[mythtv-users] Best front-end machine?

[jedi]

On Sun, Sep 04, 2011 at 02:43:23PM -0400, Michael T. Dean wrote:
> On 09/04/2011 02:11 PM, jedi wrote:
> > On Sat, Sep 03, 2011 at 01:11:36PM -0400, Michael T. Dean wrote:
> >> On 09/03/2011 11:02 AM, jedi wrote:
> >>> On Fri, Sep 02, 2011 at 02:49:48AM -0400, Raymond Wagner wrote:
> >>>> On 9/2/2011 02:16, john.baab wrote:
> >>>>> There are some pre-built ion boxes too, which generally have smaller
> >>>>> cases but don't give you the flexibility of building your own.
> >>>> Pre-built or not, Atom-based systems have zero flexibility.  The CPU
> >>>       That's pretty much true of any low profile machine. It's not just
> >>> limited to Atom based machines. Lack of flexibility is a trade off for
> >>> greatly reduced size.
> >> Losing flexibility in adding more hardware is a trade off of choosing a
> >> small case.  Using a processor that can't process the data it's given in
> >> any case--large or small--is just choosing to limit yourself for no good
> >> reason, IMHO.
> >      Cutting the cost in half or by two thirds is actually a great reason.
> >
> > [deletia]
> >
> >      When compared to a Mini (or better hardware), an ION is cheap enough
> > just to try out as an experiment even if you aren't expecting it to work.
> 
> Which is why I don't do off-the-shelf boxes like the Mac Mini or ASRock 
> Vision 3D.  You can get a real computer for the cost of an Atom+ION box 
> and that runs at nearly the same power usage.
> 
> They were only shown as proof that small form factor can be done with a 
> real processor in such a way that I didn't become the tech support for 
> random people who read my post--instead, ASRock can handle tech 

    The key problem with everything you mentioned is robust driver support
for the (onboard) GPU. Anything that has ANY nvidia GPU has quite an edge 
and anything that doesn't is bound to be a "tech support problem". Taking 
your low profile system and making sure it's suitably upgraded kind of 
interferes with the whole low profile thing.

    That's the cool thing about an ION or the more expensive ASRock boxes
or even the previous generation of Mini.

[deletia]

    Then there's the whole problem of telling people that are prone to be
"tech support problems" and telling them to build their own box.