[mythtv-users] Silent HDTV Front End

[Mudit Wahal]

On 6/30/05, Robert S. Kerr <rskerr at dsbox.com> wrote:
> I know I'm looking for a lot to find a cheap (relatively), very quiet, hardware HD capable front end, but if I can find the right solution I'll buy 5 and put e'm all over the house.  Then I'll be in Myth Heaven.
> 


Robert,

Unfortunately the words "cheap and quiet" and "hardware HD capable"
don't go in the same sentence, not atleast if you are trying to build
a PC.

MythTV Frontends:

"Cheap and Quiet"
Media MVP, XBox - under $100
media mvp runs mvpmc which is mythtv frontend.
xbox also run xebian or something similar and you can run mythfrontend

"Relatively Cheaper , Quiet and HD Capable"
Roku HD1000 -- someone is working on myth frontend. But judging by the
problems in HD1000 at avsforum and at rokulabs.com web site, its about
1 year behind and probably already dead , has older generation HD
mpeg2 decoder - cost about $300

"Quiet" and "hardware HD capable"
Comwell solution, about $600 (including mobo, case, slim slot DVD,
memory, Remote, etc etc).

Non MythTV Frontends:

"Cheap and Quiet" -- Media MVP (runs their server and share your linux
box file system via samba)

"Relative Cheaper, Quiet and HD Capable"

IOData AVeL Link Player 2 (LP2) -- costs 250
Buffalo Link Theater (BLT) -- cost 270 (has builtin wireless)
Both have *upscaling* DVD players builtin and network capablities.
They both are UPnP compatible. You can run a server on your linux box
and each can play files from the server.
LP2 is about 1 yr ahead of BLT -- judging by the problems being faced
by BLT users. LP2 fixed those issues 6-12 months back. Also, BLT has
tough time playing MPEG2-TS HD streams based on avsforum.
Both are quite advanced compared to Roku HD1000 mentioned above. But
LP2 is very fast in putting out new firmware releases and listening to
the users complaints/suggestions.

I personally settled for the LP2 after comparing features and price.
For the price of one comwell solution, I can buy 2 LP2s. Plus avoid
all the headache in configuring, maintaining, upgrading the unichrome
drivers etc. But again it depends on your viewing habbits and how are
you planning to use myth. My main use of myth is to record the shows
and watch them later. Also, I'm using my linux box for storing photos,
dvds, home movie etcs. I've put all these in separate folders and
organized the way I want to see/browse them via the LP2. The linux
server (wizd) lets me do that easily.

Thanks
Mudit