MythTV Frontend Hardware

Lennart Sorensen lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org
Fri Jun 6 22:27:42 UTC 2008


On Fri, Jun 06, 2008 at 05:57:21PM -0400, Aaron Vegh wrote:
> I've lately been attempting to research hardware that would be
> suitable for a Myth Frontend machine. I'm having a hell of a time with
> it, as it turns out. My requirements are:
> 
> - Must playback HD video

I think the makes you require hardware assisted video decoding, which
pretty much means nvidia video.

> - Must have gigabit ethernet

Should be easy.

> - Must run either fanless or very silently

Could be tricky.

> - Must have DVI output

Often not the case on anything small and cheap.

> - Really want it to be under $400

Probably makes it impossible.

> I'm actually considering buying a used Mac Mini, with the Core Duo
> 1.66 GHz processor -- it's a couple years old, and can be had for
> under $500 on eBay. The Everex gPC Mini that just came out also
> appears to have the right hardware, but at $500 US is too much money.

What do those use for video?

> My understanding is that one should be able to save big bucks building
> it themselves. I just can't find the right components, esp. the
> motherboard. Any help or recommendations would be welcome!

My current mythtv box would probably cost around $1200 to build, but it
is a front and backend in one, with 1.2TB of disk space dedicated to
mythtv, with a few hundred GB for other stuff too and way too much CPU
power.  With a good case you barely ever hear it.

A board like the Asus P5N-EM HDMI might interest you though.
VGA+DVI/HDMI ports with nvidia 7100 chipset, so the linux drivers should
support video decoding acceleration.  Throw in a low power celeron or
one of the newer more power efficient core 2 duo's and you might have
something that works.  That board goes for about $75.  A celeron 420
which is supposed to be 35W would make it very power efficient and not
need much of a fan.  A power supply with a 120mm fan should be able to
keep everything cool with minimal noise.  After all the smaller the fan,
the larger the noise.

-- 
Len Sorensen
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