MythTV Frontend Hardware

[Colin McGregor]

On 6/6/08, Aaron Vegh <aaronvegh-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Hi all,
> 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
> - Must have gigabit ethernet
> - Must run either fanless or very silently
> - Must have DVI output
> - Really want it to be under $400
>
> 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.
>
> 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!

First off I am cc:'ing this to the local MythTV mailing list. I know
there is a fair amount of overlap between the TLUG list and the MythTV
list, but the MythTV list will bring in a few additional minds to the
issue at hand (which also means my apologies to those who see this
message twice...).

I got back from a trip out of town Thursday (helping my mother get
settled at home a a few weeks in hospital), After much internal debate
I took up to her what had been my MythTV FE box (now converted to a
FE/BE box), so I am now in the middle of a similar process (sorting
out building a new FE box).

The one thing I hated in the old box was the size, I used a
SilverStone LC-13 case (very nice, solid, elegant looking case, with
lots of space for motherboard, drives, etc.). The Silverstone LC-13 is
more-or-less everything you would want in a FE/BE or pure BE case. As
a FE box stuck in my modest size bedroom the LC-13 was just too big,
it just took over the top of my dresser (sigh...). So, while the new
box doesn't have to be pocket size, it can not be a full size box...

Once one drops the idea of a full size case (and with it, the idea of
a full size motherboard) the question is where else is one willing to
accept compromises? In my case the answer is not in very many other
places. While power supplies failing on me has not happened very
often, it has occurred often enough that any machine that uses a
proprietary power supply is out. I want a PSU that I can swap in
minutes, and be able to get a replacement for from 95+% of the PC
dealers in Toronto. This means the Shuttle boxes and the Apple TV
boxes, cute as they are (and some are very cute) are out in my books.

While doing another conversion of a FE box to FE/BE box is a very low
priority for me, I do want that option on the table. So, I have turned
towards the micro ATX motherboards, the smallest "standard" size
motherboards. A max. of 4 expansion slots, but at least will use
standard PCI and/or PCI express and/or AGP expansion cards. A range of
micro ATX only case designs are available, some of which are very
attractive and many accept standard power supplies.

With the micro ATX motherboards route, appearance / speed /
performance / cost / noise are all options you have some wiggle room
on. For example I was NOT happy with the noise of the original CPU fan
in my FE/BE box, so I bought a Thermaltake TR2-R1 CPU fan, which
helped a lot (ALMOST silent). A box that can deal with HDTV content is
just a matter of a decent CPU and decent video card (my old Semperon
2400+ CPU based FE with an nVidia 6200 card could (just) handle decent
HDTV playback to an SD quality screen (but one had to pay attention to
video settings)).

My current target for my new FE box is $200 (Cdn.), a target I don't
think I will quite make, still, I do expect to be under $250. A few
things, this will be a diskless box, net booting off the main FE/BE
box (so, no hard drive(s), DVD ROMs, etc.,) thus knocking ~$100+ off
the cost of a more conventional box. Keyboard / mouse are coming out
of my spare parts bin (again lowering costs). I have selected (and
bought on Saturday) a case, a SilverStone SST-SG02-F in black (bought
from Canada Computers (who have several locations in the GTA)). Still
debating CPU/motherboard picks...

I'll let folks know how my box comes together...

Colin McGregor
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