[mythtv-users] directions for a micro-ATX mobo+VGA

Franco net.surfer at tiscali.it
Wed Feb 11 20:33:24 EST 2004


> it's 'nice' to have that extra PCI slot available, ask 
> yourself if you really think you'll need it

Well, my original idea was to NOT make an hybrid system
(I mean, half a PC and half a traditional Hi-Fi/TV system),
but a pure PC-only solution (with the exception of my
dear old VCR that I don't want to trash :-)  )

I want to demonstrate that a PC can do the same, or better,
spending much less. There should be NO external boxes
(TV decoder, satellite decoder, FM tuner, etc. etc. etc)
connected to the PC, but only their PC equivalent
inside the PC.

When I first thought about it, I was considering I'd need:

- video card
- sound card
- digitizer card
- TV tuner and/or DVB-t card
- DVB-s card
- FM tuner card
- Wi-Fi card

hence I was considering an ugly big tower case for the system.
(I don't need all this stuff NOW, but I want the option
to be able to expand the system later if/when I need it, the
same way you do when you add a set-top-box to a TV system.)

After discovering mythtv I realized I could "split" the system
in two or more PC (backends and frontends), but that seems
expensive, complicated and also space-consuming (two ATC 620s
stacked onto each other?)

After discovering the PRV 350, which puts together
a digitizer, an FM tuner, a TV tuner, and other stuff,
in the same card, I thought: "wow! then maybe I could build
the system with just 1 PC, and no big tower". After that
I started making questions on this list to understand better.

If I start with a sound card (already bought) and a PVR x50
it's already 2 PCI slots consumed.
Later on I'll have to add a DVB-t card (Italy is switching
from analog TV to DVB-t) and that's 3 slots.

At that point the explandibility of my system would be off.
No options for adding, e.g. a DVB-s card, later.
Not to mention I have Wi-Fi at home....

> If you want WiFi you can get an external USB or wired<->wireless
> bridge (if you get a USB dongle you can even route it inside the case)

Other people had previously discouraged me (compatibility reasons).
Can you give me pointers to such devices, that work well with Linux?
That would free 1 PCI slot...

> Looking for a 4-PCI-slot uATX board is going to seriously limit your
> options, and you  might end up with a crappy board.
> Which is worth more to you -- a good  stable mobo or an extra PCI slot?

Yes, yes, of course. That's why I am asking and I still haven't
ordered the pieces. My wish is to make a _good_ system....

> I found these links in the archives:
> http://www.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=a7s266-vm
> http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socketa/a7s266-vmu2/overview.htm?m=a7s266-vm

Thank you! Well, Asus usually is _not_  crappy...

> You can get a PCI GeForce4 card...

that would CONSUME a PCI slot...

Franco



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