[mythtv-users] RE: mythfrontend setup for around $300 ??

[Justin Waugh]

Right now I am recording Mpeg4 at 544x480 with a bitrate of about 3000 and I
have no problems with playback.

Perhaps tonight I'll bump up the res and the bitrate a bit and see what
happens.

It is important to note which framebuffer driver you are running, as the
rivafb one has 2d acceleration whereas the vesafb one does not.  That may
impact your performance.

Also you need to make sure you are running X at 640x480 and not 800x600.
Running at the higher resolution will cause tearing and stuttering due to
the scaling involved.

Finally, it might be wise to use a lightweight destop manager (i.e. not
KDE).  I'm using blackbox.



>What recording settings have you tested this with and

>what is your xbox setup like?

>I have just started playing with an xbox frontend, but

>my initial runs didn't go very well. My xbox couldn't

>playback my mpeg4 640x480 @ 4500 kbps recordings with

>mp3 audio. Same goes for 720x480 mpeg2 PVR-250

>recordings ... it just stuttered away and dropped

>frames.

>I have heard mixed thoughts on frontend/decoding

>requirements from people, but I know that I haven't

>been able to get my xbox to playback my recordings

>well at all.



--- Justin Waugh <jwaugh at comcast.net> wrote:

> I say if you just want the frontend, just get an

> Xbox. It is fantastically cheap and works extremely

> well... Particularly with the remote! It has great

> tv-out and sound. Here's the cost break down:

>

> Cost (best case):

>

> Xbox on Ebay - $120

>

> DVD Remote - $30

>

> 007 hack to mod it - $0

>

> Total: $150

>

> You can buy 2 for the $300 you want to spend.

>

> Cost (worst case):

>

> Refurbished Xbox - $150

>

> DVD Remote - $30

>

> Modchip - $40-50

>

> Total: $220-230

>

> Not to mention you get to play games too if you

> want, as well as tons of emulators, or you can use

> the fantastic Xbox Media Player to play back movies

> and songs.

>

> With the 007 hack there is not even any need for a

> modchip. Simply solder 2 small points on the

> motherboard to make the bios flashable and you can

> use the 007 hack to flash the bios. If that scares

> you, you can spend the extra $40 or so for a

> modchip.

>

> It's seriously the best value for a mythfrontend

> there is.

>

> -----Original Message-----

>

> From: Scott Blomfield [mailto:ScottB at cavps.com]

>

> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 4:34 PM

>

> To: Discussion about mythtv

>

> Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] RE: mythfrontend setup

> for around $300 ??

>

> I wasn't aware that the ivtv development crew had

> fixed the problem of not being able to have more

> than one PVR-250/PVR-350 in a system at once.

>

> Of course, I also couldn't find it on the website

> either (didn't look too hard) but I know I've seen

> it posted to the list on several occasions that this

> will not work.

>

> If, in fact, you are able to run two

> PVR-250/PVR-350s in the same machine at once, then I

> stand corrected and apologize for propagating

> misinformation. However, I can't find any info

> besides testimony that says that this is the case.

> =)

>

> Cheers!

>

> Scott

>

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

>

> From: James Campbell

> [mailto:jcampbell at trexenterprises.com]

>

> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 2:33 PM

>

> To: 'Discussion about mythtv'

>

> Subject: [mythtv-users] RE: mythfrontend setup for

> around $300 ??

>

> I wasn't aware that Mobo makers had fixed the

> problem of having two different speed IDE devices on

> the same IDE channel. If, in fact, you are able to

> run an ATA100 HD at full speed that is connected to

> the same IDE channel as an ATA33/66 Slave drive,

> then I stand corrected and appologize for

> propogating misinformation. However, I can't find

> any info besides testimony that says that this is

> the case.

>

> Aside from putting my foot in my mouth, let me say

> that there are still better options than the Asus

> Pundit in my opinion. You don't have to use the

> Chaintech microATX board that I recommended. I'm

> glad Shawn Edwards spoke up about his experience

> with the Chaintech mobo, cause I was bout to talk my

> wife into letting me buy it! Haha.

>

> The other options include Asus motherboards as well.

> I found the Asus A7S266-VM on newegg.com for just

> $61. You can add a GForce2 with tv-out for another

> $40, prolly cheaper if you find a deal. So now you

> are workin with $100 for a motherboard that's decent

> and small and tv-out capabilities. You add in the

> $52 case or any case for that matter, and you are

> still below the price of the Asus Pundit which sells

> for $179 on newegg.com. My point is that you can

> have a lot more control over what hardware gets

> included.

>

> David Engel, it is my assumption since this case has

> full size PCI expansion slots it can handle multiple PVR-250's, but I

> do not own this case so I cannot say this for sure.

>

> -James

>

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