Branko wrote
> Interesting article. Building a MythTV is a project I have had on a
> back-burner for some time, but now it's moving top the top of my list.
> The Build-Day would be definitely interesting. Has anyone else built
> one? What are the hardware recommendations? I was looking at VIA's
> EPIA Mini-ITX mobo (
> http://www.viavpsd.com/product/epia_sp_spec.jsp?motherboardId=261 ) as
> the base. The video cards I have not researched too far.
> Now, Tom, what is the name of the company from NPR you mentioned? Do
> you have their location? I live in PR and I'm interested in getting one.
> The second question to Sluggers is ( I don't want to start any
> flame-war): has anyone experience with Fedora-Myth or Knoppix-Myth? I
> guess it's just a matter of preference of the Distro.
> Maybe Rob and I can start planning the Build-Day for our future NPR
> meeting (first Saturday of each month, main library)?
First off, a few info links:
http://www.mythtv.org - MythTV Homepage
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/ - MythTV User and Dev
mailing lists, searchable form.
http://www.mythtv.info - Wiki which is run/updated by a local MythTV
user (Lives in St Pete I think.)
http://www.cyberestore.com - supplier of air2pc cards, they are in NPR,
I havent been to their physical location before, but they are in NPR.
The above are just some good references.
Now, as far as what kinda hardware. The main question you need to ask,
Do you plan to watch HDTV? Do you want the PC to output to a HDTV? If
so, youll want a pretty good sized machine/cpu. I am currently using an
AMD 2100+ w/768 MB RAM and it can just do it (this is my main
frontend). Theres alot of talk on the mythtv-users lists about what
hardware to use. Knoppmyth is a great distro to use for an even like
the MythTV Build. Only thing is, the HD capture card that Knoppmyth is
customized out of the box for is the pcHDTV3000, from pchdtv.com. The
ai2pc card will work, but you have to install some new drivers, compile
a few things, etc. Not too hard, and now much easier with the 2.6.11
kernel about done, if not already released, as that kernel has the
drivers for the pcHDTV3000 card, and the air2pc card built in. Very nice.
As far as a location, anywhere is great. Just yesterday, I was at my
local CompUSA store, in Brandon on Lumsden, behind the mall. I spoke
with the business managers there, and they offered for free the use of
one of thier rooms for a build day, along with free internet/wifi, and
plenty of space to build the PCs. I also know that since i live in this
area, a set top antenna will be fine for us to use to tune in the HD
channels, as the transmitter farm is in the Riverview/Brandon area. Im
not saying we couldnt have a Build Day in anyplace, just will have to
make sure we have antennas available, HDTVs available, and internet
access. I was planning on having this even in April of this year, so Im
still ironing everything out. I would like to try to get some media
attention, just as many other MythTV Build Days have across the
country. If anyone has any contacts, let me know. I also plan on
showing how to use an Xbox as a frontend as well, if any would be
interested in that. The Happauge MediaMVP has also been hacked to be a
simple, easy to use and setup frontend, altho I currently dont have one
so I cant show that as an option, but that may change before the event.
Incidentally, the CompUSA store offered the use of their room for SLUG
meetings in Brandon as well. They said that internet/wifi would be
available and free, as well as sale prices and specials on produtcs they
carry. I believe the getleman I spoke with, Sean, said he would or was
trying to get in contact with whomever he would need to to make the
offer. Sounds like a nice offer to me. What do others think?
Tom
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