[mythtv-users] High level system architecture questions

[Ben Bargabus]

Hello again,
So as I'm planning my hardware purchases for my first system I have some
questions about how this system is intended to be used, best used, and
most commonly used (maybe all three are the same but most likely not).
The vision I have in my head based off of the reading I've done on this
list and in HOWTOs goes something like this...

dss receiver   dvd changer
    |            /
    |           /
    |          /
    |         /
    |        /
    |       /
    |      /
MythTV Backend
      |
      |
      |
   Network
      |
      |
MythTV Frontend
      |
      |
     TV


Using that system I imagine myself sitting in front of my television and
making requests to the mythtv frontend (via my remote control) that
access information on the mythtv backend.  In some cases this would be
prerecorded content but may also be live broadcast from my DirectTV
receiver or a movie from my dvd changer (I'd have a connection to the
low speed data port on each of these from the mythTV backend to control
them).  Is this possible, intended, common, best?  A second viable
option I can imagine is something like this...

dss receiver#1  dvd changer
    |            /
    |           /
    |          /
    |         /
    |        /
    |       /
    |      /
MythTV Backend
      |
      |
      |
   Network    dss receiver #2
      |        /
      |       /
MythTV Frontend
      |
      |
     TV

In this scenario the first dss receiver would be used solely for
scheduled recording whereas "live" tv viewing would be done via dss
receiver #2 (also contolled via low speed data port).  Is this more
realistic/less problematic or unnecessary because my first scenario is
fine?

Thank you for any feedback you can provide,
Ben.