[mythtv-users] PS3 to come with full Linux

[Brian Wood]

On May 16, 2006, at 9:32 AM, Jeff Coffler wrote:

> re: PS3's:
>
> On Tuesday, May 16, 2006 8:12 AM, Brian Wood wrote:
>
>> From what I've read these things are going to be pretty expensive,
>> even if it could run a frontend, at $500 to $600 there are certainly
>> much cheaper alternatives.
>
> Is there?  Depends on what the box can do.
>
> I use an Xbox as a Myth frontend, and while it's inexpensive, it's  
> also
> pretty limited.  At regular playback, CPU appears to be around  
> 80%.  If I do
> something funny (like picture in picture, say), then the Xbox skips  
> and
> drops frames left, right, and center.  Clearly, it has no chance of  
> being
> able to do anything that approaches HD.
>
> I wouldn't mind a box that could do HD.  Any suggestions of an  
> inexpensive
> box that can do that?
>
> I'm not sure if the new Mac Mini can do HD or not.  But it's around  
> $600, I
> think.  Building your own hardware (if you get the hardware specs  
> right, and
> if it's quiet enough - I haven't looked into this option yet) is  
> about the
> same, I believe.

I admit I was only thinking about SD, and there are obviously cheaper  
alternatives for that. You can buy an entire laptop that includes a  
14" display that will make a good SD F/E for under $300 (Inspiron  
7500s are going for $275 or so).

For HD I'm not so sure, if the PS-3 can do that and do it well it  
might be a practical alternative cost-wise.