[mythtv-users] Backend hardware requirements - need advice

Jarod C. Wilson jcw at wilsonet.com
Tue Feb 10 12:24:28 EST 2004


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On Monday 09 February 2004 18:47, Jerry Rubinow wrote:
> I want to set up a system with one computer just as a backend, connected to
> a frontend computer via ethernet. I want the backend to be able to record
> both HDTV (with a pcHDTV card) and NTSC (either on the pcHDTV card if
> that's possible software-wise, or on a separate NTSC card). I'll also be
> running MythMusic and MythDVD/MythVideo (whatever is required to play DVDs
> - I don't need to rip them).
>
> - what kind of processor specs will I need?

I've seen a 3.0GHz HyperThreading P4 recommended for a frontend playing back 
HDTV content.

> - how about if I want to serve more than one frontend?

The backend capture requirements are actually fairly minimal for the pcHDTV 
card, because its simply dumping an mpeg2-transport stream to disk, no 
encoding necessary. Similarly, cards that use a hardware-based encoder (like 
the PVR-250) require very little cpu. The major cpu requirements are on the 
frontend in this case. If you use a card that needs to encode everything to 
mpeg4, the cpu requirements are much higher, as well as if you intend to 
transcode anything.

> - for playing DVDs from a player on the frontend, is any backend cpu
> involved?

No.

> - does Myth support using a single pcHDTV card to record both NTSC and HDTV
> signals (not at the same time)?

I'm not certain anymore. The answer used to be no, but I haven't kept up on 
the pcHDTV much (though I own one that has been collecting dust for some 
time).

- -- 
Jarod C. Wilson, RHCE

Got a question? Read this first...
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