[mythtv-users] will this system work?

[Bela Lubkin]

I'm nearly ready to buy my MythTV box.  Looking for comments and advice
on the setup.

The plan: a combined front/back end in a VCR-like box on my TV rack.

Intended use: random-access VCR & DVD player plus some light music &
game use.

TV environment: I receive regular broadcast TV, no cable/satellite, no
high definition.  Maybe some day.  I fear more channels would lead me to
watch too much TV...

My current to-buy hardware list (with a few alternates):

All items www.newegg.com except 60mm fan parts, www.performance-pcs.com:

            Case: LITE-ON "TM203B-1" Black Tiny MicroATX Case w/250W PS
    Case fan[x2]: Vantec "SF6025L" 60mm Stealth Case Fan
                  Vantec "VDK-60" 60mm Fan Vibration Dampener Kit
     Motherboard: Albatron "KM18G PRO 2.0" nForce2 IGP AMD SocketA TVout
             CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2500+ "Barton", 333 FSB, 512K Cache
         CPU fan: Spire "SPA04B4" WhisperRock IV Socket A/370 CPU Cooler
          Memory: 2x 256MB DDR333 salvaged from Dell Dimension 4600
        TV tuner: Hauppauge "PVR-250MCE" TV & FM tuners, MPEG-2 encoder
      Hard drive: Seagate "ST3160021A" 160GB 7200RPM IDE Hard Drive OEM
     Media drive: Samsung "SD-616EEPB" Black 16X DVD-ROM Drive Retail
  IDE cables[x2]: Vantec round 3-header 18-Inch ATA133 IDE Cable (BLUE)
  Remote control: LITE-ON "SK7551" PS2 IR 86-Keyboard w/pointing device

       Case alts: CHENBRO "PC80568-BK" Black MicroATX Case w/200W PS
                  CHENBRO "PC40522-BK" Black MicroATX Desktop w/200W PS 
                  MAXTOP "CSX-001" Spybox Black Mini w/200W PS 
      Mboard alt: CHAINTECH "7NIF2" nForce2 IGP AMD Socket A
         CPU alt: AMD 45watt Mobile Athlon XP 2500+, 266 FSB, 512K Cache

QUESTIONS:

Does this look generally sane?

Is there any Linux support for the nForce2 IGP MPEG-2 decoder?

Has support for the PVR-250MCE settled down?  (I think I read that the
FM tuner isn't supported yet; not worried about that, it'll come.  
Worried about core support for the TV tuner & MPEG-2 encoder...)

Anyone have experience mod'ing Athlon XP-M for use in Athlon XP
motherboards which don't have BIOS support for FSB multiplier, Vcore
adjustment?

Anything I'm missing (apply clue-stick liberally, please...)?

Thanks!

>Bela<