HARDWARE - Video Cards? Video Capture Cards? Chipsets?

[cliffotn]

I guess the hardware requirement(s) answer would be, check on Ubuntu and MythTV. 

But...

If this thing is going to take off, a few choices for minimum level hardware pieces is absolutely imperative.  I am a Windows Media Center fanatic, but I'm ready to give this a try right now.  But...  Only once the powers that be who want to put this application on top will compile a recommended hardware list.  I can't/won't spend time and money to find out that a capture card won't work, or that a video card has crappy driver support.

You may rename this thread "Desperately Seeking Recommended Hardware" if you like.

Maybe I'm missing WHERE the recommended-hardware/minimum-hardware requirement list is located?

Also, playing High Def usually takes more resources than 480p or 480i.  I'd like an idea as to what kind of CPU/Memory will be needed.

Cliff

[scuzzo84]

yea I am trying to find out the minimum hardware requirements as well

[hondaman]

windows MCE is a breeze (read: impossible to mess up) to setup and use, while the linux alternatives arent at all in comparison.  The main reason?  The number of supported devices.  In linux, especially pertaining to mythtv, the choices are thousands of combinations, which is a definite double edged sword.

So the question of: Is my hardware supported?

Well, the generic answer is, probably.  But that does nothing to help you figure out how to use it.

Nvidia has superior linux drivers for graphics.

Hauppauge is generally the defacto/well supported capture card.

Remotes?  Thats a definite crap shoot.  If (and im not sure yet) linuxmce uses lirc (the part that talks to your remote) the homepage is here, and it lists on the left all the supported crap: http://www.lirc.org/  Supported and actually making it work are 2 different things however.  Its not generally easy.

Sound cards?  Creative has always had notoriously bad driver support for linux.  However it can be made to work.  Alsa is the part which makes your sound go, and supported sound card list is here: http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/

There is some generic information.  I swear to God one day I will be able to give specific linuxmce answers!

[Nebetsu]

I'm wondering if I can put it on my 2 gig drive and have my 300 as a home for a bit.

(Don't ask. Don't try to make sense out of it. Don't tell me that I don't want to do it this way. I just want to test it out and use the media that's on my Gentoo home (which is on a separate drive))

[webpaul1]

>> Remotes?  Thats a definite crap shoot.  If (and im not sure yet) linuxmce uses lirc (the part that talks to your remote) the homepage is here, and it lists on the left all the supported crap: http://www.lirc.org/  Supported and actually making it work are 2 different things however.  Its not generally easy.

If you get a usb uirt or irtrans, any generic windows xp mc remote will work.  this is pnp and there's nothing to setup.

[danielmayer]

A question of epic dimension.
I just set up a new LMCE-HTPC to answer these question.
The only hint I can give in advance: Never believe the international "HTPC"-sites regarding hardware... most of the only live in USA and so have a fine life with MPEG2-NTSC-HDTV. That is not even comparable with h.264-HTDV in Europe -- wherever you live.
"As it seems" for HDTV in Europe you need at least a dual-core 2GHz-Athlon64X2 (>="3800+") or Pentium D with 3+GHz in combination with a NVidia >=7600 or ATI >=1600Pro. Never choose a Geforce 6800, because many versions don't support hardware-decoding of h.264, but reportedly a 6600 does and may be enough.
Take it as kind of sports to take the right hardware

[jerry finn]

yea I am trying to find out the minimum hardware requirements as well

i found some hardware requirements here:  http://wiki.linuxmce.com/index.php/What_hardware_I_will_need#Hardware_requirements

[cckrobinson]

Here's my take (2 + years HTPC experience - MythTV and WinMCE 2005)

1. The bare minimum video card that you should even consider is an nVidia 6600GT.  Anything less won't playback HD very smoothly.  Take a look at the specs on this card and go even higher up the nVidia chain if you can afford it.
2. Bare minimum CPU is an Athlon 64 3x00+.  I didn't have much success with with a P4 2.4Ghz.
3. For remote controls pick up the Windows Media Center remote. It's plug and play with LinuxMCE and the keys are mapped surprisingly well.
4. Go with the Hauppage PVR-150 for NTSC.  It plays nicely with Linux and the quality is decent.
5. Consider the HdHomeRun for ATSC/QAM playback.  Both of these cards are supported in Linux and Windows.

[Hugolp]

About the tv card, I am using a Wintv-nova-t-500 with Myth tv with no problem. The good thing about this card is that has two DBV-T inputs so you can watch any program and record another at the same time.

Also, I can confirm what cckrobinson tall you about the minimum CPU. I am running a computer with a nVidia 6600 chipset with no own memory (only shared), 1G RAM and a Atholon 3500+ and I can playback any HD content without problems.

Hugo