[mythtv-users] HD thin client?

jedi at mishnet.org jedi at mishnet.org
Wed Jan 30 21:40:48 UTC 2008


[deletia]
>>They could use more normal PC components and under cut Apple quite
>> handily.
>
> Not a chance unless they embed the components on the motherboard as
> Apple does with the AppleTV or MacMini. The cost of manufacturing an

    I really wasn't talking about the motherboard but they are already
doing this. My last PCs were all "all-in-one" systems. I just plugged
the memory, disk and cpu into a mainboard that had everything else on
it. If not for the jet engine sound coming out of my minuet case, I
would have had a comparable home made solution right there.

> system out of pre-assembled components will always cost more than a
> system with on-board components. Take the cheapest nvidia 7300 pci-e
> card and compare that to the cost of the just the chip. An easy order
> of magnitude or more difference because of the added costs of the
> additional layout, pcb manufacturing, assembly, testing, packaging.

   I was thinking more in terms of the larger drives that are
more durable and tend to cost less.

>
>>A compact HTPC doesn't have to be an ITX affair.
>
> But that's the closest form factor to the MacMini. Look at it this
> way, if it was so easy to make something similar to the MacMini but
> at less cost why don't we see them out there. The MacMini (the intel

   They do come and go every once and awhile but there never
seems to be much marketing behind them so they kind of remain
obscure (even if popular in certain niches).

> one) has been around for about two years (I have a 1st gen intel),
> and I think there's one box by AOpen that cost more and has less
> capabilities. Why even my Myth backend is close in cost to my MacMini
> and I assembled that myself from PC components and it's in a real
> ugly but cheap (as in free) box.

   Well, a backend usually isn't on par with a $600 mini. A backend tends
to be more like a $2700 Mac Pro.

>
> The HP t5735 looks interesting but no internal hard drive, no
> wireless,no IR and no digital audio. I'd like to see verification of
> their hardware decode claims otherwise I don't belive it. And $450
> for it, $599 gets you a 1.83GHz Core2 Duo MacMini. So a delta of $150.




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