<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jun 16, 2006, at 10:28 AM, Mache Creeger wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> <FONT size="3">For a client only, if you are not doing HDTV, I would seriously consider using an Xbox. Versions after the initial 1.0/1.1 have only one fan, are relatively quiet. They have mpeg decode hardware, can be netbooted, are in an attractive case, have a DVD player, and used on eBay or Craigslist are around $100 or so. Avoid the Xbox 360. <BR><BR> You would have to put some additional effort at implementing a "soft mod" (or $ and do a "chip mod") to allow it to boot Linux, but the web is full of discussions on this. There is a MythTV package specifically for Xbox. <BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><DIV>But then he'd still need to run a backend someplace, and have it networked to the F/E.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I agree the X-Boxes make nice frontends, so do several other small boxes like the MediaMVP, a Mac Mini, and even some PDAs.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>If you're only doing SD with hardware-encoding capture devices it's easy enough to make a small combination F/E-B/E that will work in a Living Room, and it's easier for a first build. Worry about remote frontends after the system is up and running.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The X-Box would then make a nice bedroom or kidsroom unit.</DIV></BODY></HTML>