[mythtv-users] Any Tips for this hardware?

[Matt Yeager]

Hello,
    I am a newb.  (work with windows all day)  I have been trying to get
knoppmyth installed and working with the following success.

Knoppmyth:  I can install and get the mythtv interface up as long as I use
an old AGP ATI all in wonder card as my main card.  I am using an 18.1" LCD
which could be part of my problem.  I install a chaintech gForce FX and when
X windows starts my monitors LED turns amber.  I try to hit CTRL+ALT+keypad
minus key, but it flickers and nothing.  If I install the ATI card I'm back
in business.  I don't have a converter yet for VGA to component, but I plan
to get one.  I don't have  the TV out dongle for the ATI card, so I'd
preffer to use the TV out on the nvidia card.  (svideo for now)  I have
installed the install-nvidia.sh but when it restarts X windows I have the
same problem.  I try to edit XF86Config-4 (is this the right file) and get
rid of all modes above 800x600 or modes with higher refresh rates, but have
no success yet.  I may just invest in a newer ATI radeon 7000 or something,
and get the Audio Authority or Key Digital VGA to Component converter.

I cannot get my ethernet card to obtain an IP, and cannot seem to ping my
linksys router if I set it up static.  I wonder if I need to assign an IRQ
for it?  I have tried several cards (mostly old 3com PCI cards and an Intel
card) with no luck.  Oddly enough I was using the same network drop for
Mandrake 9.1 just a couple weeks ago.  I remember I had trouble getting that
to work at first too. If I put a Windows box on the same drop in my living
room, it works fine.  I tried to get Mandrake to work again with no luck.

I have the following configuration:
Soyo Dragon mb
ATI TV Wonder VE
ATI Remote wonder (usb RF)
lots of ethernet card options to try
several video cards to try (nvidia) or my old ATI AIW rage 128
SB live value
Mitsubishi 18.1" LCD (I should probably change to a CRT?)

Has anyone gotten that ATI remote wonder (USB) to work?

I guess so far my only success has been getting the mythtv frontend (and I
assume the backend) to work.  I've seen this tv tuner work in Mandrake.
My problems as far as I know are that I cannot get connectivitiy (ethernet)
cannot get the tuner to work, and dont' even know how to attempt to setup
the remote.
I also need to invest in a good quality solution for connecting to my HDTV.
(don't mind spending the money to get better results)
Eventually I want to get a HD receiver card and have a separate backend
computer, and several frontend machines.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Also any ideas for buying the
right device for tv out woud be more than welcome.

I have a Samsung HDTV.  I've not even tried to hook that up yet, since I'm
worried about causing it harm.