[olug] HTPC box

[Todd Wittenmeier]

I'm putting together a dual core atom net-top to use with a nice hd tv
sometime this year, I plan to run ubuntu (probably 10.10 unless I do this
after natty comes out.) and I'll be using some kind of small bluetooth or
usb rf keyboard and mouse like the Rii Mini, which looks really nice.  my
plan is to use Hulu Desktop, VLC, and Boxee with maybe a NAS I'll use to
hold rips of all my DVD's I have in the house. (cost of the nettop is
probably going to be something like $400, probably less.)

Currently I have a hacked wii for video I have on Samba shares, and a nice
network connected Sony BluRay player hooked to a 54" SD Projection TV.


On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 12:03 AM, Will Langford <unfies at gmail.com> wrote:

> A couple years ago I built a myth box out of an nvidia 7100 based
> motherboard (onboard hdmi with working audio-over-hdmi).  That meant:
> motherboard, cpu (on the lower end), ram, processor, hard drive, case.  I
> added to that a couple PVR150's for capture and have been fairly happy
> since.  Although I'm thinking about moving to firewire sometime this year.
>
> If you're just building a playback only system (along with games or web),
> then you shouldn't need too much horsepower as far as I know.  A
> motherboard
> with HDMI (and audio over HDMI) output should suit just about any need
> you'd
> have (???).  I'd confirm this works on whatever OS you'll be running,
> first.
>  Early on I had to hack at alsa drivers myself (one or two line patch so i
> never made it public) :) ... this has since been resolved.
>
> For modern capture, not entirely sure what to suggest.  Particularly
> through
> DISH.  Within the last few months, someone had commented here about getting
> firewire to work through Cox (albeit unrelated to DISH).  A friend has a
> Hauppauge HD PVR that captured 720p and 1080 (not sure i/p) beautifully (in
> windows).  The HD PVR also has excellent support on myth / etc.  You're
> looking at $200 prolly for the device, alone sadly.  PVR150-250's are cheap
> if ya don't mind going SD rather than HD.
>
> Something to note about non-paid-for-pvr's -- you'll need to fork $10 a
> year
> (i believe) to Schedules Direct for channel listings / guide infos.
>
> As far as software, mythtv (mythbuntu seems to do okay), xbmc, boxee, etc.
>  There are plenty of free/gpl windows myth-ish "ports" etc available as
> well.
>
> -----
>
> Although it doesn't do capture, I've been curious about something like one
> of these for some time:
>
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856176002
>
> ------
>
> Similarly, I'm curious if an Atom board with HDMI out would work nicely.
>  There are nvidia and intel video based motherboards with HDMI out
> available.  $100-$150.  That means board + ram + hd + case.
>
> The atom stuff (either shrink wrapped lil devices, or the motherboard)
> would
> undoubtedly offer a quiet system, particularly if you insist on a case with
> large fans (if any) :)
>
> -Will
> _______________________________________________
> OLUG mailing list
> OLUG at olug.org
> https://lists.olug.org/mailman/listinfo/olug
>



-- 
-Todd