[mythtv-users] Multiple frontends/backend storage with digitalboxes

Larry Matter mythtv2 at matter.net
Mon Mar 22 15:22:18 EST 2004


You may occasionally use all three capture cards, but normally you can
probably do with 2.

What you should consider is that once you get this system rolling you may
not watch too much liveTV.  It was suggested to me early on, and indeed it
has been my experience, that you usually just go for one of your recorded
programs rather than watch liveTV.

So the question really should be, "how often do I want to record multiple
shows that are on at the same time?"  For us that answer has never been
more than 3 and even that is rare.

HTH,
Larry

> Thanks for the link - MiniMyth looks really interesting and I'll have to
> explore your project a little more once I get down to nuts and bolts.
>
> I like the client setup you suggest. I think what I am going to do is
> setup diskless thin clients like these next to each of my three tvs and
> link them to a master backend machine with mega-storage by 100mbit
> ethernet. This backend box will contain 3 pvr-250s linked to my 3
> digital cable boxes for live-tv and recording. I plan to control channel
> changing on the digital boxes remotely from my frontend machines via
> serial port.
>
> Does this sound like a plan? Does anyone forsee me needing more than 3
> capture cards?
>
> shec0002 at shecks.net wrote:
>
>>If you are looking for a thin, lower power, almost silent client check
>> out
>>the linpvr.org project.  I have two backend machines in my basement, and
>>one diskless thin client under my TV.  My thinclient front-end is great,
>>and the onboard decoder is smooth.  I would be happy to help if you were
>>interested in this sort of configuration.
>>
>>My thin client was less then $300 to build.
>>VIA EPIA Nehemiah M10000 1Ghz All In One Motherboard
>>512MB PC133 DIMM
>>Morex Cubid 3688 Mini-ITX Case - Silver
>>
>>Others have added PVR-250s to machines like this, but I don't have the
>>cash for another one yet.
>>
>>
>>
>>>You can go *really* thin on the frontend, even so far as to go diskless
>>> and
>>>boot from Compact Flash. For somewhere in the neighborhood of
>>> ~$350-400USD
>>>each, you could put together frontend machines considerably smaller than
>>>your current digital cable boxes.Get yourself any small form-factor
>>> machine
>>>with a CF slot
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>>I'd like my pcs located next to my tvs to be as thin of clients as
>>>>possible.
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>
>
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