Suggestions for new computer

[Colin McGregor]

On 9/23/09, Lennart Sorensen <lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 10:12:02PM -0400, Dave Germiquet wrote:
>> I'm looking to buy a new PC, that can be ran with mythtv and has the
>> power to do video encoding and audio encoding.
>
> Well my Q6600 based mythtv box certainly does that well.  A more efficient
> dual or quad core would be possible now which would make for a cooler
> and quieter box.
>
>> It's going to be my multimedia center including using music with
>> coaxial output, the problem I'm finding is that most of these
>> motherboards only have 2 PCI regular slots...
>> If even that, alot of them only have pci express slots.
>
> If you avoid microATX then you get lots of slots, but you need a bigger
> case (which also allows room for HDs.  Mine has room for 6 in the
> HTPC case).
>
>> Which leads me to questions like:
>>
>> Are there pci express slots that can do serial for ir blaster and ir
>> remote? Are there PCI express tuners that can be found that will work
>> with rogers digital cable or satellite tv or even Digital over the
>> air?
>
> Satelate: no

I would put an (*) after the above... with the following:

(*) you can NOT get PCI Express cards that work directly with the
likes Bell Express Vu / StarChoice. There are some cards that will
work with Free-to-air systems.

Free-to-air satellite (FTA) systems are TV signals relayed via
satellite that not encrypted. FTA options are an odd lot of:

- Local regular TV stations looking for a larger audience (i.e.: CBS
affiliate KEPR-TV, in Pasco, WA).
- Government informational TV (i.e.: "NASA HD" or "US Veteran's
Administration Knowledge Network").
-  Religious TV channels (i.e.: "God's Learning Channel" or "Supreme Master TV")
- Seldom heard in North America languages ("Jus Punjabi" or "  Ulibka
Rebyonka" (Russian)).

A list of FTA channels can be seen here:

  http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/United-States.html

Bottom line, there are a few worthwhile gems in the FTA area, but
there is also a LOT of ... totally useless junk (what class each
channel falls into will depend on your language skills, religious
views, etc...).

> Rogers digital cable: no
> Over the air: yes
>
> For serial, there is always the USB to serial adapters as an option.
> My HTPC case has a built in receiver for the remote which is USB based
> directly.
>
>> Are regular PCI slot being phased out completely now?
>
> Getting there.
>
>> Any suggestions would be helpful.
>
> --
> Len Sorensen

Colin McGregor
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://gtalug.org/wiki/Mailing_lists