HTPCs provide a unified solution to home theater equipment.
The main advantage of a Home Theater Personal Computer is flexibility. These devices are designed to provide the ability to play media in a wide variety of formats. HTPCs are compatible with most audio and video output devices and provide significantly higher quality output than standard home media equipment. HTPC's also provide other services including Web browsing, gaming and the ability to record media.
Video
HTPCs take advantage of the flexibility of video cards to provide high definition output in a variety of formats. Modern video cards can display images using output formats including VGA, S-Video and HDMI. Most types of television, monitor and projector use one of these formats making them useful for watching movies. Home theater computers can also take the place of a satellite or cable receiver allowing users to watch digital cable and satellite. Since HTPCs can connect to the Internet, users can watch videos stored online from a television. Users can also play back video files stored on the HTPCs hard drive, a DVD or a BluRay disc.
Audio
Using an HTPC, users can play audio from a variety of sources in high definition. HTPCs with suitable sound or video cards produce high definition audio using HDMI or S/PDIF outputs. These audio formats support surround sound, digital audio output and multi-channel sound. Using these formats provides the ability to simultaneously play audio from two sources on different speakers using data files stored in a multitude of formats. Audio files stored on a hard drive, CDs, DVDs, USB drives, MP3 players and online audio are all accessible from a HTPC.
Internet
HTPCs bring full Internet connectivity into the living room. Users can play online PC video games, watch videos, listen to online radio stations, browse the web or any other online task that a computer can perform. This functionality also allows users to sync their home entertainment system with other computers. Using this functionality users can access media files stored on their other computers from their living room.
Compatibility
The primary advantage of the HTPC is that it combines the functionality of a broad range of home entertainment devices under a single box. Its compatibility with many different types of audio and video output allows users to control their home theater system from a central source. Home theater computer systems also provide support for other useful technologies found in home theater systems including 3D video output, DVR, motion tracking and video and audio conferencing.
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