[mythtv-users] Box location

[PAUL WILLIAMSON]

>>> mythtv at lists.flurdy.com 11/3/2004 9:04:31 AM >>>
>I am a newby and I have some quirries regarding the location of other

>users Myth box(es).

I have a backend/frontend over in my computer area, down in the 
basement where I can load it up with PVR's and noisy hardware.
I've got 1.5TB in that box, 2.4 celery with 512mb ram and it's also 
hooked up to a stereo I use to record my tapes and records into 
wav or mp3 format.  If the other 3 TVs are being used by the 
other people in the house (2 kids, wife, sometimes parents, cousins, 
in-laws, etc.), I'll go down there and watch something.

I have a frontend only on one of the TVs.  It's way too noisy, so 
I've been thinking about a MediaMVP and flashing it for use with 
linux.  I don't know about the pundit-r, but that's an attractive 
option as well.  If the mediamvp box works out, I may put one 
on each of my other TVs.  I've really resisted the whole set-top 
box thing, but Myth may have changed that because now I have 
the ability to access everything, not just video, still pictures, 
music, web browsing, etc. exclusively.

>I am currently deciding on where to have the box and what type of 
>case  to get. 
>Small/large/warm/cold/pretty/grose/noisy/quiet/multiple/standalone

I put the master backend with all the drives, fans and PVR's in a 
really ugly case, far away from everything. Primarily, I did this 
for the following reasons:

Pretty = $$.  
Quiet = $$.
Cool (temp) = $$.
Neat = $$.
Me <> $$.

>Does one have to have the box close to the TV?

Only if you want to use the capabilties of yth on a TV.
But, not necessarily.  You can inject the Myth output 
signal onto an open channel of your in-house cable.

>IR repeaters, means it is not a restriction.

Yep, I was distributing my DVD player through my stereo 
with channel injection and hardwired IR repeaters.
No more.  Too much of a pain.

>I presume it will have to be next to my digital cable settop box 
>(NTL - uk). I also presume due to scart/svideo connection it will 
>have to be next to the main tv. However I hope i can pipe a normal
arial 
>cable to my own tv network for viewing in other rooms?

Yes, you can use a backend with a PVR in it to stream OTA 
content via the "Watch TV" option of Myth.  I've actually 
tested this with an 802.11g wireless access point to 
a computer built temporarily as a front end for testing this capability

only.

You can also split the signal coming from your aerial to Myth and 
the TV, feeding the signal from myth into an alternative input.

>If the box is to be in the living room, then it would have to be good

>looking and quiet. The smaller the better as well. Anywhere else, just

>expandable is okay.

Yep.  You could also split the idea.  This is what I've been thinking
about 
doing.  My master backend is no where near the digital cable box hooked

up to my stereo.  I'd like to hook up a slave backend to the digital
cable 
box so I can start recording the extra content from there only.

>I am considering an Antec Aria (discussed in another thread) or an
Antec 
>Sonata. I already own a Sonata for my game box, and it is pretty(ish)

>and very quiet. However it may be too big for the living room? The
Aria 
>is small and meant to be quiet, however may get too hot and not sure
how 
>quiet it is. Also may be limited to just one capture card?

Stick with what either you know or what others have documented here:
http://pvrhw.goldfish.org/tiki-pvrhwdb.php 

>Does everyone else keep their box by their main tv? What if you have 
>several boxes?

Several frontends?  Easy - put them by the TVs.  Several backends? 
Put them out of site if necessary, otherwise, make them quiet 
and make them combined backeds/frontends, and pick one of them 
to be the master backend.  There is no master frontend.

>Also is a normal arial output good enough quality for larger TVs?

It depends on how good your aerial input is.  It will be no better or 
worse than it is now - you'll just be adding the ability to record 
from your OTA source.

HTH,
Paul

Cheers,
flurdy

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