Revision as of 20:09, 10 November 2014

Myth and Home Theater Setup

One of my many hobbies includes home theater and all the little nuances that come with it. I got into mythtv in late 2003 and it handles all my video/movie needs.

Home Theater Gear

• Acer H5360 3d 720p Projector
• Upstairs tv - TCL 40FHDP21TA
• Cinema F20 18" DIY Front-loaded Horn Subs x2
  

  F20 horn subs and JBL 8330's in temporary theater
• JBL 8330 Surrounds x 6
• Nvidia 3d glasses x 6
• Yamaha RX-V667 as main receiver
  
• ONKYO HT-S790 7.1 being used as a 7 channel 100 watt amplifier
  
• Sony 7.1 system and a random mix of speakers (secondary sound system upstairs)
  
• Xbox 360 arcade with 120GB drive

Current Projects

-Updated 11-10-2013

Lots of DIY Sound/Speaker projects. Getting ready to finally build out an actual theater in the basement.

==Nas4Free 64bit storage system and Myth .27 running as virtualbox guest os==
forum link for Nas4Free (was freenas before 2011) system

Freenas ZFS storage server

Freenas ZFS Storage Server

• Motherboard: SuperMicro X8DTi
• Processor: Intel Xeon X5660 hex core (dual socket motherboard so i can add another X5660)
• Ram: 32GB ECC Registered DDR3-1333 (sweet ebay deal was looking at 16 originally)
• Sata 6GB Raid card: IBM SERVERAID M1015 flashed to IT mode
• Case: CoolMaster Stacker STC-T01
  
• Hard disks: 1GB usb flash drive for system disk, Main storage- Raid 5 ZFS file system - 2TBx6 (one is a hot spare) Myth recording: zfs stripe - 4TBx7 Raidz sata 2 western digital, secondary backup storage a 1TB Samsung drive UFS formatted - Total storage ~16TB
  
• Video Card: cheap low power nivida
  
• Sata Hotswap: Multiple 3in5 hotswap cages
  
• Internal Drive Cages - Cooler Master Stacker 4-in-3 internal x2
• Power supply: high efficiency gold server active power supply
  
• Network: Intel Dual bonded Gigabit
  
• Power usage: 110 watts idle, 200 watts under load
• Software: Nas4free 9.2.0.1 x64 with VirtualBox extension. Mythubuntu 64bit 14.04 running as guest OS with 2GB of ram allocated. Raidz share in use through virtualbox guest extensions addon. Server is also running a combined SABNZBD plus, Couchpotato, Plex and SickRage setup, Windows 7 running as MCE extender and for CetonTV xbmc server/plugin
  

==Living room Ion Home Theater Frontend==

• Small form factor pc:[1] Giada Cube N3
  
• Ram: 2GB HP ddr2
  
• Hard disks: 8GB sdhc class 10
  
• Video Card: onboard nvidia ion
  
• Power supply: included with ion board - system uses 22 watts max, 16 at idle
  
• Remote: Harmony 550 remote (configured as MCE remote - Mythmote on android samsung s3 phone and android 4.2 8" tablet
  
• Network: Gigabit
  
• Software: Openelec

==3D projection - Home Theater Frontend==

• Motherboard:Gigabyte G31M-ES2l Microatx
  
• Processor: Intel E6600
• Ram: 8GB ddr2 random memory
  
• Hard disks: system: 3.5" Maxtor 750GB
  
• Video Card: Nvidia GTX 460 with Nvdiia 3d Vision
  
• Dual bonded Gigabit nics for high throughput
  
• Remote: Monster AVL300 remote configured as MCE remote - Mythmote on android Evo phone and android 2.3 8" tablet
  
• Software: Windows 7 64, Windows Media Center, Myth for windows, XBMC, Nvidia stereoscopic player, TMT5, PowerDVD

==Personal PC==
Core i7 with 8GB ram, Windows 7 Ultimate

==Work PC - Used for 3D scanning/CNC work/laser cutting/engraving==

• Motherboard:ASUS P5L-MX Microatx
  
• Processor: Intel E2180 overclocked to 3.1ghz
  
• Ram: 2GB OCZ Platinum 800 ddr2 cas 4
  
• Hard disks: 750GB
  
• Video Card: Nvidia 9400 GT 512mb - PCI Express
  
• Case: Antec 2400 HTPC case
  
• Power supply: included with case
  

Network

My house has gigabit eithernet wired to every room (dirty and tiring weekend that was)

• Main Router in basement - Belkin Play Max / N600 HD (F7D4301/F7D8301) v1 - Running tomato 1.28
• Upstairs Router - [http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satellite?c=L_Product_C2&childpagename=US%2FLayout&pagename=Linksys%2FCommon%2FVisitorWrapper&cid=1175233984378 Linksys 150-N with Tomato. In WDS link with basement router to provide video to wireless upstairs tv. Getting 243mbit/260 mbit on upload/download
  
• Switch - Dell PowerConnect 2716 This switch uses very little power ~8 watts and it supports 802.3ad Link Aggregation which allows computers on my network with multiple gigabit ethernet adapters to have the bandwidth doubled on the same internal ip address
  
• HDHR-US - HD Homerun QAM tuner version - dual tuner
• HD Homerun Prime with cablecard

Power

• All computers have APC battery backups and the networking equipment shares a battery backup as well
• OPTI-UPS AVR SS1200 keeps my power clean for all the electronics not on battery backups

Old theater area

old home theater setup

old home theater setup

Retired Computers

==Personal PC==
- Retired

• Motherboard:MSI K9A2 Platinum AM2+/AM2 AMD 790FX
  
• Processor: AMD Phenom 9600 2.3ghz
  
• Ram: 4GB
  
• Hard disks:
  2x250GB sata raid 0.
• Video Card: ASUS EAH4850 TOP/HTDI/512M Radeon HD 4850 512MB - PCI-Express
  
• Monitor - 22" 3d monitor
• Case: Antec P180B black case (super quiet)
  
• Power supply: Ultra V series 500 watt
• Remote: Firefly by snapstream (rf remote)
  
• Dual bonded Gigabit nics for high throughput

Experience: Not happy with the ati card in linux (fine in windows). It has a lot of glitches with the linux drivers available. Windows 7 Ultimate 64

==Nas4Free 64bit storage system and Myth .25 running as virtualbox guest os==
- Retired avs forum link for freenas system

Freenas ZFS storage server

Freenas ZFS Storage Server

• Motherboard: Abit IP35 Pro
  
• Processor: Intel Q6600 G0 stepping @ stock speeds
  
• Ram: 10GB ddr2
  
• Case: CoolMaster Stacker STC-T01
  
• Hard disks: 1GB usb flash drive for system disk, Main storage- Raid 5 ZFS file system - 2TBx6 (one is a hot spare) Myth recording: zfs stripe - 4TBx7 Raidz sata 2 western digital, secondary backup storage a 1TB Samsung drive UFS formatted - Total storage ~16TB
  
• Video Card: cheap low power nivida
  
• Sata Hotswap AMS -B 5-in-3 SATA-II Cage x2 (up to 4 can fit)
  
• Internal Drive Cages - Cooler Master Stacker 4-in-3 internal x2
• Port Multiplier sata 2 port multiplier 1 to 5 x2 (up to 4)
  
• Sata PCI-E card PCI-e 2 channel esata card SIL3132 chipset x2
  
• Power supply: high efficiency server active power supply
  
• Network: Dual bonded Gigabit
  
• Power usage: 100 watts idle, 180 watts under load
• Software: Nas4free 9.1.0.1 - Sandstorm (revision 573), with VirtualBox extension. Mythubuntu 64bit 12.04 running as guest OS with 2GB of ram allocated. Raidz share in use through virtualbox guest extensions addon. Server is also running a combined SABNZBD plus, Couchpotato and Sickbeard setup
  

==garage/workout/gym frontend==

• Motherboard: Epox EP-8NPASLI socket 754
  
• Processor: AMD 3700+ socket 754
  
• Ram: 1GB (500x2) ballistix ram
  
• Hard disks: diskless network boot - mythbuntu
  
• Video Card: old pci video card
  
• Ethernet: gigabit
  
• Remote: Firefly by snapstream
  

Experience: Handles 1080i content no problem for me with xvmc bob deinterlacing. I use this on a 32" standard def crt television in my garage. Basically this is to display tv/movies while working out with the home gym in the garage.

==Scottsdale, AZ PC==

old watercooled server - retired

• Motherboard:Asus P5W DH Deluxe
  
• Processor: Intel E4300 overclocked to 3ghz
  
• Ram: 2GB HP Micron d9 ram @ 1000 ddr2 cas 4
  
• Hard disks:
  2x250GB sata raid 0. Dual booting into Kubuntu Feisty or Windows Xp
• Video Card: Nvidia 7900 GS 256 megs ram - PCI-Express
  
• Monitor - 24" lcd
• Case: Antec P180B black case (super quiet)
  
• Power supply: Ultra V series 500 watt
• Remote: Firefly by snapstream (rf remote)
  
• Gigabit
• Software: Windows 7 ultimate 64bit - PC for use at my Scottsdale, AZ Condo
  

Parents Combined backend/frontend

• Motherboard: Asus P5WD2-E Premium
  
• Processor: Intel Pentium D 830 Dual core 3.0Ghz - Processor is undervolted and underclocked to 2.4ghz
  
• Hard disks: system: 1x 500Gb
  
• Tuner cards - PVR500 and AverTV A180 hd tuner
• Video Card: Nvidia FX5300 - PCI-Express
  
• Case: old server case.

Notes: this is my retired mythbackend system. It has been undervolted to lower operating temperature and power usage. mythbuntu 64-bit

==Retired Master Backend - Via C7-D lowpower==

• Via Motherboard with cpu: Via PC2500E
  
• Ram: 1GB PQI ddr2 cas 4
  
• Hard disks: system: Seagate 2.5" 160GB 5400rpm momentus(system disk)- IDE
  
• Video Card: Onboard Via Openchrome
  
• Tuner Cards: HD-PVR 1212, ATI HDTV Wonder x2
• Ethernet: 10/100 onboard but not much of a problem as the recordings have plenty of transfer bandwidth to the NFS share on the freenas drive.
• Software: Running Mythbuntu 11.04 32 bit which includes support for diskless booting for clients
  

Mythtv .24-1(fixes)
Running webmin current version to handle administration and setup of shares, etc

• Power Usage: About 38 watts with two pci cards, ethernet and 2.5" hard drive active.
  
• Thoughts: Finally decided the Q6600 quadcore backend was way overkill and went for a more streamlined install. The lower power usage is nice, but I did have to give up a few things though. I no longer have storage on the backend, and I turned off all commercial flagging which wasn't a big deal as I wasn't using it anyway. I'm using nfs shares on the freenas server for the video directory and sabnzbd plus usenet download directory and no problems so far. I had the via board setting around for a few years and never really used it. Will also use an old pc for slave backend duty to add my other two tuners into.

Backend Retired -10-08-07 due to high power requirements and noise

• Motherboard: Asus P5WD2-E Premium
  
• Processor: Intel Pentium D 830 Dual core 3.0Ghz - Processor is undervolted and underclocked to 2.4ghz
  
• External water cooling: Cooler Master Aquagate RL-HUC-E8U1
  
• Ram: 1GB PQI ddr2 cas 4
  
• Hard disks: system: 40GB IDE disk, Myth recording: 500Gbx2 sata 2 rebadged seagate 7200.10, Raid 5 number 1: 500Gbx5 seagate 7200.10 drives, Raid 5 number 2: 300Gbx5 sata 2 drives. Seagate 7200.9. Total Storage ~5TB
  
• Video Card: Nvidia FX5300 - PCI-Express
  
• Case: CoolMaster Stacker STC-T01
  
• Tuner Cards: PVR-500, ATI HDTV wonder, Aver A180 and firewire through Motorola 6412 cablebox
• Dual bonded Gigabit nics for high throughput
• Software: Fedora 7 32 bit version for compatibility. Modified kernel with port multiplier support and also removed experimental firewire stack in favor of the old working stack.
• Power Usage: Using a kill-a-watt meter, all components minus raid disks use 140 watts of power in idle (I have undervolted the cpu heavily to get it this low). With raid disks in idle, the power usage is 232 watts. Hard disks spin down after 2 hours and system drops to 140 watts of usage. At my current power rates, this is ~ $60 a year.

Experience: Main control is through WebMin 1.350 and VNC. I highly recommend if you want to run a headless system
Hellanzb 0.13 and it's webportal zussaweb - automated nzb downloading/checking/decompressing
Apache in secure mode for website hosting
Torrent client
Secure ftp server

Old Frontend - Ritired November 2006- Given to parents as combined frontend/backend, but is now being given to my sister to use in her apartment while she attends university.

• Motherboard: Asus P4V8X-MX microatx
  
• Processor: Intel P4 2.4Ghz socket 478
  
• Ram: 512MB random brand memory
  
• Hard disks: Cheap 20GB maxtor 7200
  
• Video Card: Nvidia fx5200 agp fanless
  
• Ethernet: Gig ethernet with realtek card
  
• Other: Audigy 2 SB0240
  
• Keyboard/Mouse: Logitech Wireless Duo - RF
  
• Remote: Windows MCE RC6 remote

Experiences: Handles 1080i and 720p content. I can even turn off bob and xvmc and it has enough power to run it software decoding.

Xbox Frontend

• Xbox 1.6
  
• Executer 3 modchip
  
• 160GB harddrive
  
• Running Avalaunch to XBMC and uses new connect scripts in perl
  

Experience: Able to run standard def and avi no problem with standard kernel deinterlacing - i no longer really use this much. Havn't updated

• Sony VPH-1272q projector - I like to run these at 1280x1024 to get the best picture out of them. One in is the main home theater and one is mounted on my ceiling in my room.