[ale] Freevo/MythTV hardware requirements (and a few other ?'s for goodmeasure)

[John Wells]

Here's what I'd like to do with my Freevo or MythTV PVR:

R.1 - Watch live tv while recording another show on another channel
R.2 - Watch live tv while recording the currently viewed show.
R.3 - Pause live tv.
R.4 - All other bells and whistles that you'd expect from a PVR
(configurable recording times, etc).

Here's what I have regarding hardware so far:
- ATI Tv-wonder tuner card (w/stereo)
- Geforce 2 with S-video out
- 256 mb ram
- 40 gb harddrive
- CD-RW

Now here's where I'm a little unsure of what to get next.  I have a AMD
Athlon XP 2200+ I can throw at this baby, but I'd hate to use my big mean
system for a PVR if I don't have to.  My other option is to buy a system
from e-bay, but my $$$ range dictates (based on current prices out there)
that the fastest I'll be able to buy will probably be around a PIII-500
(give or take a 100) Mhz.

Now the questions:

1.  Will a 500 Mhz CPU suffice for what I'd like to do, or will I really
have to go with the 2200?
2.  Do I have to buy a second tuner card to be able to record one channel
while watching live tv on another (See R.1 above)?
3.  Does anyone know of a hardware based codec that will work with
Freevo/MythTV (to take some of the load off of the processor)?
4.  Can a MythTV/Freevo system be used for other things, or does the
software pretty much need a dedicated machine?

I appreciate any info you can provide.  Thanks!

John


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