[mythtv-users] My Potential Setup

[PAUL WILLIAMSON]

LOL...how many of these does the list get month?  5?  10?

Here goes...

>>> thoule at wesleyan.edu 09/04/05 7:50 PM >>>
> I'm looking to build the following MythTV setup - please let me 
> know if I'm on the right track.

Oh, don;t you worry - we will!

> Computer: Dell GX 240 (1.7GHz)    512MB Ram     160GB HD   
> OS: Fedora  (just downloaded today)

A little light on the HD space.  It should be ok for a starter box.
Google for 'Jarod mythtv' and you'll have a much easier 
time installing everything.

> I'm looking to buy a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR350 to get the 
> remote and receiver and a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR150 MCE 
> with 2 catv inputs. Will the CPU handle the encoding of 3 
> inputs considering that the 350 model is supposed to do 
> brainwork on the card instead of the CPU?   Can I use the 
> 150 to get the remote (or that doesn't include a  receiver 
> i guess) and don't need the 350?  I need to keep costs down  
> as low as possible or my wife won't let me do this  ;)  I see  
> newegg.com has decent prices.

Slow down cowboy!  Ok, 350 has TV in and out.  150 has 
TV in only.  The MCE versions do not have IR receivers.
If you get the Hauppauge pvr-x50/500 cards, there will 
be no load on the cpu , regardless if you have 1 stream 
or 6 - the load is virtually the same to the cpu.

If you need to keep costs down, don't get a 350.  Either 
use your video out on the mobo to a monitor or get a 
video card that has s-video (or something your TV or 
receiver can take) - like an nvidia 5200.
Just about all of us have some form of WAF to 
achieve.

> What do I need to connect to the TV?  I think the 
> PVR 350 or even the 150 have TV out on them?  
> Or do I need to buy a video card with TV out?

It depends on what your TV can take.  If it only takes 
the coax with f-connectors, then your best bet is 
probably a 350.  Otherwise, 5200 is a good bet 
if you can do s-video or DVI.  Or get an audio 
authority A960 (I think that's what I've used) 
for component.

> I'd like to build a basic box and then 
> eventually build separate client and server 
> systems.

The 240 would make a fine backend.  If you 
want to do HDTV, that CPU would not cut it.

> Thanks!
>      Todd

You're welcome!
Paul