[mythtv-users] Simple power down/power up solution

[Barry Jett]

I thought I would share this simple solution for remotely powering up
my Myth frontend box.

My Myth hi-def system has a Epia 10k backend collecting firewire
goodness from a Motorola 6200. My frontend is a 2.8G on an Asus
P4R800-VM. During winter my frontend doubles as a space heater,
but with summer on the way I needed a solution to remotely power
up/down this box.

This motherboard WILL NOT restart from wake-on-lan ( and I hope
someone can disprove me on this). I've tried everything, but when 
you power down the system the ethernet will power down as well. I
suspect the problem is due to the driver for the ATI 9100 on-board
lan. I also tried bios tricks for setting the wake on a schedule time
with no avail.

My solution was a quick trip to Radio Shack and the purchase of an
XT10 interface module and an AC power module. I set my target box
bios for "wake up after a power off" and used some software called
"Heyu" on my little backend. If I've done a shutdown on the frontend 
and need to remote start it, I have the backend "Heyu" software issue 
a power down via rs-232 to the X10 module followed by a power up. So
far it's worked like a champ.

I know....not very elegant, but sometimes you have to pull out the old
"computer hammer" to get a job done.

Barry