[mythtvnz] Hardware Recommendations

[Nick Rout]

On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 3:58 PM, David Kirk <davidrkirk at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 12:59 PM,  <criggie at criggie.dyndns.org> wrote:
>
>> Consider a separate frontend / backend.  I've got a box running 24/7 out
>> in the garage, with the tuner cards etc connected.
>> The inside box is a little one that gets turned off, and the garage one
>> is a dual core with 4 disks etc.
>> Your combo machine has to be on all the time to do recordings, so noise
>> might be a factor in your place.
>
> If I put a separate backend in the garage, would 802.11g wireless to
> the frontend be sufficient or will it require a wired network
> connection?

You MAY get acceptable performance with G but I haven't managed to -
see the thread a week or so ago on CLUG about running cables...

It doesn't have to be your garage either. I have a Harry Potter
cupboard under the stairs...

>
>> LiveTV is not as useful as it sounds.  I only use it for testing.
>> LiveTV is just a stream off the current transponder, so if you had one
>> tuner and its recording, you can only watch LiveTV off one of the
>> channels on that transponder.
>>
>> Just get two tuners.
>
> I'll go for 2 tuners.  I'm hoping to change the way we watch TV from
> watching it when it is on to recording it and watching it when I want
> to watch it.  I'd still like the option though.
>
>>> I guess I'll need a video card that has component outputs to the TV.
>> Another box of worms.... you currently have an analogue CRT TV which
>> will probably have RF (old aerial) and composite (yellow) video in.  It
>> might have any of component (3 rca connectors in red/green/blue) , scart
>> (whacky oblong thing), etc etc.
>
> The TV has SCART and component connectors.  It might even have
> composite.  Are there any video cards with component outputs?  If not,
> I guess I can go with composite.  You mentioned VDPAU.  What does that
> give me, and is it really necessary for a system with SD content going
> through composite or component video?

VDPAU is hardware acceleration on the GPU, on nVidia 8xxx 9xxx and 2xx
cards (yes the numbering system went that way).

You will get a far better picture, including much better
deinterlacing, with vdpau. You will also get much less CPU usage, and
if you want to watch any HD TV in the furture (either from freeview or
rips from HD material) you are future proofed.

As for finding a card that will do component or RGB with vdpau, I'll
leave you to find the right card.


>
>> How big is the current CRT?  You could use a VGA LCD short term.... a
>> 22" is about $300 or a 32" LCD with HDMI doing 720p is about $700
>> retail.   No point buying a 1080p capable screen if you're only using
>> DVB-S (other than DVDs/blueray etc)
>
> I may look to upgrade the TV later on, but right now I just need to
> get some way of recording stuff.
>
>> Speakers?  A stereo with line-in works well, or use the speakers in the TV.
>
> The TV came with a home theatre system.  It does 5.1 from the DVD
> player, but I don't recall seeing any inputs for more than stereo.  I
> guess I just take a cable from the sound card to the 2 RCA connectors
> for left and right.
>