MVP PCH or Atom or other

[Elmo Putney]

Ok I've been trying to get an MVP reliable for Live TV in another room in the house but with digital sources I have been finding it a bit buggy, lots of lock ups so I have been considering options (I should add SD content only for now):

1/ Keep trying the MVP, get a better aerial etc....
2/ A Popcorn...any more reliable with digital live TV????
3/ An Atom ITX board, £50 + case + Power Supply and everything esle is spare lying around stuff.

I am liking the Atom idea for flexibility but thats cos I'm an eternal tinkerer, only problem is most Atom stuff doesnt have HDMI for future proofness.

I'm thinking Atom board booting off a 16Gb USB stick with windows 2000 on....thoughts?

[martint123]

I'd go for (1) I've used an MVP with live TV from a nova-t-500 without lockups. I'm using a PCH now as I got a big HD TV and a satellite tuner for HD shows, but the MVP is still in reliable use elsewhere.

[ACTCMS]

I consulted my notes, and when I first installed mvpmc I had a major problem with the dead remote syndrome - after about 5 mins none of the remote buttons (except green) worked although the TV would still play. A forum search suggested that it was a network problem, so I moved my MVPs from a cheap dumb Gb hub to the wired ports on a NetGear wireless router - bingo - dead remote problem went away. It's probably nothing to do with your problem, but it does suggest a couple of tests you might be able to try...
1. do you get the same symptoms with the standard dongle?
2. if you have more than one hub/router, you could try changing your MVP's path through your network.
Probably clutching at straws, but my MVPs do work - I certainly see mine as having a good few years life left in them.

[mvallevand]

Regardless of what client you use, you have to have good source video. Once you have that you can look at your options and really decide whether you need HD or not.

Martin

[Elmo Putney]

You're right as much as I'd like an excuse to build another box and tinker, I should bite the bullit and get a decent digital ariel to replace the aging analogue one hanging off my chimney, and then see how reliable the MVP is.

Stupid thing is I would do it tommorrow if I could get up there, but its just the fact that I'll have to call a man in to do it thats putting it off.

[Elmo Putney]

Right, I've done the deed, aerial man comes on Monday to give me a proper digi aerial...£120 + tax.....it's the going rate but I loathe paying for stuff that I could do myself given the equipment (in this case Ladders).

Still, cant belive I've reached a point in my life that I'm mildly excited about getting a new aerial......must get out more.

[martint123]

For us it was a case of having to get a new aerial. The existing one was narrowband for the existing analogue channels, but up here, DVB-T is spread right from 540 to 850 MHz so it had to be a wideband aerial to get anything other than BBC.

My ladders were a touch too short for comfort, so I chickened out to get a pro in when I failed to skyve the loan of a cherry picker.

[ACTCMS]

It could well have cost you £120 just to buy the aerial, cable and a half decent set of ladders...