Building a Linux Media Center - Part I

Hi All,

In this post I will share my experience in building a media center PC with Linux. I will give background details and some basic knowledge about the subject.
In Linux you can choose between many options. You can choose one of many distributions, TV viewing software and hardware.

For example you can choose one of the popular Linux distributions:
* Ubuntu
* Fedora
* Mandriva
* OpenSuse

Or you can choose one of the special distributions that were made specially for media centers:
* Mythbuntu
* Mythdora
* Knoppmyth
* c't VDR
* linvdr

There are several TV viewing programs available, few of them are:
* MythTV
* VDR
* Kaffeine

If you still didn't buy a computer, you can choose your hardware that will make the best HTPC, for example:
* Nvidia or ATI video card with HDMI output.
* A well supported DVB card like SkyStar HD2 or Technotrend.
* A good sound card that supports high definition.

After I wrote what are the options, I want to suggest my choices. My guides will be based especially on my choices although I will try to write them as generic as possible.

I use the following specifications:
* Mother Board: NVIDIA® GeForce® 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce® 630a (including HDMI video and sound)
* Soundcard: Realtek ALC888 (I will use the Nvidia HDMI port as an output)
* DVB card: Technisat SkyStar HD2 (supports dvb-s and dvb-s2)
* Linux OS: Mythbuntu (I also used Mythdora in the past, but decided for now to stay with Mythbuntu)
* Viewing Software: MythTV (although i will try to get into VDR in the future)
* Remote Control: Windows MCE all black remote control.

So now you have some idea about what I will be posting here soon. In the next posts I will cover the installation and configuration of a Mythbuntu OS step by step, but before that i will give you some explenations about terms in the world of satellite TV and linux.

Until then, have fun!!
Tomer.