[mythtv-users] Sanity check : backend - AMD 64, FC , SATA, Firewire, HDTV...

[David Watkins]

On 18/06/05, Toad Mazter <toadmazter at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Howdy all!
> I'll start off by stating two facts:
> 1> This is my first post
> 2> I'm a total Linux NooB
> 
> Now, that that's out of the way, lets get to it!
> 
> After months of investigation of WindowsMCE, and
> trialing Buffalo's LinkTheater, I've finally made the
> decision to leap to Linux.  My goal is to use MythTV
> for my whole-house content distribution over IP
> system.  I want to be able to have at least 3 - 6
> viewing stations (using XBOX's and EPIA systems as
> frontends), with at least 2 of those capable of
> receiving and decoding HDTV streams.  So, I need the
> sanity check on my backend (no content viewing, to be
> placed in my MDF (ok, is is a closet ;-) ).  All I
> really want to be able to do with the backend is
> multichannel/source capture and store, stream recorded
> and live, store photos/MP3's etc, and probably rip and
> transcode.
> 
> Here is what I purchased yesterday (it was in stock,
> and I was in a hurry to get started... ok, so it was
> an impulse buy):
> 
> CoolerMaster Centurion 5 case
> Gigabyte GA-K8NS-ultra (nForce3 Ultra chipset)
> AMD Athlon 64 3000+ CPU
> 1 gig DDR RAM (2 512MB DIMMs)
> 2x 200GB 8MB cache 7200RPM WesternDigital SATA drives
> Liteon 16x dual-layer DVD writer
> eVGA nVidia GeForce 5500 256MB AGB video card
> (overkill, but the only AGP card they had in stock...
> and if this MythTV thing doesn't work out, the box
> could be a decent 2nd gaming machine)
> 
> So, here I am now with all of the above put
> together... and I'm not sure what to do next.  My
> questions are:
> 
> 1. As a professed newbie, should I follow Jarod's
> guide and install Fedora Core 3 ?  Any 64 bit gotchas?

apt-get doesn't work with the x64 version of Fedora Core 3.  I used a
mixture of yum and smart, and got there in the end.
> 
> 2. After plugging everything in, I noticed that
> Gigabyte didn't have any Linux drivers for the
> embedded devices.  nVidia site has nForce3 and GeForce
> 64 bit drivers, anywhere else I should look?

atrpms.net
> 
> 3. I was originally planning to do hardware RAID0 for
> the boot, system, and video buffering. Am I going to
> have a driver issue again with the embedded
> SiliconImage sil3512 controller?  I also want to grow
> the storage to at least 1TB fairly quickly, can I do
> some sort of "spanning" of the disk volumes?
> 
> 4. I am going to order 2 HD3000 cards, which 2
> standard def cards should I use, PVR150, PVR350, or...
> ?  Again, 64 bit issues?

no 64 bit issues AFAIK
> 
> 5. Firewire support: I currently have a couple
> Motorola 6412 DVR's through Comcast.  I want to be
> able change channels and capture HD streams via
> Firewire.  My MB has an embedded TexasInstruments
> controller... driver, 64bit?
> 
> 6. Was my 64 bit purchase a bad move?
It'll work fine.

> 
> Ok, thats all my questions at the moment.  I am
> building this system at my office and won't bring it
> home until I can make sure it will register high on
> the Wife Acceptance Factor.  On a scale of 1 to 10, 8
> is the highest achievable score ;-)  All help is
> greatly appreciated!
> 
> Thanks,
> Adam
> 
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