[mythtv-users] MythTV newbie needs hardware advice

[Kirk Bauer]

So, I'm a long-time Linux user and a long-time Tivo user who wants to
explore MythTV.  Well, I've wanted to for a long time, but now I have
the time and money (I hope) to do so.

I currently have two hacked DirecTivos, each with two tuners, one HD and
one regular.  I don't plan to replace them any time soon, but eventually
would like to replace them with MythTV.  I have to take this slow as I
do have a wife who loves her Tivos.

So, my plan is to start out with a MythTV box in my family room and hook
it to my HDTV via component video.  I have a dual-core Athlon X2 4400+
with 2GB of RAM and two 200GB SATA drives.  It has a sound card built
into the motherboard (loads as the snd_intel8x0 module).  I just ordered
a Geforce 6600GT which seems will allow component out into my TV.

My first step is to try and store some DVDs on the box and try the MAME
features, etc -- basically, everything apart from actually recording TV.
It has a DVD drive for ripping, but I would like to be able to control
it by remote control.

So, question #1: what is the best option for making it controllable by
an IR remote?

Next, about DVDs.  Can my entire DVD be ripped so that all the menus are
usable, etc?  Can I store and use Dolby Digital/DTS audio tracks?  What
is a good sound card that would allow me to output digital audio
(optical or coaxial) to my receiver?

Finally, when I am finally ready to try the recording features, I think
I'll start with a non-HD DirecTV set-top box.  What should I get as a
capture card?  I have heard good things about the PVR-500, but I know I
want HD in the future, so can I just buy a pcHDTV-3000 and use it at
first for plain old NTSC and later for HDTV?  Can you recommend
something for controlling my set-top box via IR?

Oh, one last thing.  When I'm ready to move HDTV recording over to
MythTV, presumably with four pcHDTV-3000's as tuners, what is the best
method of getting programming?  Four HD set-top boxes from DirecTV is
excessive, especially since I get most of my HD from an antenna now.
But I do like my HD HBO/Showtime.  If I was to switch to cable, I'd
still need set-top boxes, presumably four for my four tuners?  I suppose
I could dedicate two tuners to over-the-air HD and two with set-top
boxes?

-- 
Kirk Bauer <kirk at kaybee.org>
http://linux.kaybee.org | www.autorpm.org | www.logwatch.org