[mythtv-users] Compaq Evo D51S

[Brian Wood]

On Mar 21, 2008, at 10:52 AM, Steve Peters - Priority Electronics wrote:
>
>
>
> If going for just SD, you could pick up a cheap laptop on ebay with  
> svideo
> or rca out for around $100. I've seen them go all the time. You can  
> easily
> get a P3 900mhz or so, plenty to play back sd. Also, those use very  
> little
> power (around 15 to 20 watts). I always wonder why I never hear of  
> any one
> using laptops for myth boxes. I have myth on my laptop and it's a  
> great
> portable mythbox (with wireless too)

You have a point, and I've started to see the older MacBooks for well  
under $200.

But I guess if you want to drive a "regular" TV set/monitor, and use a  
remote, I'd rather not have to have the AC adapter, some sort of IR  
receiver (probably with a cable), an adapter to get video out of the  
machine, with its cable etc.

If you want to use it in the portable configuration a laptop might be  
a good answer, but for a more or less fixed installation a small  
"desktop" config might be better.

Some laptops get pretty hot when running 24/7 as well.

The Mac Mini form factor is hard to beat, but the price is still high,  
but it will do HD, and as I said I just can't se putting money into SD- 
only H/W today.

beww