作机上的GA-EP35-DS3是同一系列，但这款可以说更强大，自带8个SATA2接口，做文件服务器正好。
如此升级后，这台电脑的性能和容量都得到相当大的提高，更重要的是这款主板带有电视卡所需的PCI-E接口，终于可以把电视网络的方案付诸实施了。
Tags: 客户机服务器 电视网络 HTPC MediaPortal
Powerful batch renaming utility
作者:黄敏 日期:2010-05-09
程序代码9800GX2 cooked, 5970 in place
作者:黄敏 日期:2010-05-02
My beloved 9800GX2 was broken last week, right after two years' service. Quite a disappointment. The symptoms is:
1. green dots on the screen when the computer boots up.
2. Windows can start up, although before Windows screen shows up, there are weird characters seems randomly appearing on the screen.
3. Device Manager shows 9800GX2 with yellow exclamation mark. The hard ware properties reports "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)".
1. green dots on the screen when the computer boots up.
2. Windows can start up, although before Windows screen shows up, there are weird characters seems randomly appearing on the screen.
3. Device Manager shows 9800GX2 with yellow exclamation mark. The hard ware properties reports "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)".
Enabling subtitles in MediaPortal
作者:黄敏 日期:2010-04-18
I have many movies comes with external soft subtitle files in popular formats such as .srt, or .sub/.idx. These subtitles load perfectly fine if you use an external media player such as MediaPlayerClassi HomeCinema, or even Windows Media Player, as long as you have DirectVobSub(AutoLoading version) installed.
Unfortunately it seems, with default configuration, MediaPortal does not load DirectVobSub and hence does not load subtitles.
It took me a while to google around to find the answer. Below is the solution to enable subtitle in mediaportal for video playback. After this, you should be able to use the shortcut key "l" to switch between different subtitle languages.
Unfortunately it seems, with default configuration, MediaPortal does not load DirectVobSub and hence does not load subtitles.
It took me a while to google around to find the answer. Below is the solution to enable subtitle in mediaportal for video playback. After this, you should be able to use the shortcut key "l" to switch between different subtitle languages.
Tags: MediaPortal subtitle vobsub
No Audio Over HDMI to TV
作者:黄敏 日期:2010-03-21
My HTPC is using a GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, which has a integrated ATI 3200 chip, with HDMI output.
Recently I found an issue when I was trying to upgrade the ATI driver to latest 10.2 on HTPC. If the TV is turned off when the HTPC boots up, there will be no audio output from TV over HDMI. A closer check reveals that the playback device is set to "RealTek HD Audio Output", not the correct "HDMI audio output". And in the playback devices of audio properties from control panel, there is no "HDMI audio output" for one to choose at all. If I reboot the PC, with TV on, then it will be OK again: the "HDMI audio output" will be there and set to default playback device.
In the end, I have to fall back to old but reliable 8.9.
Recently I found an issue when I was trying to upgrade the ATI driver to latest 10.2 on HTPC. If the TV is turned off when the HTPC boots up, there will be no audio output from TV over HDMI. A closer check reveals that the playback device is set to "RealTek HD Audio Output", not the correct "HDMI audio output". And in the playback devices of audio properties from control panel, there is no "HDMI audio output" for one to choose at all. If I reboot the PC, with TV on, then it will be OK again: the "HDMI audio output" will be there and set to default playback device.
In the end, I have to fall back to old but reliable 8.9.
clean boot in Windows 7
作者:黄敏 日期:2010-03-17
How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7
THis seems a useful doc from MS.
THis seems a useful doc from MS.
Tags: clean_boot windows_7 troubleshoot
