[mythtv-users] my new frontend

Mark J. Small msmall at eastlink.ca
Fri Mar 13 15:47:09 UTC 2009


Hi everybody,

I just put my new frontend into production yesterday to replace an aging box.  
I had several goals for the replacement.

Enough guts to run more modern EMU's (playstation, N64)
VPDAU capable for when 0.22 comes out.
Suspend 2 Ram 
Wakeup with remote
No added noise
Low power


Well here are the specs for what I went with:

        Old frontend
CPU: Pentium III 700 MHz Fanless
MBoard: Asus MEW-AM MicroATX i810
RAM: 384 MHz SDRAM
Video: NVidia GF4MX (fanless)
PS: Sparkle 250 W mATX
Optical: DVD Drive
No HD, boot over NFS
Only fan was in the PS
Serial IR receiver hidden behind hole for HD activity light

        New Frontend
CPU: Pentium M 730 (1.6 GHz)
MBoard: AOpem i915GMm-N
RAM: 1 GB DDR2
Video: NVidia 9500GT 1GB fanless
PS: Same Sparkle 250W mATX
Optical: Same DVD Drive
Still NO HD, boot over NFS
This one has a CPU fan, but it doesn't spin up until the CPU hits 60 C. This 
only happens with playstation emulation so far. 
USB IR receiver hidden in floppy bay (the case has a molded slot over the 
floppy bay, so it looks okay.
2 Wireless gamepads with receivers hidden in the front of the case behind the 
plastic bezel:
	1 Saitek P2900
	1 Logitech Wireless Rumblepad

Everything is working pretty well so far.  The Logitech Rumblepad has a 
terrible D-Pad on it though.  I find the picture looks a little saturated 
with the new card on the TV out (SVideo) port.  I can probably fix the 
saturation easily.


Next comes a new backend that will support SATA.

Mark


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