[mythtv-users] Choices to make...

[Mike Converse]

I was thinking of using a backend server, and a Xbox as my front end.  
It's much cheaper than buying all the hardware for a new front end box, 
and noise won't be an issue with it.


Chad Vogelsong wrote:

>NOTE:  This is a long message from a 5 year Linux veteran but newbie to
>MythTV.
>
>
>I have been doing research into MythTV and setting up a system for about
>2 weeks now.  I have read through all the MythTV HOWTO's and browsed the
>mailing list & archives, just as a good MythTV newbie should.  However,
>I am still on the fence with what overall network architecture to
>implement.
>
>Right now, I have a main "storage server" on my home network and a
>backup one that maintains a mirror image of the data on the primary.
>Both store around 500 GB and have about 300 GB free.
>
>What I would like to do is get a small case like the Shuttle XPC or the
>like and make it a MythTV frontend with 2 PVR-250's, a GeForce4 MX 440,
>256 MB and a relatively small hard drive (20-30 GB) for the OS & swap.
>I don't want to load this box with storage (only 1 hard drive) to keep
>the size small.  I would want to use the storage space (I love LVM) on
>the main servers to hold all the content.
>
>Basically, I want to know if anybody runs their MythTV from a 100 Mbps
>storage backend.  Do you have a Tuner card in your storage backend?  I
>know about the frontend / backend / distributed nature of MythTV.  I'm
>just trying to figure out how to use it.  The way I see it, I have a few
>choices.
>
>
>1. If there is no serious lag over the network, put a Tuner into primary
>storage server and use it as the mythbackend.  Use this card as #3.  Put
>a small hard drive & tuner cards #1 & #2 into the mythfrontend box.
>Mount the video storage space via NFS.  Let the Windows machine view the
>content via SMB.
>
>What about watching Live TV?  Does the signal go straight from the
>Tuner, gets encoded / decoded and then displayed?  Or does it need to
>write the stream to disk somewhere in that process?
>
>
>2. Network produces too much lag.  Make the frontend bigger and load it
>with 2-3 large drives for media storage.  This would probably not look
>to well without a custom built case.  I would really like something that
>looks nice sitting on my entertainment shelf.
>
>
>Since I need to get the right hardware before playing with the software,
>all I can go from is what I've read from others.  Is there a way to use
>multiple storage places for already-downloaded movies / mp3's / recorded
>tv shows / paused live tv / DVD backups / etc.?
>
>If you need any more info, I'll be happy to provide it.  I'm looking for
>how different people have their architectures setup.  I would eventually
>like to have a frontend at 2-3 different TV's, so the central storage
>would be great.  Has anybody experienced network lag with these setups?
>
>I love this mailing list.  It's so active and full of helpful & friendly
>people.  Makes me proud to be a community member.
>
>Thanks,
>Chad
>
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------
>Chad Vogelsong
>
>Network / Systems Admin, VB / C / C++ / Perl / Java Programming
>Technical Support, Building Automation Graphics
>
>cvogelsong at intellimation.cc
>http://www.intellimation.cc
>
>Intellimation, Inc.
>250 N. Lincoln Ave.
>Lebanon, PA  17046
>
>Tel: 717-273-3021
>Fax: 717-274-9733
>Cel: 717-821-0177
>
>  
>
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