[mythtv-users] VMWare, HDHomerun, and SD-TV

[Fredrik Hallgarde]

Ben Curtis skrev:
>
> Hey everyone,
>
>  
>
> I'm really interested in converting my MythTV box from a standalone 
> machine with two HD-5500's and a PVR250 into a VMWare session on my 
> quad core server.  I see that the HDHomerun would replace the 
> HD-5500's as a network caputre device, but what about a VMWare 
> friendly solution to replace the PVR250?  I currently have an RCA 
> DirecTV satelite reciever hooked up through the composite inputs on 
> the PVR250 (picture seems better than COAX), and use a serial to RJ11 
> adapter I made to change the channels.
>
>  
>
> What do you guys think the best solution would be?
>
USB-based devices work in VMware server (free as in beer) and VMware 
workstation (which is not free) but make sure you get VMware Server 2.0 
(which is beta) or VMware Wkst 6 as you will probably need the USB2.0 
(if that even works with media devices).
Does your serial adapter work by bitbanging the handshake lines (like 
many IR-transmitters do) and not by sending proper RS232 data I would be 
equally worried to get that working, do not expect the VM to keep time 
accurate enough for bitbanging.

Consider the option of putting the PVR250 in the physical host machine 
with the Master backend as a VM (assuming you are running a linux hosted 
VMware server). Another option would be to put the PVR250 in a frontend 
(more details of your setup would help)

Its possible to run VMware ESXi (which is also free as in beer) on 
whitebox / PC hardware (assuming supported SATA and Network controllers) 
but I wouldnt try to get USB or PCI devices to work with that.

Fredrik
 - who run a first try here then on real machine Mythdora4 frontend VM 
in VMware workstation 5 (with crappy video and no working IR-receiver).