[mythtv-users] Looking for your experience

[Maarten]

On Friday 03 September 2004 21:45, James Pifer wrote:
> On Fri, 2004-09-03 at 14:31, Aaron Griffin wrote:
> > Hey all,
> > I must first admit, I am a newbie to MythTV, although that's not my
> > reason for this.  I'm going to use you all for your experience in
> > dealing with the hardware side of this...
> > Anyway, I'm looking for some advice on the *BEST* hardware setup...
> > the cost isn't that much of an issue....
> >
> >
> > Current Plan->
> > TV-in: PVR-250
> > TV-out: No clue...I have an All-in-wonder so I need to buy a new one
> > Processor: Most likely AMD 2000-3000 or something
> > Case/Mobo/Form Factor: Anyone research this and find something really
> > cool that's not a Shuttle (too expensive for what you get)?

Jeez.
The list gets drowned in these kind of (stupid) questions.  Why don't you all 
try to be a bit more specific or 'verbose' about this ?  If you need a 
(backend) machine for in the attic / basement, don't you think you'd buy an 
entirely other machine than if it had to reside in the livingroom...?
(Hint: there is a HUGE difference between an old P-II 400 MHz equipped with a 
PVR350 and a brand-spankin' new P4-3200 with a btttv card...  but the viewing 
pleasure is almost similar)

In other words, what are it's "selling points" ?   Silence ? Price ? Size ? 
Versatility ? CPU conservation ?  Disk conservation ?  What ?

> > Hard Drives: How much, how snappy? I'll probably be recording about
> > 1-2hours a day and deleting it after I watch

That is (probably) not realistic, even far from it.  But if you _really_ only 
record 1-2hours a day and delete it afterwards, all you'd need is a 8 GB 
harddisk.  Mythtv uses between say 1 and 3 gigs per hour, depending...

Needless to say you'll surely want to keep some recordings, and needless to 
say 8 GB harddisks are not for sale anymore either...

But I'll give you a free advice from experience: buy the biggest harddisk you 
can afford. You will not regret it. You will regret it if you don't...

I'm totally sure your girlfriend -which you mention below- will fill a 80GB 
harddisk within a week (with reruns of the bold and the beautiful, etc.)

> > Sound Card: I'm assuming Audigy 2 Platinum, anything better?
> > DVD-ROM: How fast to emulate a store bought DVD player?

If what you get off the air is "only" normal stereo sound, why do people think 
that sound somehow magically "gets better" when you throw a hugely expensive 
soundcard at it ??  I myself use a dirt-cheap SB and I seriously doubt that a 
fiber-connected 24 bit ultrasound hyper audigy ultra deluxe 7.1 will sound 
any better than that, since your regular TV isn't broadcast with that quality 
to begin with. Worse; if you're REAL lucky it will not be far worse than CD 
audio.  If you're unlucky, it will be worse than badly received FM radio...

Incidentally, in case you didn't know: "store-bought" (video-)DVD players are 
always single speed (al-ways!!) as are audio CD players: single speed only.
You know, computers aren't race cars where you can impress your girlfriend by 
the number of cylinders or the size of your engine.  A DVD movie plays at 
speed==one and not a single snippet faster. You can however buy a 4 speed 
drive, which comes in real useful if you someday want to see the Godfather 
Part 1 in just under 55 minutes.  But apart from that...  nope  ;-)

> > I am building this for me and my girlfriend, and the total cost isn't
> > THAT big of a deal.... because I'm doing it for her (awwwwww, how
> > cute!)

Gosh....  love is a splendid thing isn't it...   as long as it lasts that is.
;-)

Maarten

-- 
Linux: Because rebooting is for adding hardware.