View source for What hardware I will need

[[Category: Hardware Lists]]

= Hardware requirements =
== Minimum == Standard Definition (SD) DVD and audio (MP3, OGG, etc) player.
* The simple answer is a machine that can install and boot [http://www.ubuntu.com Ubuntu] (presently Feisty Fawn 7.04).

== Standard == Standard Definition DVR + Audio/Video player
From the [http://www.mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-3.html MythTV Hardware Requirements] page.
=== CPU ===
* A PIII/733MHz system can encode one video stream using the MPEG-4 codec using 480x480 capture resolution. This does not allow for live TV watching, but does allow for encoding video and then watching it later.
* A developer states that his AMD1800+ system can almost encode two MPEG-4 video streams and watch one program simultaneously.
* A PIII/800MHz system with 512MB RAM can encode one video stream using the RTjpeg codec with 480x480 capture resolution and play it back simultaneously, thereby allowing live TV watching.
* A dual Celeron/450MHz is able to view a 480x480 MPEG-4/3300kbps file created on a different system with 30% CPU usage.
* A P4 2.4GHz machine can encode two 3300Kbps 480x480 MPEG-4 files and simultaneously serve content to a remote frontend.

=== Firewire (optional) ===

You may use the [[Firewire]] output of the [[Motorola DCT6200]] or the [[Motorola SA3250|SA3250]]. 

=== A video capture card supported by Linux ===

The Plextor ConvertX PVR devices are supported through Linux drivers available from http://www.plextor.com/english/support/LinuxSDK.htm. MythTV uses the Plextor to capture hardware encoded MPEG-4, so the host CPU requirements are low.

[[Hauppauge]] [[WinTV-PVR-USB2]] (driver available at http://www.isely.net/pvrusb2/) emulates a PVR-x50 card.
IP Recorder (RTSP, RTS, UDP)

MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and H.264 internet TS stream recording is supported using the IPTV recorder in MythTV. This recorder expects the channels to be supplied as a m3u playlist. If your DSL/Fiber provider supplies television service, but does not provide a m3u playlist for the channels, you can construct one for your own use. You do not need to download it from the same server as the streams themselves, and can also read it from a file if this is more convenient.

If your provider uses 5C encryption on a particular channel, you won't be able to get any content.
DBoxII or other devices running Neutrino

You may use the Ethernet port of an DBoxII or a similar device to capture MPEG2. Your set top box has to be running the Neutrino GUI.
USB Capture Devices.

=== Sound card ===

The system needs a sound card or an on-board equivalent on the motherboard to play back and in most cases, to record sound. Any sound card that can be operated by the [[ALSA]] (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) kernel modules will work with MythTV. However, some cards and drivers will provide better quality or compatibility than others. In particular, many audio devices included on motherboards can be problematic.

The usual practice for capturing the audio associated with the video is to run a cable from an audio output on the video capture card to the Line input on a sound card. However, some video capture cards provide on-board audio capabilities that work with the kernel btaudio module instead, thereby eliminating the need for a cable. This is useful if you will be using multiple capture cards in a single chassis, since each capture card will not need its own sound card. Note that a separate sound card is still required for playback when using btaudio, and that often the audio recorded in this way will be mono only. See the btaudio section for more information.

==== See Also ====
[[Tested good hardware]], [[Tested bad hardware]], [[Suggested hardware]]

== Forum Discussions ==
* [http://forum.linuxmce.com/index.php?topic=1711.0 Building a New Rig]
* [http://forum.linuxmce.com/index.php?topic=1353.msg8341#msg8341 For those wanting to roll your own box ...]