Project XBox

So today we installed the mod chip with the solderless install. 6 hours of suck.
The connection is so week that the ide ribbon moved it everso slightly and made it not work. So we put the ribbon under the modchip and hopefully that solves things. Long story short, do yourself a favor and just do the soldered install. or just buy a pre modded xbox. But if you do install the "Solderless" chip for SmartXX v2, some tips;
You have to solder the pin on the smartxx chip labled D0 to the pin header #4. The pins are counted left to right, bottom to top so it's like
.. ..
5 6
3 4
1 2
so pin number 4 is acctually the second from the bottom on the left side. It took me and my Dad about a half hour to figure this out.
After all the shit the chip put us through, its sort of smooth sailing after wards.
I installed EvoX, and some emulators and XBMC.
More on XBMC later, because it just plain rocks.

project xbox

Well, I got an xbox. So that puts the MythTv project on hold for about a month (Maybe less). What i want to do with the xbox is get evolution x and xbmc working. I'm thinking about going with Smartxx v2 Le mod chip because it comes with neat stuff, but I'm not sure if i should pay extra for the solderless version. I have a v1.4 kernel and there's supposedly a solderless version available but theres no instructions about it on the website. I've never soldered before, but my Dad has and I wonder if he'll do it for me.
But, If I do get it working it will be a good complement to the MythTv project in that I'll be able to transfer video files to the xbox with xbmc and watch them on another tv. Oh the price of convergence.

Start anew

Well, since I have gotten a job I won't be writing about that anymore. Now I shall begin to document the journey to my MythTV box. (www.mythtv.org)
First Off, I'm scoping some new hardware, dude.
I know Pentiums are better hardware encoders, but I really want an amd64 'cause it's 64 not 32. The future baby.
Don't know on the motherboard yet.
I'll try using my extra sound blaster live card, it has the front face with a remote, so maybe Lirc libraries will be used as well.
I'll probably get a Hauppauge PVR-250 or 350 (350 has radio and tv out).
I'll definitly need a nVidia card with Mv?? support, (I forget what its called exactly, but it helps play video play smoother)
If all goes well in the future I'm thinking about getting a pchdtv card (www.pchdtv.com) but I'm not sure if thats worth it.
I'll be using some web sites as well

• http://wilsonet.com/mythtv/index.php
• http://www.mythtv.org
• http://ATrpms.net <-- so i dont have to compile (booo)

So I need to find a good motherboard, case and memory.

If this project fails, and I hope it doesn't it will become my linux home server project.