[mythtv-users] Minimum hardware recomendation

[Allen Edwards]

On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 11:20 AM, Jim Stichnoth<stichnot at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 10:12 AM, Allen
> Edwards<allen.p.edwards at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Here is one potential starting point.  It's probably possible to do
>>> better.
>>>
>>> $160 Zotac IONITX "C" version from Amazon (includes power brick)
>>> $30 2GB DRAM
>>> $30 Streamzap IR receiver + remote
>>> $90 500GB laptop hard drive
>>> $145 HDHR
>>> $30 network switch
>>> $5 decorative 7"x7" cardboard box from Michael's for a case
>>> $10 power button, power LED, HDD LED, jumper wires from Fry's
>>
>> This is a v
>> It looks to me that you can get the Zotac boards either with or without the
>> power module with a difference of about $20.  Add to that the $5 for the
>> cardboard and the $10 for the buttons and you are at $35.  It also looks
>> like you can get a real case for about $40 with a 200 watt power supply.
>>  However, buying a low end power supply and having more capacity than needed
>> is not always a good idea.  Having a place to securely mount the HD and the
>> BM does seem like a good idea.  Being able to add a DVD drive so she can
>> watch movies also seems like a good thing.
>> Where do people come down on the power brick vs a case with power supply?
>>  If the case, which one?
>
> An internal power supply will have a fan.  A cheap power supply will
> have a cheap (likely noisy) fan.  So I greatly prefer the brick.  BTW,
> my system draws 19-20 watts at idle, according to the Kill-A-Watt, and
> the highest I was able to drive it was 26 watts.  The Zotac power
> brick is 90 watts so there's plenty of reserve.
>
> As for securely mounting the HD and MB.  Once you start getting
> creative with a cardboard box and a sharp utility knife, securing the
> HD will probably come naturally (on the side? under the lid?).  I
> didn't even bother to secure the MB -- the I/O shield and the various
> connectors do an OK job.
>
> As for the DVD drive.  At least in 0.21, I find the Internal player
> spotty at best with playing DVDs.  Xine works, but then you lose the
> consistent Myth interface.  So I just leave out the DVD drive
> altogether.  Your customer probably already has a comfortable way of
> viewing DVDs.
>
> You may consider asking your customer whether she prefers an
> 8"x8"x2.5" aluminum techno-case (like the M350, which is about the
> smallest I've seen), or a 7"x7"x2" labor of love that doesn't look
> computery at all.  This is something my wife was actually willing to
> weigh in on, and you can guess which way she leaned.
>
> Jim
> _

Thanks, Jim.

You make good points.  Apparently the 230 is fanless and the 330
requires a fan so going with the flow here says use the 230 version.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Allen