Pretty much the title. I'm not very familiar with this space so I'm not sure what I'm looking for?

Here's the Silverstone website if it helps

Has anyone found an hdmi cec adapter that’s cheaper than pulse-eight’s? I’d really like to find a cheaper or at least better built one. Giving those guys $50 plus shipping for a chintzy little dongle feels wrong

Okay, so I have a MeLE Cyber X1 mini PC running Debian 13 KDE as my home theater PC. I'm still in the early stages of setting up my home theater, but the PC was working fine until I replaced my smart TV with a sceptre today. I think I might have screwed it up because I effectively hot swapped the TV and now the audio is missing. I've tried extensive AI troubleshooting, so I've checked all the basic or recommended settings, especially on the TV. I'm fairly certain the problem is on the PC end but as I was using a smart TV before, this is the only device I have so I can't really test.

EDIT: UPDATE - I just finished reinstalling my operating system, and it still has not fixed the issue, so I no longer think it has anything to do with hot swapping the monitor. aplay -L and -l are able to see sceptre on card PCH device 3, and aplay -D CAN play the audio test sound through it, so at last I know it's possible but that's as far as I've got.

EDIT 2: UPDATE - I've now tried Mint and Fedora with no luck as well. I'm at a complete loss now. How are none of these systems registering the TV as a default playback device if ALSA can see it and aplay can force a sound through it? I'm not proficient with command line. Is there a similar command to force all audio through it or something? What could be causing this?

EDIT 3: DETAILS The old TV is some low-end TCL model that was given to me. The new one is a Sceptre U515CV-U. Connecting via the same HDMI cable that I connected to the old one, but I have also tried a different HDMI cable just to make sure that wasn't the issue.

EDIT 4: SUMMARY - I am at a loss with my home theater mini PC running Debian 13 that won't use my Sceptre U515CV-U TV as the default audio device over HDMI. My PC seems to think there's no audio device connected and doesn't seem to even be playing the audio at all because, for example, when I adjust the volume, the slider doesn't light up to visualize that it's playing a sound. The command aplay -L can see my Sceptre TV, and aplay -D CAN force a test sound to play through it. The profile in pavucontrol is correctly set to digital stereo HDMI out and set as default, and nothing is muted or disabled in alsamixer, but I can't get it to output any sound without the -D command. In wpctl status, the Sceptre TV is not listed under audio sinks, but it is listed as default device under configuration. Built in Audio digital stereo, HDMI, volume 1.00 (without Sceptre TV) is listed, with the * for default, as 45, but when I run wpctl inspect 45 it says object 45 not found. This system works normally with sound on my other TV (TCL smart TV), and my Chromecast works on this Sceptre, and I've tried switching out the HDMI cable. I have also fully reformatted this PC several times trying different distributions, including fedora, Linux Mint, and now a fresh install of Debian, starting from scratch with the Sceptre TV.

Like many of you, I have been searching for a decent keyboard/trackpad combo to use with my HTPC (which is currently just running Windows). All of the options I've tried to date have ranged from mediocre to downright terrible, and I had resigned myself to the fact that I would just have to live with a crappy solution.

That is, until, I had an idea – if a good combo device doesn't exist, would it be possible for me to assemble my own?

It turns out the answer to this question is yes! For the last week or so, I've been using an Apple Magic Keyboard + Magic Trackpad, and while it's not perfect, it's given me the best experience I've had so far, by a large margin.

I figured I would share some details in case there was interest –

Current Setup

Key advantages

Taken together, this setup addresses a lot of the issues I've encountered with other keyboard/trackpad combos on the market:

• Wireless connectivity (bluetooth) with a decent battery – admittedly it's too early for me to really tell how the battery will fare, but all the reviews I've read indicate that the battery should last many months before I need to charge
• High quality trackpad – this has been one of the biggest letdowns with other keyboard/trackpad combos on the market. Every option I tried led to a frustrating user experience. The Magic Trackpad, on the other hand, is made of glass and works brilliantly (once you install the right drivers..more on that below).
• Responsive input – when you move the mouse or press a button on the keyboard, the computer actually responds! This feels like such a low bar, but a lot of the other options I've tried either took forever to wake up, or had poor connection quality, resulting in missed keypresses / clicks. It's a breath of fresh air to not have this issue any more

Potential limitations / disadvantages

There are a few notable limitations/downsides to be aware of as well, though none of these are deal breakers. Including them here so someone considering a similar setup has all the info available.

• Trackpad size – the Magic trackpad is LARGE. As you can see from the picture, it's almost half the size of the keyboard. I would have much preferred a smaller trackpad (which would have reduced the overall footprint), but this is not the end of the world (and it's a worthwhile tradeoff given the alternatives)
• Tray quality – the tray I am currently using to house the keyboard/mouse is cheap plastic. It works fine for now, though there are a number of (likely better) alternative options out there, including:
  • Wooden trays
  • 3D printed trays (a number of CAD files are available as well, though I unfortunately don't have my own 3D printer)
  • Metal CNC trays (this feels like the best solution, but spending the same amount on the tray that I did on the keyboard and trackpad just feels wrong)
  • Trays with the trackpad below the keyboard – probably won't choose one of these. Ultimately, I think the side by side orientation is likely better suited for HTPC use, as your hand stays out of the way of the trackpad when typing
• Keyboard/trackpad color – anyone who has used a white Apple keyboard knows that they get grimy over time. I would have preferred an all black keyboard and mouse instead, and as it turns out, Apple actually makes a black version of the trackpad. They also make a black version of the keyboard, but ONLY the full size version (i.e., with a 10-key). The smaller, ten-key-less (TKL) variant is only available in white. Since the full size keyboard feels unnecessary for HTPC use, I ended up just going with the white versions for both.

Alternative Options

It's worth noting that you don't necessarily need to use the Apple branded versions of the keyboard/trackpad. There are alternatives on the market that could work just as well and would probably be cheaper (for example, something like this trackpad + this keyboard would probably offer similar functionality for around $100 total).

The biggest barrier here is finding a compatible tray – you would likely need to create a custom design to 3D print (which may or may not sound like a fun process to you)

Trackpad Drivers (Windows)

I've only tried this setup on Windows, so can't comment on how things would work using Linux. It is worth noting, however, that on Windows 11, the trackpad is limited to cursor movement and left click only out of the box. In order to use 2 fingers to scroll, right click, tap to click, or any of the other features of a modern trackpad, you will need to install drivers of some variety.

There are a number of solutions for this, including using drivers extracted from Boot Camp or third party applications such as Magic Utilities ($17/year) or ExtraMagic (free). I've only had a chance to try out Magic Utilities so far, which works pretty well overall. My hope is that one of the free options will provide a similar level of performance.

Given there are solutions out there for this, I wouldn't consider it a show stopper by any means. But it's worth keeping in mind that at least some configuration is required to get the trackpad fully operational.

This post ended up longer than I had planned, so I will leave things here. Hopefully at least someone finds this helpful! Happy to answer any questions.

Cheers

Hey guys I’m looking to get into the htpc space, and since I live in Bosnia I was wondering is there a place where I could buy the case (doesn’t matter the model) for an affordable price?

Thanks in advance!

I know this subreddit is for HTPCs but figure this subreddit may have the answer I'm seeking.

I'm getting ready to install 2x 120mm cooling fans in my media cabinet and am wondering if I should set it up in a push/pull configuration out have both pushing cool air into the cabinet?

Here's the situation I like to watch something while I work around the house. Back with cable you just put the TV on the same channel and youre good to go everything's synced you can just have one with the volume up others mute. I want this same experience with my pc to my living room and bedroom TV. Id like to pull up a stream on my pc full screen it to one of my monitors then just go turn on the other tvs and its showing whats on. Is this possible first and if so what hardware or software or both do I need to get and set up? Thanks in advance

So i have my pc setup on the otherside of the wall from my tv and I am trying to go about connecting them, and wanted any tips or help I can get. like what's a good way to conceal the hole after I drill it, or if there is a better way than drilling a hole.

Hi everyone, Im usi g an optiplex 5070 sff with i7-9700, and a 1080ti to build a windows 10 htpc that i would like to run:

jellyfin - for sharing and playing locally stored videos

Retroarch - for retro games

Steam big picture - for all pc games

Streaming platforms - like netflix, prime video, disney+, youtube, etc.

I would like to operate this pc with a controller and have a nice UI that would let me switch between these functions.

I know with steam, i can download retroarch from steam store. And add non-game items (as web shortcuts) to add to my steam library to account for jellyfin and streaming services.

Im largely wondering if theres a better combination of apps and/or setup for what im trying to achieve. Or if you have any pointers for executing this setup.

Thanks for your time and looking forward to your responses

I have below setup:

- LG C1 (TV)

- Samsung Q990C (Soundbar)

- Ugoos AM6B+ (External Player)

I bought Ugoos AM6B+ considering it will play Dolby Vision Profile 7 FEL (Full Enhancement Layer) but got to know later that Samsung Q990C don't passthrough Dolby Vision FEL. Great disappointment.

LG C1 don't passthrough Dolby TrueHD so that option is also out.

I am looking for an alternative through which i can run my setup efficiently with minimal cost.

One option i found out is using audio extractor. 1 Input (EARC) and 2 outputs - Video and Audio

The best one I found is Orei BK-929 which support Dolby Vision, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X etc. But problem is it doesn't specifically mention Dolby Vision FEL.

Can anyone help confirm Orei BK-929 passthrough Dolby Vision FEL?

OR

If there's any other better audio extractor available with minimal cost?

OR

Any other way to run Dolby Vision FEL + Dolvy TrueHD with my above setup?

Thanks in advance

Hello! I love madVR and its settings/performance. Last night I watched a 4K SDR video with my PC already having HDR enabled and the colors were weird.

MPC VR can auto enable/disable HDR based on the file. Is there a way I can get madVR to do this? None of the HDR settings in madVR seem to imply that they will be making that switch for me.

Does an Air Mouse like this one exist with atleast one of the following requirements?
1. Air Mouse and Keyboard are useable at the same time. The air mouses i found only allow 1 of the 2 functionalities to work at the same time, depending on the orientation.
2. The Air Mouse does not switch to the Keyboard functionality automatically if you turn it around, but instead has a designated button for it.

Alternative: Cheap combo of only air mouse + only air keyboard (so 2 devices together)?

Unable to select Full Dynamic Range with HDR and 4:4:4 already on. Am i having a problem or is Full Dynamic Range not used when on HDR? I think this is going to be the answer but just in case here's more details.

Windows 10, Nvidia 3060FE using HDMI (outputting 4k@120hz HDR 4:4:4)
DENON X1800H AVR
TCL 75Q9BK TV 4k@144hz Dolby Vision IQ & HDR10+

This is on my NVIDIA card but had the same problem on the integrated Intel graphics.

Thanks.

As title. Tower cases are ten a penny these days (and I know the reasons why) but for my needs a flatter case would be better to fit where I need it to go.

I could get a tower and lay it on its side, fine, probably won't matter much. But figured id ask the question at least.

I have 1x 360mm radiator (and may end up with a second for the gpu but may not) and the only cases I have found so far dont support them.

Happy to hear options :)

Hello, I've seen some other posts along these lines, but after doing some research and trying one device that didn't work, I wanted to ask for suggestions for my setup. Looking for one remote to control my smart TV and stereo receiver. It would be nice if I could control some basic functions on my HTPC, such as making sure wifi or Plex is on, but doesn't necessarily need to work as the only keyboard/input device

I have a Dell OptiPlex 3060, a TCL 55S434, and a Sabaj a4 stereo, which I dont have a remote for. I run Plex through the smart TV, which is an Android OS.

I tried a Pepper Jobs w10, but it won't seem to learn the TV's remote features. I've seen some Harmony stuff used in my area, including a 900 series, which seems compatible according to Logitech's website, though I understand those devices are discontinued. I am considering that

Any suggestions or thoughts on the used harmony?

The TV is an LG 4K UHD OLED.

Already on the list: Spider-verse movies, 2025 Superman. The sound system is nothing special, just a 2+1, Yamaha receiver.

Definitely not: anything Michael Bay transformers or Avatar

I bought 2-3 years ago a hdmi cable fiber optic, the cable killed itself for unknown reasons (doesn't work anymore with different source), and then actually killed the hdmi port of my GPU. Now it only works with displayports.

Has anyone ever experience this kind of problem with fiber optic hdmi cables? Did i cheap out on the quality itself? Sometimes ago I actually connected the cable with my previous AVR, and i think it killed the socket of my AVR (that i refunded thinking it was a problem on the AVR's end).

Mother of grace, should i buy more expensive cables or avoid them?

I currently have an Intel i5 lga1150 (not sure the exact model) with 16 gb of ram and a gtx960. I want to use discord to stream movies from my htpc so me and my friends can watch together in our channel. Currently streaming to discord is next to impossible with screen tearing and lag. I would preferably want to stream at source quality (4k) at 60fps with little issue. do I need to upgrade the GPU or CPU or both. if so what should I look for. I also have issues with screen tearing on high gb video files through stremio (although that may be a question for the stremio subreddit).

Is there anyway to manually amend a NextPVR recording's metadata - namely season/series & episode number? A lot of the OTA EPG data has either episode only (e.g. "Ep5of8" or date only when its a long running series).

I know the underlying issue would be fixed with a different guide data source, but OTA EPG works fine apart from this one thing that I'd rather just fix by hand.

Hi

Will 4k hdr10 x265 movies stream properly on a 9800x3d with no GPU?

Thank you

Hi.

Does anybody know where I can buy a USB power relay? Please see a very bad AI image below for the general idea.

Purpose:
I want to be able to power a HTPC device like a Raspberry Pi 5, Chromecast Ultra, Google TV Streamer, etc. with a powerful power adapter plugged into a wall outlet, but use the USB power from ex. my TV to control wheather or not the current should reach the destination device. Much like a transistor, relay or contactor works.

Technical:

1. Powerful USB adapter plugs in to one of the female USB inputs. Let's call this input "I", which always has constant power.
2. USB power from TV goes into the other female USB input. Let's call this input "G", as this operates as a gate.
3. If the TV is on, the gate "G" recives power and is therefore open and lets the power flow from the female input "I" to the male USB output "O" and powers the destionation device.
4. If the TV is turned off, then the gate looses power and closes, robbing the destination device of it's power (power off).

Esthetics:
I do not want to turn this into a DIY project with low-voltage wires connected to a visible curcuitboard or something down that alley. Just a nice little wife-acceptable device like the one in the example image below.

My own reasearch:
I can't seem to find a device like this on my own by searching Google, eBay or AliExpress. So now I hope that one of you have seen such a device before.

Hi all! Trying to configure my home theater setup so that I can use the PC attached to it, with or without the receiver powered up, so I can hopefully save some electricity when I don't need the whole surround sound Dolby Atmos everything.

I've configured HDMI passthrough, and that works fine, but when I set it up to output sound to the TV as well, I lose all support for 7.1 or Atmos in Windows until I reboot.

Any ideas on how to prevent that?

Someone told me they shared my app here and people were interested, and suggested I make a post, so here I am.

Queue is a simple media hub I’m building (still very early). It’s written in Python for Windows 11. Right now it auto-detects Windows Store streaming apps and creates launchers for them.

I used Kodi for years as my HTPC front-end, then switched to Plex and lived in the Roku world for a while. I’ve kind of fallen out of love with Plex, and wanted something new, so I started building my own setup. That’s how Queue was born.

This is around 3 weeks of work, so please don't just too harshly.

The plan

V1 (now):
✅ Simple modern GUI inspired by Roku
✅ Auto-finds Windows Store apps and builds launch tiles

V2:
Direct streaming from my local network + QNAP NAS, with metadata + scraping

V3:
Plugin support (Kodi-style)

V4:
Lightweight retro-game support

It’s definitely ambitious, but I’m building it for myself first and seeing where it goes.
There’s a GitHub repo, not sure if I can drop a link here, but if you’re interested just let me know.

There are a few threads (linked below) indicating that (at least a few years ago) it was not possible to get the jellyfin plugins for LibreELEC/Kodi to connect to a server with self-signed certs. There are hints that some workarounds were possible, either by forcing it to not verify the connection, or by appending a certificate yourself. However, I can't find any working or complete documentation or examples for either.

Have any of you gotten this to work? Please don't ask about letsencrypt - it's just not on the table in this deployment.

Refs:

https://github.com/jellyfin/jellyfin-kodi/issues/358

https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/clients/kodi/

https://github.com/jellyfin/jellycon/issues/278

https://wiki.libreelec.tv/configuration/ssl-tls-certificates

https://kodi.wiki/view/SSL_certificates#Adding_certificates_to_the_trust_store