[mythtv-users] x-box as a frontend?

[Spencer Jason E CONT DLVA]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matthew Daubenspeck [mailto:matt at oddprocess.org]
> Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 10:29 AM
> To: mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] x-box as a frontend?
> 
> 
> On Thu, Dec 11, 2003 at 10:37:54PM -0500, Brian wrote:
> > Does an x-box really make as good a front-end as everyone 
> says?  From 
> > what I've read, people seem very happy with them. 
> > I'm considering getting one, in large part for running mythtv.
> 
> Yes, it works great for me, and I use 2 Xbox's as front ends...

 I hadn't used my xbox in over a year until I found mythtv and
Dennis's xbox distro.  Now it gets used every day.  I have it connected
to my lan using a linksys 54G game adapter.  Works great with a pvr 250
stream.

> 
> > Does the xbox work well for other parts of the myth suite, 
> myth-game for 
> > example?  Is 64M enough?
> 
> I also use it for MythMusic and MythDVD. Both work well, except
> MythMusic is slow to change songs when you have a huge playlist loaded
> and use the random mode. I haven't tried MythGame.

 I have personally used Myth(video, dvd, gallery, weather, music) on
the xbox with no problems.

> 
> > Are newer x-boxes quiet?  Is the harddrive spinning when idle, or 
> > watching live or recorded TV from a backend machine, or at other 
> > unexpected times?
> 
> I can hear just a slight hum from the fan on my xboxes, and every once
> and a while if I am listening closely, I can hear the hard drive click
> when it is accessing something. It's still almost silent...

No experience with the newer xbox's but Microsoft fixed
the font exploit I believe on the newer ones (or if you do a live
update).

> 
> > Can the xbox DVD remote be used with myth?   Or,are there 
> better ways to go?
> 
> Good question :)

I used the xbox remote for a while,  but you can use a One for all
remote with the xbox remote ir.  Works well.


> 
> > What in addition to the xbox (and possible modchip) is 
> needed to get 
> > myth running?
> 
> As long as you do not use a brand spanking new xbox 
> (September might be
> the cutoff date), you can use the MechInstall software hack.
I didn't use a modchip at all, I went the MechInstaller route(font
exploit).
 
 Works ok, but you have to watch out for clock loops.  If your xbox
loses power it gets caught in a loop while trying to set the clock.  I've
had this happen twice, but my xbox came out of it in a few mins (varies
xbox to xbox, some don't come out at all).  I think it has a lot to do with
  the generation of xbox being used.  I set up one of my friends with 
  Mechinstaller on his xbox and it came out of a loop real quick (both
of ours are first generation xbox's)


> 
> > If you have a x-box frontend, would you recommend it to 
> others?  Any 
> > complaints about the setup?
> 
> I use it daily and love it. Enough said :)
 
Defiantly!

> 
> -- 
> :wq!
> 
>   Matthew Daubenspeck
>   http://www.oddprocess.org
>