[mythtv-users] Decisions, decisions

[Jarod C. Wilson]

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On Monday 22 December 2003 08:56, Joseph A. Caputo wrote:
> Well, I never thought I'd be asking a 'what hardware should I buy'
> question ('cause I didn't think I'd have the budget), but I got a bonus
> this year, so...

Hooah! Bonuses rock... :)

> I've been running a combined frontend/backend since the 0.7 days on my
> beige tower, ASUS A7V266 w/Athlon 1600+ XP & WinTV 401 card.  Now I
> have a small budget for some new toys (I got my 2 new M-179s today),
> and I'm trying to figure out how best to spend it.  I was hoping to do
> something SFF, probably micro-ATX, but I can't seem to make it work.
> My limitations:
>
> - I need a wireless network solution.  My current Myth box has an
> 802.11b WLAN PCI card.  Hard wiring is currently not an option, so I'll
> need either a free PCI slot or an external wlan solution.

I've got a Linksys ethernet to 802.11b adapter that works great, and is 
especially nice, since any device with an ethernet port can use it, because 
it doesn't require any drivers (unlike USB solutions).

> - Ideally, I'd like a 3-tuner backend/frontend combo.  Separating the
> frontend/backend is really not feasible for me, since I'm limited to
> 802.11b bandwidth.

Doable.

> - Need onboard firewire, otherwise I'll need another PCI card for my
> external drive.

Also doable.

> Since one of my 3 tuners is analog, plus I have a bunch of xvid-encoded
> movies, and do a fair amount of ripping, transcoding & burning, I think
> a mini-ITX (VIA Epia, etc) solution is probably inadvisable.  I've
> looked at the Pundit & Shuttle systems, but none of them have more than
> 2 PCI slots.  Even if I get an external wlan solution, that would still
> force me to abandon 1 tuner.  Does anybody know of any micro-ATX
> solutions (cases or mobos) with more than 2 PCI slots?

Most full micro-ATX boards have four expansion slots. Some have 4 PCI slots, 
while others have 3 PCI and 1 AGP. My Chaintech nForce2 board is the latter 
type. I've got two tuners and an Audigy in mine, because I've been too lazy 
to find the S/PDIF bracket for this board, which I'd put covering the unused 
AGP slot's back panel to make room for a 3rd tuner (my pcHDTV card, once it 
plays nice with the other tuners).

> If micro-ATX isn't feasible, I was thinking of going with an Antec
> Overture case + full ATX mobo.  I was thinking of getting an nForce2
> mobo w/on-board GF4MX (my current AGP card is a GF4MX, and it suits me
> fine, but I'd like to keep it in the current box).

Most of the full ATX nForce2 boards I've seen don't have onboard graphics, but 
many of the micro-ATX ones do.

> If I have to go
> this way, I know some people have no problem with nForce2 while others
> have had trouble getting theirs to work.  Any suggestions on a good
> full-ATX mobo?  I've seen some folks on the list recommend Chaintech,
> and I already know to stay away from VIA KT-XXX chipsets.  What mobos/
> chipsets are folks with M-179's using?

Chaintech 7NIF2 micro-ATX board with one PVR-250 and one M179. Runs 
flawlessly, and has done so since the day I got it. However, I don't think it 
has onboard firewire. I'd actually probably recommend the Asus A7N8X-VM for a 
micro-ATX board. Again, I believe a full ATX board will mean you need another 
video card...

> Thanks for your indulgence!
>
> -JAC
>
> PS- Anyone want to give me tips on how I can run CAT-5 cable from my top
> (2nd) floor to my basement with minimal wall damage?  I'd really like
> to get rid of my wlan dependency.

Cabling is a nasty bitch (I've had the misfortune of having to do lots of it 
as part of my workload)... There's really no good way to get it inside the 
wall without pulling off some drywall (short of having false ceilings, but 
you don't typically see that in a residential building), and then you'll 
probably still have to drill through some 2x4s to get from one level to the 
next. I'm about to have the same problem when I set up my remote frontend 
upstairs... I think I'm just going to go 802.11g though, since costs have 
come way down. Much cheaper and less destructive. :)

- -- 
Jarod C. Wilson, RHCE

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