Hey guys & gals,

I've been lurking about for a few weeks gathering data on what I should purchase to build me a PVR that can record HDTV & US NTSC broadcasts, rip DVDs/CDS, and play music files. I was about to make my purchases but decided that I better get some input from the KnoppMyth mavens here. Any tips, feedback, and even ridicule would be welcome.

Existing hardware:
Mobo: Asus A8N-SLI Premium (nVidia chipset)
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+
RAM: 2GB of Corsair XMS CMX1024-3200pro
GPU: Asus GeForce 7800 GTX w/ 256MB RAM or GeForce 6800 w/ 256 MB of RAM
Audio: SoundBlaster Audigy 2 or onboard Realtek ALC850, 8-ch High-Definition Audio CODEC
Hard Drives: Maxtor DiammondMax 10 300GB 7200RPM PATA (bootable) and a WD Caviar SE16 320GB 7200 SATA.
PS: Seasonic S12-600 600W (Incredibly quiet PS!!)

PVR hardware (Not purchased yet):
Tuner Card: Airstar HD5000 (x2)
Remote: StreamZap IR Remote
ROM Drive: LiteOn 16x DVD+/-R SHW160P6S05 (x2)
Audio: Undecided
Case: Undecided

Note: I'm converting my current gaming rig as my new linux box. I know this is overkill but the hardware has been around for what I would assume would be a decent amount of time so that I don't suffer much from drivers not being up to par with the latest hardware. I also built this machine to be very quiet. Seemed to be the best choice for what I want to do with what I have available. I have to admit that I'm kicking myself for giving away a nice P-IV box to a relative before reading these forums. I understand now that I could have used it instead. Live & learn...

My objectives for this system is:
1) To be able to record cable and HDTV broadcasts.
2) Watch tv while simultaneously recording another program
3) Schedule recordings for later times.
4) Digital sound output either by running through a DA capable reciever/Amp or directly into a DA input on a set of speakers.
5) Making fast & accurate images or rips of DVD/CD media.

I'm pretty much a Debian N00b. I know enough to get by as a server admin so my hardware purchases take my (lack of) skillset into mind.
I know I'm probably going to have to have problem with audio so any help there would be greatly appreciated. I am also undecided on what kind of case should I buy for this. "Quiet" is my main objective regarding this case. Once again, anything you guys & gals can throw my way, I'd be very grateful.

Unless I'm mistaken, if you want to get NTSC broadcasts, you'll need something else besides the HD5000s because they only do digital broadcasts: http://www.linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/ATSC_cards

Also you mention cable: do you have analog cable (the cable from the wall can just be hooked up straight to a tv, which can tune the channels), or digital cable, requiring it to go through a cable box? Or some channels analog, some digital?

Ah, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't mean to say broadcasts. What I meant was that I want it to record through a digital cable box. I'm assuming that if I don't run it through a box, I won't beable to get the pay channels (limited to basic cable). If you can suggest the best way of how to approach this, I'm all ears. Thanks!

You probably still want an SDTV card of some kind.

Ah, I see. Ditch one of the HD 5000 AVs for a Dvico card or something?

So, Misterfibble & tjc, would you think that a Fusion HDTV5 Lite or Gold do the trick?

Not unless you're in a PAL country. You did say US NTSC/ATSC above right?

For SDTV in the US a Hauppauge PVR card is probably your best choice for NTSC to complement the HD5000 for ATSC. Depending on which one you chose it might also give you a remote as part of the package. Another nice thing about this is it would keep all of your recordings in MPEG-2 format.

Depending on your cable box you could run into a few different problems.

Scenario 1: digital cable box fed into a Hauppauge pvr-250 and controlled via IR Blaster

Drawback: no HD channels available BUT you can tune and record premium channels.

Scenario 2: digital HD cable box fed to myth via firewire, controlled by firewire

Benefits: a single wire connecting your mythbox to your cable box; perfect digital quality; channel changing automatic via firewire

Drawback: can't record HD channels or premium channels (might be different where you live). Here, they have the 'record once' or 'don't record' flags set, which tells the digital cable box NOT to broadcast over firewire. Sucks, I can't even record HBO here, HD or otherwise.

It's kind of a mixed bag. In some areas cable providers don't set flags to prevent recording over firewire. In my area, they do. The worst part for me is that they won't even give me a list of the channels that are 'don't record' flagged, so I have to painstakingly trial-and-error my channel list to weed out the unrecordables.

[quote]Not unless you're in a PAL country. You did say US NTSC/ATSC above right?[/quote]

Ah, ok. Yes, the US.

[quote]For SDTV in the US a Hauppauge PVR card is probably your best choice for NTSC to complement the HD5000 for ATSC. [/quote]

Excellent! Those Hauppage cards are easier to find. Thanks!

[quote="afrosheen"]
It's kind of a mixed bag. In some areas cable providers don't set flags to prevent recording over firewire. In my area, they do. The worst part for me is that they won't even give me a list of the channels that are 'don't record' flagged, so I have to painstakingly trial-and-error my channel list to weed out the unrecordables.[/quote]

Ugh...I feel your pain. I just hope that your kind of situation is not the case with my cable provider too. See, I pay $94 a month for a crappy 3Mb/384kbp line that I just found out is being covered by NetEnforcer. Kills all p2p apps, Bittorrent, etc to sub modem speeds. Talk about getting it from both ends...

Thanks for the senario outlines!

I have a question though. Since I'll have two tuner cards in the machine, couldn't I just split the cable connection and run one card to your senario 1 and the other to your senario 2?