More work: Hackintosh or MythTV Backend

[tefleming]

One of the "to do list" items that keeps coming up is the need to build some sort of file server to house my growing itunes library. (itunes library is growing, in no small part, because I keep recording TV shows and compressing them into iTunes.)

If I'm going to build a machine, I figure I might as well off-load as much functionality to it as I can. (Don't have an old machine lying around). Mainly, my TV recording (from HDHomeRun). Would it be more work / cost more to build a Hackintosh and keep rocking with EyeTV or to build a MythTV Backend and let it serve up both?

Would Linux (in general - probably Ubuntu or one of the Myth+Ubuntu ver) be better suited for the file serving than Hacked OSX?

Would it make a big difference on front-end setup? (Right now, my mini would continue as front-end; Laptop is further down the "to do list")

 

[silverpig]

Once you get them working there shouldn't really be a difference between the two.

As for initial difficulty, I think I found it as difficult to install hackinOSX as I did to install mythtv and get it working the first time. Now however they are both easy for me.

The linux box might be a little cheaper as you won't be limited with components so much, but you definitely can build a cheap hackintosh too.

 

[Kmax82]

For me hackintosh was a no brainer. Not because I hate Linux, but rather because I'm very familiar with OS X. So even though it was probably the same work up front.. once I got OS X installed, it is much easier for me to keep it maintained. Although I probably should give Linux a shot, as many people seem to really like it.

 

[tefleming]

Originally posted by: Kmax82
For me hackintosh was a no brainer. Not because I hate Linux, but rather because I'm very familiar with OS X. So even though it was probably the same work up front.. once I got OS X installed, it is much easier for me to keep it maintained. Although I probably should give Linux a shot, as many people seem to really like it.

Yeah, I've been using OSX for a while. I fiddled around with Ubuntu right before I bought my mini (almost two years ago) and never got very far with it.

Since I'm going to be running this machine headless, I'm leaning towards Mythbuntu. I worry about application compatibility if I were to run OSX86 + EyeTV. Not to mention, cost of an OSX license + an EyeTV license adds to what is already a higher cost (because of specific requirements.)