A Conflict, Choosing a Way of Showing Options

[GooDay4U]

Hi, finally I got a superb TV (Samsung LA32R81B, television that plays in HD), and except gaming I want to enjoy from movies in high quality (720P). I have two options to watch stuff on the television:

1. I have an Xbox360 machine and kind of strong computer (Intel Pentium D CPU 3.00GHz, 1022 MB RAM, nVIDIA 7600GT). So I connected the two with network, and set their communication through Windows Media Center.

2. I have a weak computer (Intel Pentium 4 CPU 1500 MHz, 512 MB RAM, ATI RADEON 9200 Series) which I can connect to the TV.

Which is the best way in your opinion in consideration that from one hand, if I will play videos with the second option, the material quality wouldn't be so well, and from the other hand, if I will use the first option, my Xbox360 will work additional hours (what is not good for him, according to the fact Microsoft didnt't pay too much attention on how to cool their machine...).

True, true. It is a personal decision about two options, when the two of them have a problem. So I ask, which one is bigger? The real question is how much worse the picture will be in option two comparing to option one. Also in option one I need to transcode movies- reduicing their quality. Another important question is: Will I be able to see HD content in option two?

[CerealKiller741]

Oh goodness. Your "weak" computer is better than my 1.3 ghz AMD Duron with 376 mb of ram and an nVidia GeForce 2 PCI graphics card...I need a new computer.

[twistedsymphony]

don't worry about the extra "Work" you'll be putting your Xbox 360 through... If it's going to die it's going to die.

keep it well ventilated and use it as much as you like.

[GooDay4U]

Oh goodness. Your "weak" computer is better than my 1.3 ghz AMD Duron with 376 mb of ram and an nVidia GeForce 2 PCI graphics card...I need a new computer.

As long as you don't play with it, it's o.k. And you don't, right?

don't worry about the extra "Work" you'll be putting your Xbox 360 through... If it's going to die it's going to die.

keep it well ventilated and use it as much as you like.

LOL... This is a good one: "If it's going to die it's going to die". Well, that's true, but if I will use it more, maybe it will die quicker . In option 2, Will I see that bad? And more important: Will I be able to see in HD? Thanks.

This post has been edited by GooDay4U: Jun 26 2007, 08:45 AM

[grim_d]

As long as you don't play with it, it's o.k. And you don't, right?
LOL... This is a good one: "If it's going to die it's going to die". Well, that's true, but if I will use it more, maybe it will die quicker .

thats like saying, if i drive my car i might crash it, but you take the risk anyway dont ya?

[GooDay4U]

thats like saying, if i drive my car i might crash it, but you take the risk anyway dont ya?

Right. But if you won't drive, when you don't have to, you will reduce the chances of it.

[Chancer]

Use the 360. What is the point in having it if you are scared to overwork. There is no enjoyment from staring at the case and leaving it switched off.
you have another option. Buy a cheap DVD player that upscales movies to 720/1080

[twistedsymphony]

As long as you don't play with it, it's o.k. And you don't, right?
LOL... This is a good one: "If it's going to die it's going to die". Well, that's true, but if I will use it more, maybe it will die quicker ...

Well there is no evidence to point towards overuse as causing 360's to die sooner... I've seen people who had it break on day 2... I've seen others leave the console on for days at a time and have no problems from launch all the way until today.

Saying that overuse will end your console's life prematurely is purely an assumption on your part, For all we know leaving the console on 100% of the time might actually improve it's lifespan... There is no evidence to correlate frequency of use to failure probability.

[GooDay4U]

Well there is no evidence to point towards overuse as causing 360's to die sooner... I've seen people who had it break on day 2... I've seen others leave the console on for days at a time and have no problems from launch all the way until today.

Saying that overuse will end your console's life prematurely is purely an assumption on your part, For all we know leaving the console on 100% of the time might actually improve it's lifespan... There is no evidence to correlate frequency of use to failure probability.

So you say that no metter how much I use the machine? It's sound strange: The main problem of the Xbox360 is overheating, and the more you Use the colsole, the more heat it will be. Do you say I can use it without fear? (I don't mean nonestop). I believe the diffrences in the consule life between diffrent people, is a result of the ventilation. I play it about 5-7 hours at a day, and I try to keep him cool as much as I can (I use a regular fan to chill it down, because the intercooler I buy dosen't work).

[twistedsymphony]

hey if you want to argue adamantly about not using your own console then be my guest... it seems foolish to me but it's your stuff, do what you like.

[GooDay4U]

hey if you want to argue adamantly about not using your own console then be my guest... it seems foolish to me but it's your stuff, do what you like.

OK, OK you are right (you are a Head Moderator, not me)... From your answer I undestood there is no point in option 2, because I won't get HD quality, Did I get it right?

[twistedsymphony]

OK, OK you are right (you are a Head Moderator, not me)... From your answer I undestood there is no point in option 2, because I won't get HD quality, Did I get it right?

maybe you will.. have you ever tried running HD content through that machine?

All computers are capable of producing HD images, heck you could get a Pentium 1 to output HD resolutions if you really wanted to... it wouldn't be capable of running compressed HD video streams but it could probably do it RAW.

You wont know until you try... I know I can run HD video on my desktop and that's an AMD XP2600+ with 1GB Ram and an aging graphics card.

I'm sure a P4 could handle it, you might need more ram, but you wont know until you try.

HD is just a resolution... all PCs are capable of running at resolutions GREATER than HD... it comes down to what you're tying to use it for... and if it can do that

"HD" means nothing in the computer world.

[GooDay4U]

maybe you will.. have you ever tried running HD content through that machine?

All computers are capable of producing HD images, heck you could get a Pentium 1 to output HD resolutions if you really wanted to... it wouldn't be capable of running compressed HD video streams but it could probably do it RAW.

You wont know until you try... I know I can run HD video on my desktop and that's an AMD XP2600+ with 1GB Ram and an aging graphics card.

I'm sure a P4 could handle it, you might need more ram, but you wont know until you try.

HD is just a resolution... all PCs are capable of running at resolutions GREATER than HD... it comes down to what you're tying to use it for... and if it can do that

"HD" means nothing in the computer world.

First of all, thank you for your patient . So let me understand something: any computer that hooked up to HDTV can play in HDTV? So what's the point in Xbox360 (for mutimedia).

[twistedsymphony]

So what's the point in Xbox360 (for mutimedia).

well... I imagine it's because some people don't have a PC to spare... and a PC is generally big and ugly

if you don't have a PC an Xbox 360 is only a $300-$400 investment to connect to your existing PC... it's smaller than a PC theoretically more quiet and it looks much more at home in a home theater stack.

Not to mention most people don't have VGA inputs on their HDTV nor a remote control hooked up to their PC, nor media center edition on their PC.

Personally I'd take a PC over a 360 any day of the week.

As for your scenarios... your P4 still might not be powerful enough to do what you want it to do... it should be perfectly capable of displaying HD content... but it might not be able to display all of the HD content you'd like to use it for.

[GooDay4U]

well... I imagine it's because some people don't have a PC to spare... and a PC is generally big and ugly

if you don't have a PC an Xbox 360 is only a $300-$400 investment to connect to your existing PC... it's smaller than a PC theoretically more quiet and it looks much more at home in a home theater stack.

Not to mention most people don't have VGA inputs on their HDTV nor a remote control hooked up to their PC, nor media center edition on their PC.

Personally I'd take a PC over a 360 any day of the week.

As for your scenarios... your P4 still might not be powerful enough to do what you want it to do... it should be perfectly capable of displaying HD content... but it might not be able to display all of the HD content you'd like to use it for.

Well thank you for the guidnace. I will try to play it using my pentium 4, and what the computer wouldn't do mty Xbox will do.