[mdlug] ( Linux MM Systems.)

[Joseph C. Bender]

Robert Adkins wrote:

>     Well, I was thinking of one of those really small boxes that use 
> passive cooling, put a "small" 120GB HD into it and when it records a 
> show, have it send the resulting files off to the primary server, 
> somewhere else, thus there won't be many HDs "whining" away in the box.
> 
	With the right case design and vibration dampening shock mounts, the 
HDD noise is minimal.

>     I just don't know if it would end up being more hassle than it is 
> worth. I wouldn't enjoy being forced with wait for the Media Computer to 
> boot, in order to start watching Television and keeping it running at 
> all times is a bit silly, in regards to power conservation.
> 
	See, if the goal is recording shows, you kinda need to keep the box 
online at the times you want to record.  Powering up and down constantly 
could be problematic.

The closest comparison I have to your passively-cooled machine is a TiVo 
.  TiVos stay online, have a decently sized disk, and a cooling fan to 
boot.  The two I've got in the living room don't generate any 
appreciable noise, and my power bill is offset more by the server 
chugging away in the basement than those two.  I've got wattage numbers 
around here somewhere from Kill-A-Watt testing I did last spring, but I 
recall that the actual power consumption of the Tivos was far less than 
I expected it to be.
	

>     My goal would be to be able to choose to surf the web in the living 
> room, without relying on the novel, yet woefully low-res Nintendo Wii, 
> be able to records shows, if I feel like it and also run/play all my 
> MP3s through the stereo in the living room.
> 
	Unless you have a HD display, the resolution will stink no matter what, 
but I'm sure that's obvious.

>     I won't need to have this machine running all the time and have no 
> plans on replacing any of the existing equipment, just adding to it. 
> Does anyone know if there are video input/outputs that can be used to 
> pipe Cable TV/VCR movies through a Box like that and have the outputs 
> also run straight into the TV and feed the TV without having to have the 
> box running or am I just asking to much?
> 
	Yes, there's gear like that.  It's a A/V distribution amp.  A/V output 
off the cable box to the distro amp, feed the media box from one output 
and one of the TV's inputs from the other.

They also used to have double-bypass A/V switches for taking gear in and 
out of a A/V chain, but I haven't seen one of those in a while.




-- 
Joseph Bender
Bendorius Consulting
P: 248-434-5580
F: 248-434-5581
jcbender at bendorius com