I run a mythtv frontend for my tv watching.  It comprises of the amplifier on the right, the computer in the middle.  For air movement within the cupboard, as I keep the door close during use, I installed the fan on the back.

MythTV is a Linux system that allows live, recording, and playback of tv channels. It also plays downloaded content. DVD Playback, music & photos. It is truly the one device does all solution. Mind you it can be difficult to setup and maintain. You quite literally need to be a computer genus. So its not recommended for everyone.

But it does make for a very simple and easy to use entertainment system. One remote, one input, one device, 12 cables. Not only that but you can have multiple viewing systems from the same media source. Imagine watching a tv show, and you need to change rooms ( kids get home and you want to move somewhere quieter, or you want to move to bed ) you can position save, move rooms and resume from where you left off.

Ok, you think that’s something I can do in an advert break. Well I don’t have any for these as this system automatically finds and skips these. How awesome is that!

Update – 2nd Feb 2011: I’ve just purchased a bluray drive for this computer, doesn’t work in mythtv but it’s a work in progress.  I can at least boot into Windows 7 and play it from that. (Above image changed to suit)