I am presently setting up a system using Mythbuntu As I am using ex-works PC's the only cost is the tuners and the HDD's. Using Leadtek DTV2000H Tuners - Analog, SD ,HD and FM (only using SD/HD at present) To avoid any bottlenecks I have set up each PC with 1 tuner and 1 HDD with the recordings stored and streamed from the recording machine. Avoid wireless if possible as I dont think it would handle multiple streams especially from a NAS. The backends are connected to an 8 port 1Gb switch The frontends are connected to another 8 port 1Gb switch A PC network is connected to another 1Gb switch All theses switches then connect to a 4 port wireless router. The only bottleneck would be between the frontend and backend switches but 1Gb will cover that. the PC's used are as follows: Primary Backend ( manages database - scheduling - program guide etc ) *P4 1.8Ghz 512Mb RAM 80 Gb HDD Secondary Backends ( mainly recording - streaming ) up to 6 PC's *P4 2.4Ghz 512Mb RAM 250 Gb HDD Frontends/Backends ( live TV - adhoc recording - DVD/CD playback/burning ) up to 7 PC's *P4 2.6Ghz 512Mb RAM 500 Gb HDD At present I have some pixelation problems with HD but that is more a signal quality issue. > Jeff Holicky wrote: > > > Hi all, I am looking at implementing a Myth system at home - with up to > five frontends when all is said and done. We rent a dual tuner PVR and > also have a cable box - limited to a small harddrive and no real > archival system nor easy way of playing back multiple formats has helped > with my decision to create a myth system. Definitely looking at at > least 3-4 SD (standard def) tuners initially [PVR 150x4] (later HD) and > would like some feedback on my initial setup and to realistically set my > expectations. > > Today I want to have the BE act as an occasional FE with plans down the > road to make it a BE only box (if possible). Running 100Mbit CAT5 cable > with the goal to run 1000Mbit CAT6 and/or try wireless. Perhaps in a > year or two move to HD by swapping out 2SD tuners. Start off with two > dedicated FE's. > > Don't want DVD players on each FE - want to stream archive content off a > NAS device. (1 or 2TB drive; 100 or Gigabit) > > Q1) I am not clear on the ability to do multiple streaming AND recording > simultaneously. Someone I spoke to felt my ability to do both may be a > problem due to bottleneck issues at the HDD. Assuming a model of 4 > tuners - 1 streaming; 3 recording OR 2 streaming 2 recording; OR 3 > streaming 1 recording -- are all these possible? > > Q2) Then there is that "commercial skipping" process - not sure if that > still needs to be processed off peak times or not. > > Q3) Plus is there a difference between > a) Streaming program A; recording program B > OR > b) Recording program A and streaming program A (few minutes offset) > > Q4) I have noticed some that already have 2HD and 2SD tuners in one box > - but then if they are only recording (on one or more), then there may > not be any problems. > > Q5) My friend suggested the issue was less CPU and more HDD - and maybe > if I was running a 10K drive - MAYBE I would be okay -- and/or if I > mixed in a RAID system of sorts to balance the load. > > Q6) The other thought is adding in a second backend eventually - not > sure if that is a no brainer or exponentially more complex and not > desirable. > > Q7) I assume playing an archived movie off the NAS is merely networking > between the NAS and FE - and cabling and less BE - please confirm. > > *Config* > Part of my plan having 4 tuners hit a road block with most MOBOs today > supporting only 3 PCI cards (Thanks to Brian for pointing that out). I > found one so far - but also I remembered I have a P4. I feel if the P4 > works, based on set expectations, then I can buy a nice higher end > system as a desktop replacement. Worse case later turn the P4 into a > FE. > > Currently I have: > - ASUS P4P800 MOBO (enough PCI slots); > - Intel P4 2.8Ghz w/HT; > - 2GB RAM; > - 450W P/S > - ATI All-in-Blunder 9600 of which I would only use for controlling the > video out (if possible) > - ATA 133 HDD - I have several 120GB 7200RPM drives at my disposal .. > see below > > MOBO supports: > > - 2xUDMA 100 (4drives) > - 2xSATA w/RAID 0 > > RAID CONTROLLER > - 2xUDMA 133 (4drives) > - RAID 0, 1, 0+1, RAID JBOD > > Moving to SATA doesn't seem to be that much of an option with this MOBO > - I figure I am just as well with the RAID controller (I use ATA 133 > today with 4 drives). > > > If my ideas of streaming and recording are not far fetched - but my > config is a little dated, if possible, please point me in a direction - > need a MOBO that has X; or a minimum CPU Y etc. > Just want some input - a "that dog will or won't hunt" big picture > response. > > thanks all & cheers! > jeff > _______________________________________________ > mythtv-users mailing list > mythtv-users@mythtv.org > http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users