[mythtv-users] So many options...which is best?

[Jeff Simpson]

>
> So my initial thought was to make the family room system the backend and
> run all of the encoders in there. (PVR500?) The frontend in the kitchen
> wouldn't have an encoder. But I don't like the idea of ugly homemade IR
> devices or the unnecessary cost for a decent commercial IR remote &
> receiver. Would it just make more sense to put a PVR 150 in each system to
> use the remotes with the encoders? I am leaning towards this now.
>

If you want to install a PVR150 JUST for the remote, I suppose that is your
perrogative, but it seems wasteful to me. Why not try one of the following:
- http://www.irblaster.info/receiver.html makes inexpensive ($12 or so) IR
receivers that look very professional and work great.
- take an ugly IR receiver and hide it behind IR glass (like they do on
consumer electronics (VCR, CD Player, etc). Nobody says you have to put the
IR receiver on the outside of the case, you just have to put it somewhere
that you can reach it with the remote. If you're worried about cables and
ugliness, imagine how ugly having to run the CableTV cable into the kitchen
will be compared to just running a network cable (or using wifi)

I'm also leaning towards using FC4 again (I looked at Knoppmyth, but their
> forums say to stay away from USB keyboard/mouse and SATA drives--a bit
> disconcerting of a notice in the year 2005.)  Does anybody who has set up
> multiple integrated Myth boxes have better suggestions?  Thanks for all
> input -- much appreciated.
>

If there are distributions saying that USB mice/keyboards and SATA drives
pose a problem, I suggest going with a more up-to-date distribution, or at
least one that is easy to upgrade down the line. As much of a PITA gentoo is
to install for the first time, it's guaranteed to support the latest and
greatest of everything, because packages are available for gentoo as soon as
there is a tarball, for the most part. Myth, ivtv, lirc all work great in
gentoo without any major headaches, no having to beg for special packages
that will work, since gentoo is gentoo, the same package will work on any
gentoo, no matter when you install it.

I don't have multiple mythboxes, but I do have a single mythbox performing
multiple tasks, and it was a breeze to set up with gentoo (I had gentoo
already set up before starting with myth).
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