[mythtv-users] MythDevice?

[Brian Wood]

On Jun 9, 2006, at 1:00 AM, Chad wrote:


>
> 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....

Yeah, I certainly would have grabbed it at that price. This is a case  
where an integrated design would probably be desirable.

You can get the original style G3 iMacs for $50, but I'd hate to go  
with a CRT these days.

>
>> 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...

I said "Web Browser", not "frontend", I think the little 100Mhz. PPC  
processor would choke trying to display even SD video, and a DSTN  
display is slow :-)

I was wrong BTW, they are PowerBook 5300s for $49, the 1400s are a  
whopping $99. You can actually get the 5300s without a battery for  
$29, worth it for the hard drive and the RAM alone IMHO. Plus it has  
a SCSI interface !

If you want something that will not take much space and looks very  
cool you can get a G4 iMac (the ones that are a white hemisphere with  
a 15" LCD monitor on a "stalk") for $350, these really look good  
anyplace, or an original iBook "toilet seat" model for $230.

http://www.wegenermedia.com/

Has many cheap old Macs.

Sorry to be so Mac-centric today, but their designs are great,  
important if they are going into public spaces. Sure beats the "Beige  
Box" motif.