[mythtv-users] Hardware recommendations/Questions

[Josh]

I too built my mythbox from some old parts, although my motherboard was
destroyed in a freak burning and melting fashion [me blushing more than
you]. I salvaged an athlon xp 2000 and 256mb of ram and bought a PC Chips
M811LU from newegg I think for $28 or $30, somewhere in there. It works
great, has onboard VIA 8233 (snd-via82xx alsa module) and has usb 2.0 and
via-rhine Ethernet on it. Supposedly one of the outputs of the sound can be
converted to spdif with a module option, I don't have the necessary
equipment to confirm this. 
The only other downside I found is it only has one serial port, which for
most people is fine, but I have one serial cable running to my DirecTV
receiver and I'm going to need another one for an lirc receiver if I can't
get this radioshack remote to work with my AverTV Studio's remote receiver.
Can't comment on the wintv 495, but if its retail cost is less than $100, it
probably doesn't do onboard mpeg2.

Good luck,
Josh

PS. also see the archives for what other people are using (better say it now
before someone else does :P)

-----Original Message-----
From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
[mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Vincent K. Britton
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 6:13 PM
To: mythtv-users at mythtv.org
Subject: [mythtv-users] Hardware recommendations/Questions

Hi all.

I am getting ready to put together a MythTV box. I have come from my attic
with 2 parts that I intend to use. One is a 1.2 Ghz AMD Athlon Processor and
the other is a WinTV Theater Model 495.

My first question is, what is this card and will it work with MythTV? It has
a Bt878KHF chip on it. 

If it will work does it have MPEG Encoding onboard? Website is less then
informative when it comes to this card
http://www.hauppauge.com/html/wintv_pci_datasheet.htm.

Second question is that since I destroyed my AMD mother board in a freak
accident with a pair of needle nose pliers [me blushing] can anyone
recommend a inexpensive MB for this processor for use with MythTV. Looking
for something that will be easy to install. Alternately if there is a board
with onboard audio (fiber or coax AC3) for more money I would be interested
in hearing.

Thanks,

Vince