[mythtv-users] Help spend my money, hardware specs on backend/frontend

[James Armstrong]

I have the useless Via133 chipset and need a new backend / frontend. I 
was going to use my Athlon 900 for the backend and get a new frontend 
capable of playing HDTV until the 900 started having DMA problems. My 
question is, what will I need to have a combined backend/frontend 
capable of recording from two PVR250's and one pcHDTV card and watch at 
the same time? Will one of the following processors be better: P4 2.8Ghz 
HT with 1Meg cache, P4 3Ghz HT 512 cache, P4 3.2Ghz HT 512 cache. Those 
are also the order of lowest to highest price. The difference is not 
much, will the 1meg cache make more difference than the higher speeds? 
Is 200Mhz more speed worth $60? Can I have three tuners (one being HDTV) 
and possibly record from all and watch tv too (HDTV being worse case) or 
will I still need a dedicated backend?

- James