While Windows 7 is slimmer than Vista, it still includes a lot of content not needed on an HTPC. Is it possible to create a 'lite' version of Windows pared down to the essentials?

I have a TV (UPDATE: Samsung LE32R7) which I've only just realised is not actually 720p, but 1366x768 - I bought from a mate so didn't really pay attention. I can connect my PC to …

I've been thinking of getting an nVidia ION based Nettop to use as an HTPC, but am getting confused after reading around which to go for. I don't need a blu-ray drive, other than t …

I'm building an HTPC and want a graphics card or motherboard that will output 7.1 audio over HDMI. Ideally it would be fanless and I don't need monster performance, I just want th …

For an HTPC which will use less power and make less noise with a low power processor or a fast one that is manually underclocked or uses some automatic throttling approach?

I'd like to be able to turn off my HTPC (once I've built it) to conserve power. I'll likely be using it mainly for XBMC and controlling it with my iPhone. I'd like to be able to po …

I've never built a PC from scratch before, just upgraded some RAM and a hard drive, so I'm a bit nervous of spending a stack of cash and breaking something by making a silly mistak …

With a DVB-S card I can watch digital channels on the PC, but what about channels that need a viewing card to decrypt, for example Sky Sports? Are there any DVB-S cards with suppo …

I want to get a remote control for my HTPC. It will run both Ubuntu and Windows 7 and a variety of media players, so I'm looking for a remote that will work with a range of applica …

I'm going to rebuild my HTPC and move to Windows 7. Before I do so, I'd like to establish if there is there any real advantage to 64-bit for an HTPC. I'm interested both from a cl …

I have a small HTPC with no room for a TV tuner card. I'd like to add two or more USB TV tuners and have a couple of related questions. I'll update with a link to the other once as …

What's the best way to connect unpowered stereo speakers to my PC?

I've got a '720p' TV, but the resolution is actually 1366x768. When I connect it to my PC the aspect ratios are a little off. Is there anything I can use to tweak the outputs from …

What speed processor is needed to support decoding 1080p without dropping frames?

I'm now planning on getting a motherboard with onboard Nvidia 9400 graphics. Before I do so I'd like to garner opinions on the merits of using an external graphics card with a stan …