[mythtv-users] HDTV AIR2PC amd64 frontend/backend

[MagicITX]

I built an AMD64 mythtv system with 4x WinTV PVR250MCE cards.  I used
the Foxconn NF4UK8AA motherboard because it has 4x SATA connectors, 4x
PCI slots and reasonably good reviews.  I couldn't find a low priced
nVidia PCI express card either so I went with the ATI Radeon X300.  It
is PCI express and DVI output.  (My system won't run mythfrontend so I
didn't want to spend a lot on the video card.)  The OS is Gentoo.  It
all works fine for me.

Sorry I'm not doing HDTV so I don't know how much help this will be.


On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 12:13:44 -0800 (PST), Paul B. Henson <henson at acm.org> wrote:
> 
> I have three AIR2PC cards on back order and want to start building the
> system they will go in and the system to connect to the TV. I have a few
> questions perhaps someone can help me with...
> 
> The PCHDTV card is documented as supporting four cards per system. I
> haven't found any documentation on a limit on the number of simultaneous
> AIR2PC cards in a system. Will there be any issues with three cards running
> simultaneously? Also, does anyone know if the AIR2PC will have any problems
> in a shared IRQ PCI slot?
> 
> I am leaning heavily towards amd64, as the new socket 939 90nm processors
> are very power efficient and generate less heat than comparable Intel
> processors (plus 64-bits is just cool ;) ). However, the selection of
> socket 939 compatible motherboards is not that wide at the moment, and the
> good ones all seem PCI express based. I am currently looking at the ASUS
> A8N-SLI Deluxe.
> 
> Has anyone had any experience with this motherboard? From my searches,
> people are report varying levels of success, it seems like the drivers
> might not quite be there yet. I've also heard the sound system on the
> motherboard might be suboptimal, in particular it does not have hardware
> mixing.  Presumably on a front end system there would only be one program
> generating audio though...
> 
> How many people are running amd64 based mythtv systems? In particular HD
> systems, and better yet ones based on AIR2PC cards? Any incompatibilities
> or problems? I understand that mplayer leverages various Windows codecs by
> wrapping the DLLs, and a 64-bit mplayer would be incapable of playing those
> formats. Windows XP x86-64 should be out anytime now, presumably the 64-bit
> DLLs from it could be used instead? Or I suppose one could always compile
> mplayer in 32-bit mode and install the emulation libraries.
> 
> For the front end, I was going to go with the 3500+ chip. research seems to
> indicate that a 2800+ model is the minimum for decoding HD, and I would
> rather have too much power than too little, plus the extra capacity might
> enable more complicated deinterlacing algorithms or other processing.
> 
> I am also having trouble finding a PCI express based nvidia card that is
> passively cooled. I would prefer a passively cooled card to decrease noise
> levels on the front end. Any suggestions on an appropriate card?
> 
> The TV to be connected is a Panasonic PT60LC14, which actually has VGA
> compatible RGB inputs. I think I'd prefer to try to get the HDMI connection
> working with a DVI-HDMI adapter, but it is nice to have a fallback position
> if that doesn't work. Anyone have any experience with DVI and this
> Panasonic?
> 
> Thanks much...
> 
> --
> Paul B. Henson  |  (909) 979-6361  |  http://www.csupomona.edu/~henson/
> Operating Systems and Network Analyst  |  henson at csupomona.edu
> California State Polytechnic University  |  Pomona CA 91768
> 
> 
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> 
> 


-- 
Tim
www.magicitx.com