[mythtvnz] Help spending my brothers $5K on MythTV

[Corrin Lakeland]

>
> If you're only recording from Sky Digital you don't need the tuner so
> why not get a dumb video capture card instead of a PVR150 (e.g.
> http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/XH6594)?
> Certainly 1GHz Athlon should have no problem recording and playing
> back at the same time.

I disagree on this one.  A PVR150 is under $150.  A bt878 is  under  
$80.  That is around $70 more for a cooler, quieter, more responsive  
system.

> The other thing I'd suggest is to
> consider a DVB-S card. Gets you TVNZ
> FTA channels and EPG data (so no dialup required).

Absolutely.  I think this is a huge plus.

2) Purchase new
     - PVR150
     - Learning Remote (MSMediaCentre remote?)

MCE remote is good

     - IR Keyboard + dongle to get past LIRC hassles (or at least  
defer them)

Sure.  The budget logitech is good.  I've ordered the MCE one but it  
hasn't arrived yet.  Apparently, the mouse hasn't bee made to work yet.

     - Digital Sound Card  - advice please

Dunno.  Creative would be my assumption.

     - TV-Out : DVI + - advice please Nvidia 5200 ?

5200 should be fine.

     - 5.1 Reciever

Dunno.  I would get altec lansang 5.1 system.  It sounds pretty good  
and is moderately priced (under $500).

     - HDTV? Big Wide Flat Screen

I would go with an LCD, around $2600 gets a nice 32" or so from ascent.


I would wonder about getting a new 6150 based motherboard with SPDIF  
out and a bottom-end 939 instead of buying a video card and sound  
card.  It isn't going to cost much more.

Corrin