[mythtv-users] OT: Help me upgrade my mythbox (Chris Ribe)

Chris Ribe chrisribe at gmail.com
Sat Jan 20 19:15:31 UTC 2007


On 1/20/07, Justin Luitjens <luitjens at cs.utah.edu> wrote:
>
>
> Thank you for your suggestions.  I do see a few potential problems with
> this setup though.  There are only 3 PCI slots.  That leaves room for my
> PVR-350 PVR-500 and a sound card.  In the future if I wanted to add HD i
> would not have room for these tuners.


Well, you could probably find a similar MB w/ 5 PCI slots for not a lot more
money, but assuming you were stuck with 3 PCI slots in your current
configuration, I would advocate ditching the sound card first, and then
possibly dropping the PVR-350, too.  I mean, how often are you going to
watch 4 simultaneous programs?

Of course, another option is to get a USB (PInnacle and Hauppagge make them
now) or network  (HD  HomeRun)  HD capture device.



> That may or may not be a
> problem.  Also if i'm upgrading the whole machine, I'd be willing to put
> in a bit of my own money (up to $100) also opening up my options.  I'm
> thinking it would be better to move to a PCI-express video
> card/motherboard in order to keep the machine forward compatible as long
> as possible as AGP seems to be a dieing technology.  Do you have any
> suggestions on a montheboard/graphics card that could fit these needs?


In the case that your budget was $250 or so, I would suggest adding a case,
a power supply, and a DVD burner to the shopping cart and keeping your
existing machine as a backend only.

I have a similar setup with a 1Ghz PIII with 2 capture cards box sitting in
my attic.  The major advantage to keeping your existing machine running as a
backend is that you don't have to worry about missing recordings while you
screw around with your new machine.

As for getting a PCI-e board, it is certainly something to consider.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't know what to recommend there.
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