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How to Build Your Own Home Theater PC for Viewing AVATAR

Learn how to build a home theater PC or HTPC for the release of AVATAR and other visually stunning films. A home theater PC can be inexpensive and small, or expensive and large, depending on what you make of it. Here's what you need to know to get started.

Guest post by Ty Wingfoot

A home theater PC, also referred to as an HTPC is a computer that acts as the digital engine to provide all the content to your television. The HTPC is for more than just watching DVDs on your TV through your computer. The HTPC is a super geek project that gives you an awesome viewing experience with the versatility to watch online videos and view pictures, listen to songs and any other kind of digital media. You can build a home theater PC for as little as $600 or as much as $2,000 or more. It all depends on your quest and your personal preferences. Now that AVATAR and its stunning visual effects are available on DVD and Blu-Ray, it’s the perfect time to build a home theater PC.

Choose Your Home Theater PC Case

Picking a case is the first and maybe the most important part of this project. The case will let you know what you have to work with. While it’s not the sexiest part of the PC, if you get a case that lets out too much noise or causes too much heat, all your hard work may be wasted. Pick a case that fits your space, has a quiet fan, has enough power and is easy to use. You can use a mini computer form factor like the Mini-ITX or use a bigger form factor if you have the room and want a bigger case. You should pick a case that has a remote for easy TV viewing.

Under the Hood

If you’re going for a small-size basic home theater PC, you may want to use an Atom processor. However, if you want the mega powerful HTPC, you should choose a powerful processor such as a high end dual core or mid range quad core. You may want plenty of power, but remember with great power comes great heating and the need for more cooling, which can raise the sound level and cause your PC to overheat.

Find a good motherboard. You need a motherboard to match your processor but make sure you choose something with a lot of ports and options. You’ll want USB, Firewire and of course a video HDMI output. Integrated technology is fine for this type of use-- you’re not going to be watching the video on your monitor so a built in video card is fine as long as it has HDMI support.

Since you’re just watching video and not editing it, two gigabytes of RAM is a good start; however, four or even six would provide more options for your home theater PC, such as for some gaming and other future possibilities.

If your home theater PC is going to be more than just a DVD or BD player, make sure you install a TV tuner card.

What’s Driving the PC

You need a hard drive that has plenty of space. To allow room for growth, something in the lines of a one terabyte drive is in order. Noise and heat output are also essential to consider, so a drive like a Western Digital WD10EACS GreenPower hard drive is a good choice if you’re making a full size HTPC. If you’re shooting for something smaller, you may want to use a solid state drive.

Of course, no home theater PC would be complete without a Blu-ray player. You have to be careful because many Blu-ray drives are too big to fit correctly into many PC cases. Do your homework and find a player that fits in your case. Even though HD DVD lost the format war, you can find players that play both formats in case you have DVDs in both formats or want to buy low priced HD DVD formatted DVDs.

Putting It Together

Assembling the PC shouldn’t take much time, but be careful to pay attention to the air flow of the case and what kind of fans or heat sinks you may need to add. You’ll need to install an operating system capable of handling all your media needs. Windows Home Premium or higher is a suitable choice, but if you really want to go for extreme customization and control, you can always install Linux and run software like Myth TV.

Sponsored by Panasonic VIERA. Return to the world of AVATAR in stunning full HD with the Panasonic VIERA HD TV.

What's your dream home theater? Describe it!

James Cameron's Real-World Inspiration for the Landscapes in AVATAR

The landscapes in AVATAR were truly amazing, largely in part to the way the 3D element was used in the movie. Instead of using traditional 3D methods to bring objects out of the screen towards the viewer, AVATAR used a technique that made it feel like the viewer was being pulled into the movie. This effect gave the viewer the overall impression of being a part of the landscape and scenes, which provided a very realistic look and feel. Many people who saw the movie in 3D reported that it felt as though they had actually visited Pandora, instead of just viewing it on the screen.

Guest post by Ty Wingfoot

As anyone who has seen the movie AVATAR in 3D can attest to, the visual effects and landscapes are truly spectacular. The landscapes in AVATAR were even more mesmerizing due to the way the 3D element was handled in the movie. Instead of the usual methods of exploiting the visual “shock effect” of 3D by continually thrusting objects towards the audience through the screen, AVATAR takes a different approach. When you watch the movie, you have more of a sense of being drawn into the screen and the surrounding landscape, as opposed to feeling like something is going to come out and get you, which adds an additional sense of realism to the film.

Inspiration for the Beautiful AVATAR Landscapes

When one experiences the breathtaking scenic landscapes featured in the movie AVATAR, it is hard not to wonder and speculate as to where the inspiration for the landscapes in AVATAR came from. As is the case with most art, it is hard to imagine that there wasn’t a real world inspiration for the highly stylized but somehow realistic scenes. The landscapes were of course created through the work of many talented artists, but for many who experienced the movie, there was a desire to match Pandora up with its real life inspiration.

Southern Sky Column

For those who are familiar with the often breathtaking beauty of China’s landscape, it was hard not to draw some similarities between some of the landscapes depicted in the movie and the Southern Sky Column in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The scenes in the movie that feature the beautiful floating islands are reminiscent of this majestic column. Traditionally named Qiankunyizhu, which translates from Chinese to mean “Pillar of the Universe”, it was thought by many to have been the inspiration that Cameron had referred to in an interview where he stated that he had used many references when designing the landscapes in AVATAR, including Venezuela, Huangshan and Zhangjiajie, which are both located in China. Quick to capitalize on the reference, Zhangjiajie started to look for ways that they could capitalize on the resemblance in order to bolster their lagging tourism industry. In fact, there was talk that the column was going to be renamed Mount Hallelujah in reference to the movie.

Not So Fast...

However, since Cameron cited several locations as reference points for the movie’s landscapes, Huangshan took exception to Zhangjiajie’s newfound claim to fame. Instead, they insisted that the beautiful floating mountains of AVATAR were instead inspired by Yellow Mountain stone column formations. To make matters even worse for Zhangjiajie, many people were a bit offended over the proposed renaming of Southern Sky Column, feeling it should retain its original name instead of caving in to Western influences. In the end, it appears that the name will not be changed after all. However, regardless of the exact location of the stone formations that served as the inspiration, Zhangjiajie has still found a way to enjoy their newfound association with the blockbuster movie. On their website and in future advertising campaigns, expect to find the slogan, “Pandora is far... but Zhangjiajie is near.

Sponsored by Panasonic VIERA. Return to the world of AVATAR in stunning full HD with the Panasonic VIERA HD TV.

What places on earth do you think inspired the landscapes of AVATAR?

How Pandora Comes Alive: Visual Effects in AVATAR

The major motion picture AVATAR incorporates one man's dream of bringing a virtual world to life. Director James Cameron co-created a new camera and filming system that allowed audiences around the world to experience the fictional planet of Pandora. Learn more about the visual effects that were made possible through this new system of filming.

Guest post by Ty Wingfoot

The AVATAR film director James Cameron created a movie like no other through stunning visual effects and brought computer generated animation to a new level. AVATAR is the first movie of its kind in that a majority of the visual effects used were created just for the movie. New technology such as, stereoscopic cameras and virtual cameras were developed to give the movie a 3D feel and allow for film watchers to have an almost immersed sense of the planet Pandora.

In order to get a better understanding of the various technologies that were used in the creation of AVATAR, we are going to go over some of the main methods that helped make this movie possible. From the development of new cameras to the teams of CG artists that worked on the film, here we explore the movie magic that ended up changing the future of CG films.

Developed by Vince Pace and filmmaker James Cameron, the Pace-Cameron System combines a modified type of stereoscopic 3D camera, a virtual camera and performance capture staging. In essence, a stereoscopic 3D camera uses two camera lenses that converge on a single focal point. The double lenses mimic much of the actions that human eyes take when viewing an object. Being able to capture images on film through this type of camera allows the film maker to secure live action sequences in 3D that can be integrated with CG techniques.

Cameron utilized a virtual camera to film computer generated scenes in real time. For this movie, using the technology of computers means that the director can look through the virtual camera and see the world of Pandora and its computer generated characters. The director can control staging, camera angle direction and manipulate commands to both the live and CG actors in the film. The augmented-reality view makes pulling the live action and the computer generated elements together giving a seamless look to the final project.

The combination of the modified stereoscopic 3D and virtual cameras make for a more realistic virtual world. Rounding out this new filming system for an overall immersed audience experience is that of performance capture. A new head rig was developed with sensors on it, so that actors no longer had to tape sensors to their face. The actors would wear the Lycra sensor suits, the head rig and perform their scenes on a sensory stage hovered over by ceiling sensors so that the computer could read their every movement and expression.

This filming system that includes the creation of new software, new modified cameras and new developments in the capturing of live human action have paved the way for future films. Soon, more movies will be developed with this combination for astonishing visual effects all with the goal of making the virtual world look like a new reality and not just lifeless computer generation.

What's your favorite visual effect from Pandora?

Viewing AVATAR: Choosing the Best 3D Glasses From Among All 3D TV Glasses

Although AVATAR was spectacular on the big screen in 3D, fans of the movie are hoping that this movie will also help pave the way to a true 3D experience for the home. The options for watching home 3D are still somewhat limited, since broadcast and cable are still in the process of making the transition to 3D. In the meantime, there are several options for 3D TV glasses that will work well in movie theaters. In order to choose the best 3D glasses, there are some factors that should be considered.

Guest post by Ty Wingfoot

Although AVATAR was spectacular on the big screen in 3D, fans of the movie are hoping that this movie will also help pave the way to a true 3D experience for the home. The options for watching home 3D are still somewhat limited. Although broadcast and cable are still in the process of making the transition to 3D, there are 3D-capable Blu-ray players, TVs coming to market now. In the meantime, there are several options for 3D glasses that work well in movie theaters.

3D Glasses Manufacturers

There is still a battle raging in regards to which technology will win the game and set the standard for the best 3D glasses. For those who view 3D movies in the theater, there are several options for glasses to choose from. XpanD produces a pair of glasses that use LCD shutter technology, producing a stereo effect. These glasses have a price tag of around $50 a pair. For around $28, Dolby Laboratories produces passive glasses that work along with the projector’s specially installed filter wheel. Finally, for about 65 cents, you can get passive circular polarized glasses from RealD and MasterImage 3D.

Which Glasses Does AVATAR’s James Cameron Endorse?

James Cameron endorses RealD, although he’s been photographed wearing XpanD glasses. One of the pluses for the less expensive RealD and MasterImage glasses is the fact that they are cheap enough to be tossed in the trash by patrons at the end of the movie. However, RealD encourages theaters to send the used 3D glasses back so that they can be cleaned, repaired and reused. The more expensive models of 3D glasses must be cleaned by the theater so that they can be reused.

Home 3D Viewing Experiences

In March, Sony announced that its 3D television sets will arrive on June 10 in Japan, with release in other countries to follow. This first model from Sony has a 46-inch screen, and is new technology. Two pairs of 3D TV glasses designed to work with the sets will ship with each television.

Meanwhile, Samsung began producing LCD and LED compatible panels for 40 inch, 46 inch, and 55 inch full HD 3D televisions in January of this year. These are designed to be used with 3D Active Glasses.

The Bottom Line

Although each manufacturer of 3D glasses claims that theirs is the superior product, it will be the consumers who choose which model creates the best 3D viewing experience in the end. Which model of glasses produces the best 3D picture, according to viewers? It appears that many viewers simply don’t prefer one make of glasses over the other. However, even if consumers can’t seem to find enough perceived difference in the glasses, it is almost inevitable that given some time, one technology is going to win out over all the others. Since consumers don’t seem to prefer the performance of any particular model of glasses, it could be that the overall fashion statement potential of glasses might factor into their final decision. With personalized designs having the potential to be used with both video games and 3D HDTVs, this could become the tie breaker in the race for consumer-chosen 3D glasses.

Sponsored by Panasonic VIERA. Return to the world of AVATAR in stunning full HD with the Panasonic VIERA HD TV.

What 3D glasses did you have when watching AVATAR? And if you saw it in different theaters with different glasses, did you notice a difference?

Ikran, Thanator, Direhorse: All About the AVATAR Movie Animals

The animals from the movie AVATAR are fictional, but they are also so realistic that you might actually forget that fact while watching the movie. The AVATAR movie animals were created with a great attention to detail, just as was the case with the landscapes and other characters, which brings the animals to life on the screen. When you learn more about these animals, you will find that the details are every bit as fascinating as their appearance. Here is an introduction to just a few of the interesting creatures from the movie:

Guest post by Ty Wingfoot

The animals from the movie AVATAR are of course fictional, but the movie is so visually captivating and lifelike that you might forget they aren’t real while you are watching it. Just as is the case with the characters and the landscapes, the AVATAR movie animals were created with an attention to detail that brings them to life. Additionally, when you learn more about the animals themselves, you find that they are just as fascinating as they look. Although there are far too many interesting creatures in the movie to list, here is an introduction to a few of Pandora’s more fascinating fauna:

Direhorse

Although these creatures are horse-like in nature, they have six legs, tough skin with stripes, long necks, and armor over their shoulders, back, and head. Their realistic movements in the movie were a result of using real horses as models, with computer motion sensors attached near their head and joints to capture their movements for computer 3-D modeling.

Mountain Banshee (Ikran)

Resembling a pteranodon and called an ikran in Na'vi, these powerful flying creatures are a force to be reckoned with. Na’vi warriors engage in a rite of passage by bonding with one of these creatures. An ikran will only bond with one warrior in its lifetime.

Hammerhead Titanothere

Massive in size, these grazing creatures travel in packs. They have a social but territorial nature, and have a tendency to charge if they are angered. They can put on quite an intimidating display. The males in particular are quite territorial.

Thanator

A fearsome land predator, these creatures are equipped with a powerful armored tail that can cause a lot of damage. It has a quick and deadly strike and can look quite intimidating when the plates around its neck flare. Thanators prefer to hunt alone.

Viperwolf

Another of Pandora’s six-legged creatures, the viperwolf is an intelligent predator that prefers to hunt in small groups. It can climb trees thanks to its opposable thumbs, and is quite cunning in its ability to stalk and kill prey. Young viperwolf cubs grow up quickly and are hunting on their own within months after they are born.

Leonopteryx

 Central to the Na’vi culture and lore, the leonopteryx is celebrated in song and dance. It has six legs, but it is considered to be an evolution from the four-limbed form of the banshee. It also has four wings and powerful flying abilities.

Hexapede

Beautiful and yet fragile, it is a prime target for many predators. However, due to the fact that they breed rapidly, they are able to maintain a population on Pandora. Feeding on leaves, berries and tree bark, these creatures are quite docile.

Sponsored by Panasonic VIERA. Return to the world of AVATAR in stunning full HD with the Panasonic VIERA HD TV.

Hexapede, thanator, ikran - what's your favorite animal on Pandora in AVATAR?