[mythtv-users] Mini-ITX or standard PC?

[Ryan Steffes]

On Tue, 28 Sep 2004 16:06:13 +0100, Piers Kittel <mythtv at biased.org> wrote:
> Am planning my MythTV box in which I'll be mainly using as a PVR,
> currently recording analogue TV, but in the future might use digital TV,
> DVD player, and a few other minor tasks - but I'm trying to find a
> balance between power and noise/electricity usage.  I would like to aim
> for a low electricity power and low noise, and cost isn't the greatest
> concern here.
> 
> Would a mini-itx mobo something like M10000 or the MII12000 be
> sufficient to use as a MythTV box or is it overkill?  Or would it be
> better to go for an MicroATX board with an underclocked AMD XP/Sempron
> processor with a big heatsink and a slow fan?
> 
> Or would more details would be helpful here?
> 
> Thanks very much for your help in advance
> 
> Cheers - Piers
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> 

The reason, I believe, most people go with mATX is because of the fear
that the built in processors of the mini-itx just can't handle the
load.  I would think they'd probably work equally as a front end only
solution, provided you had a video card for the tv-out, but for
crunching the encoding I have little faith in them.

mATX machines with a mobile XP processor undervolted is a very solid
compromise I think, although there is something very attractive about
those "Hush" silent micros, and the geek potential of the micro-itx is
unquestioned.

My personal plan of attack is a mobile XP processor undervolted (but
not underclocked) with a large heatsink ducted to the exhaust fan with
one very quiet hard drive.  When you say the magic words "cost isn't
an issue" whole new worlds open up in the silent pc market!

Suggestions:
Case: SilverStone SST-LC01 Home Theater PC Case ( reviewed:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article175-page1.html)
Mobo: Soltek SL-75MIV2/SL-75MIV2-L  ( Available here:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=12452&vpn=SL-75MIV2-L&manufacture=SOLTEK
) (Reason: Best undervolting support currently available)
CPU: AMD mobile XP 2400+ undervolted
Fan x2: "Japanaflos" Panaflo L1a (
http://www.jab-tech.com/customer/product.php?productid=2344&cat=79&page=1
)
Fan controllers x2: Zalman Fanmate (
http://www.zalmanusa.com/usa/product/view.asp?idx=70&code=017 )
PSU: Antec Phantom 350 Fanless PSU ( reviewed:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article188-page1.html ) (I don't
recommend ducting with this particular PSU)
Heatsink: Thermalright SLK-900A (
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article72-page1.html )
Drive: Seagate 7200.7 Model: ST3200822A  200GB
(http://www.seagate.com/cda/products/discsales/marketing/detail/0,1081,597,00.html)
Graphics card: GeForce MX4000

Then of course you'll want to isolate the fans and suspend the drives.
Fan isolators: Part number: "5801K8" available here: http://www.mcmaster.com/
Info on suspending drives here:
http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewtopic.php?t=8240



Sorry for the information overload.  I'm building my system peice by
peice and tomorrow I get paid and can order the CPU.  I'm approaching
critical fidget mass!

--Ryan