[TriLUG] mythtv ramblings and a questions about december mythtv presentation

[Kevin Flanagan]

This is a project that I've been wanting to do for a good while, but I'm
going to split it up, back end and front end.  Mostly what I want is a
PVR to stop using the VCRs.  


Back end
    "server" an Athlon 850 
        big hard disk
        TV tuner (Tiger has an Avermedia 1500 for ~$75 that seems to do
well with myth) I hate dealing with tiger so I may look to mail order
        nfsd

Front end
    modded Xbox 
    nfs mount from the back end system to play stuff.
    Enough myth to see program info
    maybe the myth stuff to have the back end system do recording for
me.

Other front ends could be Windows system of my wife's to watch movies,
other FC3 system right next to the "server"


I already have the Xbox, and the 850, just need the tuner and bigger
hard disk.


I expect to start on this in a few weeks, after I finish fixing the home
email/web server that I managed to hose the other night, it's just about
done, but a few NIS type things persist.....




Kevin

    



On Mon, 2005-03-21 at 16:44 -0500, Ken Mink wrote:

> On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 16:28:14 -0500, Myrhillion <lug at blackwizard.net> wrote:
> > Hmm, I hadn't realized how "cheap" relatively the athlon xp's have
> > become (haven't built a rig in a while).   I might just have to build
> > a whole new computer for this project  (*laughs maniacally*).
> 
> My setup came in at around $550. The biggest cost was the Lascalia
> HTPC case and quiet power supply. They were ~$200 alone. However, the
> shiny black case looks great in the entertainment center. I also
> bought all quiet components(hd,fans,etc) and they also pushed up the
> price a little.
> 
> The cheap way of doing MythTV would be a standard white box backend
> with the tuners and plenty of storage and a used XBox for the
> frontend. From what I've read the XBoxes can be tough to get going,
> but they are small, quiet and come with all the necessary hardware and
> connectors minus an ethernet card. People are also having a lot of
> success with the new Mac Mini as a frontend. It's a little pricey for
> just a frontend. But again, it's quiet small and comes with all the
> necessary hardware.
> 
> > 
> > However, I'm wondering if the duron 800 I have will do with a hauppauge
> > PVR-250.
> > Do you have any problems recording and watching a totally different show
> > with your setup, even when it's like
> > timeshifted to skip commercials?
> 
> I have no problem watching an old recording while a second program is
> being recorded. With a PVR-250, recording a show uses very little cpu
> power. The mpeg encoder on the card is doing all the work. I am
> looking around for another PVR-250 to allow PIP and dual recording. I
> don't anticipate any issues with watching a recording and recording
> two new ones. That's why I said the 2600 Barton was overkill.
> 
> > 
> > Anyway, I'm getting more excited about actually doing this from the
> > feedback I've received from the list.
> > I had actually read up on the FC3 mythtv howto you mentioned.  It seems
> > a bit complicated but doable.
> > 
> > I may still stick with gentoo for the distro.  I'll have to sign-up to
> > that myth user list next.
> > Thanks for info Ken, it's appreciated seeing what other folks are using.
> > 
> > Doug Taggart
> > 
> <SNIP>
> 
> -- 
> ---------------------------------------------
> "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
> safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."--Benjamin Franklin
> " 'Necessity' is the plea for every infringement of human liberty; it
> is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."--William Pitt

-- 
Kevin Flanagan <kevin at flanagannc.net>