[mythtv-users] Bottom-end MythTv Suggestions

[Andrew Close]

On 5/24/05, Adam Pash <adam.pash at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi everyone,
>  
>  I'm new to both mythtv and linux, but I'm hoping to tackle both.  I'm
> hoping to setup a system that I can use as an all-in-one (front-end +
> backend) system.  

welcome to Linux and Myth.  

I've got an old pc (amd-k6 w/multimedia 300mhz, 288mb ram,
> pvr-150 [from my other computer], dvd-rom) and I don't know if I'm ready to
> tackle all that would go into installing a linux distrubution and mythtv on
> a system as old as this.  I'm looking for suggestions for hardware (mobo,
> processor, video card w/tv out) that I can throw together with the pvr-150
> remaining salvagable parts and get a mythtv up and running in the most
> simple fashion for a linux newbie.

that's an understandable request. :)  i did exactly the same thing,
build a MythBox out of spare parts.  after i had it assembled and
partially working i thought it was so cool i just went out ahead and
ordered parts for a new system. :)  even if you do decide to start
with old hardware as a first step i'd recommend that you start
compiling a list of parts based on posts in the archives for a new
system.  i guarantee that you will end up buying it. :)

>  
>  I understand that this will probably be a somewhat large undertaking for
> someone who doesn't know anything about linux, so I'm ready to put some time
> into it; nonetheless, I figure that it'd be best to start out with the odd
> in my favor when it comes to hardware.  I've read the Fedora-Myth HOWTO, and
> I think that's the route I'd like to take, but like I said, I'm looking for
> suggestions for the cheapest hardware purchases that will still get me a
> good system.

i read Jarods HOW-TO.  it's a great document and i know that it's
helped a lot of ppl here on the list.  but if you have no/limited
experience with Linux and really only want to play with MythTv then i
would 'highly' recommend KnoppMyth.  it is very easy to install and
everything works pretty much out of the box (based on supported
hardware of course; but that is a pretty wide range...).  i used
KnoppMyth for my test install on an old AMD K-7 700MHz machine with a
bttv tuner card i had laying around.  i don't think i even got to
watching/recording tv and i was so excited by how cool Myth was and
how easy KnoppMyth was that i built a new system for it.

>  I'm hoping to use it mostly to record, transcode, and watch my video.  I
> don't need it for live tv watching, but that wouldn't hurt!  I'm excited to
> try the different offerings of mythtv, but those are my main NEEDS.

since i'm advocating a new system for you i'd recommend a supported
motherboard (look in the archives and KnoppMyth forums) that includes
tv-out, audio and LAN.  i would also recommend the nvidia nforce2
chipsets.
with the PVR cards you can get away with a fairly low powered CPU and
still be able to record/watch tv without any problems.  if you are
planning on doing a 'lot' of transcoding then i would recommend a
higher powered CPU; or if you're thinking you may want to move to
HDTV.  i'm very happy with my AMD +2700 for standard cable, but it's
been mentioned that Intel chips handle HD and transcoding better than
AMD. (not trying to start a war, just making an observation) ;)
definitely go with the biggest hard drive you can afford. :)  i have a
40GB that the main system and ringbuffer are on and a 300GB that my
video & tv partitions are on.  (the video and tv partitions are
actually LVM'd with the 40GB...)  so i have ~300GB of tv storage
space.  i've run out of space twice. :)  but i don't watch as much as
i record (obviously), and i didn't have auto-expire set.
space does go fast, especially as you get carried away with how cool
your MythBox is. :)

good luck and enjoy!