[mythtv-users] Use of Macintosh G4 as MythTV box

Greg Vickers g.vickers at qut.edu.au
Wed Oct 19 01:02:53 EDT 2005


Hi all,

I have acquired a dual CPU 450MHz Macintosh G4 lately and would like to 
implement it as a MythTV box (both front and back ends.)

I'm envisaging installing Debian for PPC on it and using a Matrox G450 
for video out. I'm wondering what kind of capture card(s) I should look 
at getting (would prefer to spend around $100 AUD, haha) and even 
whether or not this idea is feasible, 450MHz processors are definitely 
low end now for video processing, dual or no.

I'm in Australia and have Optus cable at home and I'm getting Foxtel 
cable TV over that cable service as well as being in a digital broadcast 
area, so I'm aware that I can use a DVB card to grab digital broadcasts 
from the air, or use a bog standard analog capture card and IR 
transmitter to channel change the Foxtel unit, right?

So, given the dual CPU available to me right now, should I proceed with 
the purchase of a capture card, or am I waving the proverbial in the 
wind? Should I concentrate on acquiring myself a faster CPU before 
thinking about purchasing a capture card or will the dual CPU cut it 
once I play with the capture rate? And will I be able to watch 'live' TV 
with MythTV?

TIA,
-- 
Greg Vickers
Project Manager, IT Security
Information Technology Services
Queensland University of Technology
L12, 126 Margaret St, Brisbane

Phone: (07) 3864 9536
Email: g.vickers at qut.edu.au
IT Security web site: http://www.its.qut.edu.au/itsecurity/

CRICOS No. 00213J


More information about the mythtv-users mailing list