[lug] Mythtv frontend hardware suggestions

[Michael J. Hammel]

On Thu, 2012-09-13 at 10:43 -0600, William D. Knoche wrote:
> Any suggestions on a frontend box? (I can run a larger box with the 
> backend elsewhere; using hdhomerun for tuners)
> Irda or a bluetooth keyboard/mouse for control?

I switched to XMBC from MythTV since my TVs are digital anyway and I'm
not using cable TV.  But the idea is that you have a box connected to
the TV that provides your PC-based media (MythTV or XBMC, etc.).  This
displays on your TV.  To control that PC you can use IR or bluetooth.
However, I always have my laptop with me in the living room, so I just
installed Synergy on the laptop and the PC hooked to the TV.  So I use
my laptop keyboard and mouse to interface with the PC/TV over the
network.

Works pretty good.  If the network drops out I have issues, but then if
the network drops out I can't get the media server to show anything
anyway.  As a backup I have a wireless mouse/keyboard stuffed behind the
TV for dealing with logging in after a reboot.  Synergy doesn't work
until you're logged in (re: have an X session running).  I don't have to
use the backup keyboard/mouse very often.  They tend to get reeeeally
dusty back there.

-- 
Michael J. Hammel <mjhammel at graphics-muse.org>