[mythtv-users] Need Help/Advice new Frontend/Backend Build

Erik Sejr eriks at ssimicro.com
Tue Dec 15 22:19:15 UTC 2009


> On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 03:08, Erik Sejr <eriks at ssimicro.com> wrote:
>> Hello,
>> My former Mythtv frontend/backend died a horrible horrible death. As
>> such I need to replace it and I'm looking for some advice/assistance on
>> the build. My goals for this machine are as follows:
>>
>> -Run both MythTV frontend and backend, including VDPAU support.
>> -Capable of recording both HD (via HDMI or composite) and standard
>> analog cable. I live in Canada so we have no OTA HD, it would be off a
>> cable box. Possibly via firewire as well.
>> -Run a local-only instance of Sendmail
>> -Run a small IMAP mail server for personal e-mail
>> -Run a instance of asterisk for a small home-brew PBX
>> -HTTPd for Mythweb, Webmail and FreePBX
>>
>> I had all this going (minus the HD stuff) on a single core Athlon64,
>> 1.6GHz, 2GB RAM before it died. That machine just had a WinTV PVR 3xx
>> tuner/MPEG2 encoder, it didn't record any HD and could barely play HD
>> videos/trailers back at 1080p.
>>
>> Here's what I've been thinking of so far, and the reason I was going to
>> use it:
>>
>> * Geforce GT220 Based Video Card - The brand doesn't matter much, and a
>> realize that there's not many (if any) fanless options here. Thats OK
>> though, can someone recommend a relatively quiet one? I'd also like to
>> use HDMI w/audio for the output to the TV.
>>
>> * Antec Fusion Remote MAX Case -
>> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=46220&vpn=FUSION%20REMOTE%20MAX&manufacture=Antec
>>
>> I know this is a large case, but I may need to use a ATX motherboard as
>> most mATX don't have 2x GigE ports and enough expansion slots to add
>> another tuner if needed. I'm not too concerned about the size. If anyone
>> has a similar recommended case I'd love to know about it.
>>
>> * Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5 -
>> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34543&vpn=GA-EX58-UD5&manufacture=Gigabyte
>>
>> Chosen just because it has all the features I need, and they're giving a
>> deal on RAM if you buy it and a i7.
>>
>> * CPU will be a lower-end i7 (cheapest one) w/ 3GB RAM
>>
>> * Tuner - Can someone suggest one based on the information above? I'm
>> new to HD in combination with MythTV (I've been working with just SD for
>> a long time) I'm not really familiar with my options in regards to HD
>> capture cards/tuners.
>>
>> * PSU - Antec Truepower 550W Modular -
>> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=36262&vpn=TP-550&manufacture=Antec
>>
>> Should be plenty to run this system, really just looking for a quiet
>> modular PSU so I don't have a cable jungle in the case.
>>
>> * HD - One smallish hard drive just for the system, I have a 4TB Gigabit
>> NAS to take care of the storage of recordings.
>>
>> * CD/DVD - Elcheapo CD/DVD ROM, not looking for blu-ray (yet).
>>
>> This comes in just under my budget of $1500.
>>
>> Any recommendations you can make are appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Erik

On 12/15/2009 11:56 AM, Daniel Agar wrote:

> Sounds like a good system, although a core i7 is overkill. You could
> easily save more than $350 with a core 2 quad system. You could also
> get a less expensive motherboard with only one gigbait lan and add
> another with a pci card.
> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=31415&vpn=BX80580Q8200 manufacture=Intel&promoid=1065
> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=34003&vpn=GA-EP45-UD3P manufacture=Gigabyte
>  
> Nice case, here's a comparable alternative
> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=35509&vpn=HTPC-6000B manufacture=NMedia%20System
>  
> ATX power supplies are most efficient around 50% load. I don't know
> about a core i7 system, but a 350 Watt power supply on a core 2 quad
> with this video card and a couple drives would be more than
> sufficient. Cable management with zip ties is cheaper than spending
> more for a modular power supply.
>  
> You'll probably want an HD-PVR if you want to record from a cable box
> in HD. Don't waste your time with firewire on a cable box in Canada.
> It's inconsistent at best, as the things you're permitted to record
> change constantly.
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116030 Tpk=hd%20pvr%201212
>  
> You might want to spend a couple minutes investigating OTA.
> http://tvfool.com/
>  
> Another option is building a headless server to go in the basement or
> closet,  then just having diskless ION frontends. The single core
> version is fanless, plays 1080p and does audio over hdmi. This is my
> current setup and probably makes more sense than having your mail
> server and PBX under your television that someone might reset just
> because mythfrontend is having trouble.
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500028 Tpk=ionitx-c
> http://www.bestdirect.ca/products/215072/M350/Mini-Box/
>  
> Daniel

Daniel,
Thanks for the info. I'll look at trying to save some money with the
core2. I agree with everything you said on the HD-PVR. I don't have
digital cable yet (There's nothing but maybe CBC OTA in the Northwest
Territories), so i'll stick with my WinTV PVR 310 until I setup digital
cable, then add the HD-PVR and maybe a HD-FURY3 if required. I'm OK with
everything being together, for now. I'd love to have a separate
frontend/backend but my place is too small to have a good closet to hide
a backend in.

Regards,
Erik


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