1" and or 2.2" Low Power Stations

[usaf-lt-g]

Hi all,

Currently working on getting all hardware up-front before installing LinuxMCE in my home solution. Currently, just built my own version of the "FiireEngine" based on the specifications of the motherboard and other components listed on the wiki and some pre-existing case equipment I had for an old server. I haven't seen a whole lot of "confirmed" specifications for 2.2" or 1" build-your-own replicas. So I thought I'd ask.

Currently I have 3 HDTV TVs (NTSC not European), main one is downstairs, most of my components utilize RS232C. I'd like to equip each of these TVs with the "smallest" un-noticeable, quiet, and Energy-efficient specs as well. Obviously, my first choice was the 1" FiireStation. However, I "prefer" to pay with AMEX, and guess what... the FiireStore doesn't allow payment via AMEX...

So I was wondering if all the components, drivers, etc. were available to build my own 1". I'd like to keep it as close to the specs of the 1" FiireStation as possible. I haven't seen much posting on this. Again, my biggest concerns are: Size, Power Consumption (very important), Quiet, and compatibility.

I haven't "installed" LinuxMCE on my server yet, however the following are the specs:

ASUS m2npv-vm motherboard BIOS version 0901 with the Component Video adapter attached and SPDIF
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ CPU
4 1TB each Seagate SATA hard drives + 250GB Main
Realtek 8139 as the 2nd network card
Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150 MCE
1GB RAM
generic CD/DVD +/-RW
Disk Drive

I'd be curious if there's anything I can also add to this that will allow me record HD from Comcast (Motorola DCT3400, which has Componenet, HDMI, 2 Firewire Ports, a USB Port on the front, an Ethernet jack). Also have a Sony BDP-S300 for Blu-Ray, and was curious if I can Rip BD Discs somehow to stream them over the other TVs.

Anyways, I realize these are loaded questions, but I'd appreciate any answers. Thanks!

v/r

USAF-LT-G

[ddamron]

Stay away from the Fiire Stations - they have a GOTCHA..

Their UI2 support is a custom debian based kernel that does NOT run KDE, and uses the VIA drivers only available to system integrators.  They license this config with each unit.

without those drivers, you can get UI1 only.

Here's the catch:

using their UI2 drivers, MythTV does NOT work!

HTH,

Dan

BTW, I've got 2 fiire Stations, a 1" and a 2.2".  I wish I had none.

[usaf-lt-g]

So are what are my other options for what I want to go with?

[ddamron]

First, restart this question in the right forum.  (users)
(I should have mentioned that in my first messsage, my bad)
I'll be happy to answer that in the proper forum.


Regards,

Dan

[Amathus]

We are also building MCE systems here in Australia. The  1 inch VIA formfactor gathers heat sitting behind the Plasma or LCD panel TV - at least this is so here. It acts like a heat sink and being black draws all the heat away from the panel TV into itself. Unless VIA can convince us otherwise we have steered clear. I would do some more research on the main board - ASUS are under specified when it comes to the nVidia Chipset. XFX (Intel CPU) are better or MSI (AMDx2) better still.

FYI, we are integrating the Companion home control interface to LinuxMCE - this is from Convergent Living stateside - we work closely with these guys - outstanding stuff. Due for release date Q2 / 04.

Good luck mate!

[marrandy]

"Currently I have 3 HDTV TVs (NTSC not European),"

When you run them with linuxmce, can you please add the make/model #'s to the wiki.

http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Category:Displays

Go through ALL the inputs, composite, s-video, component, DVI and HDMI with the resolution &frequencies (Hz) let us know what works and what issue's  there are.

HDTV's suck as much as the motherboards and video cards.

[usaf-lt-g]

Can do... still working on it at the moment

[nite_man]

I also thought about 1" Fiire Station because our client wants to mount MDs behind his plasmas. But after reading negative posts I decided to find something different. So, the real working alternative is aOpen mini PC. It can be VESA mounted using brackets for MacMini. It supports UI2 but without transparency. So, more or less it's good. The perfect solution can be ApplyTV. But as I know nobody manage to install Kubuntu there.

[totallymaxed]

I also thought about 1" Fiire Station because our client wants to mount MDs behind his plasmas. But after reading negative posts I decided to find something different. So, the real working alternative is aOpen mini PC. It can be VESA mounted using brackets for MacMini. It supports UI2 but without transparency. So, more or less it's good. The perfect solution can be ApplyTV. But as I know nobody manage to install Kubuntu there.

The Aopen Mini's are nice machines and we have several on test here. But they run very hot and also suffer the problem of running even hotter when mounted at the rear of a Flat Panel in our experience. AppleTV would be nice but its always going to be a little kludgey getting it to work and importantly 'stay' working I think.

0710 has much better support for the Intel onboard GMA950 & GMA3000 series graphics processors so UI2 with Overlay is working nicely now and video performance is really very good.

Andrew

[tkmedia]

0710 has much better support for the Intel onboard GMA950 & GMA3000 series graphics processors so UI2 with Overlay is working nicely now and video performance is really very good.

Do you have a series of test with specific files or test patterns.
Or is everything subjective to the testers eyes.


Any scientific approach to this ... frame rate cpu usage etc.