[mythtv-users] RE: (UK) Front end hardware recommendations

[Justin Hornsby]

> James Fidell <james at cloud9.co.uk>
>Subject: [mythtv-users] (UK) Front end hardware recommendations
>
>Anyone care to recommend hardware for a front-end-only box that can be
>reasonably easily sourced in the UK?  Requirements are really only that
>it should be quiet and not look desperately out of place when stacked
>next to the AV amp.
>
>Is it worth considering an Xbox rather than building something from
>parts?
>
>James

James, I use an EPIA-M10000 motherboard in a Silverstone LC-02 case.  It ended up working out more expensive in the long-run because the LC02 case has **very** poor airflow.  I originally tried a full ATX board & Athlon 2ghz CPU, but it ran far too hot to be left on for any length of time.  So I changed the board for the EPIA & I've never looked back.

Anyway - it's just a frontend, it's very quiet (but not quite silent yet) - has a quality TV output, onboard MPEG decoder, digital SPDIF sound output, dual channel IDE, firewire, USB2, LAN...

I've got mine running 'minimyth' (www.linpvr.org), booting from the network.  It works absolutely brilliantly.

I also use an xbox, but it looks awful and isn't the quietest machine on the block.

If you decide to go for an EPIA based board there are plenty of very nice cases to choose from, but remember to factor in the cost of a slimline DVD drive for those skinny boxes ;-)

Jus.
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