[mythtv-users] MythDevice?

[Chad]

> Size of hardware or size of budget ??

Size, but budget is definitely something she either doesn't want to
know about, or when she finds out about, doesn't cost more than a car
payment.

> Depending on exactly what you want to do, you might look into a
> "slug", alias Linksys NSLU2. These are little units that are
> 4"x5"x1". They are sold as network fileservers but, since they run
> Linux, can be made to do just about anything within the limits of
> their ARM CPU, ethernet port and USB-2.0 ports. There are Debian and
> Gentoo ports of Linux to run on these devices.

That's cute!  :D  Too bad it can't display anything, nice little
frontend for my needs.

> I have one running Postfix for a mail server. They can run as iTunes
> servers, and make respectable audio when used with a $5 USB audio
> device. Some folks even have them running as working asterisk servers.

That's awesome!  If I can find one for 20 bucks it's certainly worth
my time to dork around with it.

> They sell retail for $90 but there are reports of Walmart closing
> them out for $23 lately. No chance of running a Myth frontend on them
> though, no video hardware and way too underpowered (no FPU).
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nslu2-linux/
>
> Going a little bigger there are a lot of VIA CPU based machines, many
> of which *can* run Myth.

True, and that's ultimately the route I'll be taking I'm sure.  I also
came across an integrated HP machine (17" LCD, P4, all bundled up on a
nice stand) that looks decent enough.  It was at a used computer shop,
and each week the price goes down.  I was holding out until it hit
~100 bucks, but so was someone else apparently; and they wake up
before noon.  Soo....

> Then again, the G4-based Mac Minis might get cheap(er) as the Intel-
> based ones come on line, or even a little laptop on the kitchen
> counter, you can get G3-based Mac iBooks for well under $300, and
> Powerbook 1400s for $50.

Never knew you could score a laptop for so cheap.  I'll look into that
as well.  But, I kind of don't like the idea of going with a laptop.
I don't really want it moved.  I think the Epia option is my best
because she may decide to tune one of my HD recordings, and I don't
want the walls crashing down around here when she does.  Plus, the
huge bonus, if this works out well enough, I might be able to throw 3
or 4 more up around the house at various locations and do a little
remote surfing, inventory management (food storage, etc), and if I'm
cool enough, maybe a little LAN webcam thing or something...  The
possibilities are endless until I check my wallet and see 2 $1 bills
staring at me.  :D  But, I can save, and over time add these systems.

> Put a $20 WiFi card in the PB-1400 and you have a machine with a
> color display that can run a web browser for $70.

That might be the thing I've been looking for in trying to get Myth
into the bathroom.  Build a little shelf in front of the toilet, put
the little laptop on there...  Hmm...

Chad