[mythtv-users] mythtv noob - hardware questions

[Jarod C. Wilson]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On Tuesday 17 February 2004 13:52, rook at homesonphones.com wrote:
> I've been looking at mythtv for awhile and have decided to finally try to
> create my own.  I'm new to linux as well, but feel as though I'm pretty
> familiar with system configuration and setup.  I also have some friends
> familiar with linux that I can ask for help.  My main issue is making sure
> that the hardware that I have or will buy is supported.
>
> Here are my requirements:
> -Use my existing Dell Dimension 4100 as much as possible
>   -1.0 Ghz
>   -256MB RAM (I don't have a problem upgrading this)
>   -40GB HDD
> -Digital sound
>   -standard RCA is required (optical output desired as well)
>   -Dolby Digital 5.1 at least (DTS preferred)
> -S-Video out

All possible. I'd upgrade the RAM and get a bigger hard drive.

> It seems like the Hauppauge PVR-350 is the preferred tuner card.  However,
> I have some questions:
>   -Does this card have DVI?

Visit Hauppauge's site. Look at the card specs. Read their spec sheets. Look 
at the pictures of the card. Read the document referenced in the first link 
in my signature. (No, it has no DVI input or output).

>   -I've heard that this card uses hardware compression.  This is appealing
> due to the low processor speed that I'm working with.  Is this true of the
> PVR- 350?

See the previous answer. (Yes, it does have a hardware encoder AND a hardware 
decoder).

> Will I have problems with the processor and a hardware
> compression based card?

See previous answer. Search the mailing list archive for all sorts of 
information about this topic. Its been covered extensively. (You have more 
than enough processor for using this card).

>   -Can I use the PVR-350 for video out in addition to the tuner features?

See previous answer. (Yes, but there isn't anything integrated into MythTV to 
use the tuner, you have to use other programs for that).

> I've heard that it has a s-video tv-out, is this true?  Does it have
> standard RCA out as well?

See previous answer(s). (Yes, it has both).

> Can I record while watching the tv with this
> card alone, or would I need a tuner and a graphic card combination?

See previous answer(s). (You need one tuner card per video stream, be it live 
TV or a recording, so what you'd actually need is two tuners to record one 
show and watch another at the same time).

> I've heard that the M-audio revolution is a pretty good card that might
> satisfy my requirements.
>   -what outputs does this card have?  RCA? Optical? Component?

See previous answer(s). Visit www.m-audio.com. (analog and coax digital, iirc 
- -- Component is for video, not audio).

>   -How good are the linux drivers for this card?

They are good.

>   -What audio software can it handle (5.1? DTS?)

"5.1" and "DTS" aren't audio software. I'm not certain if the card knows what 
to do with DTS-encoded audio, but definitely Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. 
However, none of the TV stuff you'll be capturing with a PVR-350 has anything 
better than stereo audio. Watching DVDs and Divx rips of course, you could 
have DD5.1 and DTS. Google is your friend (tm), search for "revolution", 
"DTS" and "Linux", see what you come up with.

> What would be a good amount of RAM to upgrade to?  Over 512MB?

I find 512MB to be more than sufficient. I'd recommend 384 as a minimum (256 
can be used, but you'll see swapping, which I prefer to eliminate).

> I have wireless ethernet (802.11G) are there any cards that are well
> supported in linux?  I'm not too eager to run cat-5 around my house.

You can use an external Ethernet to 802.11G adapter, or one of the PCI cards 
supported by the madwifi driver. (Hint: google on 802.11g and linux).

> I have a CD-R, but I'm thinking about upgrading to a DVD-R/CD-R.  I would
> like to be able to rip DVDs (a feature of mythtv), but would also like to
> convert programs and burn them on DVD-Rs so free up space.  Are there any
> devices that are well supported by linux and run fairly well?


> I think my old computer has an external port for an ATA drive.

I doubt it. Perhaps a firewire port, or more likely, a usb port that you can 
hook an external drive up to. Inside said firewire or usb case would be an 
ata drive...

> I would
> like to get an external HDD to increase my capacity.  How do I find out if
> my ATA card is supported in linux so I can use this port?  Is adding an
> external HDD fairly difficult?

There aren't many ATA cards or motherboard chipsets NOT supported by Linux, 
unless you're talking RAID (and you aren't). Adding an exteral drive isn't 
difficult.

> Thanks for your help,

In the future, please try to help yourself. Most of your questions can be 
answered by putting in a little bit of effort of your own. Search the mailing 
list archive, use Google, visit manufacturers web sites, etc. And please 
restrain yourself from asking general Linux questions that really have 
nothing to do with MythTV. This isn't a general Linux newcomer's mailing 
list, its a MythTV mailing list. If you don't like my position on this, 
please kindly read Eric S. Raymond's discourse on the matter, accessible 
through the first link in my signature. Thank you.

PS - Yes, I'm cranky today.

- -- 
Jarod C. Wilson, RHCE

Got a question? Read this first...
     http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
MythTV, Fedora Core & ATrpms documentation:
     http://wilsonet.com/mythtv/
MythTV Searchable Mailing List Archive
     http://www.gossamer-threads.com/archive/MythTV_C2/
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.2.4 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQFAMqFyln8CX+oYdJURAi6YAKCKJJLIPUUDhELJJObKQdXKcorSdACfWox1
3vPlNJLXuP9KDYkAW5hdh10=
=f1kF
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----