[mythtv-users] How does MythTV Networking work?

[Scott Nicholson]

I'm interested in building a MythTV box or boxes. I want to be able to view
both live TV and recorded shows (as well as use MythMusic, etc.) on at least
two TVs in separate rooms. I want all recorded shows to be available to both
TVs. I want to be able to easily add additional TVs in the future.

 

Without knowing a lot about MythTVs network capabilities (there isn't a lot
of info on the site -- not that I've been able to find, anyway), it seems
like there are at least a couple of ways of doing this:

 

Option 1:

High-powered multiple tuner "server" in the basement (at least two, possibly
three or more tuners, lots of storage) and a couple of lightweight frontend
boxes at the TVs. The frontends would need to be able to schedule
recordings, etc.

 

Option 2:

Forget the server. Just build a couple of boxes to put at the TVs that can
talk to each other. One (possibly two if I decide one isn't enough) tuner in
each box, with some sort of negotiation and conflict management (i.e. box1
is scheduled to record show "A" and I schedule a recording for show "B" on
the same box -- the box detects the conflict and tells box2 to record show
"B" instead.). The boxes share their lists of recorded shows, so it's easy
to watch show "B" on box1 (even though it's box2 that recorded it).

 

I guess there's a hybrid of these two, as well, with the individual boxes
recording to a server that's really nothing but a fileserver.

 

My question is which of these two options fits in with the way MythTV
networking works? (or are they both legitimate options)?

 

If both options are possible, are there any pros/cons to going with one over
the other?

 

Possible issues I can think of:

 

Option 1 would probably allow the frontends to be low-power systems with
passive cooling, making for quieter and more energy-frugal machines. The
high-powered noisemaker is kept well away from the TV room.

 

Option 1 may also therefore be cheaper(?)

 

Thanks for any input/advice.

Scott

 


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.580 / Virus Database: 367 - Release Date: 2/6/2004
 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/attachments/20040209/7acc2caf/attachment.html