media center with skystar hd2

[newm]

hi all im about to embark on a project to build ultimate media center going to use asus m3n hdmi series with amd phennon and blu-ray burner and i think a skystar hd2 and maybe diablo and ccam would it be possiable to use linux and are skystar the best to get does it work with diablo and whats the best viewer and if i was able to use linux would i be able to use dreambox image or simular any help would be gratefully appreciated thanks guys

 

[newm]

has any one used the floppy card?

 

[wonko]

yes and they work well - never heard of a skystar but then I'm dvb-c only
bad idea to use a more powerful chip than you need as you have to keep it cool - more power= more noise - most of the phenoms r over 90w which is too much to cool totally passively in almost all media centre cases

unless u r really serious then htpc's can be a very expensive hobby to do well so think carefully about both what you want and how much you are prepared to throw at it - yes you can build a basic htpc for a few hundred but making it quiet, smooth and keeping it cool takes a little more dosh (a decnet case and psu will cost you a couple of hundred alone lol)

 

[wonko]

from the few reviews I can find on the cable version of that technosat card I would say avoid technosat products - if you need a budget card (and are prepared to use a softcam) then go for technotrend instead - at least their stuff works most of the time

btw digitaleverywhere products have NO linux support or drivers - so if you do decide on a floppy/firedtv then it's windows only (mediaportal now works well enough to make a useable front end - it's certainly better than mce)