[mythtv-users] Since I have to upgrade anyway

[Doug Young]

I'm expecting a check from a court settlement within the week for several
thousand dollars, so I'm figuring that among other household expenditures
it's time to upgrade my myth-network.  I figure that now is a good time
since I have to upgrade -anyway- due to Zap2It / SD.  Before I go on, I'm
financially aware enough not to actually invest in these upgrades until such
time as the money actually comes in, but if I don't have plans the money
will get spent before I get the systems.  In the meantime, I'm watching and
waiting, dreading having to do the software update before the check comes
in.

My current "network":

deathstar -> P4 2.4GHZ, 3.1 TB disk array, hauppauge 250, nvidia GeForce
5200, MyBlaster IR transmitter, running MythDora 4.0
                      master backend, frontend, web server, fileserver
(duh), samba server, private TeamSpeak server, private OpenRPG server, music
server
executor -> P4 2.0GHZ, 40 GB, hauppauge 250, nvidia GeForce 5200, MyBlaster
IR transmitter, running MythDora 4.0
                      slave backend, and frontend
various windows machines running MythTv Player and Nero Showtime

The biggest problem I have is with my kids ;-)  When they insert a scratched
disc into the deathstar that's bad enough that it locks the drive (which
happens), or when we have an error, or when they percieve we have an error,
they have a tendancy to hit that magic reset button, which cuts off all my
other servers.  Also, the towers are not the most beautiful or quiet systems
around.  So, I'd like to separate out some of the various functions to
create a better balance of power, as it were.

SO, I'm proposing the following network:

deathstar -> P4 2.0GHZ, 3.1 TB disk array, running Fedora Core 6 (don't need
Mythdora to be a NAS system)
                      web server, fileserver (duh), samba server, private
TeamSpeak server, private OpenRPG server, music server
executor -> P4 2.4GHZ, 40 GB, dual hauppauge 250, MyBlaster IR transmitter,
running MythDora 4.0 (upgraded to work with SD)
                      dual backend
2 new toys -> Sempron 3000+, whatever cheap disk I can find, nvidia GeForce
5200 (from my current systems), MyBlaster IR transmitter, running MythDora
4.0 (upgraded to work with SD)
                      frontend, DVD player
various windows machines running MythTv Player and Nero Showtime

I'm looking at the Silverstone LC11B case for my new toys.  Since they're
dedicated front ends, I'm figuring I don't need the world's most powerful
machines., but I do have questions that I'm hoping someone can answer.  My
primary concern is that I'm using the Hauppauge remotes, and would really
like not to have to change that (the wife factor is entering in here), so I
need an IR receiver that's compatible with those remotes.  Also, is there
any reason I should go with a beefier chip?  Any reason not to grab whatever
cheap disk I can find?  Upgrade the video cards?  I'm pretty sure the
systems will work as spec'd, but don't want to upgrade now without being
aware of what may come down the pike in the future.  Does anyone see any
other major gotchas I should look out for when creating this new network?

While I'm at it, anybody have any good machine names that will fit with my
theme (my M$ boxes are darkside characters, my servers have always been
darkside ships)?

Thanks in advance!
--
Doug
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