>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 03/24/05 3:50 PM >>> <snip> > What I want to do is have a dedicated backend system > for grabbing all of my video stuff which will reside in my > office and several "frontend" systems in the house for > just watching the stuff off the backend.
Keep in mind that the main reason to have a backend is to bring in your content and distribute it. If you have stuff not recorded by Myth, you don't really need a backend. I'll presume you want to watch TV streamed from the backend, but it is important to understand that your frontends only care about the backend for recorded program or watching live tv. > I have a cable tv connection, an external HD antenna, > and around 250 DVDs I want to put on the system for > playing without having to load the dvds. I also have > around 10,000 MP3s from my cd collections I want to > load on the system. Easily done. I have a similar setup (except for the HD feed - I'm jealous!) as I guess most people on here do as well. > Here is the plan for the backend: > > HD-3000 HDTV PCI Card Ok, good... > Hauppauge WinTV PVR-350 (someone said you cannot > watch DVD's with this card, has that been corrected, > or should I stick with the 250..?) NO NO NO. If this is a backend only (maybe occasional Computer Monitor hookup), then don't waste your money on a 350. Get either a 150, 250, or 500. > LSI Login MegaRAID SATA Controller Cool. I've got one sitting waiting to be installed. > 4 x Maxtor 300GB Hard Drives (RAID 5) Won't be able to fit all those DVDs on there unless you go with the movie only and not the ISO. > Questions for the backend system: > > Do I need a real good video card for this system > since it will not be hooked to a TV at all...? Nope. Get a 440 and put it there. Then use your monitlor. That's what I do and I'm pretty happy with it. > Do I need a decent sound card to capture the > ound, or will the ivtv driver work for both the > 250/350 and the HD-3000 150/250/500 - Sound comes with signal. No extra connectors needed. Don't know about HD300. <snipped as I know not about the ways of HD-ism> > Do I need a separate tuner card in the backend > system for each frontend system in order for > them to watch separate 'live' channels..? Yes, BUT...if you've got that much storage, the likelyhood of needing separate tuners is low. Since I've had Myth, my live TV watching has dropped to about 20% of my total TV time, if not lower. > SO if I had 3 frontend systems that wanted to > watch different 'live' channels, I would need > 3 x PVR-350's..? Replace the 350 with 150, 250 or 500 (2 tuners, 1 card), yes. > On the frontend, I assume that I need > 1) Hard Drive No, you can pxe boot and have something very quiet. > 2) Good Video Card Most definitely. > 3) Good Sound Card Good is in the ear of the beholder. Unless you are going through some serious audio gear, the mobo or cheapie sound cards are sufficient. > The hard drive does not have to be that big > because its only going to run the front end > application correct..? No need for mysql, and > all the extra stuff that had to been installed in > the backend, or am I incorrect here..? Nope. Don't even need a HD at all. If you are going for quite, get a USB drive and go for it. > On the video card, I was told to use a card > that supported XV. I was hoping to use a nice > ATI or NVidia that would support component > out as opposed to composite or S-Video. But > how powerful of a card do I need I don't know about that. I don't use XV and my FX5200's work great. Disclaimer: I don't have HD content, but I have a fairly large 50" Mitsubishi tube TV that will show almost any errors I have in a video, either from computer slowness or artifacts in the original source. > Also, how powerful a machine and video > card do I need on the front end to watch > the HDTV stuff, or is all of that processing > done on the backend system and just streamed > to the frontend..? I was thinking of running the > ASUS Pundit as my front end systems (with a > different video card (if necessary)). 2.8 has been suggested as the lowest processor you'd want to go with for HD. I'm not sure if the Pundit would do that... > Thanks for any input anyone may have !!! As I'm sure you'll see, there is no shortage of opinions on this list! Paul
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