[mythtv-users] Verdict on EPIA M 10000

[Toby Smith]

Peter Schachte wrote:
> I've seen much discussion of getting MythTV running on an Epia M 10000
> 
> The machine, as I conceive it now, would be an Epia M 10000 with 2 PCI
> DVI-T cards on an active PCI riser, 250 GB Seagate HDD, DVD burner,
> 512 MB RAM.  I'll use the on-board S-video and S/P DIF outputs.  Not
> sure about the case yet; I like the Silverstone LC-11M, with 2 line
> display and IR remote, but I'm not sure it'll fit.

I have a fairly similar system. The video and audio output are fine for 
me, and have been commented on in more detail by other posters.

Where I have had problems that may effect you is in creating a two card 
DVB setup (I'm assuming DVI-T is a typo for DVB-T) with an active riser 
card. (For those who don't know, the EPIA has a single PCI slot, and 
both active and passive risers exist to turn this into a two slot using 
certain special features of the EPIA board (allegedly))

Things have worked fine in the bottom slot (which is the direct 
equivalent of the motherboard PCI slot) but not the top slot.

Try as I might, I've not been able to get any cards to work in the upper 
slot of the riser, with assorted odd behaviour. I started with a Twinhan 
that was identified by the system to an extent, but it couldn't get back 
enough information about what type of twinhan (Ter or Sat) so no 
frontend was produced, and thus the card couldn't be used. (Card was fin 
in the bottom slot).

I then tried a Nova-T, which was identified and found the frontend OK, 
but caused all sorts of timing problems which rendered it impossible to 
get a stream from the card. It developed a habit of logging errors to 
syslog at a rate of thousands per minute...

I'm currently working on a USB tuner setup, but haven't had much time to 
get that working.

I haven't tried with a passive riser, but considering they apparently 
have less ability to switch large datastreams, it's perhaps less likely 
to work reliably.

Unless you can find another source of a working twin-card setup, I'd 
reconsider (and if you can, please show me where). I'm very happy with 
the EPIA otherwise, and fairly sure USB tuner will work, but I'd 
probably have chosen a different case if wasn't expecting to fit two 
cards, for example. You could try with a passive riser (and buy case 
later if that works etc) but I have no data on that.

Oh, and the EPIA-M processor fan is a touch noisy - you may want to 
consider a quieter replacement fan if that becomes a problem.


-- 
Toby Smith