[mythtv-users] Newbie... Help Requested

[White Joe]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org 
> [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of 
> jazzman at exdomain.org
> Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 10:33 AM
> To: Discussion about mythtv
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Newbie... Help Requested
> 
> Thanks for the info so far, guys. A few more questions if you don't 
> mind...
> 
> 
> > If you're planning to go out to a TV, it may be worth 
> springing for a
> > cheap nvidia (gf4, fx5200) card. They're well supported under the
> > binary driver, and cheap. The onboard sound should work but my
> > experience has been that onboard sound is rather lacking, and can be
> > quite noisy. Turtle Beach Riviera cards run $30 or less and work out
> > of the box. Definitely worth it.
> 
> This might pose a problem. The machine I picked to be my PVR 
> box is small 
> and space is limited. 2 low profile PCI slots are all I get. 
> One is for 
> the PVR150 card, the other currently has the NIC in it. I 
> suppose I could 
> swap out the nic for a USB Nic, but i'd still be stuck with 
> the onboard 
> sound...
> 
Don't worry about the sound until it annoys you.  My first mythbox was
cobbled from my geek closet.  It was a P650 with 128MB RAM, an 80GB HD
and onboard sound.  I picked up a PVR-250 with an IR port for $80.  It
ran just fine.  Sound, Video and all.  It ran for about 6 months before
I got the urge to tinker.

Just get a 150lp, a serial IR blaster and a low profile nvidia card. A
lp 5200 if they exist.  Once you get it up and going, then you can think
about spiffing it up.  
 
Joe White