I'm totally new to this game but I currently have a Comcast Motorola DVR and I'm loving it, but why not own and run everything myself, right?

Anyway, I plan on probably building a backend computer and then stuff it in a closet so I don't have to worry about noise, etc. But I'm wondering what the hardware requirements are for just the frontend? I know the Xbox can be used, but can it display HDTV if I use component cables? I also have a very old laptop sitting around (400 mhz, 192MB), is that useful for anything? ie. frontend for non-HD in the bedroom or something?

Otherwise I'm looking for a lightweight Linux distro for the laptop if it's useless for PVR, so if anyone has some recommendations, go right ahead.

Thanks.

ok this has been covered a few times, but basically if you are wanting hdtv you are screwed on a low end quiet front end, because the playback is what uses all the cpu horsepower. The xbox can't even come close to doing hdtv.

The only thing that might be somewhat lowend and quiet that can is the cn400 based epia systems, and they take quite a bit of work to get going at the moment.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

Thanks for the reply, I basically only record HD programming so maybe I'll just stick with Comcast for awhile...

I just built a frontend for my living room that is pretty darn quiet and pretty darn powerful as well:

ASUS PC-DL Deluxe mobo rev 1.05
dual 2.4GHz Xeon CPU (Hyperthreading enabled)
1Gb RAM
20Gb laptop hard drive
FX5200 PCI
500 Watt PSU
Pioneer DVD-ROM
R5B7 (upgrading today to R5C7)

I wanted to replace the aging but durable Mac 500MHz laptop that had been serving duty in my entertainment center. It is a wonderful movie playback platform via VLC and a Remote Wonder II, but since it couldn't do HD, it eventually would be replaced (sniff).

To test my new rig, I recorded the FIFA soccer finals in both HD and analog. The picture quality is simply outstanding! Even though I'm only using S-video out to a Philips 32" CRT TV, the difference in picture quality between HD and analog is quite startling.

My new frontend has four fans: one serves both CPU heatsinks, one directly behind the CPUs (small case fan for exhaust), and two in the PSU. It has been up and running for a week with no troubles, and I'm watching the temps with gkrellmd. I'll replace the fans eventually with better-quality units (current fans are from my junkbox).

I was a bit skeptical about the ability of this box to handle HD (source: DT-6200 via firewire...farwar!..hee-hee). CPU usage spikes two of the four CPUs to 90% using Standard MPEG2 decoder, and stays in single digits for all four CPUs using Standard XvMC. The only thing I don't like about it is that the Onscreen Display causes choppy video/audio using XvMC. Otherwise, it is killer!

My master plan is to acquire a big widescreen plasma or LCD to replace the Philips TV and pipe the video to it via DVI.


-sTv

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R7.3 Backend
CPU: 1.8 GHz
RAM: 2Gb
Drives: 500Gb IDE; IDE DVD-RW
Mobo: eMachines
Tuners (Analog): PVR-250
Tuners (Digital): DCT-6200 Motorola Cable Box, HDHomeRun (OTA + cable)

FYI, putting a computer in a closet can cause problems, be prepared to have good ventilation. I currently have to keep the door open on my closet as I haven't put a vent in yet... If I close the door the computer will lock up.

I'm well aware of what bad ventilation can do to a computer, last summer I had to run a high powered fan on my open case for a few days just to get everything working well after dust clogged it up so bad.