[mythtv-users] Advice on a low power server/backend?

[Sarah Katherine Hayes]

Mythbackend's generally require disk IO more than anything, unless 
you're doing a lot of transcoding, which is obviously CPU intensive, 
conversely if your mail server is going to be running something like 
SpamAssassin then it's going to need LOTS O' RAM.   I'd say your on the 
money with 2GB, I think the laptop SATA drive should be able to cope 
with what you're talking about; they're quite quick.

I would, through previous bad experiences, avoid VIA and SiS chipsets 
along with all motherboards made by ECS.  They tend to have oddbod 
issues which only show themselves when under load... which is where 
you'll be transcoding/commflagging.

If you can get an Athlon for just a little more; I'd go for that instead 
IMHO.  Indeed if the budget will stretch get a low end Core 2 and it'll 
make your electricity bills not a great deal bigger, they're remarkably 
energy efficient beasties.  But if it won't get the AMD unit.