I have an opportunity to pick up an old proprietary computer for cheap. I'm trying to figure out if I can use it as a MythTV frontend connected to a widescreen monitor.

I'm concerned because the system has no expansion slots. I am limited to what is integrated into the motherboard. The CPU is a Celeron 533. It cannot be upgraded. The motherboard has an i810 chipset with an integrated 82810 Graphics Memory Controller Hub that supports Integrated Hardware Motion Compensation. This allows the system to play DVDs just fine (despite the slow CPU) when using the MS Windows video drivers.

Before I commit to trying to make this work, I have a few questions I'm hoping someone can help me with:

1) Is there a linux driver for the 82810 that takes advantage of the Integrated Hardware Motion Compensation? If so, how well does it work?

2) Is there a way to force the 82810 to use widescreen resolutions?

3) How is the picture quality when using a i810/CH7007A tv-out?

WittFan, mate whilst I can't answer you directly I have used the i810 chipset in a HP proprietry box and KnoppMyth has always worked well. I can watch TV (SD), videos, but I can't comment on DVDs as they don't have DVD players in them.

With the resolution it would just be a matter of getting the right mode line and you should be right, I have had mine running at 1024x768 without issue.

Hope that is some reassurance.

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Girkers