# Need a hybrid HTPC-A/V processor (XLR, USB, Mediaplayer, Browser)



## intgenx (Aug 8, 2013)

Folks... 

I'm setting up a 7.2ch home-theater with All active monitors (with built-in amps and only XLR input)...
The speakers are Neumann KH310 (3 way tri-amped) for L/C/R and for the surrounds - possibly Genelec 8030 or Neumann KH120 and a couple of DIY dual-opposed 12" subs.

I'm looking for recommendations on Audio Processors.

The main criteria:
1. All basic Audio processor, DAC, EQ, Room corrections functions found on the common A/V receivers/ pre-proprocessors - but it'd be nice if it doesn't have so many legacy inputs and outputs - essentially a sleeker / simpler / cheaper Audio processor with a few SPDIF/Digital-coax inputs, 1 or 2 Analog (RCA, 3.5mm inputs) and 9.2 or 11.2 XLR outputs and a bare minimum of other inputs.
It just has to take a digital audio input from the HTPC (via SPDIF), decode the audio into its various channels, do bass management, Eq, volume control etc and send the balanced line level output to XLR. 

Does such an Audio processor exist in the pro or consumer world?


I'm looking for ideas for a DIY - HTPC - which will serve as both a source and as a video Processors and switching device in a Sleek/thin fanless cabinets...like a Shuttle Global - XH61V

In this case - the questions are: 
1. Are there video-cards that I can add to the HTPC so that it can take multiple HDMI inputs such as from set-top box and game player?
2. Are there graphics cards that do the same things as those on the A/V processors? specifically 1080p upscaling, 2k or 4k upscaling, 4k pass through etc?
3. Are there PC motherboards that give out Digital Audio coax output? If not what kind of sound-card will I need? What sound processing/decoding functionality will it have that will complement or be redundant to the ones on the Audio processor?

4. What OS to use? Steam OS? or Ubuntu? XBMC? Should be able to read common formats of lossy/lossless video and audio files and directly with built in media player and codecs and stream hi-def audio/video

5. SSD Hard-disk

6. Ethernet port and built-in WIFI 

7. Blue-tooth for pairing a phone

8. Front HDMI input with Mobile-HighDef Link

9. Multicard reader - to just plug in an SD card or something and browse photos, or listen to music or watch videos recorded from a smart phone...

10. optional accessories: wireless HT keyboard and mouse, mic & web-cam?

I know a HTPC is not hard to put together - its the adding the multiple HDMI -inputs, Video-pass-through and sending the audio to the Audio processor that may be hard....


Is the above idea feasible?
Where do I start for the above?


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## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

So far as I know, no AVR or pre/pro supports video file formats, only audio. 

If you want "cheaper", the solutions that are easiest are an AVR with preamp otuputs or a used or refurbished pre/pro.

Apparently REW can now (or soon will) generate filter settings for Emotiva's pre/pro. I don't know to what extent that counts as roomEQ.

One could potentially use an Oppo 105 as a pre/pro, but it has no room EQ, only basic speaker settings and bass management.

I'm vaguely aware of one or two PC based room EQ software packages. I seem to recall prices in the vicinity of $800 or more.


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## intgenx (Aug 8, 2013)

http://integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?m=DHC-60.5&class=Preamplifier&p=f

How good is the Integra DHC60.5 at everything it says it does?

The Integra DHC60.5 does seem to have most of what I'm looking for.
DHC80.3 seems to lack the 4K Pass-through which is present on the 60.5.

btw: which are the websites to get a good deal on an Integra and where will I find a DHC60.5 that accepts 220V/50Hz AC?

I'd like to know if the DHC can read USB hard disk with movie files directly connected to it?

I know the DLNA could be used to read hard-disks connected to a PC - but if I can connect 1 or 2 portable USB hard disk directly and be able to watch movies or listen to music directly without going through a PC or the network - it will be quite nice...

I could live without having the Multicard reader, wireless HT keyboard and mouse, mic & web-cam etc...


but the main thing is all my movies (mpg, avi, mkv, etc) and music (mp3, flac, wav) are on portable hard-disks in various lossy and lossless formats.. would be nice to be able to do these without using an external PC...
and also when needed stream music/videos or play games from the internet, check email or download content (preferably with a light browser, rather than with built-in apps) - basically a thin-client netbook/chromebook type functionality built-in

Is this going to be possible in a single manufactured device or am I being too wishful...


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## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

Unfortunately, most of my comments are going to be negative 

The DHC 60.5 just started shipping in August, so very few people have it.

You should consider downloading its Instruction Manual and inspecting the features described there. It's availalbe at http://www.integrahometheater.com/own_manuals.cfm?cat=Preamplifier 

Like all other receivers and pre/pros, it does not support video files. See pages 107 & 108 of the manual. To play video through it, you'll have to connect a video player device to one of its HDMI input ports -- a Blu-ray player or computer, for example.

Unlike their "consumer grade" Onkyo line, Integra branded equipment is intended to be sold only by authorized dealers, so you aren't going to find large discounts available on the Internet. The comparable Onkyo receiver is the TX-NR929, which is much less expensive but lacks a few features. Apparently the corresponding Onkyo pre/pro won't be available until next summer. 

If you need one to work in Europe, you should contact one of their European representatives. Manufacturer's warranties usually aren't honored for equipment shipped to a different country. See http://integra.eu/locator.cfm

I think what you're really looking for is a "media player". I'm not so familiar with them, although I know some are extremely inexpensive (primarily intended to be network streaming clients) while others are sophisticated pre-packaged computer systems.


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## intgenx (Aug 8, 2013)

Folks... I now realize I will have to go with a 2 box solution...

Box 1: Input processor and Video processor in one - basically a HTPC - which I'm willing to build as DIY - using sleek/thin cabinets...
In this case - the questions are: 
1. Are there video-cards that I can add to the HTPC so that it can take multiple HDMI inputs such as from set-top box and game player?
2. Are there graphics cards that do the same things as those on the A/V processors? specifically 1080p upscaling, 2k or 4k upscaling, 4k pass through etc?
3. Are there PC motherboards that give out Digital Audio coax output? If not what kind of sound-card will I need? What sound processing/decoding functionality will it have that will complement or be redundant to the ones on the Audio processor?

Box 2: Audio processor
This one is quite simple - just has to take a digital audio input from the input/video processor (via SPDIF), decode the audio into its various channels, do bass management, Eq, volume control etc and send the balanced line level output to XLR. It would be nice if it had 9.2 or 11.2 channels so as to allow for future upgrades... 1 or 2 RCA or 3.5mm analog inputs would be optional
Does such an Audio processor exist in the pro or consumer world?

Is the above idea feasible?
Where do I start for the above?


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## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

My comments below are just suggestions. I've never done this myself. My personal experience with HTPCs is limited to a 1080p (aka FHD) Dell laptop with DisplayPort output feeding 7.1 audio to a Marantz receiver. That seems to work fine, for what it's worth.

Unfortunately, my brief research wasn't particularly successful. I'll have to leave it to others to provide real help.

In order to have room for all the necessary adapter cards, the computer is not likely to be very thin.

HDMI input cards are available. A Web search for 
1080p hdmi multiple input card
will locate several with that resolution.

Replace "1080p" with "4K" for higher resolution. 4K is not going to be cheap, of course.

There are some motherboards with S/PDIF outputs and audio cards, too, but remember that S/PDIF can only provide stereo PCM or 5.1 lossy DD or DTS audio. For 7.1 lossless audio output you need to use HDMI or analog. For more channels, you need to use analog or HDMI V2 interfaces. A quick Web search for video cards which explicitly support HDMI V2 wasn't successful. Cards which support 4K displays are available, but I see lots of complaints about them not working well. I didn't investigate the availability of audio cards with 11.2 analog outputs. I suspect they'll be limited to cards intended for the professional audio market.

Consumer audio processors which derive 11.2 from a 7.1 input are available, but I haven't come across any which handle 11.2 inputs.


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## intgenx (Aug 8, 2013)

Thanks Selden....

I'm open to buying pro-grade....as of now budget or size is not even a constraint... if I can somehow make a one box solution that does everything a Media Player, Streamer and A/V Processor can do...

The ADA Rhapsody Mach IV - B is an awesome suggestion...

seems to have most of what I have in mind for an Audio processor... it has a few things I don't need ... but I can live with that... now if I were to pair that with a HTPC - what are all the redundancies that the HTPC will have - since all of my content is already is lossy/lossless formats on hard-disk.

if I have to do it as a 2 box solution (HTPC with Audio processor) then so be it... but there my biggest questions are :

What are all the things that an A/V Processor does that a HTPC can do just as well or better and vice versa?
What are all the things that an A/V Processor does that a HTPC cannot do at all and vice versa?

In the custom/DIY HTPC--- those are the gaps I need to fill or forego...

For eg. I realize the following limitations:
1. HDMI input switching is not something a HTPC can do but A/V processor can
2. Balanced XLR outputs are not really easy to do in a HTPC
3. Pre-amplifying an analog source is not something a HTCP can do - but I don't need this anyway...
4. What about decoding surround such as Dolby True HD, DTS Master HD etc... all of my video files are already on a hard-disk and so no Blu-ray or DRM to worry about...

It seems like all I will need is a good HTPC - if I'm willing to forego HDMI input switching and balanced XLR outputs - for which I could get simple converters if nothing else...or just add a custom designed separate circuitry to make the output from the sound card balanced XLR or mini XLR...

Since I have active speakers I don't have to worry about amps but I do have to worry about the noisy electronics of a PC as compared to the quieter A/V processors...

Please help...


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## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

Trying to respond to your enumerated points:

1. external HDMI switches are readily available (for 1.4, anyhow. I dunno about 2.0 compatibility) e.g. http://www.monoprice.com/Category?c_id=101&cp_id=10110

2. XLR connectivity is available. A Web search for PCIE XLR found this, for example: http://vintageking.com/computer-audio/interfaces/pci-pcie-cards/lynx-studio-technology-aes16-xlr

3. I'm not sure what you mean by "pre-amplifying". Most preamps select one of several line-level audio signals, attenuate it or amplify it, and output it as another line-level audio signal. A computer would have no problems doing that, maybe with the assistance of an external switch to do the input signal selection. Or not, if you're willing to buy enough A/D input cards.

4. MAKEMKV includes a dll which translates DTS HD-MA into LPCM, for what that's worth. There might be other packages which can use the dll if you don't want to re-encode your rips. It's only software 

Individually, all these functions are possible. Making them all work together is likely to be a challenge.


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## intgenx (Aug 8, 2013)

I dove further and found this - Datasat RS20i - wisdom audio SC-1 awesome finds... 
Will take a serious look and see...

This is an open invitation to anyone willing to collaborate...
Money no object - as in - if we can buy the necessary components and do-it-ourself... 

the goal being to build the best ever Media Center Server - (whether it is 1 box or 2 box) that can function as a HTPC, A/V Processor, Video-conference center with Web-cam/mic, Control of lights/Surveillance cameras/Security Center ...
this is the project that Mr.Softy failed at and abandoned... my wishful thinking and dreaminess somehow makes me naively believe that we can succeed (provided we retain our humility and deliver)

we could skip all the legacy stuff and offer only cutting edge... HDBaseT connectivity to the display device and external cameras, Active speakers with built-in DAC that accept signals (and power to the surrounds) only through HDBaseT...


It will be brought to market in various iterations and of-course the first iteration of which will only offer the HTPC, A/V processor and Video-conference features.. we will add the rest as it evolves...

I meant I'm willing to fork out the budget needed for a DIY with whatever components needed to achieve the HTPC/AV Procesor functionality in a 1 or 2 box solution...

For eg. As a first iteration:
Take a decent PC/Laptop motherboard, add a good graphics card, SSD Hard-disk, OS can be open source like Ubuntu/XBMC, Steam OS or even Android for that matter... and instead of a regular sound card add an audio processor card/DAC (along the lines of the Lynx AES 16XLR) and instead of (or in addition to) a regular video-tuner card for coax, antenna or RCA input, add an HDMI input card... 

The audio/video lossy/lossless files will be read directly from the attached USB hard-disks or Streamed from the internet or local NAS
internally the Audio output of the PC motherboard will be fed to the audio processor card and the video output will be sent as usual to the HDMI out...

the only feature that will be slightly harder to do/find is the external HDMI input card - this is where all of the issues crop-up... 
For eg. AVerMedia AVerTV HD DVR C027 PCI-Express x1 Interface can only do 1080i and Stereo
AverMedia Game Capture HD II, Live Gamer HD - can do upto 1080p 30fps
Hauppage Colossus - can do upto 1080i for unencrypted HDMI
not sure what other kind of cards are available for this 

Once we can process a single HDMI input in the PC then the ability to switch multiple inputs or do a split screen shouldn't be that hard... 

Since all of my videos/music will be either streamed or on NAS or on USB Hard-disk... I may be willing to forego this external HDMI source (Blu-ray, Game-player, Set-top box) altogether...

What do you folks think? What am I missing?
Who's with me?


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## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

While I'd be willing to kibitz from the side-lines, I wouldn't be able to invest any significant amount of time in such a project. Sorry.

DataSat's device certainly looks attractive, except that they don't include Dolby TrueHD, only the lossy AC3 decoder. My guess is that this probably is because they're the pro-arm of DTS, directly competing with Dolby, which must make it a little hard to use the competition's products.

Wisdom's device has Audyssey MultEQ XT, and not the top-of-the-line XT32 room EQ.


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