[mythtv-users] Sell mythtv "set-top" boxes

Jason S jms_temp at yahoo.com
Mon Jun 2 08:56:31 EDT 2003


Victor,

I also think this is a good idea. I've already blown
more hours then I can count researching appropriate
OS, HW requirements, compatibility issues, reading the
list, etc. 

If people who have "nailed" the right configuration
can pool that information together we could come up
with a fairly optimal configuration for the average
(technically savvy) user. Of course, people are always
going to want to customize or have their own
requirements but many people just want an open source
PVR (as cool as Myth) STB that's also quiet, supports
two tuners, a big HD, and a way to archive stuff (like
a DVD-RW). 

I think you forgot a big question:

5) Best HTPC chassis

This seriously affects your Mobo choice and maybe even
your card solutions. Whatever solution should support
2 tuners, meaning 2 PCI slots minimum (which would
require onboard sound/btaudio!) 

Does anyone know how to make a custom distro? I've
heard that idea suggested many times but nobody seemed
interested/able to follow up on that with a standard
distribution. Of course, if you are coupling it with
hardware you could just ghost the HD, you don't need
to make a distro at that point.

- Jason S.



Victor wrote:

This is an interesting discussion thread. I would
guess that there a 
lots of
technically capably people willing to buy a
preconfigured, open source 
linux
based "Media" box.

I think the collective group of people here would
greatly benefit from 
the
shared experience of all of us that have hacked
together a MythTV box, 
so I
would like to gather the responses from people on
configurations :

1) Best Celeron mobo with (full-duplex) integrated
audio and 
accelerated
2D/3D?

2) Best Duron/XP mobo with (full-duplex) integrated
audio and 
accelerated
2D/3D?

3) IR Transmitter and Receiver configurations
(cheapest)?
    * IRDA chip or GPIO controlled custom circuits
will probably fit 
the
bill

4) Cheapest/Best (stable) Tuner/MPEG encoder/decoder
board?

I have built 4 different MythTV boxes each with it's
own issues, and my 
best
(bang for your buck) system runs around $350 retail.
Toss in a DVD-RW 
to
archive media away, and for ~$550 you've got a decent
HTPC.

We don't have to make a business around this. Just
arriving at a some
optimally configured systems could really save time
for people putting
together their own systems (or providing a starting
place for system
builders).

It would be nice to build a custom distro for our
Standard box that we 
could
all collectively build and refine. I would contribute
hosting for a 
project
on TeraMech. I can also have CDs made quite cheaply to
distribute 
distros,
since I wouldn'd want to chew up all my BW.

- Victor


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