[mythtv-users] Really small backend server (Pentium 200)

[Brian Foddy]

On Wed, 5 Nov 2003, John Marrett wrote:

> I've been looking at implementing MythTV on my home network.
> 
> I am planning to buy a EPIA ME6000 for my frontend machine. I plan to run
> minimyth on it.
> I was wondering how small I can make the backend machine. I have a pentium
> 200 'server' at home.
> If I install a PVR-250 card to provide Hardware MPEG and install a ATA-133
> card in the machine to drive a 160GB disk at ATA100+ speed would the
> machine be able to keep up? It seems to me that it has more than enough
> internal bandwidth to shuffle the 36 Mbits (1 x 12Mb write, 1 x 12Mb read,
> 1 x 12Mb to the network) around.
> Would it be able to handle Live TV?
> 
> Would I be able to run two PVR-250 cards? With one of them doing Live TV?
> 
> How many weeks would it take to re-encode an hour long recording ;)
> 
> Has anyone else attempted this?

Pentium 200?  Really getting down there.  I run my machine on a 
P2-450.  Recording with a PVR250 takes almost nothing, so as a backend
it should handle it ok.  As for playback (frontend), no way.  My
P2-450 can only play about 512x480.

If you question was as a backend can it record from a PVR250 and playback
over a network to faster frontend, yes it probably could, but I'd be
breathing pretty hard.  What I can't judge very well is your HD speeds,
as I have 3 Ultra2 scsi drives and don't have a lot of experience with ata 
drives.

But I have to ask the obvious???  If you are going to need a faster
frontend machine the play the pvr stream, why seperate the backend
over a network?  The PVR250 takes almost nothing to record so its
likely if you have a machine that can play the stream, it could
probably record as well at the same time.  Most of the time people
use the distributed front/backend features if they need multiple
cards or need more horsepower, but your P200 isn't going to really
do either....

Just my $0.02 worth...

Brian