Thanks,
Charles

Windows Computer Software

Backup:

• Windows Home Server for Windows users
• Apple Time Capsule for Mac users
• CrashPlan peer computer backup (free) + online backup (unlimited for $3.50/month) works on Windows, Mac, Linux.
• Mozy online backup (unlimited online backup for $4.95/month)

Web Browsing/Email:

• Web Browser: Mozilla Firefox + these extensions (free + open source)

General:

• Office: OpenOffice (free + open source) or Microsoft Office (commercial)
• Finance: Quicken (commercial)
• PDF Viewing: FoxIT PDF Reader (free)
• PDF Creation: PDFCreator (free + open source)
• Genealogy: Genealogy Finder? Still not sure about this one.
• Mapping: Google Earth
• Clock / Alarm Clock: Qlock (free)
• Text Editor: TextPad (free commercial demo) or Notepad++ (free + open source)
• Note Taking: EverNote (free or enhanced commercial version) – fast, easy, and free, EverNote allows notes to be stored in many formats, has categories, and built-in security.

Music:

• Music Editor: Audacity (free)
• Music Ripper: Exact Audio Copy (free) or dbMusicConverter (free or enhanced commercial version)
• Music Format Converter: dbMusicConverter (free or enhanced commercial version)
• Muisc Storage format: FLAC (free + open source)
• Music Player: MediaMonkey (free or enhanced commercial version)
• Music Tagger: MP3Tag (free) and/or TagScanner (free) and/or MediaMonkey (free or enhanced commercial version)
• Podcast Downloader: iTunes seems too be the best but I’m still looking for something better.
• Muisc Lyrics: EvilLyrics (free) – Automatic lyrc downloading – supports about any music player software you can imagine: Winamp, WMP 9, iTunes, MusicMatch, Foobar, MediaMonkey, Real Player, QCD, Y!Music, XMPlay, AlbumPlayer, etc.
• Apple iPod Audio Book Converter: MP3 to iPod Audio Book Converter (free + open source) takes *.mp3 files and converts/merges them into one single *.m4b file that is recognized as an audio book by iPods, so it can be bookmarked. I also use MediaJoin to combine WAV files from multiple CDs into one large WAV file and the use dBpoweram Muisc Converter to convert to a *.m4b; this results in better audio quality due to only 1 compression stage (wav -> m4b instead of wav -> mp3 -> m4b).

Video:

• Media Player: VLC Media Player (free)
• DVD Player: TheaterTek (commercial)
• DVD Catalog/Collection Manager: DVD Profiler (free or enhanced commercial version)
• DVD Decrypting: Slysoft AnyDVD (commercial)
• DVD Ripping: Slysoft CloneDVD (commercial)
• DVD Format Conversion for Mobile Devices: Slysoft CloneDVD Mobile (commercial), HandBrake (free, open source)
• MyMovies for Windows Media Center movie database plugin and collection management software
• MediaBroswer for browsing and selecting movies from the server (in addition to MyMovies)
• Acrsoft TotalMedia Theatre for Blu-ray playback
• Shark007 codec pack (preferred). Can also try Combined Community Codec Pack (second choice), K-Lite Codec Pack Standard (third choice) or for playing Xvid, Divx, and many other video formats in Windows Media Center. For FLAC music files only, try Xiph Direct Show Filters.
• WMP Tag Support Extender or Tag Support Plug-in to playback FLAC, OGG, AAC, M4A, and other music formats with Media Center (and Media Player)

Pictures:

• Image Editing and Organization: xnView (free)
• Image Thumbnailer: Photo Gadget (free)
• Image viewing: IrfanView (free)
• Advanced image editing: GIMP for Windows (free), Macromedia Fireworks (commercial)
• Photo Gallery Creator: JAlbum (free)
• Lossless PNG file size reduction: PNGGauntlet (free)

Utilities:

• Zip Compression Application: Zip Genius (free) or 7-Zip (free + open source) or PeaZip (free + open source)
• Anti-Spyware: Microsoft Windows Anti-Spyware (free)
• Disk Partition Management: EASEUS Partition Master (free), GParted (free + open source)
• Tree Size: TreeSize (free)
• Unit Converter: Convert by Josh Madison (free)
• Personal File Sharing: Dropbox
• Instant Messaging: Pidgin (free + open source) works with every IM network you can imagine and has plug-ins to add any feature you’d ever need.
• Start-up Manager: Startup Control Panel by Mike Lin (free) and Startup Monitor by Mike Lin (free)
• Anti-virus: Microsoft Security Essentials
• Firewall: Windows firewall (free)
• FTP Client: FileZilla (free + open source) or FTP Voyager (commercial)
• Print Screen: ScreenPrint32 (free)
• Icon Maker: IcoFX (free) or PixelToolbox (free)
• MD5 Checker: hkSFV (free)
• CD and DVD Burning: Nero Burning ROM (commercial)
• Computer backup software: Cobain Backup (free)
• Computer online backup service: Mozy Remote Backup
• Program Launcher: Launchy (free + open source – quickly launch any program from you keyboard. No more searching through the Start menu. Starting typing the name of the program and Lanuchy will figure out the program you want.
• Remote Access (away from home): LogMeIn.com (free + enhanced commercial version) or ShowMyPC.com (free) or Microsoft LiveMesh (free)
• Web Site Backup / Offline viewing: HTTrack (free + open source)
• Screensaver Control: SaverNow (free)
• Screensaver: Power Dimmer (free)
• File Copy: TeraCopy replaces and vastly improves the file copy function built-in to Windows (free)
• Windows 7 Taskbar: Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail Customizer gives bigger preview windows when you hover over active taskbar applications

Web Applications

• RSS Feed Reader: Google Reader
• Accounting: Intuit Quickbooks Online
• Office Applications: Google Docs
• Image Editor: Pixlr, Photoshop Express

Web/Server/Developer Tools

• Server-side CMS: WordPress
• CSS Editor: TopStyle Lite (free) or TopStyle Pro (commercial)
• Server-side Webpage Editing: UltraEdit (commercial)
• Webserver: XAMPP is a very easy-to-install Apache Distribution for all operating systems and includes MySQL, PHP, Perl, an FTP server, and phpMyAdmin.

External References

• Anandtech.com forum post of freeware apps
• PC Magazine list of Editors’ Choice products
• Audio Video Revolution Top 100 products of 2005
• Audioholics Recommended Home Theater Systems Guide

The solution can be either a 802.11G/N Audio amplifier that will be connected directlly to the speakers, or prefrably some kind of small module attached to the speakers with power supply, streaming the music from the computer via 802.11G/n

Ideas?

Instead of enabling remote access the WHS console, I installed LogMeIn to allow access to everything (desktop and therefor console as well.)

I’m a purist and want the best picture quality, sound quality, and all of the menus and features on the original disk. So I don’t transcode to a different format or container.

I copy from the original disk to folders. DVD are in \Movies\Title\video_ts\ structure and Blu-rays are in the structure \Movies\Title\BDMV\ and all of the files from the original disc are within these folders.

The downside is that most media players don’t support this playback structure. Windows Media Center PCs do (Arcsoft Total Media Theatre is required for blu-ray playback.) The Popcorn Hour C-200 also supports both formats. But you’re out of luck for Xbox 360 or PS3 support.

The Collection Management application within My Movies is the best I’ve found for providing the correct cover art, movie details, and other metadata.

Great site! I found it (like others, I daresay) doing research on building a theater.

I have downloaded and installed My Movies to play with, but do not have a media extender for it at the moment. I actually stream all my media from my main PC downstairs to my PS3 using a program called PS3 Media Server…go figure.

My question for you (I have many, but will only post 1 for now) is this: When you rip a DVD or Blu Ray, what format are you ripping to? My thought is that when running through a 1080p projector, a low quality file will look absolutely horrendous, but doing a full quality rip – particularly on BR – is going to make for some huge files.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Keith

I love your home-theater setup, it looks great! Actually, my friend and I decided to invite ourselves over for a movie weekend. We figure, start out friday with a Star Wars maraton. Saturday we do Terminator and Transformers and Sunday with a Harry Potter maraton.

Oh, what’s that, you’re not in Europe? Too bad, rain check then, I suppose

I am looking for a Philips 9FF2M4 digital photo frame but am currently struggling to find one anywhere, or to find anywhere that has a good review. Do you know anywhere you can point me to that will provide one of these please?

Many thanks

I just somehow ended up on your blog and really impressed with it. Coincidentally, I am going through the same phases you went through. I did comp sci, and have been working in a telecommunication industry for the past 5 years, and now feeling the itch to pursue my MBA, and also will be setting up my first Home theater in a new house. Love the technology list, and after reading numerous forums, my head is starting to spin, so your website is a sigh of relief. Great site

Great site and I love the technology list, especially the photography and software sections (there are a few there I will be taking a closer look at.

As for the photography, I have a Nikon D70s and its a superb piece of kit and travels everywhere with me. I also bought a Digital Frame recentlyfrom these guys http://www.udiggit.com I ended up buying a 15″ Acrylic one from their Pictorea Ramge and so far have found it very easy to use and displays my photos a treat.

Andy

Yes, the TVIX Box is a simple digital media solution. I work for TVIX Box and we have been selling a lot of these units for the past couple years. They keep getting better and the feedback has been great. Here is the real simple breakdown:

1) TVIX Box M-3100: This player is NOT HD and is NOT networkable, but if you want to get your digital media to your TV with out a lot of investment or hassle, this is the way to go.
2) TVIX Box M-4000: This has all the same specs as the 5000 mentioned above which has been the gold standard for about a year now, but it is about 100US less, due to recent manufacturing innovations. It is HD and has a built in Ethernet as well as optional Wi-fi access.
3) TVIX Box M-5000: Same as 4000, but in an innovative cylindrical shape and about 100US more.
4) TVIX Box 4100 and 5100 series: Not yet available, but all the features of the 4000/5000 plus 1080 support and H.264.

Good Luck!

Paul
TVIX Box Multimedia Players

If you are looking for a device you don’t have to spend too much time to configure or modify, I’d suggest looking at a TviX from Dvico. The M-5000 model is the best media extender out there from everything I’ve read – and I’ve read quite a bit. If you can wait a couple months, the M-4100 and M-5100 models will be out and they offer about everything you could possibly need: H264 codec support, HDMI audio/video output, and SATA drive support.

The Apple TV is another alternative, but I don’t recommend it unless you plan to modify it. Out-of-the-box, it only supports some very specific Apple file formats. Support for other formats can be added but you have to do quite a bit of modification (remove hard drive, install special software, etc.)

You might want to spend some time on the AVS Digital Media Servers & Content Streamers forum to get more opinions. Hope this helps – enjoy!

Great site. I congratulate you for the time you take to reply all comments. I read most of you articles and enjoyed them a lot.
Regarding your technology list, I’m surprissed I’ve not seen a media center extender or any other device capable of feeding your HDTV from programs stores in your computer, I was hoping to get some advice as I need to buy one. I’ve tried the Buffalo LinkTheater DVD but I’ve sold it because it didn’t pleased me the software nor the video quality.
Regards, MS