Getting started w/ MythTV [was Re: Tivo vs MythTV]

[Thomas Charron]

  The higher end PVR cards will work with MythTV and work well with nearly
all major brand motherboards out there.  The cost diference between, say,
the PVR-150, 250, 300, 500, etc, is the inclusion of hardware based
encoders.  A 600 Mhz machine can easily recoder 2 channels when a dual input
board with hardware encoders.  By contrast, a NON hardware encoder based
solution would require 1.6 Ghz processor to handle it.  Happauge cards are
generally a safe bet, as nearly all of them with the exeption of the 'WinTV'
cards are supported.  Other cards, such as some ATI All-In-Wonder cards with
TV inputs may work as well (Or what it ATI TV Wonder, I forget).

  WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT EVER get an MSI TV @nywhere based card.  They are
total crap, and while you may manage to get them to work, it'll be a pain in
the ass.

  Other then that, make sure you have a decent pipe between the backend and
front end.  Personally, I'd used a front end over 802.11b, but it was VERY
flakey once you started downloading something on another computer.  Also,
the more you wish to do, the faster you'll want to HD's to be.  Other then
that, you WILL USE MUCH MOOCHO HD space, as it is VERY easy to simply save
and forget, and soon get 'HD full' messages.  ;-)

  Thomas

On 11/8/06, Paul Lussier <p.lussier at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> This has been a very interesting and informative thread, thanks for
> the education!
>
> I've been "on-the-fence" wrt Tivo for several years now.  I've always
> loved the idea, but just never gotten around to getting one.  I
> thought about setting up MythTV, but at the time it sounded like it
> something you did because you had spare time to burn and a desire to
> tweak and hack things.  The former I severely lack, and the latter I
> do all day long already :)
>
> >From the discussion thus far, though, it sounds that MythTV has come a
> long way, and is probably something I ought to re-consider (esp. given
> that a Lifetime Tivo subscription no longer exists, and I don't have
> the $16+/month to waste on TV).
>
> So, before I get all excited, and go grab the HOWTO (oops, too late :)
> Can someone give me a basic run down on a) the preferred way to set
> things up, and b) what a rough cost estimate will be?
>
> Here's what I think I want to do:
>
> I'd like a back-end server with lots of disk space and maybe 2 or 3
> capture cards that I can stuff somewhere out of site, and a front-end
> system I can use for viewing on my lone TV that is quiet and
> unobtrusive.
>
> So, for these 2 systems, can someone give me a rough list of the
> essential-to-have hardware and the cost analysis?
>
> My main goal here is ease of installation/configuration and minimizing
> as much as possible hardware incompatibility frustration.  I.e., if
> there's a certain MoBo I ought to use or specific hardware combination
> that "just works", tell me.  Cost savings *is* an issue, but time is
> more of an issue.  I don't want to fight with hardware, I want to
> build an appliance that will do it's job with as little interaction
> from me as possible :)
>
> --
> Seeya,
> Paul
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>
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