*another* MythTV query..

[Mike]

Michael March wrote:
> Ok.. I am dumping my DirecTivo and going with a MythTV box..
>
> I'll be running Cox cable.. what are you guys / gals doing for your
> MythTV box here in Phx?
>
> thanks!
>

My backend server runs on a A7N8X deluxe 2600+ with 1 gig. It has a 
PVR-350, PVR-500 and a HD-3000 in it. (so 3 SD and 1 HD tuners) It runs 
sarge primarily with a 2.6.16 kernel I compiled just for it. The backend 
and all of its dependencies like ffmpeg and trancode are compiled from 
source and I haven't used any debs outside of the standard repo's.

My main frontend is just some dumpy computer with a 2600+ on an ECS 
motherboard in a HTPC case I got at frys. (silverstone something or 
other) You can really use anything for the frontends as long as your 
TV-OUT method is do-able under linux. But both of my frontends are just 
sarge with the packages from debian-multimedia repositories. 1 is 
wireless and the other is wired. Then both of the regular desktops can 
be used as frontends too.

If you want HD playback you really need about a 2.6ghz or better to 
achieve it. XvMC is too unstable for my tastes so if you ask me, i'd say 
write that whole idea off and just get the power if to play HD if you go 
that route. If your looking for just SD playback on say a 
PVR-150/250/350/500, you can get a really crappy computer to work just 
fine with that even in a frontend/backend configuration. One of my 
friends at work liked mythtv so he did it himself with a PVR-500 on a 
700mhz computer with a nvidia 5200 with tv-out. He says its a little 
painful when commercial flagging is enabled and trying to watch tv at 
the same time, but it works. Me I don't really notice anything when its 
commercial flagging on the 2600+. I only start noticing when It 
transcoding the shows for the podcasts to my ipod or transcoding a show 
its burning to DVD. I don't know if that gives you any indication of the 
speed you need.

You'll probably be interested in remotes. I have 3. an ATI Remote Wonder 
which is RF. (don't get this one, its easy to setup but sort of painful 
to use) the hauppage grey remote which is IR and runs from i2c on the 
PVR-350. (this one is nice but the jack on the back of the card is loose 
for most people) and an serial ira3 I use with a universal remote I got 
from frys. The ira3 is nice and works extremely well with my hauppauge 
remote, but the philips remote I got for it kind of sucks. But I could 
always just go get a better remote which is the nice thing. It just 
takes a little time to map out all of the keys and bind them to 
myth/xine/mplayer/etc

-Mike