[mythtv-users] Biting the bullet...new frontend recommendations

[Jerry]

On Sun, May 6, 2018 at 2:56 PM Tom Dexter <digitalaudiorock at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Astonishingly I've been using an x86 Dell 4700C small form factor
> (running Gentoo) as a frontend for over 11 years, and it's worked
> amazingly well. I even managed to find perhaps the only nVidia GT 430
> card ever made that actually works in it's older PCI-E 1.0 slot. That
> gets me reliable advanced 2x deinterlacing on 1080i OTA content and
> HDMI audio etc. I was even able to get myself a replacement 4700C
> cheap at one point. Today the motherboard on the one I was using died.
> Lucky I had that spare and switched it out so we're back in business.
>
> I'm thinking it's finally time to bite the bullet and think about
> building a new frontend, so I can take my time as apposed to getting
> stuck having to build one in a hurry. I'm still using mostly old
> hardware around here and frankly it's been forever since I've bought
> any computer at all. In every way imaginable I don't know where to
> start. I'm hoping for some recommendations. Here's essentially what
> I'm looking for:
>
> 1. I'm looking for a really good frontend and not necessarily
> something cheap. Something with a smaller form factor might be nice
> but I don't want to limit myself because of that.
>
> 2. While I've done things like replacing PC motherboards etc I've
> never built my own system from parts. I'm not completely adverse to
> the possibility of building something but also not crazy about it.
>
> 3. I'm definitely not hung up on the idea of a fanless system or the
> like...in fact I'm not sure I even trust them. I've had no problem
> with my existing system with fan on both the CPU and the nVidia card.
>
> 4. I'd like an nVidia card using HDMI at least capable of advanced 2x
> deinterlacing as I'm currently getting. The GT 430 I have however has
> a limit on the output resolution and can't play 4K video for example.
> I currently have an LG OLED TV so I'd like to be able to play 4K if
> possible.
>
> 5. I only need a wired NIC...no need nor desire for wireless.
>
> 6. Built in audio shouldn't make any difference as I'd be using HDMI
> only, and I'd assume that would just be done via the nVidia card.
>
> 7. Ideally I'd like to have maybe a TB of disk just to have room for
> extra videos.
>
> 8. I'm also obviously concerned about the possibility of non-Linux
> compatible hardware of course. I'll be building whatever I get with
> Gentoo so I should have a very modern kernel etc.
>
> I think that about covers it. Another thing is that I have no clue
> *where* to buy anything anymore. At one point I used newegg a lot, but
> they seem to have turned into ebay/amazon. Do they even actually sell
> anything themselves anymore? At one point I recall they had an option
> to shop "only newegg" as apposed to buying from who-known-who and I
> don't even see that anymore.
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Tom
>

If you've replaced motherboards, then you've pretty much done the whole
build.  Every time I make a machine I stress about it and every time it
works out.  You just need alone time to work on it.  Newegg has PC building
videos on YouTube.

I recommend https://pcpartpicker.com/

You make an account there and pick your poison across the board.  It has
price comparisons and some user reviews on the parts.  I can't recommend it
enough.  When you're ready to purchase, you can price shop with various
merchants.  You can save the build and share the link with the list if you
want!

I stuck with B&H Photo and Video, Newegg and Amazon.  There are several
others but I was wary of possible returns.  I built this machine in October
and it couldn't have been smoother.  Sometimes, it doesn't work and you
have to be prepared to send things back, but if you have the time, you can
deal with the issues.  Amazon was easy to deal with when I had a
motherboard issue a few years ago.  Newegg is pretty good, too, and they
even worked with me when an item was marked as non-refundable.  They gave
me a store credit when I complained via online chat customer service.  I'm
pretty sure everything I got was from Newegg as it all came together in one
box.  B&H Photo and Video really went the extra mile when I had issues and
I had to return my Blu-Ray drive several times, eventually exchanging and
upgrading to a different model altogether.  They didn't even blink and gave
me the return period as if I bought it for the Christmas holiday.  They
don't have that much tech stuff -- they sell mostly photographic equipment
-- but I will buy from them again without hesitation.

I've had pretty good luck with my components.  I usually go with ASUS for
Intel motherboards (I have had good luck with the longevity of ASUS boards)
and EVGA for nVidia video cards (they usually have a 3 year warranty).  I
have been using Samsung EVO SSDs and have had luck so far (knocking on
wooden desk).  I think they usually have 5 year warranties.  I figure those
can go bad so I try to get the longest warranty possible so I can exchange
it.  I switched from Seagate to WD Red drives, and I guess that's a good
thing, but hell, who really knows with standard hard drives.  If you're
just talking about a frontend, maybe you could just go SSD.  They keep
getting cheaper and the speed is worth it.  You could even try one of the
M2 drives but that may be overkill.  I hear they are seriously fast though
and they're not all that much more.  I grabbed a 256 GB M2 on my October
shopping spree and haven't plugged it in yet on this machine -- I just run
on a 128 GB standard SSD.  Or you could try a hybrid hard drive.  I don't
know much about those.

I hear talk that AMD Radeon cards work much better in Linux since the
drivers are open source.  I've had nVidia cards for years and things work
pretty well.  I'll let someone else chime in on that issue.

Wired NIC should be on the motherboard.  I'm with you on the fans.  I don't
think that video cards really make that much noise when processing video.
It's when you play a game that they take off.  I'd rather have fans myself.

I can't help you with the small form factor.  I put everything in a black
tower case and stick it next to the television.  I only have the BE/FE
machine.  I like the flexibility of the ATX form factor.

I have a pretty new motherboard on this machine with a i7-8700k.  I'm
pretty sure I can't do everything I could in Windows (like the SSD caching
for one) but I don't have any problems that I'm aware of.  I can't change
the colors of the RGB lights (and I don't care) that glow through the case
(they came with the motherboard -- they weren't a priority) but I can turn
them off and I will when I migrate this machine and retire my old backend
down the road.  New hardware is pretty slick -- I can update the BIOS
version by entering the BIOS at boot time and flash it after it downloads
from the internet.  Maybe not a selling point but it saved me a few
minutes.  New hardware is cool.

Well, I rambled on enough I think.  I hope some of that helps!

Jerry
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