[mythtv-users] Quiet cheap frontend for 1080p

[Teruel deCampo MD]

On Sat, 2012-10-06 at 08:56 -0700, chris biddick wrote: 
> Terry;
> 
> 1)  When I got the Zbox, my BE was running Ubuntu 11.04 with .24 myth(
> I think i started with 9.04 & .21, upgraded by version since), so I
> simply installed Mythbuntu 11.04 with .24 on the Zbox FE/BE.
>     I have since upgraded both to 12.04 & .25.
>     The Zbox is now Mythbuntu 12.04 & .25
>     I would guess that you could use whatever distro you are
> familiar/comfortable with.
>     I have only used Ubuntu with myth installed ( for my desktop/BE
> machine ) and Mythbuntu for the FE.
> 
> 2) Logitech K260 KB & M210 mouse.  USB wireless dongle for those. I
> suspect any wireless bundle would work fine.
>     There are 2 front-facing USB on my Zbox.
>     For remotes I have used both el-cheapo MCE remote, and my new
> Harmony 700. The USB dongle for those currently reside in the second
> front-facing USB on my Zbox.
> 
> 3)  I never did get the Wifi to connect up correctly on a regular
> basis.  I'm sure it is something I dont have set right, since it
> always asks for some kind of 'key ring' password or something.  Not
> completely sure now, since it has been 10 months since i looked at the
> wifi.  Since I am recording up to 2 streams from my HDHOMERUN on the
> Zbox, I'm using cat-5 anyway.
> I would guess that the internal wifi would be sufficient.
> 
> 4)  I was going to say : Check to make sure the IP address of your FE
> has not changed, That is what I ran into.
>     *** However, you made me realize I had not tried MythMote since
> moving to .25.  I just tried it and must concur with you:
>     It looks like .25 has broken the Mythmote connection  -  I too get
> 'Connection Refused'.
>     I will try to troubleshoot it sometime next week.   Worked perfectly in .24
>     *** additional note:  I CAN connect up to my other BE/FE with
> Mythmote, so it is NOT directly .25 related ... there is probably some
> setting that got jobbed on my Zbox during the upgrade to .25.  Now I
> have to find it.
> 
> 5)  Yes it should.
> 
> 6)  No.
> 
> 7)  VDPAU works great  -  I did have stuttering video/audio just the
> other day, but I think my little Zbox was recording 2 1080 HD programs
> while I was trying to watch a 1080 recording  -  first time I had ever
> seen anything not play clearly.
> 
> Cant really think of anything else...
> 
> Good luck with your project.
> Chris


Chris,

Thank you for all your suggestions and help. I have the whole thing
running perfect.

1. The  zbox is very well design, quiet and with the right connections.

2. I installed opensuse 12.2 64b

3. I am running the FE wireless and I am impress by how well it works.
The connection was out of the box using ifup (I do not need the network
manager because it will always be connected in the same way) The better
sound without any interruption may be due also do the HDMI., Before I
was using a Lenovo TP with a VGA/sound connection and the sound was not
perfect with some interruptions. 

3. The HDMI works perfect. It took me a couple of hours to figure out
the sound part. The video was not an issue.

4. The two wireless keyboard that I got both work out of the box. I use
the logitech to do the whole setup, but the small FAVI Entertainment
Wireless Keyboard it is a perfect remote. The logitech works OK but is
not my type, I depend on the the IBM keyboard now manufactures by
Unicomp with the "selectric" touch. I probably did not need the
logitech.

5. To have an optical disk in the zbox is great because I do not need an
extra device to play DVDs. 

6. My next step is to make the system to boot directly to mythtv when I
turn it on. 

In summa all great. Thanks again 

-=terry=-