[mythtv-users] Hardware recommended?

[Kirby Bakken]

Bertrand M wrote:

>  From: Kirby Bakken <kirby at magnaspeed.net>
> ------------------------
>
> > I have a 'BIOSTAR TForce6100-939' MB and an HD5000 HD capture card. The
> > on-board video does not currently work with any Nvidia driver 
> version. I'm told
> > that one of the 'next' available drivers will work. However, I have 
> an Nvidia 5200
> > PCIExpres x16 card, and this card is NOT fast enough to display HD
> > video, so I doubt if the on-board video would either (once Nvidia 
> ships a driver
> > that'll work).
>
> so if you had to do it again, would you get the same components? I'm 
> wondering if I should just bend over and use Sage TV until the Linux 
> drivers catch up. (blasphemy, I'm sorry)

The Biostar MB worked well enough, I had to manually patch sata drivers, 
I had to build the system with an ATA HD and add sata later...  It took 
me a couple of days off and on to get that working.  I've been '100' off 
with my Nvidia numbers... i.e. 5200 should have been 6200. The MB comes 
with built-in Nvidia 6200 video.  It doesn't work yet with existing 
drivers.  It should soon (so I'm told).  I discovered that I had to move 
up to a Nvidia 6600GT card in order to get a video card that was either 
a) fast enough, or b) worked well enough with XvMc...  I'm not sure, 
because by now I also have a Gigabyte MB that's roughly equilvalent to 
the Biostar, but the audio chip is an ALC880, and I'm having trouble 
getting that to work with Myth.... The device driver that I got to work 
(by downloading from the Reatek site) results in a mixer with no 
'Master' slider, so therefore, Myth 'barfs' because it can't set the 
Master slider.  I'm told there are ways around that if you 'craft' the 
.asoundrc file, but I haven't gotten to that yet (anybody have any 
examples of doing that?  :-)  )

>
> > I'm going to have a Nvidia 5600GT card to try in a few hours...  
> hopefully that'll
> > work.
>
> Any luck?

Yes, see above.  With this card, I finally got to non-stuttering 
video/audio on 'most' stations.  WITH XvMc and the Gigabyte (Nvidia)  
6600GT card, I was able to get about 55% CPU utilization on most 
channels, but on PBS channels (I think those are 'full' 1080i), I was 
runnig about 96% CPU, and it still stuttered..  This is with an 
overclocked Athlon64 3500+.

>
> > I was able to get the sound, network, and sata working on that MB...
>
> how much trouble was it?
>
I'm debating on going 'back' to the Biostar MB, as at least I had sound 
working with that....  I'm thinking that the ALC880 sound chip is 
probably better, but If I can't get it working, who cares.....

>
>
> From: "R. Geoffrey Newbury" <newbury at mandamus.org>
> ------------------------
>
> > If you are NOT trying to build a gaming machine, nor necessarily an HDTV
> > capable machine,
>
> I completely forgot to mention, but I /do/ want HDTV. I assumed HD-3000.
>
>
> > then the VIA Epia series are fast enough and run cool.
>
> I was told to avoid them because "TV cards tyically use large amounts 
> of DMA traffic, and VIA chipsets are notoriously poor in this area."
>
> > If you want more 'grunt' then your choice of mini-ATX motherboard 
> should focus
> > on a newer one using the Centrino Mobile chipset. The Pentium-M  
> #758 for
>
> Why no AMD?
>
>
> > With a mini-ATX motherboard, you can then choose an AGP video 
> card... but
> > again, choices are limited by the quiet/heat requirements.
>
> Aren't there any mobos with on-board video that is good enough for 
> these purposes?
>
>
> > The very latest nVidia boards are apparently quite capably handled 
> by existing
> > drivers, but the very latest are all very hot, and noisy due to having
> > their own fans. If you want quiet you must step back a few levels..
>  
> I think I've realized that performance is more important than noise, 
> though I don't want a loud beast.
>
> In order of importance,
>
> CASE > PERFORMANCE > NOISE > MONEY
>
> with not too many sacrifices to any hopefully?
>
>
> > In any event, with the Silverstone case, you should go for the 
> PVR500 to get 2
> > tuners on one card
>
> I've been hearing that a lot, guess I better :)
>
>
> > No-one here can decide for you, but we can help with a decision tree 
> to help
> > you decide.
>
> thank you for all the help. I guess I was hoping there was one 
> mobo/cpu combo that was head and shoulders the winner for HDTV mATX 
> PVR applications.
>
>
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