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| Help with Hardware Configuration for MythTV Build http://forum.linhes.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15357 |
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| Author: | phillfri [ Thu May 24, 2007 9:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Help with Hardware Configuration for MythTV Build |
I am in the process of collecting the parts needed for a MythTV box build. Since this is my first foray into a multimedia box and my first foray into Linux (beyond being a casual PCLinuxOS user), I've decided to build my first box from parts that I have lying around. I guess what I need help with is hardware requirements and constraints. So let me inventory what I have that I hope to utilize and perhaps some of you with more knowledge than I can educate me enough to get my collection of needed parts together. Objectives: The box will be used as both a frontend and backend unit and I want it to do double duty as a Skype machine. At a minimum I want to be able to play DVDs, view and record HDTV shows received via an antenna, view and record analog channels I get through my cable box. I figure that's enough to get me started. The box will be running 24/7. I'll add that I'm not into gaming. Tuner: HDHomeRun dual tuner. After doing some research I decided that this network tuner is the way to go for the greatest flexibility. I'm waiting for delivery on that piece any day now. Case/Power Supply: [1] I have a decent black desktop type mATX case with a 240 Watt power supply that would fit nicely into my home stereo setup. This is the box I would like to use, but I'm not sure if the power supply is strong enough. [2] I have a couple generic ATX tower cases, each with a 300+ watt power supply. Video Card: I have an old ATI 7500 (PCI) lying around, but from what I've been reading ATI is not a good choice for a Linux box and the ATI 7500 is probably too weak anyway? As I understand it, the video card relieves the CPU processor of playback duties vis-a-vis using onboard video. Since both of the CPU choices I have are sort of low end, and I want this to be a Skype box as well, I guess I need a decent video card that will offload ALL of the video playback processing. At the same time I'd also like to keep this box cool and quiet, so a passively cooled video card would be preferable I guess. Any suggestions would be appreciated. CPU/Motherboard: [1] Lowend - I have an old P4 2.4 MHz CPU in a Tyan Trinity i945G motherboard. PCI slots only. I have a gig of memory for this motherboard. I'd need a PCI video card here. Suggestions? [2] Medium - I also have an AMD mobile T64 MT37 2.0 MHz Socket 754 low power consumption CPU that I have no matching motherboard, memory or video card for. Storage: I have 2 300 Gb Seagate IDE hard drives available and a cd/dvd read/write internal unit. Memory: How much memory do I need? Given these resources, I'm guessing my smartest bet might be to use the AMD processor with a passively cooled video card, meaning (i) buy a matching mATX motherboard (keeping cpu upward compatibility in mind, if possible, and using my mATX case with the 240 watt PSU, I hope) with an e-PCI x16 slot (they are available), (2) 1 GB memory(?) and (3) matching passively cooled video card(?). Am I missing any other peices I would need to build this unit? |
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| Author: | mogator88 [ Thu May 24, 2007 10:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
The Home Run tuner is probably a good choice. Especially if you go with the AMD on a mATX mobo which will only have 2-3 PCI slots. I use an Antec NSK2400 case, easy to work with and looks like an A/V component. You'll need a video card. Many people use NVidia, but do a little more research because in my setup using a USB keyboard or remote causes my box to crash, and apparently it has something to do with the NVidia card. So if you're using Skype with a USB device this may be an issue. 300gb disk is enough, if you use LVM (do a search) you can make both disks look like a single 600gb disk. I'd recommend 1gb of RAM. You may want to do this as 2x512 to take full advantage of DDR memory. I'm using a remote control keyboard that has a "mouse" built into it. Got it online for $20 and it connects through the PS/2 ports. I don't think you have much upward compatibility with socket 754, but an MT37 Turion should be plenty fast to do what you want. Good Luck! Let us know how it turns out. |
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| Author: | phillfri [ Fri May 25, 2007 9:18 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Thanks mogator88 for the advice. I will be using a USB device with Skype (if I can get it to work :>), and I have a USB wireless keyboard/mouse that I also want to use. I will definitely do some research on a video card before I buy, based on your comments. |
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| Author: | cfoxga [ Fri May 25, 2007 3:15 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
I was in a similar situation a while back, although I had in less Linux experience than yourself. I bought a Hauppage PVR-150 and got some components I had laying around to have a "proof of concept" test of MythTV. I didn't want to spend any money until I knew it was going to work. After several hundred hours of research and tinkering, I have have my system running pretty well. 2 HD QAM tuners (Airstar 5000), a PVR-150, and a firewire connection to a Motorola 3412 DVR lets me record 4 shows at once. I have a BE/FE machine with a FE machine for playback in another room. A couple of lessons I learned along the way: 1. Try to use components that others have had success with. 2. Don't skimp on the processor, especially with HD. It may be true that others can HD playback working on an AMD 64 3000+, but you may waste TONS of time getting it stable. An AMD 64 X2 4400+ is what I ended up buying after fighting with a single core 3700+. I used mostly Dragon 1.1 components in my build and I'm sure it saved me tons of frustration. I was hesitant to throw money at solving problems and it usually cost me alot more time in the end. Considering all the time and money I spend getting my 2 systems running, I could have easily bought 2 Series 3 HD Tivos and paid for their subscriptions for a year or two. But I'm still glad I built the Myth boxes. I'm planning to add a couple more tuners, another hard disk, and a couple more frontends to the system in the near future. 6 tuners, 1.5 TB of storage, streaming to 4 HDTVs is going to be sweet! Chris |
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