[mythtv-users] help needed speccing out small silent frontend.

Nick Rout nick.rout at gmail.com
Thu Jul 8 03:44:00 UTC 2010


On Thu, Jul 8, 2010 at 2:39 AM, Ryan Duffy <dusteur at excite.com> wrote:
>
>>> I'd like some ideas for a small silent low-power frontend, if anyone
>>> has any experience they'd like to share.
>>
>>See .signature.
>>
>>--
>>MythTV FAQ Q: "Cheap frontend/backend?" A: Revo, $200-300 @ Newegg
>>Q: "Record HD cable/satellite?" A: Hauppauge HD-PVR, $200 @ Newegg
>>Q: "Can't change Live TV channels w/multirec!" A: Hit NEXTCARD key
>>More answers @ <URL:http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/>
>
> Hmmm, I had already discounted the Revo due to reports that the CPU is very slow (compared with an i3 at least) and that the fan can be very noisy. I tend to watch TV with the volume fairly low and really want my PC to be as close to silent as possible, which ideally means no fans, or fans that run slowly and hence very very quietly.
>
> Would you agree with these reports, or would you say the Revo is fast enough and silent?
>
> To be honest, I reckon I can build a PC with a core-i3, 2GB RAM, wireless N, fanless PSU and quiet HDD for around £300 (or with silent SSD for a little more). Given that a Revo (with Atom230) costs £215 here in the UK I'm inclined to spend the extra for the CPU boost unless I hear glowing reports about how Revo is fast enough.
>
> Thanks for your suggestion, though. It is making me think about alternatives from my original plan.

I use a revo in the bedroom, it is on 24/7 and the only time I hear it
is when I hit the 'on' button (on the odd times I turn it off). We are
light sleepers and it doen't bother us in the least. It uses the fan
and the internal hard drive. Of course sensitivity to sound levels is
very subjective. I am heading for 50 and my hearing possibly isn't
what it was 30 years ago.

You don't need any more cpu than it has, although I recommend at least
2G RAM so you can allocate 512M to the GPU. I use XBMC on it too.

I coupled mine with a miniscule bluetooth dongle and a ps3 bluray
remote. Works well.

I might try pulling the hard drive and netbooting, but not for the
noise. It's just that the 320GB drive could be useful attached to the
back end for storage :)


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