[mythtv-users] Myth Front End hardware. DNLA, boxes, PCs, etc.

[Christian Reynolds]

Hello,

We run a linux myth backend, Fedora 13... with 2 1 TB SATA drives and a gigabit ethernet connection.  I have two HD HomeRun Tuners wired to an over-the-air antenna.  I can digitize 4 programs at once, and the box responds well to the demand.

For FrontEnds, we use Macintosh computers.  My wife and I each have a laptop, so we use that portably if desired.  The main TV in the living room has its own dedicated Mac Mini computer, and MythTV responds well to the little Apple Remote that we got for it.  Granted, I cannot punch in channel numbers, but playing pre-recorded shows works well.  The only issue we have is playing movies full-screen with the 802.11 b/g wireless we have.  Not quite enough bandwidth.  WIred ethernet works well.

We have watched 4 shows at once, and the linux backend has kept up with it.  The only thing I wish I could do is trigger the backend to burn a dvd of the shows from one of the mac frontends.  I run the backend headless, and run a monitor downstairs when we want to burn something.

Using Video Monkey and iMovie, I have found methods of taking a recorded TV show, such as the SuperBowl, and manipulate it within iMovie to customize before exporting to disk.  I don't like the Fox Announcers all that well... so I swap out the audio track with the Packer radio network... 

Have fun building your system.

Christian 

On Jul 29, 2011, at 7:50 PM, Linuxguy123 wrote:

> I'm setting up Myth system for a house we just moved into.
> 
> 2 or 3 satellite receivers, Hauppauge HD-PVRs on each one, maybe a
> Netflix source as well.
> 
> We want about 5 TVs in the house.  2 of them are Samsung DLNA equipped.
> We'll be using tablets to control other aspects of the house, ie sound,
> etc. 
> 
> The HD-PVRs record in H.264.  How much processing power does it take to
> decode that (HD) stream and send it to a display ? 
> 
> I'd like to standardize on a simple and economical Myth FE.  I'd rather
> not build stand alone PC FEs, but if that is what it takes to really
> unlock the power of Myth, then I'll do it.
> 
> Ideas ?  
> 
> Do any of the stand alone (Asus, Western Digital and other) "media
> players" work well as a Myth FE ?
> 
> How about the game boxes ?
> 
> Does it really take a PC FE to get everything out Myth ?
> 
> Thanks !
> 
> LG
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> 
> -- 
> This message has been scanned for viruses and critters,
> and is believed to be clean.
>