[mythtv-users] Hardware validation - first time box

David Fishburn fishburn at ianywhere.com
Sun Oct 8 21:45:51 UTC 2006


I am putting together my first MythTV box and was hoping for some feedback
on the hardware specs I am considering.  I do not know much about hardware
so any feedback is appreciated.  I will get a shop to put the case,
motherboard, power supply and components together, especially since I need
them to make sure I pick compatible components and a large enough power
supply.

I scanned through this forum and other google searches to find some
appropriate hardware.  I do have some questions related to mainly the
motherboard and the support MythTV has for various components.

What I need:
- MythTV backend and frontend
- Main web server
- Virtual machine server for some windows instances
- Build machine for some other projects I am on which need *nix
- It will be in my living room until I decide on some form of frontend so I
need it quiet.


Based on the Jarod's "Standard Definition Slave Backend and Playback System"


Motherboards:
Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9
MSI K8N Neo2
ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe A64-939 Motherboard
ASUS A8N-VM CSM (AMD Socket 939 + NVIDIA GeForce 6150 + nForce 430)
Chaintech 7NIF4
- http://www.chaintech.com.tw/tw/eng/product_spec.asp?PISNo=147
- Does it really matter what motherboard I get?
- I was going to get a shop to build this for me and I doubt they will have
Chaintech motherboards available.
- Does choosing a motherboard with an onboard nVidia system and tv-out and
DVI out work?  Or is the support usually not good enough and you end up
going with a separate PCI card instead?
- Does choosing a card with PCI or PCIe make a difference?
- I would be looking for SATA which has smaller cables.
- I am not sure how many drives or PCI slots I will need.  If I get onboard
nVidia, that frees one up.
- Gigabyte ethernet



MSI FX5200-TD128LF Geforce FX5200 128MB 64-bit DDR AGP 4X/8X Low Profile
Video Card - $31.00
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814127181
- Seems to be recommended since if you are not building a gaming machine,
these graphics are good enough.
- There was some suggestions on a 6200 as well, any opinions?
- XFX GeForce 6200 128MB DDR AGP 8x Video Card ( DVI TV-Out VGA ) - $38
- But if a motherboard with the onboard nVidia stuff is good enough, I think
I would go that root instead.


Sempron 3500+
- A bit more power for the CPU since I will be using it for other things
than MythTV.
- I still want it to be energy efficient.
- Athlon XP 2700+ was recommended, but I boosted it from that.


Power Supply
Seasonic SS-400HT that is 80 PLUS certified. 
FSP Green 400 PSU 
- Seasonic are the best for power efficiency.


2x 512MB DRAM PC3200
- Not just MythTV


Seagate Barracuda 7200 250GB Internal 3.5" SATA Hard drive - $100
- I have read the lists and they seem to think Seagates are good.
- Put as many as these in (or larger) as necessary.


Model SP1614C SilverStone Lascala SST-LC11 HTPC Case 
- Most likely wait and see what the stores have available.  
- Looking for the following:
- Good looking, if in living room.
- Enough PCI slots for capture cards and video.
- Good airflow to keep things quieter.


Hauppauge 1062 PCI Interface WinTV-PVR-150 MCE Kit Tuner Card - $100
- I want 2 capture cards, but also want a remote control.  This list seems
to agree the MCE remote works well with MythTV.


Hauppauge 1042 PCI Interface WinTV-PVR-150 MCE Tuner Card - $68  
- The PVR-500 is cheaper ($140.00), but you still have to get a remote.
- I take it the remotes will still end up being more than $28.
- This eats up 2 PCI slots instead of just 1 with the 500.

TIA,
Dave




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