[mythtv-users] FE Motherboard: DG45FC

[Adam Skinner]

> 
> Adam Skinner wrote:
> > This is a mini itx board from intel supporting lots of new
> processors
> > and has hdmi out.
> 
> I have this board, and am trying to set it up as a Myth frontend
> using 
> minimyth.
> 
> > As its intel , who are a bit nicer with their open source views -
> does
> > anyone know if audio over hdmi will work with this board?
> 
> It's hard to say, as I haven't got that far yet.  Lots of other
> issues 
> like having to compile a new Fedora 9 kernel with the e1000e driver
> from 
> the latest available kernel to get networking to work...  Will be
> fixed 
> in Fedora 10 / Ubuntu 8.10.  I am hopeful based on some initial
> research 
> about the intel hda alsa driver, but time will tell.
> 
> Additionally, there are bugs being worked out in the video driver,
> and 
> it is fairly easy to crash X at the moment, though I hope that
> changes 
> relatively soon.
> 
> > There is another question, that may/may not be specific to this
> board.
> > It doesn't have a proper RS232 serial port - which I use for lirc. I
> > would like one. It has a serial port header, so does this mean I can
> get
> > an adaptor/cable that will work with it and turn it into a proper
> serial
> > port?? I cannot use a usb->serial adaptor as lirc doesn't like
> them. 
> 
> I've ordered a low profile motherboard header -> backplane, though I 
> don't know if it will work or not yet.  It's a Supermicro
> CBL-0010-LP, 
> which was hard to find in stock online anywhere.  However, there is a 
> chance that the pins are not wired correctly.  If that turns out to
> be 
> the case, I'll simply cut the connector and replace it with an RJ-45 
> jack to match the connector used with the IRA-3.
> 
> > Any other thoughts about this bit of kit welcome. I need a new quiet
> > small FE - eee box was tempting but no serial and hdmi.  Same
> problem
> > with mac mini. Dell studio hybrid has hdmi,  but that isn't a cheap
> bit
> > of kit. 
> 
> I have a goal of having an HD capable frontend available for when the 
> HD-PVR-1212 becomes supported, either .22 or a .21 fixes branch.  I
> have 
> 4gb of ram and a 3Ghz Core2Duo and was initially hopeful for blu-ray 
> playback.
> 
> While I see many people posting that playback of HD-PVR recording
> works 
> great, I do not feel totally confident that a 3Ghz Core2Duo is
> capable 
> of HD PVR playback...  I've tried the 7/10/13mbit streams available
> on 
> bittorrent and both the 10 and 13 mbit streams require the 
> noskiploopfilter parameter to play back at full speed.  But then
> again, 
> it could be related to the early development of G45 support in the
> intel 
> drivers.
> 
> Another note is that there is very little legacy ports on this 
> motherboard...  No VGA out (in case you want to hook up to a CRT for 
> installation for example, no PS/2 ports, and as you've noted, no
> serial) 
>   That being said, I currently have it hooked up to a 65" Mitsubishi 
> through HDMI and it looks fantastic and the TV recognizes 1080p.
> 
> I have the stock heatsink and fan, plus the stock fans in the case,
> and 
> it is EXTREMELY quiet compared to my other frontends...
> 
> Anthony
> 
Thanks for the feedback Anthony. 

The lack of vga and ps2 ports are not a problem for me.

I didn't think networking would be an issue - but from what you say it
sounds like its fixed. I wasn't planning on running an old distro on
it. 

What case did you fit this board in and more importantly what did you do
for a PSU? 
I've never built a mini-itx box before and I know a lot of people like
to use DC/AC converters and laptop power bricks. My electrical knowledge
isn't so great and I am going to need some advice from someone in the
know.

I was hoping the G45 wouldn't have many problems being an intel chip. Oh
well I am sure they will be sorted in time. Does this chip do hardware
acceleration of HD video formats and if so, any chance linux will have
it?