[mythtv-users] Need help picking out new motherboard / cpu

[Kevin D. Snodgrass]

James Armstrong wrote:
> I have the useless Via133 chipset and need a new backend / frontend. I
> was going to use my Athlon 900 for the backend and get a new frontend
> capable of playing HDTV until the 900 started having DMA problems. My
> question is, what will I need to have a combined backend/frontend
> capable of recording from two PVR250's and one pcHDTV card and watch at

Note: I don't have my MythTV box built yet.  All parts are 
in except the case/power supply. (ARRRRGH!)  But I have read 
about this stuff for several months and had to do 
essentially the same evaluation you are currently doing.

The PVR-250s don't really take any CPU time, the do all the 
heavy lifting on-board.  I don't know about the pcHDTV, but 
I think it has a hardware compression chip built-in so it 
shouldn't stress the CPU much either.

Watching is a different matter, but it still isn't going to 
stress a modern CPU too much.

> the same time? Will one of the following processors be better: P4 2.8Ghz
> HT with 1Meg cache, P4 3Ghz HT 512 cache, P4 3.2Ghz HT 512 cache. Those

I think those are all overkill for 2 PVR-250s and a pcHDTV. 
  But better too much than not enough, right?  I opted for 
an AMD 2800+ and 512 MB RAM for my 3 PVR-250s since I expect 
to do commercial cutting and burning to DVD on the same system.

> are also the order of lowest to highest price. The difference is not
> much, will the 1meg cache make more difference than the higher speeds?
> Is 200Mhz more speed worth $60? Can I have three tuners (one being HDTV)

I don't think the extra $60 will matter.

> and possibly record from all and watch tv too (HDTV being worse case) or
> will I still need a dedicated backend?

Well, you can't record on all your turners AND watch TV via 
one of the turners (unless you are watching what one of the 
turners is recording) all at once.  You are short one turner 
there.