Setting up a pair of new boxes -- need inputs on hardware config..

[osx-addict]

Hi all..

I'm new here and I've currently got two DirecTV HD10-250's (Tivo's) that I'll be getting rid of soon in favor of using OTA for all TV viewing.. To that end I've been looking for replacements and after looking into pricing (w/o monthly fees) of Tivo's I decided it might be better to roll-my-own.

So, I've got to build 2 boxes for 2 TV's run via HDMI cabling. I was thinking of the following hardware configuration for each box and wanted your inputs on whether this will work OK or not :

1) HDHomeRun Dual Port ATSC tuners (2 of them)
2) VIA Artigo A1100 Pico ITX PC's which have 1.2Ghz VIA Nano processors w/ HDMI output among other things -- would have 2Gb RAM, 500Gb 7200 RPM SATA drive. Here's the stats on the Artigo board here

I only found one reference on this forum to the VIA Artigo boards from back in 2008 but I don't think the board mentioned above is the same thing from 2 years ago.. I believe the A1100 was released in April 2010.

Does this have the horsepower to do the job? Also, is there anything special to do from a software perspective here? If I've got Windows installed, do I just install GPPVR or NPVR and I'm ready to go after plugging the TV into the HDMI port?

Is it that easy?

[pBS]

hmmm,it has a pretty low end cpu, but if the "VIA Chrome9 3D/2D AGP Integrated Graphics" of the past is any clue, good luck on getting video acceleration working...
it actually sounds exactly like the old model you mentioned...not sure what they've added even...but the graphics were always the soft spot..
it's a great platform if it works...tho a bit under an intel atom offering cpu wise...and some very nice atom/ion deals around..

they say via chrome does hd video, but i haven't seen anyone who's actually gotten it to work in real life with real codecs and media...
but you might find someone who has gotten it working, just don't settle for manufacturer's claims..
they have always been rather flakey on support in the past...

[osx-addict]

hmmm,it has a pretty low end cpu, but if the "VIA Chrome9 3D/2D AGP Integrated Graphics" of the past is any clue, good luck on getting video acceleration working...
it actually sounds exactly like the old model you mentioned...not sure what they've added even...but the graphics were always the soft spot..
it's a great platform if it works...tho a bit under an intel atom offering cpu wise...and some very nice atom/ion deals around..

they say via chrome does hd video, but i haven't seen anyone who's actually gotten it to work in real life with real codecs and media...
but you might find someone who has gotten it working, just don't settle for manufacturer's claims..
they have always been rather flakey on support in the past...

Got any suggestions that would be :

• quiet (e.g. fanless)
  
• low power consumption
  
• large hd
  
• sufficent horse power for now and a few years from now..
  
• won't break the bank $$ wise..
  

I'll avoid the Artigo at your suggestion.. Thanks!!

[pBS]

if you want fanless, look over at Habey as they have several nice fanless systems that vary in horsepower...from as tiny as that one to itx sized..
most likely bet would be a atom 5xx w/ion or ion2..
but almost all fanless systems go at a premium$$$ [specially if you want hd video]
i would suggest nearly fanless [like 1 quiet fan] with a atom 5xx in a mini-system or a c2d celeron in an itx box...[see my sig]

i've been using a intel g-41 itx mb w/celeron for it's nice modularity [has pcie16 slot too and hdmi for onboard video]
so eventually that system could have a quad core and a real video card.. but for now the onboard + celeron does very well indeed..
it doesn't even have hw accel for h264 but it plays blurays fine..[go figure]

when you get small/quiet, heat is an issue...
smaller/quieter yet still power easy and powerful, is the holy grail of computing... the entire industry is working at that...
the Asus Revo's [ion1] and the like are the best bang/buck thesedays...tho that changes constantly..[around 200$ ish]
personally i'd go for a ion2 if possible...

with working hw acceleration, almost any cpu will do...i get about 5% cpu usage when playing back live h264 and <15 for mpeg2 hd w/cyberlink decoders...
so get something with the video you want [namely hd capable,say ati 2600+ or nvidia 9400+(ion1)] and get the rest as low end as possible...
[MSI has some cheap new barebones w/ati 4200 inside and atom proc]

[osx-addict]

Thanks! I'll check them out!

[pBS]

i actually use micro-atx sized slimlines that are about as big as a vcr, have full size hd and dvd/bd and 4 low profile card slots...
my psu and cpu fan is tuned to about 700rpm and it still stays cool, and you seriously can't hear it...
i went for balance of cpu-power/cardslots/drive-size...
regular microatx mb and any cpu, any hd, any optical drive or cards...basically just a regular system that's in a smaller case...
so it isn't the smallest on the block but it's not out of place where a vcr was..
but highly capable...
man, my bro-in-law just got core i7 machine [8cpu!] and it is pretty darn cool/quiet...
[they have Core i3-i5-i7 capable itx mb's already..a great choice and not too much more $$]

[SickBoy]

+1 to "real" system recommendations for mATX. Several years ago I found a mATX case at a local computer shop that's roughly the size of an old-ish stereo receiver and doesn't look at all out of place. Sounds like it's a bit larger than pBS' systems, since mine can take full height expansion cards, though.

I just spent 6 months doing hardware upgrades and tweaking to get my system to (smoothly) record and play HD video from my HDHR. I'd be leary of underpowered hardware, I just don't think it'll get the job done.

w.r.t. the HDHR's in particular - I would do what you need to, to get decent network throughput to those boxes. Ideally wired gigabit ethernet is best - 802.11n otherwise. I was using some powerline network bridges that had only 70-80 Mbit/sec throughput and it was not fast enough to handle the high def channels from my HDHR. Once I bit the bullet and put in a couple hours of effort to run cat 6 cabling from the router up to my box, it solved a lot of issues. Without decent network throughput you won't ever know if the box has enough horsepower or not.