Some MythTV Hardware Questions

[woodsman]

Hi All,

Been a while since I visited. My current office box is running great based upon a lot of feedback from here.

I'm preparing to build a MythTV box (combined backend/frontend). The motherboard will have on-board video with HDMI (1.3) output as well as on-board audio and networking. I already own an Hauppauge HVR-1250 capture card, which I'll use to record programs over-the-air (North America/Antenna/ATSC). Of course, I'll watch DVDs and DVD ISO images.

I expect to use the same PC to watch some TV online --- with a web browser --- unless there is a better way to watch streaming videos from sites such as hulu.com.

I'm not interested in games, xbox, ps3, etc. Blue-Ray support is a future expansion project rather than an immediate need, although I am leaning toward buying an HD TV with 24p support.

I'm not a videophile or home theater enthusiast by any means, but I would like this build project to be enjoyable.

Questions:

1. Other than typical "punch list" expectations, is there anything peculiar I should know about integrating an HD TV with a Linux-based PC? The TV will be 1080p, have multiple HDMI ports, a USB port, and likely 24p support. Although many TVs now provide a PC/VGA port, I'll be using HDMI.

2. Netbooks are quiet, small, and consume less energy. Is a netbook an option? My reading indicates netbooks lack the muscle to run high definition videos. Even if a netbook has HDMI output, seems there is no easy way to interface remotely with the device from the couch.

3. What is a good audio solution? The TV will have built-in speakers and the PC motherboard will have on-board audio output. I prefer to use the TV for audio output as that appliance is always on regardless of watching TV over-the-air or video from the PC. Can I pass the audio from the PC to the TV? Or am I stuck buying a sound system? I'm not an audiophile --- using the PC as a juke box or stereo is not important to me, nor is a theater surround sound effect. I'm accustomed to a tiny tin-can speaker on my old CRT TV --- comparatively I expect any new HD TV to sound great.

4. The HDMI standard includes both video and audio. Does a PC motherboard HDMI output contain audio or must I use the separate on-board audio output? That would be a convenient way to pass audio to the TV.

5. Will I be able to use the TV's remote control with my PC or will I have to buy a separate universal remote control? The TVs I have in mind are a 32LG70 and 37LG50. The spec sheets say the remote is universal. Using only one remote control would be nice but I can live with two. HDMI-CEC supports using one remote control, but I don't think MythTV supports the spec. I have an A415-HPG remote control that came with my HVR-1250 capture card, but remote control drivers have been promised "real soon now" for too long and I have little hope of ever seeing remote control driver support for this capture card. I guess the real question then is what is the best remote control approach?

6. As I plan to watch some TV online through a web browser, are there any slick infra-red mice that do not need a flat surface? I'll keep a standard mouse and keyboard available for PC maintenance work, but as far as just watching TV through a web browser, I prefer a couch-potato approach. That is, I dislike the idea of watching streamed TV with a keyboard and traditional mouse. Can I operate a web browser with a typical remote control device? If I understand correctly, the remote control is seen by the kernel as just another input device. Yet mapping the remote control to act as a keyboard is not quite the same as acting like a mouse, which is easier to use with a web browser. I also would prefer to operate Xine or Kaffeine with a remote control.

7. I'll likely install MythTV in a Slackware environment as Slackware is where I am comfortable. I was thinking of running MythTV in one virtual desktop and for the online TV streaming, run a web browser in another virtual desktop. Is this a good plan or is there a better approach?

As always, thanks.

[fri2219]

I strongly suggest enjoying some quality time in the company of http://www.linuxtv.org/

Good luck on all that, and even better luck on getting a TV listing data source.

[goldfingerz]

Hi All,


Questions:

3. What is a good audio solution? The TV will have built-in speakers and the PC motherboard will have on-board audio output. I prefer to use the TV for audio output as that appliance is always on regardless of watching TV over-the-air or video from the PC. Can I pass the audio from the PC to the TV? Or am I stuck buying a sound system? I'm not an audiophile --- using the PC as a juke box or stereo is not important to me, nor is a theater surround sound effect. I'm accustomed to a tiny tin-can speaker on my old CRT TV --- comparatively I expect any new HD TV to sound great.

Start off my using the built-in speakers. If you're not satisfied, then invest in something better. Buying an upgrade without trying the basics is like adding salt to a dish you haven't tasted.

4. The HDMI standard includes both video and audio. Does a PC motherboard HDMI output contain audio or must I use the separate on-board audio output? That would be a convenient way to pass audio to the TV.

It should support it, although I haven't tried it myself yet, but the drivers supplied by the manufacturer is what makes it possible.

5. Will I be able to use the TV's remote control with my PC or will I have to buy a separate universal remote control? The TVs I have in mind are a 32LG70 and 37LG50. The spec sheets say the remote is universal. Using only one remote control would be nice but I can live with two. HDMI-CEC supports using one remote control, but I don't think MythTV supports the spec. I have an A415-HPG remote control that came with my HVR-1250 capture card, but remote control drivers have been promised "real soon now" for too long and I have little hope of ever seeing remote control driver support for this capture card. I guess the real question then is what is the best remote control approach?

Usually for this people using an IR blaster. When I bought my first hauppauge capture card, I had one included in my package. But available seperately. Just google ir blaster. At home I use an ir blaster, and I replaced the remote it came with, with a logitech universal remote.

7. I'll likely install MythTV in a Slackware environment as Slackware is where I am comfortable. I was thinking of running MythTV in one virtual desktop and for the online TV streaming, run a web browser in another virtual desktop. Is this a good plan or is there a better approach?

Try it and see. I guess it all depends how dependent of a mouse and keyboard you want to be. With your idea, it should be simpler to switch virtual desktop with a remote, but then again you'll need the keyboard and mouse for surfing the web. Personally, I've never been a big fan of surfing the web with an HTPC, since I don't having a keyboard and mouse lying aroung the living room. I try to only use my remote to do everything. A nice thing I saw was the dinovo mini keyboard. Looks like a great keyboard solution for an HTPC setup.

[woodsman]

After additional reading, I am now thinking that with respect to remote controls, a bluetooth device is better than infra red. If browsing the web was not a design element, then any infra red remote control might suffice. Yet TV is in the stages now of shifting to online availability and I do not want to ignore that option. The challenge is that web browsers become clunky without a mouse or pointing tool --- especially embedded Flash videos, which is how online TV is commonly transmitted. Hopefully future versions of MythTV recognize this shift and provide better support for online TV.

The Dinovo mini keyboard sounds promising. I'm still researching, but that device might resolve the challenge of needing both a remote control and a mouse-like device. The device costs about the same as the high-end universal remote controls.

If a new HDMI motherboard does not directly support audio, I suppose there is no great drawback to using the on-board audio. I think all I would need is a 3.5mm-to-RCA Y connector cable. I do not own an audio system and prefer not to buy one. I realize purists and audiophiles dislike built-in TV speakers, but they will sound fine to me after 30 years with my tin-can speaker in my old CRT TV. My primary concern is that I can toggle easily between sources, which for me, will be the PC and over-the-air. As long as I can toggle sources without losing audio I'll likely be happy.