[lug] Mythtv frontend hardware suggestions

[Richard Mandel]

I am playing with the tiny Raspberry Pi, XBMC on the OpenElec distribution,
HDMI directly into the TV from the Pi, and remote control using CEC so it
gets controlled with the TV remote. Has some issues, but it looks like it is
going to work nicely for a VERY SMALL investment.

Richard Mandel
Linux Support Guys

richard at linuxsupportguys.com
Phone, Mobile and SMS: +1-303-499-1525


-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces at lug.boulder.co.us [mailto:lug-bounces at lug.boulder.co.us]
On Behalf Of Michael J. Hammel
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2012 11:40 AM
To: Boulder (Colorado) Linux Users Group -- General Mailing List
Subject: Re: [lug] Mythtv frontend hardware suggestions

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>

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