[mythtv-users] Faster CPU and more RAM in SD frontend or backend?

[Johnny Russ]

I currently have a combined frontend/backend for SD only. It is a PIII 1
GHz, 384 MB of RAM, PVR-150 tuner, and 2 x 160 GB PATA drives. It barely
manages to get by. I can't record and watch TV at the same time unless I use
XvMC. A friend just gave me an old system he didn't need. So I am thinking
about finally having a separate frontend and backend. The donated system has
a 2.4 GHz Celeron, 768 MB of RAM, 40 GB PATA drive and 2 x 250 GB SATA
drives. I would like to hear some opinions on the best way to split the
hardware up between the sytems.

Currently I am planning on putting the 2 160 GB drives and the 2 250 GB
drives into a software RAID array, with the PIII and 384 MB of RAM, on the
backend and tucking it away with the router in the basement. Then use the 40
GB drive with the Celeron and the 768 MB of RAM in the frontend. The
frontend will connect wirelessly from the living room. I feel most uncertain
about where the CPU/RAM will affect my overall performance the most. I am
not sure what kind of CPU/RAM requirements the software RAID has. I would
occasionally be simultaneously streaming to the Mythfrontend and to XBMC on
an old Xbox. I also occasion transcode some stuff to Xvid for long term
storage. Does that need to be done in the backend? My frontend will be
hooked up to a standard SD television via svideo out of an Nvidia 5200 card.
Is this a decent arrangement or is some other arrangement of the hardware
better?
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