Thinkinf of building an HD HTPC

[Comdrpopnfresh]

My mother has an HD-monitor, and until the TR-50 comes out to watch+record OTA HDTV, it seems the best way to provide those functions are with an HTPC.
However, I don't know what hardware requirements will be necessary? I will choose a TV-Tuner card (or pair) with hardware encoding.
What processor is necessary for recording and viewing HDTV? Will an atom do? Dual-core core2? Celeron dual-core?
Also, what type of graphics are necessary for this type of system?
Can the Intel gma 900 handle it? What level graphics card/igp is needed?
What is a good size HDD to record, say 30 hours of HDTV in good/high quality? 250gb?

Also, is mythbuntu a good solution? I want to keep the price to a minimum, so linux is attractive... Is mythbuntu a good interface for use with a remote?

Cheers,

Popnfresh

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
My mother has an HD-monitor, and until the TR-50 comes out to watch+record OTA HDTV, it seems the best way to provide those functions are with an HTPC.
However, I don't know what hardware requirements will be necessary? I will choose a TV-Tuner card (or pair) with hardware encoding.
What processor is necessary for recording and viewing HDTV? Will an atom do? Dual-core core2? Celeron dual-core?
Also, what type of graphics are necessary for this type of system?
Can the Intel gma 900 handle it? What level graphics card/igp is needed?
What is a good size HDD to record, say 30 hours of HDTV in good/high quality? 250gb?

Also, is mythbuntu a good solution? I want to keep the price to a minimum, so linux is attractive... Is mythbuntu a good interface for use with a remote?

Cheers,

Popnfresh

you need to buy a prebuild cablecard HPC. otherwise, no HD.

 

[Fraggable]

Originally posted by: coolVariable

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
My mother has an HD-monitor, and until the TR-50 comes out to watch+record OTA HDTV, it seems the best way to provide those functions are with an HTPC.
However, I don't know what hardware requirements will be necessary? I will choose a TV-Tuner card (or pair) with hardware encoding.
What processor is necessary for recording and viewing HDTV? Will an atom do? Dual-core core2? Celeron dual-core?
Also, what type of graphics are necessary for this type of system?
Can the Intel gma 900 handle it? What level graphics card/igp is needed?
What is a good size HDD to record, say 30 hours of HDTV in good/high quality? 250gb?

Also, is mythbuntu a good solution? I want to keep the price to a minimum, so linux is attractive... Is mythbuntu a good interface for use with a remote?

Cheers,

Popnfresh

you need to buy a prebuild cablecard HPC. otherwise, no HD.

mmmmm no... Maybe no cable HD but he didn't say if his mom has cable or satellite or OTA. I've been recording the Olympics in OTA HD for weeks, and tons of stuff before that.

All you need for OTA HD is a HD card, I use the ATI Theater 650 Pro. I also use a Theater 550 for SD satellite.

You'll want 2GB of RAM or more, at least a dual-core CPU, if you don't plan on transcoding anything to other formats you can go with a cheaper, maybe 2xxx series Core 2. If you do any encoding you'll want the fastest CPU you can afford. As far as OS, I have only used Media Center, so I'd recommend Vista Home Premium or XP MCE, but Linux may work fine, I have no idea. 1 hour of HD for me is around 7-8GB, so a 250GB drive is cutting it close.

Make sure you get Lifextender, it's a free app that cuts commercials out of recorded tv. I also recommend Orb (mycast.orb.com) - basically a free software Slingbox.

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: Fraggable

Originally posted by: coolVariable

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
My mother has an HD-monitor, and until the TR-50 comes out to watch+record OTA HDTV, it seems the best way to provide those functions are with an HTPC.
However, I don't know what hardware requirements will be necessary? I will choose a TV-Tuner card (or pair) with hardware encoding.
What processor is necessary for recording and viewing HDTV? Will an atom do? Dual-core core2? Celeron dual-core?
Also, what type of graphics are necessary for this type of system?
Can the Intel gma 900 handle it? What level graphics card/igp is needed?
What is a good size HDD to record, say 30 hours of HDTV in good/high quality? 250gb?

Also, is mythbuntu a good solution? I want to keep the price to a minimum, so linux is attractive... Is mythbuntu a good interface for use with a remote?

Cheers,

Popnfresh

you need to buy a prebuild cablecard HPC. otherwise, no HD.

mmmmm no... Maybe no cable HD but he didn't say if his mom has cable or satellite or OTA. I've been recording the Olympics in OTA HD for weeks, and tons of stuff before that.

All you need for OTA HD is a HD card, I use the ATI Theater 650 Pro. I also use a Theater 550 for SD satellite.

You'll want 2GB of RAM or more, at least a dual-core CPU, if you don't plan on transcoding anything to other formats you can go with a cheaper, maybe 2xxx series Core 2. If you do any encoding you'll want the fastest CPU you can afford. As far as OS, I have only used Media Center, so I'd recommend Vista Home Premium or XP MCE, but Linux may work fine, I have no idea. 1 hour of HD for me is around 7-8GB, so a 250GB drive is cutting it close.

Make sure you get Lifextender, it's a free app that cuts commercials out of recorded tv. I also recommend Orb (mycast.orb.com) - basically a free software Slingbox.

And I am sure he will be happy to explain to his mom why she is getting 20 HD channels out of 300+ channels.
I run an HD Homerun and the number of HD channels (I can get QAM so I get more than OTA) is pittyful.
Luckily I have a very large living room so that you need very good eyesight to really see the difference between SD and HD.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

She'll only be using OTA broadcasts- so even with multi-casting she won't have over 30 channels.