Recomendations for HTPC systems

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wyvrn

n00b
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
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11
I am building one on the cheap, and wondering what's the slowest processor anyone has been able to use to record and run MPEG2. I want to purchase a socket 370 633mhz Celeron and mobo for $50, but worried that might be a bit slow. I think it supports PC100, which may also be a bottleneck. And the HDD will be ATA66.

Would I be better off getting a 1GHz Duron system with PC2100?
 
The slowest I've seen is a Duron 800mhz and one of those 1ghz VIA Epia boards, the VIA is like a 500mhz P3 and still drops frames so you'd need a 350 for it, samething with the Duron. Just get an Athlon setup and don't waste your money on a Celeron...Ewww! :D
 
Hehe. Celeron's weren't that bad in their day. I remember the 300a ~ 450 that made o'clocking more mainstream.

Right now I am looking at a Duron 850 and PC2100 with an ATA100 HDD. Wish I could get a 250 for under a $100 though. Z-buy isn't listing them anymore.
 
You know after doing a lot of reading, I am a bit confused on the IR blaster part. I want to be able to automatically switch channels on either my satellite tv box or cable box (don't know which I will be ordering as of yet). I am planning on using myHTPC and GotTV (consistent with the cheap route). Does GotTv support scheduled use of the IR blaster, ie: if I want to record something when I am not home, GotTV will tell IRblaster to change channels on the box? Which IR blaster is supported? I can't seem to find the answer.

Thanks for helping a noob.
 
Honestly I don't since I don't have digital cable nor sat but I believe that myHTPC does that (or was it the GotTV plugin?) If it was the plugin then I'd be certain that Tony coded GotTV PVR the same way. I know that some (or most) cable boxes have something like either a serial or USB (newer ones have USB I believe) or on some Sat box, Firewire that you could hookup your PC to it and change channels that way. Anyways look under the sticky for links to guides on this.
 
Thanks for the information CrimandEvil. I started ordering the parts already.
 
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