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Criticize my HTPC frontend/backend build

post #1 of 13
2/1/07 at 1:50pm
Thread Starter 
I am jumping into the HTPC market and have been researching the subject to try and grasp exactly what I am getting myself into. I have recently became a fan of Open source projects so I would like to try MythTV. I do not have any prior Linux experience, but I am a Mechanical Engineer so I am pretty good at sticking with something until I figure it out. I am very comfortable with computers, so I feel I am up to the task of learning Linux.

Currently, I plan on using MythTV with the latest Knoppmyth. I am going to put a backend in the storage room near where the tv antenna comes in then put my frontend in my bedroom where I want it quiet as possible. I plan on using the HTPC to record OTA Digital, watch Live TV, watch recorded TV, watch DVDs.

I have built a separate frontend and backend on paper and I would very much appreciate your criticism. Most of the backend parts are recycled from a desktop that I built back in the Socket A days.

Frontend
Backend
  • Motherboard: Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe (already own)
  • CPU: Barton 2600 (already own)
  • Video Card: Radeon 9700 pro (already own)
  • RAM: Corsair XMS pc2700 (2 x 512) (already own)
  • HDD: Seagate 7200.10 500 GB SATA
  • DVD Drive (already own)
  • Tuner: HDHomerun (already own)

That should cover it.

Some thoughts:

Is the onboard Geforce 6150 going to be enough to produce the best PQ that MythTV can handle?

I am still a little confused about VMR9 and Overlay and what method MythTV uses. For Windows I have read that the 6150 is limited to 720p before it starts dropping frames in VMR9 using MCE. I think the 6150 should be enough for 1080p with overlay, but I have just now started researching this subject so it isn't real clear right now. My TV is native 720p, max 1080i so 1080p isn't an option currently.

Can MythTV produce as good a picture as a Windows system using FFDshow?

Again, I am a little new to this subject as well. What does MythTV use to upscale DVDs to near HD quality?

General HTPC question: MY TV is native 720p. Will my HTPC resize every piece of content to 1280x720? Or is it beneficial to change my resolution to 1920 x 1080 30hz when I am watching a channel broadcast in 1080i?

Those are just a couple of things on my mind right now. There is much more I could dig up, but I will leave it at that for now. Please review this build and criticize it like you were building it for yourself. I don't want to buy parts then be disappointed because I didn't spend a few extra dollars to get hardware that would do everything I wanted it to.

I know this is pretty long, but I do appreciate anyone that takes the time to read this and give some input.
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post #2 of 13
2/1/07 at 5:11pm
Ok, take a deep breath! Your hardware is just dandy I think perhaps except the video processor at the front end. I would take a deeper look at XVMC compatibility with the 6150 whatever it is that your frontend will use. HD is pretty heavy. The backend is plenty. I can record 3 SD streams and 2 HD streams from the HDHomerun on a way smaller machine with massive CPU to spare. I can tell you that with just 2 additional lines to my xorg.conf that I got component 720P via nVidia working with no sweat at all on my frontend. Give it a go to start and then post your issues. I certainly took my sweet time to tie things down to the 98% perfect I have going now. The way I see it is that it'll very likely work fine to start though not perfect. Getting that last 10% will be what consumes your time. However, Once you get it all going, it really is pretty damn cool. As many hard frontends as you want, no DRM, good PQ, great flexibility and the capability to stream over the net at low bandwidth if you want. Just let 'er rip!
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post #3 of 13
2/1/07 at 7:10pm
I have the 6150 and a 939 x2 4200 and it does 720p fine without Xvmc, so I don't know if you need it. My geforce 6200 with an X2 3800 does it with ease as well without XVMC. I had the 6150 working fine with XVMC with an 64 3500+, so it does work with XvMC as well. Your frontend hardware should be fine. I barely had to configure my xorg.conf to 1280x720 through the VGA ports in both of my setups. Once you do that, you are effectively resizing everything to 720p (including upscaling your DVDs) but you'll probably have to do more to approach ffdshow quality. Don't know much in those areas. Had a devil of a time doing getting a proper modeline to work with DVI, so I just use the VGA. And I can't agree more about that final 10% and it being worth it!
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post #4 of 13
2/2/07 at 5:32am
Thread Starter 
Lets say I found that the 6150 wasn't enough for my frontend, is Nvidia still a better choice for vid cards in linux? I read that over at www.linuxis.us in their HTPC Howto, but the video information hasn't been updated for nearly a year.
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post #5 of 13
2/2/07 at 9:08am
from what I've read Nvdia seems to have better linux support... but that may be changing. i can't verify because I only use nvidia cards. I can say that nvidia is safe, most people I encounter use nvidia with linux. for 720p, the 6150 is more than enough.
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post #6 of 13
2/2/07 at 10:34am
Yeah I think I'd stick with nvidia too. That's what I'm running on most of my setups. lots of trash talk about the linux nvidia drivers (and rightly so) but real horror stories on the ATI side.
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post #7 of 13
2/10/07 at 9:48pm
I would go with a 5200 video card if you intend to use XvMC, although with that much cpu, you'll be able to decode any hd signal without XvMC. When using XvMC with any nvidia card other than a 4 or 5 series, you'll get a grayscale osd.

That said, I have a 6 series nvidia card and am happily using it without XvMC and an athlon x2 3800+ as a combined backend/frontend. If it wasn't pulling double duty, I could go lower on both cpu and video card.

Another thought, since you're separating the frontend and backend; you can use software from the Linux terminal server project and netboot your frontend. By doing this, you can eliminate disk noise and reduce the OS maintenance by half.

Hope this helps.
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post #8 of 13
2/11/07 at 6:50pm
Well, your backend is lazy and your front end needs exercise- critical enough?

...just some late Sunday silliness...
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post #9 of 13
2/11/07 at 10:30pm
Frontend & Backend
Motherboard: DFI C51PV-M2/G
AM2 MicroATX
Geforce 6150
nForce 430
Realtek ALC850
optical s/pdif in/out
CPU: Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (2.2 GHz)
65w version
Video Card: Onboard (Geforce 6150)
Sound: onboard s/pdif out
RAM: CORSAIR XMS2 1GB (2 x 512)
HDD: Seagate 320gb

Will this work for the following:
2-3 ATSC hd receivers.
Commercial stripping.
Realtime pause/PIP.

Possibly later utilize this system for D*, E* satalite , HD dvr.

Thanks,
Ken
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post #10 of 13
2/12/07 at 6:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bean-66 View Post

Frontend & Backend
Will this work for the following:
2-3 ATSC hd receivers.
Commercial stripping.
Realtime pause/PIP.
Ken

Shouldn't have a problem at all. I'm using an X2 3800+ with 4 HDTV tuners and a 6100GPU and it works fine for me. And it will do HD PIP although I usually don't do pip since I record everything I watch. I admit I haven't tried HD PIP while it's also running 4 commercial flagging jobs at the same time. I usually watch "TV" on a different frontend. Shouldn't be a problem though if you limit PIP use or flaging jobs to 2 or 3 at the sane time.
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post #11 of 13
2/13/07 at 6:51pm
I was considering a similar setup but with a 1080i crt tv. Has anybody tried the 3800+ and 6150 Nvidia GPU for 1080i?
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post #12 of 13
2/14/07 at 11:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mklein49 View Post

I was considering a similar setup but with a 1080i crt tv. Has anybody tried the 3800+ and 6150 Nvidia GPU for 1080i?

It should work better than the 6100 as the 6150 has official suport for HD.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/purevideo_support.html
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post #13 of 13
2/14/07 at 12:25pm
I've used a 3500+ with 6150 for 1080i. If memory serves me correct it worked fine. I now use a 4200 X2 with the 6150 which of course works great.
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