[mythtv-users] PCI 3.3v Universal Voltage TV Tuner cards

[Paul Hamm]

I am specing out my backend myhtv box and have a bit of a problem.  I am
planning on using a dual opteron processor system.  I really like the
IWill DK8N Motherboard
http://www.iwillusa.com/products/ProductDetail.asp?vID=194 .  The
problem is PCI slots.  The PCI-X slots are only backward compatable with
3.3v cards.  The list indicates that the HD3000 is a 3.3v card but the
photo on there site does not indicate this with the second notch in the
PCI connector.  Surfing around shows that the Hauppauge NOVA-T looks
correct.  Pinnacle PCTV rave also runs at 3.3v.  The Hauppauge pvr-250
and pvr-350 do not appear to be 3.3v parts.  My pvr-350 has only the one
notch.

So is the hd3000 really a 3.3v part? Are there any analog cards with
MPEG2 encoder running at 3.3v?  The other option is to put pvr-250
tuners in the frontends and stream them back to the server.  

I was planning on 3 analog cards with encoders and 1 pchdtv card.  I may
get a dish though not just yet.  At the moment I am only going with CATV
analog and DVB-t.  My current mythtv box is a chaintec 7nif2, running a
2500+ unlocked that the chaintec sees as a 3200+ 512mb ram, pvr-350,
200gb hd, dvd, and burner.  I used Jarods guide, thanks Jarod, and it
works great.  After I get the new server up this will hopefully be a
diskless frontend.

The new server
Iwill DK8N (Hopefully) else MSI K8T
2x246 opterons
4x512mb ram (4x1gb?)
5x200gb SATA seagate hd
nvidia video 5200
1xhd3000
3x(pctuner card with encoder) else (PCTV rave)
If it has the horse power I may use it as a workstation.  If not it will
live in a vented closet.

TIA
Paul