[mythtv-users] seeking advice for starting from scratch

[Jack Madison]

In the next few months (as soon as my basement is finished) I plan to
build a TV/Theater room as well as convert everything to MythTV.  I am
running cat5e throughout the house and have a dedicated space for the
network switch, terminating all the TV related cable, as well as holding
Sat receivers and a MythTV server.  

I receive my TV through DirectTV, and don't want to change this.
Current receivers, one of each:
HD Receiver - HD10
DVR (Tivo) - R10
Basic Receiver - D10

I'm looking for the best, reasonably priced, solution for:

New TV:  1080i.  Not looking for specific size/brands/models
recommendations, just features or functions related to a Myth setup such
as video connections, CableCard (any use at all??), etc.

Surround Sound:  Anything I need to look for?  Any specific connection
that would make it easier?  Is 7.1 even usable?

Front End for New HD TV : Audio/Video connections?  Looking for
something inconspicuous not a big loud desktop. Possibly used for games
such as World of Warcraft (I play it using wine/Linux), which adds a big
3D card/CPU/Memory requirement and may be at odds with being
inconspicuous.

Front End for Existing HD TV : existing HD TV with component input (old
480p only resolution).  Surround sound not needed, but probably used if
available.  Inconspicuous.  

Other TV Front Ends: As I'm looking to convert the entire house to
MythTV I would like to cut costs on this one.  Small and inconspicuous
counts, but it just needs basic ability to watch TV or play movies from
the MythTV server.

MythServer: Eventually need HD DVD/Blueray drive, but as I understand it
there is no way to get those movies to MythTV yet.  I do want to utilize
all 3 of the existing DirectTV receivers at the Myth backend if
possible.  HD support is a big deal and really the reason I'm asking
this, I'm somewhat clueless on how best to do HD.

Network:  As odd as it may sound, we don't watch much TV.  We do watch a
fair amount of movies though, and generally watch them together.  I
doubt I'd ever have more than 3 TVs going at once, and realistically
it's only 1 or 2 if at all.  I THINK a 100MB switch should be fine, and
going to 1GB would add cost and hassle.

Tivo: Is there any way to get tivo'd stuff to Myth?

Am I screwed?: Can I get HD from DirectTV to Myth at all?  Can I get HD
from HDDVD/Blueray to Myth at all?  With my current setup is there
anyway to use Myth and HD at all?