[mythtv-users] Do I understand MythTV correctly?

Chris Petersen lists at forevermore.net
Fri Jun 4 11:33:26 EDT 2004


> box. I can then setup one or more frontends on other machines (Hauppauge 350 
> card and SB live with 5.1 surround) and connect via ethernet to the backend. 
> The frontends will have full functionality and be able to view recorded 
> programs and live tv (by selecting the source from the backend.)

Why waste the money for a pvr-350 card on your frontend if you're not
going to use it for recording?  Just get a decent video card with tv-out
- no need to spend the extra $100+ on a pvr-350 if you're not going to
use its tuner.

> 3. Has anyone connected the frontends wirelessly to the backend? Does 802.11b 
> work ok or do I need to use 802.11g?

As I understand it, b doesn't quite cut it unless you record at really
low bitrates.  

> 4. This is the where do people recommend going for hardware question. I want 
> my frontends to look cool (not a crappy beige box.) Anyone know of a good 
> computer shell shop? Preferably something thin. How about a good shop for 
> purchasing the rest of the hardware I need?

shuttle (or any other one of those small cube-like cases) or asus pundit
for the frontend (pundit can't handle a a really-fast CPU, but it's
virtually silent and makes a great frontend), or if you have the funds,
look at the epia-based mythfrontend distro (compactflash boot, no drives
needed) and find a really small box (friend of mine put his epia into an
old super nintendo case).  There are a few larger "a/v" cases out there
that are supposed to match the look of standard a/v components, but
personally I don't care for them (they're too deep).

> 5. Finally, from what I've read it's safest to use Hauppauge 250 and 350 cards 
> but they do cost more then other cards. Can anyone recommend other TV input 
> and TV output (with COAX connection) cards? I don't want to sacrifice audio 
> and video using MythTV.

If you have a fast proc, any bttv card works (I have a PCTV Pro), but
unfortunately I don't know anything about quality comparison.  As I
said, for the frontends, don't pay for a tuner card if you won't use
it.  most ATI cards come with an s-video output (along with an
svideo->rca adapter), and I've heard people here say good things about
the output quality (though not the driver compatibility) of the GeForce4
cards.

-Chris



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