[mythtv-users] Cheap and quiet hardware for SD MythTV - possible?

[Robert McNamara]

On Thu, Jul 30, 2009 at 12:28 PM,
Stroller<stroller at stellar.eclipse.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> My mum's Freeview box has just died - since a replacement is £30, I started
> thinking about a PVR instead. Off the shelf ones are £80 to £100 and this
> naturally started me thinking about MythTV, but I'm a bit stumped on how to
> do MythTV without doubling the price.
>
> I'm seeing £211 for an Asus Eee PC 900A, £195 for an Apple TV, a local
> supplier does Atom-based motherboards (inc CPU, AIUI) for £60 inc VAT, but
> then I can't see affordable cases to go with them.
>
> I haven't been following MythTV in a couple of years, so I guess I was kinda
> hoping there'd be competitive options for a set-top-box by now. Either an
> Atom-based PC, or a MythTV-friendly Linux distro shoehorned onto a regular
> set-top-box, or something like the Neuros OSD. My Googling isn't coming up
> with much suitable - it's kinda a shame the hardware options don't seem to
> have improved much in the last couple of years [1]. Or am I missing
> something?
>
> Any suggestions gratefully received,
>
> Stroller.
>

Stroller,

IMHO Myth isn't about beating commodity DVR prices, it's about vastly
surpassing their flexibility and abilities, and retaining control of
the media you record.  I don't think you're going to beat 80-100
pounds and have anything that I would remotely consider acceptable
(but I have very high standards of performance).  I think you want
myth if you want to be able to expand it wherever and however you
want, to be able to edit and keep the media you record, and play it
back on your time and with ultimate flexibility-- but if it's a matter
of price alone-- go with the store-bought DVR.

Robert