[mythtv-users] What would be the best route to go?

[Jarod C. Wilson]

On Tuesday, Sep 16, 2003, at 18:50 US/Pacific, Mark Dobossy wrote:

> First off, I am new to the list, and MythTV.  After seeing the site, 
> and drooling over it for several weeks, I think I am ready to make the 
> plunge.  I have spec'd out a few boxes, and have narrowed it down to 
> two possibilities:
>
> I currently have an Athlon 1.1ghz, w/512mb RAM. This machine is my 
> internet gateway for the house, as well as my web/database server. I 
> also do quite a bit of computing for my grad school research, and I 
> use this machine to do some processing. This machine is running 
> Mandrake 9.0.
>
> I am also planning on purchasing a new computer- something much more 
> up to date, to set up a HTPC system with. The way I see it, I have 2 
> choices-
>
> 1) Leave the current router/server as is, and make no changes to it. 
> Then, get a modest system for MythTV- say an Athlon XP 2400, 512mb 
> ram, 160gb hard drive, Win-PVR-250 tuner, GF4MX440 64 meg video card, 
> and wrap it up with a DVD drive, in a nice looking case. Then just put 
> this machine in the HT, and have it be a stand-alone unit.
>
> 2) Purchase a more powerful system- say a P4 2.8, 1gb RAM, 160gb HD, 
> etc.. As well as the PVR-250. Replace the current router/web server 
> (trust me, this thing isnt under a huge load or anything) with the new 
> P4 system. This system would then also be the MythTV backend- have the 
> tuner card, and be interfaced with the DirecTV reciever. I could then 
> take the weaker Athlon system, and turn it into the slave machine, 
> running the MythTV frontend, and have it hooked up to the HT. This 
> way, I figure I could use some of the computing power of the P4 2.8 
> when necessary, and also have a HTPC setup.
>
> I suppose I could also do option 1, with the P4 2.8, but that seems 
> WAY overkill for a stand-alone PVR system.

Gross excess, unless you're getting a pcHDTV card...

> Any thoughts on which route would be better?

I'd say option #1. You could easily go either route, and both would 
work, but if you are getting a new system anyhow, and only have a 
single frontend, you'll get a more responsive system if everything is 
all on the same machine (capture and playback). Personally, I would 
avoid splitting the two, unless there is some really compelling reason 
to do so. Remember, you can also use the processing power of the HTPC 
for stuff other than TV, just the same as you can use your current 
gateway machine (think VNC & ssh if you want to use if from a monitor 
in a location other than in front of the TV).

--Jarod

-- 
Jarod C. Wilson, RHCE

Got a question? Read this first...
http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

MythTV, Red Hat Linux 9 & ATrpms documentation:
http://pvrhw.goldfish.org/tiki-page.php?pageName=rh9pvr250